February 05, 2019

Episode 54: The Jazz Solo, Part 3

1 hour 1 minute

So many great jazz solos….wish I could play them all! I’m still trying to figure out what makes a great jazz solo, compared to one that isn’t so great. Listening to some of these is giving me some ‘intuitive’ sense—-but probably couldn’t give you a list of all the criteria. Sometimes it’s just some mysterious thing that comes from the ‘soul’. And sometimes not.

For this program I play 5 solos that five famous musicians have described as being “essential solos” to which any aspiring jazz musician (or appreciator) must listen.

I also include one solo that has been cited as a great musician ‘gone bad’……at least in that particular solo. Thanks to native Peterborough bassist ‘gone good’—Wesley Collett-Taylor—for suggesting that one.

And as usual, one Canadian player. This time one selected by another Peterborough bassist–Craig Paterson—and a wonderful solo by Toronto pianist Robi Botos.

You’ll hear two Freddie Hubbard tracks today, two versions of Ella Fitzgerald scatting on the same tune 13 years apart (just to get an idea of the creative development of a solo over the years), Charlie Parker, Weather Report, Bill Evans, and a group of Canadian musicians led by American drummer Terri Lyne Carrington.

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By Larry Saidman