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Cover Ideas for Horn Bands

DennyOnBass

DennyOnBass

Dec 18, 2003
1,136
1,028
59
Traverse City, MI
#1
I'll be joining a friend's horn band in January, and we're looking for some "off the beaten path" covers. They do a lot of originals, plus a few standard covers like Sir Duke, Hold on I'm Comin', Pick Up the Pieces, etc.

The band is striving to be more edgy and unique, so they've been avoiding tunes like Soul Man, etc. Some of the stuff we're adding to the setlist is Hell by the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Villified by Galactic.

Instrumentation is guitar/vox, keys/vox, tenor sax, alto sax, guitar/trombone, bass/vox, and drums.

Any suggestions? We mainly need high energy, slammin' stuff, but all suggestions are welcome.
 
#2
I play in a horn band, we have over 150 charts but not allot in the style you used as an example.

Of Course - Motown, Earth Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Steely Dan, KC and the Sunshine Band, Kool and The Gang are the staples for a horn band.

Some others that might be of interest - Big Bad Vodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra. Peter Gabiel Sledgehammer, Ides of March Vehicle, Cherry Poppin Daddies Zoot Suit Riot, The Blues Brothers.

I hope this helps!
 
#4
My drummer (still not sure how that happened) son's band is The Grape Soda Jerks...mostly original ska and reggae, but they do a few fun covers. Reel Big Fish covering A-ha's "Take On Me" and also RBF covering Lita Ford's "Kiss me deadly". Lots of horns and the crowds do love to dance!
 
#5
I play with a sax player here in Denver whose other band is a horn funk band. Very high standards of musicianship, and everyone in the group is a music school graduate. If you like, PM me and I will give you Matt's contact info. I am sure he would be happy to tell you which tunes they have chosen that really get the audience going. I totally understand your desire to choose clever, more unique covers that are still recognizeable.
 
#10
September - Earth, Wind and Fire
25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago
Impression that I get - Mighty Mighty Boss Tones
Dead man's Party - oingo boingo
you can't get what you want - Joe Jackson

Almost anything by Bruce would kill. Got some killer sax parts in some of his songs.
 
#12
Mongo Slade said:
...never let the fact that the original version of the song had no horns get in the way of a bombastic arrangement.
Peace
Click to expand...

I agree here -some of the most pleasantly surprising horn covers have been songs with no horns originally. I've seen horn sections play Sabbath, nirvana, the ramones, etc... old punk songs work pretty well. Really anything with a signature riff can be quickly blown out into a horn arrangement.
 
#13
I lead an 8 pc swinging variety band in Seattle with a 3 horn front line. Sometimes an obscure horn band cover played straight is just right as a curveball to the audience.

Last Night, the Memphis Horns
Rockhouse, Ray Charles
More Today Than Yesterday, Spiral Staircase, trust me
Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Buble version
Sharp Dressed Man, this one kills

For places to find combo arrangements, try shaunevans.com, michael winger at charts.bluesbroads.com, or a posting request on the big bands database at
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Or have your friend contact me to trade some titles. I have a library of over 500 combo arrangements of all kinds.
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Good luck. Playing with horns is a guaranteed fun machine. Todd.
 
#17
Our band is covering a few tunes by the Scott Martin Latin Soul Band (outstanding studio cats with very tight arrangements). They're an extraordinary band, but they are still relatively obscure.

For old school it's hard to beat vintage Cold Blood, Edgar Winters' White Trash, The Ides of March, Buddy Miles, Carlos Santana, or Rare Earth.

And you've got to check out former Tower of Power lead trumpet and trombonist Mic Gillette's CD: Ear Candy!
 
#19
How about Frank Zappa's "Peaches En Regalia"?
Little Feat's "All That You Dream", "Dixie Chicken", "Mercenary Territory" or "Spanish Moon"?
If you can find it, check out a 60s horn band called The Flock. They did some real cool stuff. Violinist Jerry Goodman was a member. This was before Mahavishnu Orchestra.
 

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