Encouraging exclamations on jazz or blues records

[Mark Stryker]

On "I've Never Been In Love Before" form "Sonny Rollins +3" (Milestone), Sonny blows up a hurricane and you can hear shouts of encouragement from somebody though it's not clear exactly who it is. Sonny takes two solos here and I think this happens during the second one. Don't have the record with me to check.

[Mark Stryker]

Here's another fave: During Joe Henderson's solo on "Straight Ahead" from Kenny Dorham's "Una Mas," there's a point where Herbie Hancock strolls and somebody, presumably KD, starts to clap on two and four. At the top of the chorus, someone (again, presumably KDs) says, "C'mon, Joe, c'mon."

Joe's solo on this tune, by the way, really is incredible -- fully mature, original sound and remarkable rhythmic flexibility and looseness. Wasn't this his first appearance on record to hit stores? What a debut!

Edited July 12, 2011 by Mark Stryker

[Swinging Swede]

"Mary Lou Williams!" - Woody Herman during Nat Pierce's piano solo on Opus De Funk...

And how about "Oh, play that thing!" on King Oliver's Dippermouth blues!? It became so associated with the tune that dixieland bands still exclaim it.

[John L]

In my opinion, Kahil El Zabar takes encouraging exclamations to another level. He really knows how to build fire in his musicians that way.

Edited July 12, 2011 by John L

[BillF]

"Mary Lou Williams!" - Woody Herman during Nat Pierce's piano solo on Opus De Funk...

And how about "Oh, play that thing!" on King Oliver's Dippermouth blues!? It became so associated with the tune that dixieland bands still exclaim it.

Or "Ah, Mr Jelly!" from Morton in his piano solo break in "Smokehouse Blues"

[Shawn]

So many Ellington records...especially the live ones...

Agreed!

[Hot Ptah]

Aretha Franklin on "Live at Fillmore West" has lots of them for Ray Charles when he joins her onstage for "Spirit in the Dark." My favorite is "don't DO this to me, get down Ray!"

Ray Charles, on his 1950s Atlantic recording, "Mess Around", shouts out exclamations in a fervent voice. Before his piano solo he shouts "Now let me have it there boy!" Before and during the tenor sax solo, he shouts, "Now you got it boy!.....YEAH!......Oh mess around!.......Go on mess around!......Mess around boy!" His tone of voice for these exclamations is great.

[BillF]

Many years ago I heard a Mahalia Jackson live recording where someone shouts, "Sing it 'Halia, sing it now!" My recollections of this are vague. Perhaps someone knows the record?