Great 1980s Sax Solos
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- Опубліковано 11 лют 2025
- #bettersax #saxophone #80smusic
Jay Metcalf breaks down several saxophone solos from popular 1980's songs.
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Been learning Careless Whisper ironically. Lot of good iconic sax in the 80s.
Sax and 80s pop/rock and smooth jazz just went hand in hand. This is bringing back some great memories from my teens. Back then, there was no internet or social media or super-immersive video games. There was just lots and lots of great music.
MTV was the most!
Jay I LOVED every one you picked. I also live on Long Island and played all 3 of your examples. The 70’s,80’s and some 90’s music was a great time to be a sax player. I was the only horn in the group. I played mostly alto and sop. But I used some early effects that aloud gave me octaves, major triads with minor or major 3rd’s. And the PA gave me chorus and digital delay. Today playing those tunes and more still help pay the bills. I was really fortunate to come into an incredible trio that were together 14 years before I joined them. Talk about a tight rhythm section. They were pulling off stuff like Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers, The Eagles and Chicago Really well. The voice harmonies were their 4th instrument. I came in-in ‘83 and we played for the next 24 years. We even put Spyrogyra and Kenny G into set’s. Your discussion and explanations were absolutely spot on! Not to mention a lot of fun.
These sax solos also inspired me to pick up the sax back in the day. The first rock 'n' roll solo I transcribed was Billy Joel's "You May Be Right" since it was very short and simple.
All great stuff, Jay, but for my money, the greatest pop sax riff of all time is on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street (1978) with Rafael Ravenscroft wailing away on the alto. That song sold a LOT of saxophones.
The 80s were the best for music. I was a young adult during this time, having played the Alto in Junior High and High School from about 72 to 79. Picked up a John Paul AS in 2020 after watching your reviews, but could not play a middle D to save my life. Thought I was doomed to not being able to play anymore. Last month I decided to give it a go again and hired an instructor. In 5 minutes she figured out that the pad on the neck was not closing when it should. A quick bend to the bar and that D sounded great. I am back! Your videos are what inspired me to keep trying, Jay. Thanks, my friend. I am adding these songs to my list
Glad to hear all of that!
Strongly dissagree.
Great video! I also love the solos on Caribbean Queen, Candy, Never Surrender, and Living In America. Those were the solos I loved and tried to learn as a teenager.
Michael Brecker is amazing on "Candy"
Richie Cannata is straight up my idol, has been for years. I love his It's Still Rock 'N Roll to Me solo (it's the one that inspired me to start playing tenor sax since I'm primarily an alto player), but his Scenes From an Italian Restaurant solo is probably my hands-down favorite sax solo of all time.
I love this idea more of this please!
Smiled all the way through. Thanks Jay!
Classic 80’s videos. Guy playing baritone and the recording has a tenor sound. Very accurate. The solos were great. Love your channel
Yeh Jay! Nice! Love that s**t. 👍🏻 ❤️
I love doing the alternative on the “cannonball” trill, where you rifle the side E key with your RH thumb for every trill going up!
I know you're highlighting 80's sax solos, but Just The Way You Are is 1977 and deserves an honorable mention for Phil Woods' classic alto solo. Also, in Hip To Be Square you can see Doc Kupka's hat in the "drum-stick cam" if you pay attention.
There was a terrific sax solo at the end of Supertramp’s “ My kind of lady”. It was my inspiration to take up the sax. It just took me 40 years to get around to starting.
There were also some iconic ballads in the 80's as well. Brecker's solo on "My Latest Trick" is the reason I picked up the sax :-)
To me, the ballads were the best part of music in the 1980s. ❤
Many people think that the synthesizer was the defining instrument of the 1980s, but I would argue that the sax was. A majority of the top 40 hits from the decade had an obligatory sax solo in them.
Quarterflash - Harden My Heart
Eddie Money - Take Me Home Tonight
Richard Marx - Endless Summer Nights
Wham - Careless Whisper
Boy Meets Girl - Waiting for a Star to Fall
Pretty much anything from INXS
And many many more.
Sax was max during the 80s.
Waiting for a Star to Fall is one of my bucketlist sax solos courtesy of Andy Snitzer whom has interviewed some great saxophonists like Kirk Whalum and Gerald Albright
but out of all the 80's sax solos, the one that I fell in love with was Gary Barnacle's alto solo in T'pau's China in your Hand
INXS had sax solos in almost every track they recorded simply because Kirk Pengilly is a genius. If you want to go looking around, try New Zealander Sharon O'Neill. She had awesome sax players in her band during the 1980s, most notably Tom Scott from LA Express. Check out tracks like Maxine, Losing You, Danced In The Fire, Words, Satin Sheets to name a few.
Hearing Tim capello "I still believe" and Dion "the wanderer" makes me want to learn sax
Maneater from Hall and Oates is probably my favourite 80’s sax solo. Not too much technical “showing off”, melodic, and a nice interplay with the echo. I turn it up whenever it comes on.
One of my favorite 80's sax solos was when Foreigner featured Jr. Walker on "Urgent" Great solo!!!!
Best of all time
Awesome! On the Huey Lewis number, as soon as I heard the bari pop, I knew TOP was in there somewhere!
Gotta love the 80's!! For many reasons, of course, but there were sooo many cool saxophone parts and solos in popular music! I won't list all my faves, but since you included Huey Lewis & The News, I cannot get past "I want a new drug"..! Such a fun band, and that horn section is just as awesome today!🤩
Awesome video! Just the way you are from Billy Joel and solo from Phil l Woods inspired a lot back in those days!
Wow, that high C# does really pop out for me!
Vernon Jeffrey smith did the sax solo on When The Going Gets Tough. it’s a fun solo.
excellent video Jay !! Really enjoy your stuff !!
Gosh just started this week on alto sax and this video has only exacerbated my debate of when to try Tenor/which to focus on long term! Likely my 80’s childhood is to blame
Thanks Jay that was a great video that was my era too the sax was a very popular instrument in the eighties I too played with sunglasses & with rolled up jacket sleeves 😎 😄
Haha thanks
Great video Jay. This is the kind of stuff I was looking to play when I decided to learn sax a few months ago. How about a follow up video of 80's featuring the alto?
Good idea
I thought one of the 80s sax solo rules was that it had to be tenor? 😄
90’s had more alto…Richard Marx, INXS etc
The 1980's was the best decade in probably the last 70-100 years, in my opinion, for artistically redeeming and significant music. One of the best parts of the decade, to me, is the sax solos. :) In many cases, they added a jazzy, polished, and more lush sound to a song, especially in ballads.
Great fun to watch. Love the music and your analysis.
Like it or not., Saxophone is very relevant in the 80"s pop repertoire..
Great song reviews...Thanks Jay !
I think 80s music can't exist without the saxophone playing background
As far as 80s saxophone, the intro to Morning Train by Sheena Easton and the solo in You Should Know How She Talks About You absolutely have my heart. Do you have any tips for someone trying to get that 80s saxophone sound when playing??
Vernon Smith did the solo on When the going gets tough
The REAL Cannonball Lick is the trill with the high E side key ;-)
More of these please!!
I missed that song by Billy Ocean! Haven’t heard it in ages. Thank you!!!
There are many sax solos i know of that never seem to get mentioned in these type of videos. I assume they’re simply not known. Four of them are : i pretend by Kim Carnes, the solo at the end of Only the Lonely by the Motels, Lonely in Love (brecker) by Dan Fogelberg, and A Girl In Love is a Temporary Thing by Romeo Void.
Perfect lesson, video. I want more of these
The sax with pick up on the neck is a Selmer Varitone model. Thanks for all the great as always 🎷🎶
Still to this day one of my favorite 80s sax solos is Bobby Jean by Bruce Springsteen. It’s absolutely timeless!
Also Jungleland is legendary
-vintage sax solos
-'80s music
You're making me feel ancient.
as someone who's in my third year of highschool, listening to 80's and 70's music music growing up was one of the main reasons I ever picked up an instrument!
Love TOP horns with HueyLewis and the News!
Awesome video Jay, I'm an 80's kid I grew listening to Richard Elliot and Gerald Albright on the radio
one of my favorite solos from Gerald is his guest solo in Patrice Rushen's Forget Me Nots, easily the greatest opening 3 notes to a sax solo i've ever heard
👍😊 yahoo - 80's, blues(y), R'n'r, soft jazz, tenor - what not to love..? ❤❤
P.S.
currently playing with violin - started as a joke with cousin .. (more likely "fiddling" ..)
thanks to him - finally got decent neck for my cheap Stagg - "in tune" now ..
love this video - one day when grow up .. (I know, I know - practice, practice ..)
hope to soon be back to your course .. 😉
(starting with violin "from zero" - took the opportunity to re-learn/improve my note reading again - forgot almost everything ..)
Thanks Jay!! I never thought to learn Still RR. And yea I agree. I’m a child of the 80s and LOVE the sax solos! Check out “cool change” solo sometime. Great alto work. I’ve been playing that one on harmonica for years. I’m a rookie sax player and that one is still giving me fits… hahaha thanks again!
Fantastic
Very fun video to watch. Amazing skills Jay!
I remember my dad would always listen to 88.1 Los Angeles jazz radio, and there was this one very crisp and upbeat saxophone song the station would play that would make you just get in a great excited mood. The song is stuck in my head, but I just can't find it. I think the clip was used by the host when radio would come back from commercial break. If you have any hints, it'll be great
Super fun Jay!!
Sax solo by Scott Page on "Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Delicate Sound Of Thunder" (search UA-cam) is fantastic!!
It's a 70's tune, but I'm recommending it since the solo is improvised in 80s. It's interesting to note that he switches from baritone to tenor in the middle of solo which is something I didn't realize until I saw the video.
The best 80s sax solos had vampires on the beach and baby oil. C’mon Jay!
One of the bands I play with plays this Billy Joel song. I stay true to the solo.
Most of these sax solos are treated with effects and multi tracked to give the sax more body - eg the Richie solo - you’ll play the same notes but never sound the same
Awesome great music song. Saxophone 🎷
Great video, Jay. Especially the Huey Lewis & The News song Hip To Be Square. One of my favorites. Have you ever tried to transcribe the sax parts to Doin’ All For My Baby and I Wanna New Drug?
Billy Joel had quite a number of great sax parts in Anthony’s Song(Movin’ Out), Big Shot, Modern Woman, Christie Lee, Easy Money, This Night, Keepin’ The Faith.
Of course, there is Glenn Frye’s The Heat Is On and Cool Love. Don Henley’s Sunset Grill. Katrina & The Wave’s Walking On Sunshine.
Steve Winwood’s Roll With It and Holding On.
Quarterflash’ s Harden My Heart, The Alan Parsons Project’s Don’t Answer Me, Phil Collins’ One More Night, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s I’m Going Down, Dancing In The Dark, Darlington County.
Swing Out Sister’s Breakout. Joe Boxers’ Just Got Lucky. Madness’ Our House, ABC’s That Was Then, This Is Now. Spandau Ballet’s Gold, Only When You Leave and True. Elton John’s The Club At The End Of The Street, Wrap Her Up. Aerosmith’s Cryin’, and Falling In Love Is So Hard On The Knees, Dude Looks Like A Lady (Tower Of Power horns).
There were so many more great saxophone parts in 80’s songs.
When it comes to jazz or pop solos, Brecker is the greatest!
‘China in your hand’ the top solo for me!
Love this video, Billy Joel is the best
Oh wow you're from long island that's cool me too
I'd throw "Mr. Casual" (aka Charlie DeChant) of Hall and Oates fame into the hopper for consideration too. A few of his iconic solos were originated on alto, but now he performs everything on tenor.
Later I started listening to Bird, Desmond, and Pepper. But in 1989 when I started playing it was because of these iconic solos.
I’d be curious to see your take on 3rd wave ska horn lines.
I’m trying to learn Less Than Jakes “Anytime and Anywhere”…I know it’s in Concert D, and the main section riffs, but my ears can’t pick out the harmony lines in the chorus mix!
Have you ever broken down the sax solo in Sheila E's The Glamorous Life - extended version? That solo always escaped me. I couldn't get the sound regardless of the right notes. I was grateful when Careless Whisper dropped
That was waaaay too short. Awesome vid, man! Do another of the 80's when you can. Also, as a life long Huey Lewis fan, got any footage of you sitting in with him?
If we are going to talk about great sax solos of the 1980s we have to include perhaps the best known - Grover Washington's famous tenor on Just the Two of Us (with Bill Withers).
The question is Jay, do you remember The Jewel of the Nile? Unquestionably one of the 5 or 10 best movies of all time. They really don't make em even close to that good anymore. Micheal Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito. Unbeatable trio.
Check out Hall and Oates. Charles DeChant.
I was a touring sax player during these times. I remember learning all these solos. I played them note for note because most of the crowd knew them so I’d give them what they wanted. It’s not about me right?
J'adore vos vidéos
Merci
Really enjoyed this one Jay, and you’re right, Danny DeVito really kinda looks like he knows what he’s doing! Good actor?
The video for "When the Going Gets Tough" had to be edited in the UK when it was originally shown in the 1980's to remove Danny Devito playing the sax because he wasn't a member of a musician's union.
I was just thinking about the pentatonic scale that everyone talks about because I suddenly realized that I’m not really using it for my licks or solos. I’m playing 1,3 sometimes flatted, or at leased glissed off the flat, 5, 6, flat 7
Meet Me In The Middle and Heart Of The City by The Arrows, the late Earl Seymour on sax great songs, not on i-tunes but video on you tube.
If i needed a crash course 30 second tutorial. What do i need to do. I got myself into a show to perform in
I like that shit man
Hi i am your great fan.
I am italian, is it possible to add on your videos english subtitle ? 😅
You should react to some Norteño Sax players like Pemo from Rieleros Del Norte and Kieth from La Maquinaria norteña.
I forgot another one: Hands to Heaven by Breathe (the solo in the middle especially)
Where's the saxophone solo from Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood & The Destroyers? It's definitely my favourite '80s saxophone solo simply because of how raunchy it is. It fits the song perfectly and is just fuckin' awesome to listen to.
@bettersax
do we know who the players in the horn section for Billy Ocean's song might be?
Bad ass 💪💪💪
Hey Jay! About altissimo, what if front F/E are not as in tune as palm key ones? Would you play them?
Depends on the situation. If you are holding the note or playing in a section go for most in tune. If you are soloing and going between normal and altissimo range use front.
@@bettersax Thanks man! Wasn't sure you would reply as this is not your recentmost video. Keep up the good work, you are fantastic and extremely helpfull.
I personally did not like the typical saxophone in the 80’s years. i miss the smooth of the instrument and the sound of the blow-up. In my opinion, the sax had an alibi function between all the keyboards and synthesizers so that the music had something authentic human touch.
I am not sure he blowing it, Danny Devito, some of his mouth position were at a extreme angle for playing it, but he does have the fingering down! Need to look up Danny Devito!
I found this thru google:
Danny DeVito then mimes the song's famous saxophone solo, which was actually performed by Vernon Jeffrey Smith. Funnily enough, the video was banned on Top of the Pops at the time, because DeVito and the cast were not part of the musician's union and so technically broke the rules.
Check this out, how cool is this Sax and I bet you have never heard of this blast from the early 80s (Vital Excursions - Flowers For Ingrid _ V.A Touchdown)
U are my favourite uncle
Hi. Im here in middle east. Can you please help me where i can buy claude lakey alto sax brass mouthpiece 8?? any online shop you can recommend
Who allowed you to mix a minor thurd into major pentatonic scale?
What Carlos said... a bari sax solo that, oddly enough, sounds like a screamin' tenor!
Is that the new BetterSax Burnin' Tenor mouthpiece that was mentioned in a previous video?
Yes it is!
Say, has the BURNIN tenor mouthpiece been released yet? Maybe I missed it....
We are hoping to launch that mid March. Will announce it.
Greetings from Greece Jay, I used to play classical guitar and ukulele and just bought my first yamaha yas 280 saxophone, therefore I'm very new to the style of wind instruments and I wanted to ask a silly question probably. Is leaving the sax on its stand for a long period of time, damaging the shape of the bell, due to the weight of the instrument? PS. Excuse my bad English
No problem leaving the sax on the stand.
where is the sheet music in the better sax shed?
Question. What is front E??
x23 and 8ve key
Taking the major pentatonic and adding in the minor third just turns it into the (major) blues scale, yeah?
Urgent by Foreigner has a great tenor solo.
Jr. Walker classic solo
And for the last FOUR NOTES, I heard F# A B C#, not 1, 2, 3, 5.
Spandau Ballet True sax solo