I can’t swear with 100% certainty that this is what hooked me, but it is rather suspect. Back in 1973, when I was just a little kid in elementary school, the Canadian band, the Downchild Blues Band, released its cover of the 1950s R&B hit, Flip, Flop, & Fly.
The song was on a 2 album, K-Tel set we had in the house, and I nearly wore out the grooves of the record, as my friends and I danced to this remake of a 1950s tune.
The 24 bar sax solo at 1:45 turned out to be a foreshadowing of things to come. Not only have I been playing this style of music for what seems like forever, but I’ve been playing some version of Flip, Flop, & Fly in one band or another, for years as well.
This cover of Flip, Flop, & Fly garnered a lot of attention and air play. To date, it has been the Downchild Blues Band‘s only hit single.
Yes, Downchild, which formed in 1969, is still alive and kicking. Although most of their line-up is new, they still perform. Check out their website and Wikipedia, for more information about this pioneering, Canadian blues band.
It should be noted that the Downchild Blues Band, was the inspiration for fellow Canadian Dan Aykroyd’s music for the movie, The Blues Brothers. One of Downchild’s originals, I’ve Got Everything I Need, Almost, was even performed in the movie.
For me it was Boots Randolph. I wanted to sound like that!
Hello Hellen, now that you mentioned Rudy’s Rock I am going to have a go at it BUT I’ll have a problem finding the midi file to get the backing.Another that should be mentioned is Africano by EARTH WIND & FIRE which I assume to be more difficult especially for someone who plays entirely by ear. I forgot to mention good old Sam Butera whose solo on BUONA SERA inspired many of my friends to go for Tenor Sax . Wide open tips, high baffles and hard reeds are a combination that can almost kill you but it can also move any audience .
@Kumar: I must admit, I like Bill Haley’s version of Flip, Flop, & Fly much better than Downchild Blue’s. But then I really like Rudy Pompelli’s work—I always have. I especially like Rudy’s Rock. It is a song that I have been meaning to work out for years, but never have gotten around to doing.
@ThomasF: Clarence Clemons. Now there is a man who shaped a lot of the musical landscape for rock sax players for more than 30 years. His sound was so instantly recognizable that even non-sax players could recognize his playing.
@Moist Paula: Thanks for that link. That was great! I hadn’t heard of The Saints before.
John Fogerty’s tenorsolo on CRR’s song “Long As I Can See The Light” inspired me to play Rocksax when I was 14 years old. I learned it by ear on alto. Took me long time to get it right. Before that I started play in concert/marchingband in -68.
In -73 I heard a saxplayer with a big sound. It was something complete new. The players name was Clarence “Big Man” Clemons.
So Fogerty and Clemons inspired me to play Rocksax!!
Helen, I’ve heard Little Richard’s version of Flip, Flop and Fly but long before that I was hearing all that Clarinet, Trumpet and Trombone from Goodman,Armstrong,Artie Shaw ,Teagarden and others as well as Glenn Miller etc.Then came Bill Haley with Rudy Pompelli on Tenor Sax and Little Richard with blazing Tenor Sax solos.It was then that I began to listen to the sax in big band recordings and eventually to the old masters such as Lester Young ,Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins. From then on it was the SAX for me.
Australian punk rock band The Saints was fancy enough to add a horn section … http://youtu.be/NLbyaNbhHdU