Friday Morning Grudge Match
The Phoenix Horns
vs.
Tower of Power
In EWF's Shining Star, the Phoenix Horns give a little 1/16th note (or something, I ain't no musician) support of the fourth beat in the beginning measures... I think. The Boy has been practicing singing along with Phil Bailey in the car, and I asked him if he heard what my old ears heard. He thinks so too... So I thought "that's TIGHT" and thought of other horn sections in rock, and remembered Laxsaltman's TofP album, or was it Cogit's? Dunno, but I know what I like...
vs.
Tower of Power
In EWF's Shining Star, the Phoenix Horns give a little 1/16th note (or something, I ain't no musician) support of the fourth beat in the beginning measures... I think. The Boy has been practicing singing along with Phil Bailey in the car, and I asked him if he heard what my old ears heard. He thinks so too... So I thought "that's TIGHT" and thought of other horn sections in rock, and remembered Laxsaltman's TofP album, or was it Cogit's? Dunno, but I know what I like...
well, I think I embedded once before. I don't know how to do this, Wry...
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I plugged some holes for ya. You have to copy the linking html code into the "HTML" window, not the text window. It ain't you; it's the interface.
P.S. I have always thought bands should be mandated to have at least two horns in them, preferably 3. At least. You have given examples of two bands that show why.
Chicago (the Terry Kath version) is for me the primo example, and the downer-and-dirtier Three Dog Night works for some other folks I know.
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Well,thanks for the plug.
Here's another great horn band...........not sure what they call themselves but James Brown's backup band. That 'ol boy could sing.
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Raymurg--------- If'n ya wanna hear tight horns,TOP's "Live and in Living Color",track titled "Knock Yourself Out"is pretty darned good.Lenny Pickett rips on the sax with something like a 10 minute solo with from what I 'member Wry long ago telling me,a technique called "circular breathing"in which it appears he doesn't take a breath as we know it,like,for-ever.
Also,Chicago has good horns,but I only went up to "Chicago XII". They're prolly up to XXX by now.
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Check out this link for some good jamming.
I used to play along with Mr. Garibaldi in my room so many decades ago. Just ask mom! Makes me wanna go out and get me another set of Ludwigs.
Might need to anyways...Laxsaltboy has begun drum lessons...........yikes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDdBgxGUcOg
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sounds like a resounding vote for ToP. I figgered as much. What I like about the Phx Horns is how they back up EWF. Maybe they are more middle of the road, but my non-musician ear (even less than a drummer's) likes what I hear them do to enrich September, Fantasy, After the Love is Gone, even Shining Star and many others. I guess the drawback for many pre-disco souls is that you have to listen to September, Fantasy, After the Love is Gone, even Shining Star and many others to hear the Phx Horns: they never recorded and effort of their own.
I knew lax would think of better examples than What is Hip, and that there were some extant: BTW, I don't have to ask Mom about your drumming, I was in the next room... I bet you'd be surprised what we all thought of your efforts. Hint: not as many negative waves as a teenager would think.
they are kind of 'spensive, but if Lax JR gets access to steel drums at his school... well, a talented steel drummer is MAJOR cool.
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Nothing wrong with EWF horn section.I taught myself (couldn't and still cant read a lick of sheet music) ,by ear,alot of Mo-town music mainly because of the emphasis on a solid backbeat of the funky R&B sounds back then.
My early influences were Sly ATFS,Kool and the Gang,EWF,TOP,and Danny Seraphin and Chicago among others. But I gravitated more towards TOP mainly because they had a tendency for more instumental jams,and rythym beats that I dug.
Yeah,Laxboy just has a pair of sticks and a practice pad for now. He's enrolled at GW college for a short summer lesson. Seems to dig it.
Drop me a line....don't want to take up Wry's blog.........Lax.
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