Pop "covers" for Jazz

Jeff Guevin · #1 04-12-2007, 01:43 PM

What are some modern (let's say, 1970s and later) pop and rock tunes that you've done, have heard done, or would like to see done in a jazz format? Or hell, how about things that wouldn't work but would be hilarious?

Here are mine:

I like Bridget Kearney's cover of Elliot Smith's "Everything Means Nothing to Me" (on her website).
Everyone seems to be doing Radiohead, which is fine by me.
I haven't loved everything the Bjorkestra has done, but I like the concept and like the source material a lot. Dave Douglas did Bjork's "Unison" pretty nicely.
I didn't care for McCoy's cover of "Always Something There to Remind Me", which is technically by Burt Bacharach, but which my heart knows is really by Naked Eyes.
Herbie's "The New Standard" album is pretty neat--I liked his "New York Minute" quite a bit.
I have a mad dream of doing "Cars", "Tainted Love", and "Come on Eileen".

Can you tell what decade I grew up in?

-Jeff

Marcus Johnson · #2 04-12-2007, 03:41 PM

I do a couple of Nirvana tunes with my duo partner... whichever tune he feels like. The first time I met Dave Grohl, we were playing "Teen Spirit". He was a little surprised to see an old fart jazz bassist playing his tune. We hung out, it was fun.

I've always wanted to do Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun".... still a really great tune. I think Foo Fighters might be some good possibilities as well. "No One Knows" by Queens Of The Stone Age.

XTC also holds some great possibilities. Some, like "Ladybird", could be played pretty much as is, and sound great.

I think some of Outkast's stuff would be great.

Another one that's cool is TLC's "Waterfalls".

"Loser" by Beck.

OT; I heard a bluegrassy version of Snoop's "Gin & Juice" yesterday... I was rolling.....

Marc Piane · #3 04-12-2007, 03:52 PM

I wrote a 5/4 jazz arragement of "Let's Get It Started" by the Black Eyed Peas called "Let's F***in' End It".

I love playing Brad Mehldau's arrangement of 'Blackbird'. Several piano players around Chicago know it.

**Freddels** · #4 04-12-2007, 04:31 PM

Paul Anka already does Teen Spirit and Black Hole Sun . . . but you gotta wear the shirt!

Uncletoad · #5 04-12-2007, 05:42 PM

The Maneri Brothers do Walk Like an Egyptian and a bunch of other bad 80's tunes. In addition we do a 30 minute medley of bad TV show themes. Bewitched, (both Darrons), Fantasy Island, The Price is Right.

Its a psychotic mess.

Jeff Guevin · #6 04-12-2007, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

The Maneri Brothers do Walk Like an Egyptian and a bunch of other bad 80's tunes. In addition we do a 30 minute medley of bad TV show themes. Bewitched, (both Darrons), Fantasy Island, The Price is Right.

Its a psychotic mess.

That's what I'm talking about!

musicman5string · #7 04-12-2007, 08:42 PM

I haven't heard too many jazz musicians take recent pop tunes and turn them into convincing jazz arrangements.
It's a great idea, but it usually sounds forced to me.
That being said, I have a killin' arrangement of The Police's "Wrapped Around You Finger" that I hope to record someday.

Vandelay · #8 04-12-2007, 09:00 PM

Marcus Miller does a pretty cool jazzy version of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein".

It'd be fun and unusual to do some slower hip-hop songs (like "Nuthin' But A G Thang" or "Let Me Ride" by Dr. Dre) as jazz tunes. Those songs have a pretty good groove.

Uncletoad · #9 04-12-2007, 09:15 PM

Also, depending on your perspective MOST Jazz Standards are pop covers. Albeit covers of pop tunes of their specific era.

So what you are really asking is what pop tunes from the last, say 40 years, are you doing?

Answer is, a ton.

Beetles, Grateful Dead, Dylan. Just stand on the edge of cheese and it comes off very well. Easier on the Midwestern palate too.

We get a way bigger draw doing the Theme from Mission Impossible than we do with any of the Jazz Cannon.

Try Bathroom Window, Beetles. It's fun.

Andy Allen · #10 04-12-2007, 09:28 PM

A recording that I have in constant rotation since it was released last year is Ted Howe's Elton Exposed.

I can't say I like the title - the thought of Elton exposing himself is not appealing. But the music is great - fun, cool arrangements of some of Sir E's well known compositions in a variety of styles. John Patitucci plays wonderfully in this support role, with a beautiful fat sound.

Well worth the 25c a track from eMusic.

Andy

Jeff Guevin · #11 04-12-2007, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Also, depending on your perspective MOST Jazz Standards are pop covers. Albeit covers of pop tunes of their specific era.

So what you are really asking is what pop tunes from the last, say 40 years, are you doing?

Yeah, I was thinking 1970s and later, mainly because that's the particular age I prefer my cheese to be.

Great tunes, guys! Though I'm dismayed no one is doing Duran Duran.

Speaking of the Beatles, Mehldau's "Martha My Dear" and "She's Leaving Home" are pretty great, I think.

Anyone have recordings of their jazz-pop experiments?

tzadik · #12 04-13-2007, 05:31 AM

My gypsy jazz trio does The Sandman. Not the Metallica one, the older one.

christ andronis · #13 04-13-2007, 08:16 AM

There's an album out called "Beatle Jazz" or something like that with some really hip arrangements.

christ andronis · #14 04-13-2007, 08:18 AM

There's an album out called "Beatle Jazz" with some really hip arrangements.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #15 04-13-2007, 04:17 PM

Playing a nice arrangement of "Clint Eastwood" (a pretty silly tune IMO) has opened my ears to doing more things like it. I really enjoy playing non jazz tunes with jazz instrumentation.

christ andronis · #16 04-13-2007, 04:19 PM

I didn't realize "Clint Eastwood" had been done before.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #17 04-13-2007, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christ andronis

I didn't realize "Clint Eastwood" had been done before.

It's originally done by a "band" called "Gorillaz".

christ andronis · #18 04-13-2007, 04:24 PM

"DOH!!" I think you've said that before. Sorry, my back has been killing me and I think the Advil is kicking in!!!!

Space...the final frontier!

Andy Allen · #19 04-13-2007, 04:39 PM

If you really like that kind of stuff then you should listen to Richard Cheese ( www.richardcheese.com ) - in fact if you really,really like it you could join his band. He's been advertising for a new double bass player on the Los Angeles Craig's List for a few months now - see:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/muc/308296282.html

"We have a band called Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine. We perform jazzy lounge versions of alternative rock songs. Imagine Tony Bennett singing a song by Nirvana, Motley Crue, or Snoop Dogg.

We need a new upright bass player for this band AND three other projects." ....etc.

I almost considered it myself but, fun as it might be for a while, I don't think I could make that my no.1 gig.

Andy

bassist1962 · #20 04-13-2007, 05:25 PM

A lot of BTO stuff lends itself to a Jazz setting very well. This is supported by the fact that Randy Bachman is now playing Jazz. I was in a HM band in the early '80's that put a swing feel to our entire set a few times for a laugh. Judas Priest as Jazz was actually quite interesting, as well as funny.