I have played a lot of jazz funk and smooth jazz over the years. We always went with drums, bass, guitar, keyboard and sax and if any one of those was missing it adversely affected the performance. I think sax has (rightly or wrongly) become the signature solo instrument of smooth jazz, but you could squeeze trumpet/flugel in as well if you want the Rick Braun/Boney James type of thing. _________________ 1975 Selmer Paris Radial 99 trumpet
Phil Parker London Series 1 flugel
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9032 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2024 7:52 am Post subject:
I used to do a lot of solo work in Germany with just a boom box and a highly professional play-along. Very effective. I think what's missing from your question is - what kind of venue.
(BTW - my solo gigs were with sax, as the previous poster mentioned.) _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9032 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2024 8:21 am Post subject:
Well then, my answer still stands.
You can go minimal, but I think the effectiveness depends on the venue and the clientele. I would never go into a club, for instance, with less than piano (or guitar), bass and drums. But there are other venues, you can get away with the accompaniment being very cut down. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9032 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2024 7:49 am Post subject:
DAVIDTHEWRITER wrote:
Electric organ fills in a lot if it's a small ensemble.
Well, back in the day, "Organ Trios" were found everywhere, especially strip shows, lounges, wherever a big sound with minimal instrumentation was required.
For those who don't know, "Organ Trio" was three musicians consisting of organ, minimal drums and one horn, usually sax - although I had an acquaintance who was half-owner of a night club and he played trumpet for the horn parts. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Well, back in the day, "Organ Trios" were found everywhere, especially strip shows . . .
Man, those were the days -- when club owners invested in live music for strip shows! (That reminds me, gotta watch the biopic "Lenny" on TMC tonight at 1:15 am Central Time. There are a few scenes about when he emceed at a burlesque house with a live band.) _________________ "He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)
"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run"
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