Blue JC Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Hi Folks. My R&B band wants to learn some new instrumentals and I was wondering what your favorite keyboard-based instrumentals were. Typically, we use these tunes for a first song of the set warm-up. Keys play the head and bridge, everybody takes a chorus or two and keys play the head out. We also use them if the singers are tired or have the endless flu that seems to plague this part of the world every Winter (as was the case last night). These are a few of the instrumentals we have done in the past: Green Onions Cold Duck Time Tenor Madness Chicken Shack Big Chief Jumpin' With Symphony Sid Moanin' All Blues I Wish Jersey Bounce Thanks in advance for any suggestions of songs that work for you in these situations. Best, JC Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trill Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 If you have a sax player or horns, Pick up the pieces (We are adding PUP this week) Cut the cake Theme from Peter Gunn Watermelon Man Chameleon Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Take Five, and .... ... I dunno who did this, but there is a funky R&B version of Also Sprach Zarathustra that I heard on the soundtrack of Being There. I do something similar with a band from time to time to loosen the people up. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakit Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I've always thought that Billy Joel's Mexican Connection could use a different arrangement. See what you can do with that. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K K Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Deodato did a great version of Zarathustra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoo schultz Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Here are a few not yet mentioned. Funky Chicken Canteloupe Island St. Thomas Tough Talk Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepay Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 We have done Green Onions in the past too, but one that we all like that we do at the end of every set (so the guitar player can announce that we're taking a break and will be back shortly) is Stevie Ray Vaughan's So Excited. There's not a keyboard part in his version, but there is in ours! Actually I think this song sounds great with a nice House Organ sound. It's just a blues progression, so you can play the three chords or do some scale runs. Nice song. People seem to like it. And, if people are dancing, we stretch it out, and if not, we cut it short. Very versatile song. Gotta have a decent lead guitarist though to pull it off well. Steve (Stevie Ray) "Do the chickens have large talons?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue JC Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 Originally posted by stoo schultz: Here are a few not yet mentioned. Funky Chicken Canteloupe Island St. Thomas Tough Talk Mercy, Mercy, Mercy I don't know Tough Talk. Who did that one? Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoo schultz Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I don't know Tough Talk. Who did that one? The Jazz Crusaders, I think in 1961. It's a rockin' blues with a signature keyboard comping part. It's in the Real Book, but both chords and melody are wrong there, so give it a listen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue JC Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 Thanks. Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepay Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Another GREAT instrumental that I'd love for my band to do is the Theme from Sanford & Son. Greatest TV theme song ever. Steve (Stevie Ray) "Do the chickens have large talons?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delirium Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 try Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2, that should warm up your keyboard... ♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Pianoman Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Chariots of fire...perhaps. It´s better to play fast then not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Zero Two Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Hip Hugger used go over big late at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Zero Two Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Sleepwalk was cool too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Cissy Strut is good for this, although doing it the "original" way needs a guitar. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is a great tune for this purpose. --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe P Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 "Four on Six" by Wes Montgomery is good one. Regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Zero Two Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Oh - one other we used to do that was fun - we did some ZZ top blues - I forget which one - but it was in G and when the keyboard solo came around we would put in the bridge to Freeway Jam and just go into Freeway Jam. Europa by Santana used to go over well too. Jessica can't be beat either. Dave P - thanks for bringing up Cissy Strut - I was trying to think of the name of that a couple of days ago - to me that song is a drum feature, and I used to love to play it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyguy Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Last Date by Floyd Cramer? Jim Wells Tallahassee, FL www.pureplatinumband.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepay Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Ron L, Was it any of these?: (my band plays these three) Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Fool For Your Stockings Blue Jean Blues Steve (Stevie Ray) "Do the chickens have large talons?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue JC Posted February 2, 2006 Author Share Posted February 2, 2006 Originally posted by delirium: try Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2, that should warm up your keyboard... I saw a guy play the Minute Waltz for his parents at one of these bars. I bet his KX-88 still smells like beer. Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PianoJazz1951 Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 ...The American BandStand Theme is fun. "Hang 'em High"; Booker T version is, too. NutRocker by Kim Fowler/ELP... We will not waiver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail! George W. Bush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resigned Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Once I decided that I was going to do an all-instrumental solo act the first and foremost concern was how to keep it interesting for both me and the audience. I've been on a search ever since for instrumentals that are fun to play, recognizable without lyrics, and a little out of the ordinary. Some examples include some of the things that Lee Ritenour and friends have done with the albums "A Twist of Marley", "A Twist of Motown", and Fourplay's version of Sting's "Fields of Gold". Dancing Fantasy has a unique 4/4 version of "Take Five". Jimi Hendrix even did his own cover of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow". Personally I have taken on creating contemporary instrumental versions of Beatles classics like "With a Little Help From My Friends" and "Fool On The Hill" not to mention standards like "Moon River", "Autumn Leaves" and "Someone to Watch Over Me". I also like to pickup no-name cheap Muzak albums sometimes and steal ideas... I recently found an instrumental album of Elton John hits that gave some inspirations to work from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue JC Posted February 2, 2006 Author Share Posted February 2, 2006 These are great ideas guys. Thanks. I'm going to listen to as many of these tunes as I can over the weekend and figure out what I can arrange for my band. Thanks again. JC Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Originally posted by Dave Pierce: Cissy Strut is good for this, although doing it the "original" way needs a guitar. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is a great tune for this purpose. --Dave Sunday night I played at a blues jam here in town. With me was a drummer I had played with. Also on stage was a trombonist and a bass player. We started with my choice: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. Then the trombonist played a tune... can't remember the name. Later a guitarist came up and called Cissy Strut. I remember the tune and played it OK even though I'd never played it before. (It was in the key of 'C', what can I say?) Who recorded Cissy Strut? I would have ended with Watermelon Man, but we just didn't have time. Too much fun for a Sunday night. "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewall08530 Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Frankenstein... Edgar Winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue JC Posted February 2, 2006 Author Share Posted February 2, 2006 Cissy Strut is a great tune by the Meters and features Art Neville on B-3. It's a blast to play. Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Originally posted by stepay: Another GREAT instrumental that I'd love for my band to do is the Theme from Sanford & Son. Greatest TV theme song ever. A good one fer sure, but Hawaii Five-O kicks it's ass as does Mission: Impossible. My favorite sleeper TV theme song was from the show Mannix. As far as instrumentals, I'm surprised no one's mentioned Time Is Tight. Linus and Lucy is another good one. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lerber3 Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 +1 for Mission:Impossible. It rocks out in 5/4. If yer into jazz, here's a top 100 instrumentals list. Cheerio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Originally posted by RonL: Oh - one other we used to do that was fun - we did some ZZ top blues - I forget which one - but it was in G and when the keyboard solo came around we would put in the bridge to Freeway Jam and just go into Freeway Jam.I bet it was "Apologies to Pearly", same rhythm as Freeway Jam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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