Blues Solos That Kick Asses.

Steph Dawe · #1 03-05-2006, 10:22 PM

My first major assignment for Jazz Improv 101 asks me to pick a blues solo and learn it. Easy, right?

It would be, if I knew any other bass blues solos other than The Lemon Song.

Care to help a sistah out?

Preferrably it has to be about 3 or 5 choruses long, and not overly hard - I'm to learn it by ear. And I'm in first year, so it needs to be fairly easy.

I apologise for making another "i need a bass solo plz help" thread, but I did do a search, and nothing specific came up, so don't shoot me just yet.

Matt Till · #2 03-05-2006, 10:55 PM

Wait... the solo has to kick multiple asses?!? Most blues solos I know only kick one... sorry.

Steph Dawe · #3 03-06-2006, 01:18 AM

Just the two moderators; it's not like I have to slaughter masses with it.

I thought the same thing, though. "5 choruses?" *faints*

flatwoundfender · #4 03-06-2006, 01:33 AM

Check out some Mingus, he used a lot of blues based styles. Most blues blues isn't going to have bass solos, so I guess you could learn some guitar lines. I once heard some Ray Brown stuff with him soloing over blues chords.

Lowtonejoe · #5 03-06-2006, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph Dawe

My first major assignment for Jazz Improv 101 asks me to pick a blues solo and learn it. Easy, right?

It would be, if I knew any other bass blues solos other than The Lemon Song.

Care to help a sistah out?

Preferrably it has to be about 3 or 5 choruses long, and not overly hard - I'm to learn it by ear. And I'm in first year, so it needs to be fairly easy.

I apologise for making another "i need a bass solo plz help" thread, but I did do a search, and nothing specific came up, so don't shoot me just yet.

Would this fit the bill?

BCOL

I WILL learn to play every song on this album one day!

Joe.

Lowtonejoe · #6 03-06-2006, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowtonejoe

Would this fit the bill?

BCOL

I WILL learn to play every song on this album one day!

Joe.

Hmmm....

I guess it might not be long enough.

Oops.

Play it more than once?

Joe.

Lowtonejoe · #7 03-06-2006, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowtonejoe

Hmmm....

I guess it might not be long enough.

Oops.

Play it more than once?

Joe.

Same here?

Such a cool groove!

YCMTTB

Joe.

Lowtonejoe · #8 03-06-2006, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowtonejoe

Same here?

Such a cool groove!

YCMTTB

Joe.

I guess this one is more an intro but dang, so cool.

I have to start thinking before I post.

Joe.

bass349 · #9 03-06-2006, 02:10 AM

Try "sundown" by Wes Montgomery. Very tasty guitar solo. Or how about Winton Kelly's piano solo off "Pfrancing" (Miles Davis). That's a really sweet solo, and fairly easy to pull off on bass. I personally like doing sax solo's - but they can be a little harder on the ear, and generally contain more complex lines.

For some reason i quite often don't really go for bass solo's. I guess, especially with the physical limitations of playing DB, it can be harder for the bassist to get their melodic ideas out. I prefer transcribing other instruments that naturally have a more "soloistic" role in the ensemble.

anyway, good luck with your studies

andy.

Bruce Lindfield · #10 03-06-2006, 03:20 AM

Mingus - Haitian Fight Song!!

Matt Till · #11 03-06-2006, 06:52 AM

That is what I first thought, it might be a bit long winded compared to what she's looking for

You might want to transcribe a blues guitar solo to bass, it's easy to find a blues guitar solo. You could check out the greats like BB King and Muddy Waters, and just take what you need from them. I'd say BB King would be best, he works more with clarity and space.

flatwoundfender · #12 03-06-2006, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Till

That is what I first thought, it might be a bit long winded compared to what she's looking for

You might want to transcribe a blues guitar solo to bass, it's easy to find a blues guitar solo. You could check out the greats like BB King and Muddy Waters, and just take what you need from them. I'd say BB King would be best, he works more with clarity and space.

I agree with the guitar thing, as cool as Hatian fight song is, it's a rather long piece. You might want to check out Mel Brown for a solo. He's a jazz guitarist, but he usually has a blues backing meaning it's all 1-4-5 changes, but he also doesn't bend notes like most blues players do. That's an advantage to you being a bassists and having strings that are much larger. I also think the head from Moanin' would sound cool on bass.

RHFusillo · #13 03-06-2006, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

Mingus - Haitian Fight Song!!

Dammit, Bruce! I was about to write that! It's a great solo -- it's singable, which many bass solos are not. I transcribed it 30 years ago, and still remember it.

Steph Dawe · #14 03-07-2006, 12:19 AM

Thanks for the replies, guys. I knew there was a reason why I keep coming back to this place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RHFusillo

it's singable

Here's another good point that I forgot to mention; I should be able to sing it pretty clearly. Thus, a Adderly sax solo will not do.

burk48237 · #15 03-07-2006, 06:33 PM

Steph, Jeff Berlin on the CD (Champion I believe) did Claptons solo from Crossroads note for note on a four string and it kicked major butt. Unfortunately I don't have it on digital so I can't link to it. Larry Taylor did a few solo's on some of the earlier John Mayall work and Jimmy Haslip did a great blues based solo on Jing Chi Live. Most bass solo work seems to be more jazz/funk based then blues based. Will Lee also takes a solo on "All Blues" on Toph-e and the Pussycats live in Detroit. All of these are very melodic, nothing like later Coltrane. You'll have great fun when you get to transcribing that stuff!

Alan Vorse · #16 03-08-2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph Dawe

Thanks for the replies, guys. I knew there was a reason why I keep coming back to this place.

Here's another good point that I forgot to mention; I should be able to sing it pretty clearly. Thus, a Adderly sax solo will not do.

Suit yourself, but I'm currently transcribing Adderly's solo from Autumn Leaves, I don't think its that hard to sing.

Steph Dawe · #17 03-09-2006, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harmolodic

Suit yourself, but I'm currently transcribing Adderly's solo from Autumn Leaves, I don't think its that hard to sing.

I was half-kidding; the only solo I'm really familiar with of Adderly's is one of those solos that goes everywhere.

SundanceChile · #18 03-09-2006, 12:12 AM

the old live version of Crossroads comes to mind.

Alan Vorse · #19 03-09-2006, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph Dawe

I was half-kidding; the only solo I'm really familiar with of Adderly's is one of those solos that goes everywhere.

Understood.

RHFusillo · #20 03-09-2006, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph Dawe

Here's another good point that I forgot to mention; I should be able to sing it pretty clearly.

That would eliminate Eric Dolphy's solo on "Teenie's Blues."

(From Oliver Nelson's Blues and the Abstract Truth -- great record, btw, and a great solo that's fun to try to sing!)