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The Worst Saxophone Solo of All Time is _________

18K views 69 replies 33 participants last post by  JohnnyL 
#1 ·
Van Morrison sax solo on Days Like This. It's not even close. Prove me wrong.

 
#2 ·
Yikes. That's going to be hard to beat. Although we should add some parameters: maybe "worst recorded saxophone solo by a professional musician released on a major label" or something. Because I think I heard a worse one at a blue jam recently, but that guy wasn't no pro and it thankfully wasn't recorded.
 
#4 ·
Yeah that's what I meant haha sorry. For years I always wondered who they hired to play that solo and how it got released like that, then I found out that Van Morrison did it so I guess it was ok. Maybe he was making some kind of point? Dunno.
 
#3 ·
Well, it's a well-done tune. I think there are much worse solos - get's the job done. BTW, is that a young Candy Dulfer in the horn section? Also, Pee Wee Ellis?

Archie Shepp's Girl from Ipanema.

(Although, actually, I find it pretty interesting.)

 
#5 ·
I like that solo while still aware of what it might lack when compared to a solo that say, any of his hired sax players could do. Van just goes for it and does his own thing and could care less that he's got players like Candy backing him who could play it another way to put it politely. He's a great communicator and his small raspy tone is his alone, but the audiences always love it and the whole tune works.
 
#7 ·
I've seen Van many times and the couple of times where he was the only saxophonist were pretty much the worst. I need some Candy, Pee Wee, Richie Buckley or somebody on that level to really make the experience complete. And yes if I went to see a band where the saxophonist sounded like that I'd be less than thrilled. But I enjoy and his brief solos and I think in a way that is his sense of humor coming out.
 
#8 ·
"Out of place"? Seems to me to fit right in. It's just a bit amateurish to me. But context? Seems appropriate to me.
 
#12 ·
Provocature! :mrgreen:
 
G
#13 ·
I agree that in context the Van solo is fine. The Archie Shepp was great. I especially liked the horn section parts and the way they played them. Shepp has a gritty gravel in his sound in everything he did. Un-transcribable attitude. The opposite of 'corny' which seems where any version of "The Girl" could slide. It has unfairly become a meme for elevator rides. These type of "what is worse" discussions reveal more about the taste and personality of the individuals commenting than anything about the music. Anyone who attempts to make a living at music and especially playing an instrument, has a tough road to hoe. Especially now a days. "Slam booking" them serves little purpose.
 
#20 ·
You beat me to it :mrgreen: and just a little story behind it. Not that it matters but....

#5 ANGEL BABY-ROSIE & THE ORIGINALS - TONY GOMEZ - TENOR

Rosalie Hamlin was only fourteen in 1960, when she met four older guys who would become the Originals; at the time they played music with some of her friends. Alfred Barrett played saxophone, Tony Gomez played bass, David Ponci played guitar, Noah Tafolla played lead guitar, and Carl von Goodat played drums.

The band's sax player, Alfred Barrett, had to stay home and cut the grass and rake leaves, so he missed the recording session. Bass player Tony Gomez filled in and didn't know much sax. Rosie had a bad cold which caused her to sing so nasal. (Billboard's Book of One Hit Wonders) Courtesy Dave Kevon.

Rosie Hamlin is quoted in the liner notes of The Best of Rosie and the Originals:
I was the youngest; I was 15. David Ponci played guitar, he was 21. Noah Tafolla, the lead guitar player, was 17; Carl Von Goodat was the drummer; I think he was 18. Then we had Tony Gomez, who was 19 or 20 on bass. We also had a saxophone player, Alfred Barrett. He was with us on-and-off. On the day of the recording, Alfred had to stay at home and rake leaves-his mother wouldn't let him go until he had cleaned the yard. We kept calling him from the recording studio telling him to hurry on over but he said, "I can't, my mother won't let me leave." So Noah told Tony Gomez that he would have to play the sax solo. Tony said, "I'm no sax player!" Noah said "just play this" and showed Tony how to play it and so Tony ended up playing sax on the record. (Courtesy of Mike LaRoche)
 
#18 ·
I've seen Van Morrison's bands a few times, and, while the voice is wonderful, the great man's interludes on alto were never a highlight, sadly- with often some of the finest session horn players lined up behind him.

He writes a lot of it, and no-one is going to stop him... The Bon Iver clip, though....what!? I believe I know the identity of the bass sax, but I'm keeping it to myself, in case I am wrong.
 
#26 ·
I've seen Van Morrison's bands a few times, and, while the voice is wonderful, the great man's interludes on alto were never a highlight, sadly- with often some of the finest session horn players lined up behind him.

He writes a lot of it, and no-one is going to stop him... The Bon Iver clip, though....what!? I believe I know the identity of the bass sax, but I'm keeping it to myself, in case I am wrong.
You have to remember thought that it is only an alto.
 
#22 ·
Honestly, I kinda like the Van solo. Interesting perspective on how a singer/songwriter approaches our instrument, and there are a few cool voicing tricks in there that a true amateur wouldn't have stumbled upon. I have certainly heard worse "music" coming from free jazzers, though their technique and intensity are unsurpassed.
 
#23 ·
That's a tough solo to cop. What kind of setup do you use to get such a wonderfully thin tone?
 
#27 ·
Don Byas was a real master tenor, but here's an example where he plays a really painful solo as guest of Duke Ellington in 1969.

It looks like he just got the horn and mouthpiece of Paul Gonsalves for the first time in his hands on stage during that song (check 1:09 and before in the video). Paul played on a very much opened up Otto Link Tone Master (about tip 9) and it looks/sounds that Don is not able to handle that setup very well. The solo starts around 1:55.


 
#37 ·
It has turned out to be interesting, hasn't it? What's remarkable to me is the diversity of opinion. A number of people *like* Van's solo, which to me just sounded out of tune, thin tone, no articulation, basically like a beginner kid. But apparently there's something there I'm missing. And then on the other hand we have somebody nominating "A Love Supreme," which to me and so many others is just matchless artistry. But I know what it's like to react like that to a supposedly great recording. One of my blind spots is Charles Lloyd: I really don't get him at all, but I know that many idolize the guy. Go figure.
 
#38 ·
Van Morrison is one of my favorite singers. Van Morrison should save his sax playing for non-paying audiences. It's clumsy and amateurish and doesn't fit with his classic, nostalgic and treasured vocals. Peewee would have sounded great on that cut. I don't get Charles Lloyd, either.
 
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