Jazz+ Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 I have been covering "Jammin'" ever since I heard Monty Alexander covering "Jammin'" by Bob Marley back in 1999. Monty is from Kingston and is known for his style of Marley covers. Monty sometimes breaks into swing at the end of his arrangemenmts. Now I wonder if Reggae music ever features hot keyboard/piano solos. I have not heard it. I assume the reggae keyboardists just comp and stay out of the soloist spotlight? I know how they comp in Reggae. [video:youtube] Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 850 of Harry's solo piano arrangements of standards and jazz tutorials at https://www.patreon.com/HarryLikas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 IMO the most iconic reggae keyboard "solo" is the omni present Hammond on the live version of No Woman No Cry. I can't remember any other keyboards solo no matter how bad I scratch my mind... Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougb415 Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 I used to play in some reggae bands in the 90s, my girlfriend thought it was cool but when she heard some of my older synth leads from prior bands she got pissed, because I was barely playing (by comparison) in the reggae bands. I had a few solos, but nothing worth writing home about. It was more of a "support the groove" type thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Sure. Maybe not in Jamaican Reggae, per se. But, "Island Music" (Polynesian Reggae) is more pop-oriented. I had a fun solo with this song when I was with a Tongan band. Nice horn lead. Also, I sometimes played organ or piano solos on other songs, as well. Dark Moon - Daniel Ray Costello [video:youtube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardware Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Monty Alexander. My old man took me to club parking lots as a kid to listen to great pianists. Never forgot hearing The Miami Sound long before Gloria was popular. Magnus C350 + FMR RNP + Realistic Unisphere Mic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Coda Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 FZ reggae style ... does that count ? 04:50 Peter Wolf´s Minimoog solo tru Marshall Time Modulator ... [video:youtube] A.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Do we find hot keyboard solos in Reggae? If 'hot' means that huge crowds of people are ecstatically enjoying the music, then the answer is oh hell yes! Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newkeys Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 If we're talking '70s roots reggae, consider that it's studio musician music: Great players mostly holding back a little, trying to turn out a bunch of good performances on the clock and not get the leader upset. So it's sort of like asking, "Do we find hot keyboard solos in Muscle Shoals/Stax/Motown music?" In that context there's more "stealth soloing": little slick piano, clav, or organ fills woven around the vocal. Or memorable intros, like the organ in "No Woman No Cry," as mentioned above. fwiw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucktronix Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Paging Outkaster Kronos 88 Platinum, Yamaha YC88, Subsequent 37, Korg CX3, Hydrasynth 49-key, Nord Electro 5D 73, QSC K8.2, Lester K Me & The Boyz Chris Beard Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 You need to define 'hot' solo and define the era of Jamaican music you're talking about. Reggae isn't really about playing chopsy solos for any instrument. But if you listen to Jackie Mittoo solo records you'll hear plenty of tasty lead lines. It ain't bebop but it's lyrical and tasty. Of course Monty Alexander is killer but he wasn't one part of the Kingston studio bands of the 70s which I assume you may be referring to when you say 'reggae'. Nor is what he plays on most jazz records, (yes even his cover of 'Jammin') REALLY considered reggae. If you broaden out to Rocksteady and Ska there are even more examples of 'solos'. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Quinn Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 I can't think of "hot" key solos in reggae. That concept seems to go against the basic vibe/premise of the genre. When I think of hot keys and reggae the closest thing I can come up with is John Medeski playing the Bob Marley tune Lively Up Yourself, which is part of a medley with a Monk tune. Piano solo starts at 3:25. While not reggae at least it's a reggae tune. [video:youtube] https://alquinn.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Yes not Regggae. We don't have a lot of solos like that because the music isn't built for it in that way. Remember a music like this is built on rhythm. A lot of guys want to play too much and the music suffers if you do. It's about a vibe and if anything takes away from it the music doesn't work. You could solo sometimes but I don't like a lot of stretching out and that jam band sound. Jackie Mitto's stuff is cool as a jumping off point but you need to listen to Tyrone Downie and Earl Lindo. They to me started what most reggae keyboard players kind of aspire to. Most Jamaican bands kind of keep things insular as maybe a cultural protection. I say that because Reggae from other parts of the world is not acknowledged except for the UK because so many people Caribbean migrated here. Here is an older video of us in 2015. You can here me accent parts at 4:49, call and answer to the singer: [video:youtube] "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Yes not Regggae. We don't have a lot of solos like that because the music isn't built for it in that way. Remember a music like this is built on rhythm. A lot of guys want to play too much and the music suffers if you do. It's about a vibe and if anything takes away from it the music doesn't work. You could solo sometimes but I don't like a lot of stretching out and that jam band sound. Jackie Mitto's stuff is cool as a jumping off point but you need to listen to Tyrone Downie and Earl Lindo. They to me started what most reggae keyboard players kind of aspire to. Most Jamaican bands kind of keep things insular as maybe a cultural protection. I say that because Reggae from other parts of the world is not acknowledged except for the UK because so many people Caribbean migrated here. Here is an older video of us in 2015. You can here me accent parts at 4:49, call and answer to the singer: [video:youtube] You are far more knowledgeable than me in Reggae. Just one "objection" (very discutable though...) I would consider Jackie Mittoo's solo record(s) a little less reggae and a little more "jam band/reggae" in a way. His recordings for most of the Studio 1 artists, were much closer to Tyron Downie/Earl Lindo style-bubbling and backbeat and the like. I just believe that he recorded his solo work (i mean, without singers, or few of them) just to be able to fly a little bit outside of the reggae context Just my thoughts Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Well he was a jazz guy first and those group of musicians that did a lot of the studio work like you said so I agree, that part is correct. A friend of mine in Bridgeport CT toured with him in Japan and said he was a great guy. If you look at the MPLA riddim on youtube for example it's basically a one, four, five but most musicians adjusted it and play it as just hanging on the one chord for the whole song. He definitely helped developed the style, there is no disputing that. [video:youtube] Jackies tune evolved where some artists took the line and bassline: [video:youtube] "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogika Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Clavinet solo on Marleys Stir It Up, Arp Odyssey all over Heathen and various other tracks... "The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk) The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 And those two songs they're not really solos though. The clavinet line in stir it up is mimicking the Baseline kind of like what we call a guitar Dead pick. As for Heathen it's just a lead line. "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Most traditional music have little or no solos at all. Afro idioms have no solos (groovy guitars, lots of percussions, voices but no solos). The same, i think, goes for reggae, cumbia etc. Salsa, on the contrary, is full of solos, but ony because it was created by latinos in NYC, people that were very well aware of jazz, funk and sooul. Latin aficionados don't even consider Salsa as w traditional idiom (other latin traditional music like chicha, cumbia, batchata, merengue etc, have very few or no solos at all). Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Yes that Latin/NYC thing was strong in the 70's and a lot of good percussionists and musicians came from that era. "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogika Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 And those two songs they're not really solos though. The clavinet line in stir it up is mimicking the Baseline kind of like what we call a guitar Dead pick. As for Heathen it's just a lead line. And those two songs they're not really solos though. The clavinet line in stir it up is mimicking the Baseline kind of like what we call a guitar Dead pick. As for Heathen it's just a lead line. Uh, no. The original album version of Stir It Up has a full-fledged Clavinet solo after the second chorus, starting around 3:30. And Heathen has some nice Arp solo work from around 2:00 onwards. Also, lots and lots of great solo work on the live album Babylon By Bus - nice synth solo on Exodus at around 6:30, the fantastic Rhodes solo on Stir It Up from 2:30 onwards, and the outro to Heathen again. Beautiful Rhodes solo on the end of I Shot the Sheriff on the Live at the Lycaeum album, as well. Tons of great solos all over Bobs catalogue. But the rhythm work is truly outstanding - check out the album Talkin Blues for some mind-boggling Hammond... "The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk) The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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