From ccmacdon@rogers.com Sun Apr 24 12:14:54 2011
Subject:Re: HUSH - change of pace

David,

I tend to have 3 different approaches to playing solos and it really boils down to how much I respect the artist, how much I love the solos, and how well known the solo is.

1. If I ADMIRE and respect the artist, and I really LOVE the solo.. I tend to play it note perfect (or as close as I can get it).. In this category are any of Gregg Rolie's solos (in fact his solos are so wonderfully melodic that from my perspective not playing them perfectly is like changing the melody in a song), I put the solo from Green Eyed Lady in this category along with some ELP stuff and a few others.

2. Any solo that is such a signature solo that I can pick it out and play it from memory without having to listen to it and learn it, I tend to play note perfect as well. There are a lot of songs like this that you grew up hearing on AM radio.. the audience remembers it as well and they expect you to play what they remember!

3. Sometimes if I like the artist, and I kind of like solo, I will just pick out the signature passages and use them for ins/outs and then improvise around them. For me, I often put Jon Lords solos in this category. I have always found his solos (style/technique) to be a little weird and sometimes I like to do my own thing.

If it doesn't fall into one of the above categories, I just do my own thing..

All that said, the "machine gun" out of the HUSH solo is probably something I will re-introduce, if it's such a signature element for so many of my clonewheel organ pals!!

Last but not least, despite learning a solo, after playing it for a few years, sometimes you just say "f-it" I feel like improvising tonight..

It's all good right guys??

Craig