I noticed two different videos on Youtube recently of George Benson playing the song “Wekend in L.A.” – a great R&B tune that he recorded in the 80’s. What really struck me about the videos was not necessarily the simlarity of the arrangements. Many times a jazz artist will play the same arrangements of tunes over and over on different gigs, so this was no surprise. What really surprised me was that George’s solo on each video is also essentially the same. Not exactly the same but essentially the same. The overall structure of the solo, some of the phrases he used, the inflection, the intensity, etc….
The only real difference were some of the players in the band and the fact that these gigs were performed at least 10 years apart. The first video (based on his and everyone else’s appearance), was recorded in the late 80’s in Vitoria, spain. The other was recorded in 1998.
That’s really interesting. George played essentially the same solo over that song with nearly a 10 year difference in time! You might think that jazz musicians play different improvised solos everytime they perform. Not so.
So what is there to learn here? We can deduce that many of the best jazz guitarists develop one “basic”, solid solo for a tune that they know that will repeatedly perform over time. That solo is worked out through rehearsals and some initial gigs, then future improvisations over that tune are simple. Just take that same basic solo and embellish it.
I’ve actually noticed this concept coming into play with my own playing. With some songs, I just end up playing the same basic solo. I think the key is to keep making that basic solo better and better over time. George’s basic solo over this song is just lightyears ahead of everybody else but I’ll bet the first time he soloed over this tune with his band it wasn’t anywhere near at polished as his later solos – even at his level of playing. But that’s just common sense, I guess.
This is a powerful concept when you think about it, though. It can free you from worrying about having to constantly come up with fresh ideas everytime you improvise.
What you you think?
Take a look:
1 .Weekend in L.A. – Older 80’s solo (Song starts at 3:39, George Solo Starts at 6:15 )
2. Weekend in L.A. – 1998 solo (George solo starts at 2:53)