What non-jazz tunes would you play?

**Jake Hanlon** · 09-22-2010, 07:47 AM

I Once had a quartet that did all 80's metallica as Jazz, which was horrible mostly because we had no arranging chops or actual anything chops.

Methinks it would be fun to revisit. There's enough interesting meters and forms going on to make it fun.

Also, I have been daydreaming of doing arrangements straight ahead of Stevie Wonder tunes, really not any sort of a stretch but swung or in a ECM broken vibe I think some of that shit would really be extra hip.

I also was in a group that did Zepplin covers as Jazz reworks. Those worked as well.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 09-22-2010, 09:35 AM

It's hard not to find Instrument X playing song Y on youtube: Banjo playing Stairway to Heaven; While my bagpipes gently weep; HS band playing Free Bird...

**ohlcv** · 09-22-2010, 10:17 AM

I simply have to call your bluff on that one BDLH - no weeping bagpipes that I could find. I did find this though:

It would be a much duller world without YouTube.

**larry graves** · 09-22-2010, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Shadow of the Sun

Free Bird.

Just so when that stupid smug bastard in the crowd calls for it, I can give him- and the entire crowd- a 20 minute long version of Free Bird and watch him get the crap beat out of him.

dont give up your day job

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 09-22-2010, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by ohlcv

I simply have to call your bluff on that one BDLH - no weeping bagpipes that I could find. I did find this though:

It would be a much duller world without YouTube.

Got me! I would say that the traditional bagpipe is limited by its range (a ninth?) and that fact that it's not chromatic. But there is such a thing, God preserve us and protect us, as the electric bagpipe. These puppies have no such limitations; I hope this doesn't give anyone nightmares!

**ECross** · 09-22-2010, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Jake Hanlon

I also was in a group that did Zepplin covers as Jazz reworks. Those worked as well.

That would most definitely sound good.

**mangotango** · 09-23-2010, 10:11 AM

"Like A Star" by Corinne Bailey Rae as a slow samba.

Makes my toes curl up.

Or segue Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue into Van Morrison's Moondance. Easy enough to do, considering that THEY'RE THE SAME SONG, VAN!!

**hydra** · 09-23-2010, 12:49 PM

go to youtube and look up lenny breau playing you needed me.

**Jazzyteach65** · 09-23-2010, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by mangotango

"Like A Star" by Corinne Bailey Rae as a slow samba.

Makes my toes curly up.

Or segue Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue into Van Morrison's Moondance. Easy enough to do, considering that THEY'RE THE SAME SONG, VAN!!

Corinne Bailey Rae is AWESOME at reharmonizing tunes and putting a groove feel behind them. She's done Bjork, Zeppelin and even Justin Timberlake.

She is one of my favorite contemporary vocalists

**Larry Feldman** · 10-26-2010, 12:00 AM

Anyone into Alex Skonick? He does quite a few versions of classic rock tunes like Highway Star, Detroit Rock City, Dream On. I used to have a group called The JazzHippies. We did straight ahead versions of 50's 60's, 70's stuff. Depends on how you arrange it, and your choice of songs. Not everything works IMHO.

**saponsky** · 10-26-2010, 01:25 PM

Metallica -Nothing Else Matters

**Steve in Hatfield** · 10-26-2010, 04:15 PM

I would love to do some metal stuff, maybe something off Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets by Metallica. I don't know the first thing about those tunes, musically, but it might be fun to try.

I also like "Ten Years Gone" by Led Zep, but that might be a stretch.

**backliner** · 10-26-2010, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by GodinFan

There are several beatles tunes that work well. I'm checking out some Tom Waits tunes as well.

We have "In My Life," in our (self-collected) book.

"Step Right Up," by Tom Waits, certainly has the rhythm goin' on -but no melody- so would require working something out. I'm not sure how to get that across and still be a Tom Waits song?

**cosmic gumbo** · 10-26-2010, 06:24 PM

Paul Anka is the man....Nirvana...big band style

**roblee95** · 11-04-2010, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

Paul Anka is the man....Nirvana...big band style

Holy Moly! Thats brilliant!

**cosmic gumbo** · 11-04-2010, 09:30 AM

That is one badass chart the band is playing.

**Hypno** · 11-06-2010, 04:43 PM

Recently finished my own arrangement of So Far Away. Worked a little with Home Sweet Home/Motley Crue, and thinking of doing something with Angie/Rolling Stones.

**robertm2000** · 11-06-2010, 08:06 PM

Interesting song by Paul Anka. Didn't Pat Boone do a similar schtick a while back, complete with black leather??

**backliner** · 11-06-2010, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by robertm2000

Interesting song by Paul Anka. Didn't Pat Boone do a similar schtick a while back, complete with black leather??

Y'know these guys claim it's schtick, after years of doing shmaltz sincerely.
I dunno. Sometimes their schtick sorta goes right over my head.

Maybe if they put their tongue in their cheek right when they're doing it, before their audiences leave the seats all sticky, I might "get it."

**Hypno** · 11-06-2010, 08:58 PM

Yes, Pat Boone did release a cd w/ big band versions of rock songs. In A Metal Mood - No More Mr Nice Guy. Came out about 1997. I was listening to it recently; good stuff.

**cosmic gumbo** · 11-07-2010, 04:26 AM

The big band I'm in bought the same charts of Ozzie's "Crazy Train" that these guys are playing. Sometimes we perform it right after we do "Take the A Train".

**backliner** · 11-07-2010, 11:21 AM

Far out!

Really needs Paul Anka doing the "Aye - aye - aye - aye" parts though.

**DUBYA R M** · 11-12-2010, 10:01 AM

I'm always looking for newer tunes to jazz-up.The one I currently like the best is Eleanor Rigby, by the Beatles.
I do the "Ahhh look at all the lonely people" part, pretty much as written, and swing the heck out of the rest of the tune.

**Jazzyteach65** · 11-12-2010, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

The big band I'm in bought the same charts of Ozzie's "Crazy Train" that these guys are playing. Sometimes we perform it right after we do "Take the A Train".

This is actually very impressive

**Peter C** · 11-23-2010, 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by Shadow of the Sun

Free Bird.

Just so when that stupid smug bastard in the crowd calls for it, I can give him- and the entire crowd- a 20 minute long version of Free Bird and watch him get the crap beat out of him.

ROTF