Every play with a musician that solos too long?

[Hardbopjazz]

Every run into this when playing with others? How do you tell them to cut it down somewhat?

[BeBop]

I haven't, but I'll betcha everyone in my old bands thinks he/she has!

Hey, I'm a tenor player - we're entitled to solo all night.

[chris olivarez]

If it was good enough for Trane.

[Jazzmoose]

How do you tell them to cut it down somewhat?

Ask Miles...

[doubleM]

Yes! It was a female alto player. And not only would her solos be too long, but she would always solo first--right after the head. It was a collegiate combo that played out sometimes. I never said anything, as I felt it would just rock the boat. And the solos weren't that great.

[Sundog]

Every run into this when playing with others? How do you tell them to cut it down somewhat?

If you want to hear how a real pro does it, check out Sonny Rollins' The Cutting Edge. More specifically Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Rufus Harley has the first solo on this one, a few minutes into the solo, Sonny decides he's had enough (that's what it sounds like anyway) and totally takes over. Really interesting to hear. Additionally, a very good Sonny album IMO.

[Hardbopjazz]

Every run into this when playing with others? How do you tell them to cut it down somewhat?

If you want to hear how a real pro does it, check out Sonny Rollins' The Cutting Edge. More specifically Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Rufus Harley has the first solo on this one, a few minutes into the solo, Sonny decides he's had enough (that's what it sounds like anyway) and totally takes over. Really interesting to hear. Additionally, a very good Sonny album IMO.

I guess this would the blunt way of doing it. I have a friend I use to play with. He would solo for what seemed to be hours at a time. We would practice together, something use some play along records. He only stopped when the record ended. Real funny now that I think of it.

[JSngry]

Hey, I'm a tenor player - we're entitled to solo all night.

Is that you, Pete?

[JSngry]

I never said anything, as I felt it would just rock the boat.

No need to say anything, just call 1-800-DAS-BOOT, and the boat will be handled appropriately and discretely.

[jazzbo]

Yes, I played with a guitar player prone to this. He thought he led the band so he could do this. After a while he'd be 'zoned' and going on but repeating himself.

I was playing a Simmons electronic drumkit at the time and would either goose the volume on my GK or my Sunn amp or change the snare sound. That was an agreed upon signal from me to prod him into realizing he might want to wrap that solo up . . . .

[7/4]

Yep. And they got a the axe by email on Sat. after many conversaions about it. If someone doesn't change after we talk about it, I have to move on. Arguing about it with me makes that process move a bit quicker.

If I'm not having fun....I have better things to do.

[Spontooneous]

Addendum to what Sundog said:

I heard Rollins shut somebody down similiarly, about 1987, at the Folly Theater in Kansas City. The drum solo on "Don't Stop the Carnival" was in about its tenth minute and showed no signs of of stopping. The drummer, whom I won't name, was playing faster and faster. Rollins got disgusted, jumped out front and played the out chorus -- at the faster tempo.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Yes, me.

I'm working on it, though. I'm just starting out playing a lot of gigs, and sort of learning on the job. I'm painfully aware that I'm not structuring solos right at the minute, and I guess my self-defense mechanism is to keep pumping out ideas (I won't flatter myself and pretend that this sustains interest, either).

But at least musicians I've played with have let me know constructively, rather than bluntly - really important for the confidence, I think.

[maren]

This may be one for the books: bandleader who wanted everyone to take long solos!!! Guy really needed to feel he was running the show, mostly had to play his tunes, which were rather underdeveloped. Relied on (other people's) solos to provide more content -- would always insist on being the one to bring the bridge or head back -- would invariably not bring it back until the soloist was SICK OF SOLOING, had been trying to cue the bandleader, had begun quoting/restating the head ad nauseam, etc...