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Disco songs for power trio?

#24
How good is your guitar player? Rod Stewart "if you think I'm sexy" could go over if he can cop the keys chords with chorus. The main riff would be cool as a overdriven guitar. He could even ham it up and just play the riff like it was the greatest guitar solo ever..."do you think I'm sexy?" style and go back to drum and bass disco style.
 
#26
Here's the way to arrange it.

Find a song that's light on the guitar, and then let the guitar player play the horn parts. Or both of you can play the embellishments, to give it an over all fat sound.

For example, there's not much guitar in Brickhouse, so the guitar player can play the horn embellishments. You can probably find a couple of parts where you guys can sync up to increase the fat, like the walk up before the chorus.
 
#28
I slap the intro to Play That Funky Music, when in trios. I almost feel like I have nothing to do, when in the full version of my main band.

Brickhouse is totally doable for a trio, but the key would be the guitard's tone. Best trio version I ever did involved a shimmering chorus effect, and mimicking the horn parts in the midst of shifting 'tween blues chords. It totally sells.

You can do it!
 
#31
jive1 said:
Find a song that's light on the guitar, and then let the guitar player play the horn parts.
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A guitarist who's willing to play horn parts is a treasure. If you have one, that's by far the best option.

Downunderwonder said:
You guys are very liberal with "disco". Pop funk from the disco era isn't disco to me.
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It might be worth asking the DJ what he's planning to spin and see how liberal his definition of "disco" is. A lot of these themed nights at clubs throw a word like "disco" on the posters, but use a much looser definition of "disco" than anyone in this thread. Around here you might even get Armin van Buuren or Alexandra Stan stuff on a disco night.
 
#32
Bert Slide said:
Thanks for the suggestions so far. Most are songs I've considered already but after listening to have ruled out. Most all have heavy horn and key parts and or massive backup harmonies.
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IMHO the key is not to try to replicate the song, but to do a version that sounds good on it's own. I played in a trio for years and we did a lot of songs that had keys, horns, heavy vocals. We did a good job on most of them, you just need to approach it from a different mindset.
 
#33
rzpooch said:
Once folks get lubed up (drunk), they hear the first few notes or words and it's on! I wouldn't worry too much about the horns, backup vocals, or keys, just play it like you mean it and they will eat it up.
I'm in a 4 piece cover band and the singer doesn't play an instrument (UNLESS HARMONICA COUNTS). We have played or are playing a lot of the tunes listed above. They go over almost everywhere, even with bikers...lol
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This
 
#35
lfmn16 said:
IMHO the key is not to try to replicate the song, but to do a version that sounds good on it's own. I played in a trio for years and we did a lot of songs that had keys, horns, heavy vocals. We did a good job on most of them, you just need to approach it from a different mindset.
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Yep. Make it your own. Last summer we did a 'Tears of Clown' the Smokey Robinson tune with our female singer and just bass, drums and guitar and our guitarist covered the signature lick. Worked great.
 
#38
lfmn16 has it right. Think in terms of interpreting a song rather than copying it. Disco Inferno is defined by the bass line. You could grind this song out with a very hard edge.

Brick House, Get Down Tonight, and Play That Funky Music work really well in a blues/rock context
 

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