Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 183 - Memorable Horn Solos Edition Part 2!

Here are some solos by memorable horn players. The last issue focused on Michael Brecker's solos.
David Sanborn on alto saxophone and Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone are two of the top horn players in the United States. But, there is another saxophone player who should not be forgotten. That is Tom Scott. Tom Scott was born in 1948 and is one of the leading saxophone players in the United States.
Like Sanborn and Brecker, Tom is not confined to the jazz category, but is trusted by rock and pop artists as well, and has an overwhelming stage presence.
Tom Scott has won three Grammy Awards and played a powerful solo on stage with Carole King at last year's Grammy's Showtime.

In addition to saxophone player Tom Scott, I am pleased to present memorable solo performances by Bradford Marsalis, who played soprano saxophone and other instruments in Sting's band. The first listing is from Michael McDonald's solo album and the second is from Sting's first album.

■ Recommended album: Thoughtful Love by Michael McDonald (1982)

At the time, Michael McDonald may have had no one on his right when it came to singing “Blue Eyed Soul”. Another name to mention is Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates.
Michael McDonald joined Steely Dan, but the lead vocalist was Donald Fagen. For Steely Dan, he was spoiled with chorus work.
However, he moved on to the Doobie Brothers where he got his big break.
At the time, the Doobie Brothers specialized in 8-bit rock 'n' roll and country rock music, with a twin vocal system of Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons. However, Tom Johnston temporarily left the band, and that's when Michael McDonald joined the band.
With the release of the album Doobie Street, the band's hue changed. There was a completely different kind of music. Some listeners who were more rock oriented said, “The Doobie Brothers are over.”
The song “Takin' It to the Street,” has Michael McDonald credited as the lead vocal. This was a new innovation not previously seen by the Doobies.
In 1977, the Doobie Brothers released “The Rules of Destiny”, and “The Case of a Fool” from their next album, Minute by Minute that reached number one in the United States. The vocalist was Michael.
The Doobies were reborn as a completely different band and also won a Grammy Award, and Michael McDonald was even called “the sexiest man in America.

Michael McDonald released his first solo album, Love, Love, Love, Love, just before the group disbanded. The album was a masterpiece that featured a lineup of West Coast talent, including Kenny Loggins, who co-wrote “The Case of the Fool,” along with the members of TOTO.

Recommended Song: “That's What” / Soloists: Tom Scott & Robben Ford

I am sure I am not the only one who jumped when I heard the solo on this song. Tom Scott's saxophone and Robben Ford, a top guitarist in the jazz and fusion field, play the solo interlude in unison. The phrasing is from a written score, but the phrasing and development is incredibly cool and unforgettable.
I am not a strong musician, but I can still sing the phrase. It is stuck in my memory and will never go away. The song is full of speed and dynamism, and the momentum of Michael McDonald at that time is etched in the song.

■ Recommended album: The Dream of the Blue Turtles by Sting (1985)

After the breakup of the Police, bassist and vocalist Sting went solo and released his first album under the name Sting in 1985.
The newly formed band was made up of up-and-coming jazz musicians. This band was terrific. The keyboard player was Kenny Kirkland, the drummer was Omar Hakim, formerly from Weather Report, Darryl Jones, who came from the Miles Davis Band and is now the bass player for the Rolling Stones, and the saxophone player was Bradford Marsalis, brother of the famous jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, the saxophonist is Bradford Marsalis, brother of jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. They were the number one young thoroughbreds of the time.
There was no guitarist, and Sting played a Stratocaster. There were many solos by keyboardist Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist Bradford Marsalis instead of the guitarist, and the quality of the solos was remarkable.
The band's tour has been documented in a documentary.
It includes a scene in which Sting is troubled by an American joke that he does not understand, and a touching scene in which Sting cries as his wife is giving birth.
Their live performance was overwhelming, and I am convinced that Stinghand will never be surpassed by this band again. The songs on this album are also excellent.

Recommended Song: “Moon Over Bourbon Street”/Solo Player: Bradford Marsalis

A great ballad that reflects the appearance of musician Sting in the music.
Bourbon Street is a historic street lined with jazz live houses in New Orleans. The motif of the moon floating on the dimly lit, deserted Bourbon Street seems to be a dubbed reference to Sting's own mental image and the content of a certain movie.
The song develops with only Sting's muffled vocals, bass, and hi-hat, and then Bradford Marsalis' soprano saxophone intertwines with Sting's voice as if it were counterpart. The melancholy tone of the saxophone is simply wonderful.

Musicians, albums, and recommendations featured in this issue

• アArtists: Tom Scott, Bradford Marsalis, Michael McDonald, Robben Ford, Sting, etc.
• Albums: Thoughtful Love, The Dream of the Blue Turtles
• Recommended songs: “That's Why”, “Moon Over Bourbon Street”

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