Accidental licks on your solo

[hdiddy]

Mmm... tasty!

Thought I'd start another fun little thread.

So when you guys take solos, what familiar/famous licks creep into your lines? Stuff just pops up outta nowhere and you can't help but play it.

For myself, part of the head from Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar" always crops up at one point or another, especially in descending phrases.

[Marcus Johnson]

I try to avoid that.... but I know that Duke's "Rockin' In Rhythm" has popped up more than once in my solos. I hate myself afterwards, but I once heard Marian McPartland say she uses that one too, so at least I'm in great company.

Alto players... they all seem to want to do that "In An English Country Garden" lick.

[Marc Piane]

I played "Crazy Train" by Ozzie the other day on Nature Boy. Got a good chuckle from everyone on the bandstand

[hdiddy]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

I try to avoid that.... but I know that Duke's "Rockin' In Rhythm" has popped up more than once in my solos. I hate myself afterwards, but I once heard Marian McPartland say she uses that one too, so at least I'm in great company.

Oh but that's such a great lick tho!

Yeah my point about this thread is not about successfully avoid it.... things that are nearly involuntary.

Originally Posted by fingers

I played "Crazy Train" by Ozzie the other day on Nature Boy. Got a good chuckle from everyone on the bandstand

Awesome!

One more thing about my Sugar lick... I never learned the head. Just somehow it planted itself in my ear.

[txstatebass]

I intentionally started playing the tune of "Stairway" over "In a Sentimental Mood." Drunk red-necks should be careful what they request at jazz clubs. The next tune, he got "Dueling Banjos" over St. Thomas. Bandleader was flipping out. Thought there would be a fight or something.

[pinkzepphish]

somehow the guerilla radio riff snuck in the other day, and i dont even like that song. usually its schism or other tool licks

[conte2music]

I played a bit of "You're a Mean One Mister Grinch" Without knowing it...I realized it when piano player started laughing

[Paul Warburton]

I use to have a bunch of quotes just waiting for the occasion. In fact, on the tune Paulo, on our sampler, I thank Dick Hindman for writing this tune for me, by quoting Meloncholly Baby in the bass solo.
TOTALLY tasteless and unmusical!
After hearing People like Jim Hall and Paul Desmond throw out quotes over the bar lines, I decided to knock that **** off.

[Marcus Johnson]

On the plus side.... I was once playing my duo gig at the Four Seasons, and Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters/ Nirvana walked through the lobby. So, I involuntarily quoted some Nirvana tune, and Dave perked up and had to check out this aging jazz bassist playing tunes from his book. We ended up hanging out over the course of his stay, and I was pleased to make the acquaintance of one of the nicest guys in the music biz.

Another time.... I was playing in a fine dining restaurant, and a Japanese guy came in in a white suit and Fedora, shirt unbuttoned, with a young fine thing on each arm. He passed through the restaurant, and right when he was in front of an African-American couple, I quoted the "Theme From Shaft". The guy at the table caught my eye, and proceeded to blow some pretty high end wine right out of his nose. He came over on the break laughing, shook my hand and said, "Thanks a LOT!"

It's fun sometimes.

[Will Yager]

My personal favorite is the theme from Sanford & Son.

[nathanmcnathan]

My favourites are St. Thomas over bop tunes, and stupid commercial jingles, if I can manage to do it.

[hdiddy]

Originally Posted by Will Yager

My personal favorite is the theme from Sanford & Son.

LOL!

I know these types of things are kitchsy but I think there's room for a little humor in our art. IMO it is also a reflection of our state that stuff like this has also made us who we are and has become part of our identity. It's like musical satire. I always get a kick going to a show and it's a lighthearted tune where someone throws a lick out here and there it's like a joke only for musicians, and it's always awkward when I'm the only one out of the entire crowd who got it.

I know PaW eschews it to agree with some of our musical heroes but at some level I think there's enough room in our musical world for a little humor like playing a Sanford and Sons lick. Of course we shouldn't be playing Smoke on the Water over a chorus of Body and Soul - that's just not right but I don't we have to be so serious all the time either.

I've always enjoyed it when someone like Regina Carter does some funny stuff (and from her accounts it's usually unintentional) over a happy swinging standard.

Just my $.02.

[Aaron Cohn]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Of course we shouldn't be playing Smoke on the Water over a chorus of Body and Soul - that's just not right but I don't we have to be so serious all the time either.

No, that's for the intro to Wave.

[davidAaronCarte]

Originally Posted by txstatebass

I intentionally started playing the tune of "Stairway" over "In a Sentimental Mood." Drunk red-necks should be careful what they request at jazz clubs. The next tune, he got "Dueling Banjos" over St. Thomas. Bandleader was flipping out. Thought there would be a fight or something.

Oh man
There were some killer late-night jams at the Toronto Jazz Festival this year, and one night we wound in the same spot as Jeff "Bassoon" Burke (played with Sun Ra among others, we were floored by him). Right off the start of Blue Skies (the 8 - ^7 - b7 - 6 over minor thing) he goes into Stairway and the place went nuts. We haven't played My Funny Valentine once since then without someone busting it out, it's pretty silly.
Other awesome ones are the Jump riff on All of Me and the Flinstones over rhythm changes.
One thing I find myself doing a lot is one of the 2-5s from Donna Lee