Musical quotations in solos (sneaky or otherwise)

husy

I just got a copy of Clasico by Adrien Moignard & Gonzalo. Great recording. I sure hope they do Clasico 2 at some point, and even a "Tradicional"...

One of the things I noticed (after the obviously Beatles-ified intro to Swing 42) was a musical quotation made by Adrien (I think, or is it Gonzalo?) on I'll See You In My Dreams around the 1 minute mark: The Trololo song!!. I thought that was very nicely executed and funny.

This happens a lot in Jazz for sure. But staying within this sub-genre, one example I always remember is how Joscho inserts the Fur Elise theme into Nuages. Or the Flight of the Bumblebee phrase in the clarinet solo on Rosenberg Trio's Roots.

Care to share your favorite quotations on GJ recordings?

JSanta

Les Doigts de L'Homme play the Simpsons theme song in Rhythm Futur that I always a get kick out of. Check out around 2:15

AmundLauritzen

Bireli has quoted "Für Elise" on many occasions, the first that comes to mind is the end of his solo on "Mimosa", it happens around 4:47:

I've heard him quote other melodies too. He has such a wonderful sense of humor that comes out in his playing and performances.

adrian

I gave a workshop on "Using quotes in gypsy jazz" at Django in June last month! Some ideas: "Careless Whisper" on Minor Swing, "Frosty the Snowman" over the beginning of All of Me, the "Chicago, Chicago, That Toddlin' Town" melody in various places.

kevingcox

I enjoy using the famous riff that kicks into the fast section from Wings' "Live and Let Die" on the B section of For Sephora.

Jim Kaznosky

@adrian our sax player and bassist play that game at our last weekly gig before Christmas...how many Christmas songs can you fit into an improv?

wim

LDDLH do this all the time .. too many to count. I enjoy it but I've heard other people complain it's cheesey or camp

husy

@adrian that workshop sounds like fun, you should repeat it in some form at DFNW if you'll be here

(although I tend to think the 80s anthem should have been left in that decade)

Bob Holo

Don't know if it's my favorite because I haven't really thought about it, but I just heard Oscar Pettiford do a pretty awesome 'Inspector Gadget' quote on "Monk Plays Ellington" - first song - 'Don't Mean a Thing'.

Somewhere there's a video of Adrian doing that Careless Whisper quote at the ?? Green Mill ?? with Adrien & Benoit & Jereme. It's pretty cool.

Cuimean

There's a Kamlo Trio song where they quote "Swing Valse" in 3/4 over a 4/4 rhythm.

Jazzaferri

My fave quote story ...sorry not GJ...is Paul Desmond who used to communicate with Brubek while playing, via the title or the lyric of the line he was playing, with his quotes. Brubek tells the story of where one time after a prolonged vamp.....Desmond threw in "Your driving me crazy". He was a real master at this because they weren't rehearsed.