There a few jazzy horn riffs that Prince used in songs like It's A Gonna Be A Beautiful Night and Housequake live that I was curious about.

I kow there are a lot of people who know about jazz here, and I like it too but am not well-versed enough to know where these snippets come from, so was wondering if anyone knew antying abou tthese. It would be cool to go listen to the original source or inspiration. So here they are:

1. The most obvious is "A-Train". I forget if it's in Housequake or IGBABN live, but Prince yells out "A_Train" and the band plays a cool riff. Is that from the actual jazz song A-Train? And what's a good version to go listen to to hear it in?

2. IGBABN: Right after Prince says "Chicken Grease...get wit' it!" they play this cool syncopated riff. They soon repeat it when Jill Jones (or Boni Boyer in the movie) calls out "One More!".

Sheila uses this riff when she performs Love Bizarre live, cueing it by calling out "Strawberry!"

3. Also in IGABN, but towards the end (at about 7:30 into the song), there's a quick riff with same note played a few times in repetition as the opening of it. They do it twice in the song.

Sheila also uses this in Love Bizarre live with the cue "Whip Cream!"

4. Speaking of Sheila, she also calls out a cue "Jazz" in live versions LB and the band plays a very smooth riff. I've only heard it here, not in a Prince song.

5. I think again it's IGBABN, Prince yells out "Confusion" at the very end of the song, and the band goes through this kinda dissonant sounding chord progression.

So I realize they may not be all references to other songs...but just curious. I really like this kidna thing anyway and always thought this was one of the many things that made Prince and Sheila such great bandleaders.

GaryMF said:

"Take The 'A' Train" - Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn included in performances of "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night"

I don't think any of the other parts of the horn arrangement to which you refer are from other songs.

Atlanta Bliss

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giotto said:

Uhhh.... yeah I know Eric and Matt were playing the stuff..... I was curious if the other riffs came from or were allusions to other jazz songs since Eric is a big jazz guy.

BTW, is there a definitive version of A-Train I should look for?

GaryMF said:

Go to amazon.com and type in 'Duke Ellington' - select 'The Very Best Of ...' to hear the standard version of 'Take The A Train'
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langebleu said:

Take the A train was Duke's signature songs for years, so there are many performances of it, both by him and by others. I have many versions of it because it's one of my favorite songs of all time, if not my absolute favorite (which if I had to pick it would be).

I can't say that I could identify any other borrowed jazz riffs in SOTT, but in the SOTT movie there's a point when Prince is offstage where the band does a rendition of the Charlie Parker tune Now's The Time

Thanks Jack L'angeblue. I actually did what you suggested after I posted and listened to a sample on Amazon. It sounded familiar but much slower.

I need to go back and figure out where exaclty in SOTT they do this anyway.... but I guess he's increased the tempo to match the song.

So Jack wha'ts your favorite version of A-Train..... the one on that best of was kind of mellow

GaryMF said:

hmmmm, well that would be a toss up between the version that was included on the Live at Newport album or the one on the 16 most requested songs compilation (alas I don't know where it originally came from).

The horns are a big part of what makes this the best band ever to back up Prince!!!

brianr54 said:

Well I was talking about the Revolution (or the expanded or "counter revolution") with Eric Leeds and Matt Blistan (AKA Atlanta Bliss)..... not the current NPG, which IMO overdoes it with the horns, unlike Eric and Matt who integrated and added to the sound.