Top 10 Best Trumpet Solos
#10: “Beginnings” (1969)
Chicago
Sometimes reviled, sometimes revered, yet usually successful, “Horn Rock” (or “Brass Rock”) is something of a divisive genre. The multi-platinum recording act Chicago was one of its earliest and most successful practitioners. “Beginnings” is taken from the band’s double-LP debut, while they were still named The Chicago Transit Authority, and it’s an outstanding example of the genre. Trumpet player Lee Loughnane isn’t insanely flashy with his soloing, instead working alongside Chicago’s other brass players to embellish the song’s airy and melodic feel. The driving drums of Danny Seraphine then allow Loughnane to break free for a bit around the song’s four minute mark, and it’s here where the band truly hits a great groove.
#9: “Spinning Wheel” (1968)
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears was another majorly successful Brass Rock band, with “Spinning Wheel” coming in as one of their biggest hits. The band actually featured a number of trumpet players within its line-up, but it is Lew Soloff who provides the particular solo with which the album version of “Spinning Wheel” is identified. The song is a showcase for Blood, Sweat & Tears’ brass section, as it’s pretty much off-to-the-races after the two minute mark. The solo starts off echoing the song’s melody line, before flying up with a lilting jam that feeds into the band’s early fusion vibes. It’s a great example of composition, technical ability and attitude all coming together in a great way.
#8: “Gonna Fly Now” (1977)
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Maynard Ferguson
It was fairly commonplace for artists of many genres to cover hit movie themes for their records. However, the esteemed jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson struck gold when he took on Bill Conti’s “Gonna Fly Now” for his 1977 album, “Conquistador.” The song may be most well-known as the theme to the “Rocky” franchise, but Ferguson more than made it his own with this version. Specifically, this take on “Gonna Fly Now” features Ferguson on a trumpet solo that ebbs and flows with a childlike sense of glee. The song is “Seventies” with a capital “S,” a smooth, Big Band jazz number where Ferguson’s solo punctuates the slightly funky tempo with a feel all its own.
#7: “The Royal Scam” (1976)
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Steely Dan
Steely Dan is one of your favorite band’s favorite bands: a veritable “who’s who” of genius and musical talent. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen have collaborated with a lot of players over the years, with trumpeters Chuck and Bob Findley laying down some stellar solos on “The Royal Scam.” There’s a playfulness to the call-and-response work put in here, a testament to the arrangements composed for the album. There’s a lot going on in “The Royal Scam,” layers of guitar, electric piano and more, yet the trumpet work remains insanely memorable. The solos almost take on personifications of their own, verbal cues that converge together to create an intrinsic part of what makes “The Royal Scam” an insanely GREAT song.
#6: “A Child Is Born” (1969)
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Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra
There’s something to be said about pacing yourself. “A Child is Born” didn’t become a jazz standard immediately, but instead has taken on a life of its own since being composed by Thad Jones back in 1969. The trumpet soloing here doesn’t initially move at a million miles an hour, instead moving with a melancholy that almost sounds like the trumpet is weeping. The waltz themes continue for a bit, as the pace gradually picks up. It never becomes anything aggressive, but instead Jones and the Mel Lewis Orchestra keep things subtly beautiful throughout. It’s just a beautiful song, handled with grace and precision.
#5: “A Night in Tunisia” (2011)
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Arturo Sandoval
“A Night in Tunisia” is another jazz standard with a long history, having been composed by Dizzy Gillespie back in the early 1940s. As a result, there have been many outstanding takes on the song over the years. This version from 2011 stands out, however, thanks in part to Cuban jazz legend Arturo Sandoval’s close, personal relationship with Gillespie. “A Night in Tunisia” features a lot of soloing, but offers a clear showcase for the trumpet, and Sandoval makes the most of this fact. His solo is wild and unfettered, a hot and energetic piece that cooks with a notable complexity. This is classic jazz with a Latin feel, and proof that sometimes the old school is the best school.
#4: “Con Alma” (1954)
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Dizzy Gillespie
Speaking of Dizzy Gillespie, “Con Alma” is another jazz standard composed by the legendary American trumpet player. It’s also another one of Dizzy’s tunes that’s been covered by just about everybody, and with good reason: it’s frickin’ great. “Con Alma” combines the Latin jazz feel of the aforementioned “Night in Tunisia” with Dizzy’s trademarked bebop style, and does so with an impressive amount of technique. The trumpet solo here opens up smoldering, like ashes left over from a previous night’s bonfire. Dizzy then turns up the heat, and cooks up a musical gumbo with his solo. “Con Alma” is melodically evocative, and the solo amplifies this with a complexity that gradually comes to a boil in the best possible way.
#3: “When You’re Smiling” (1929)
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Louis Armstrong
It’s pretty amazing that a song dating back to the late 1920s still remains relevant to later generations. “When You’re Smiling’ is one such song, a testament to its universal appeal. Louis Armstrong’s version from 1929 remains one of the definitive takes on the tune, thanks in no small part to the song’s trumpet solo. There’s nothing musically intense or taxing on Armstrong’s part, but rather, his solo speaks to the song’s melody line. It bibs and bobs around, making the listener, yes, “smile” the whole way through. Sometimes it’s not about showcasing a flurry of notes, but about justifying the composition. Louis Armstrong clearly knew this, and his solo is absolutely the highlight of “When You’re Smiling.”
#2: “The Sidewinder” (1964)
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Lee Morgan
The tragic demise of Lee Morgan in 1972 sadly robbed his fans of what was to come from this jazz legend. However, his 1964 cut of “The Sidewinder'' remains an absolute staple and pinnacle for the genre. The song is over ten minutes long, but never feels like it, thanks to a bluesy and slightly funky arrangement. Meanwhile, Lee’s soloing fuels this sentiment: melodic and smokey, like the nightclubs he frequented for every gig. Morgan soars on top of the grooving backbeat of Billy Higgins, providing an earthy soul to the jazz complexities at hand. “The Sidewinder '' never stops, and Lee Morgan’s trumpet provides memorably iconic solo stabs, right until the very end.
Before we name our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions!
“Penny Lane” (1967), The Beatles
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“What Is Hip?” (1973), Tower of Power
Jazzy, Horn-Rock Mastery
“Misirlou” (1962), Dick Dale & The Del-Tones
Cinematic Surf Rock
“Old Town” (1982), Phil Lynott
Ronan Dooney’s Recording of a Sweet Piccolo Trumpet Solo
“Zanzibar” (1973), Earth, Wind & Fire
World Funk for the People
“Ring of Fire” (1963), Johnny Cash
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#1: “Bitches Brew” (1970)
Miles Davis
We could’ve easily filled this list just with Miles Davis solos. From songs like “In a Silent Way” and “So What,” to our number one pick, “Bitches Brew,” the man just revolutionized the instrument. However, it’s the last-named song that saw Miles help usher in the jazz fusion movement, inspiring artists as varied as Ian Carr, Herbie Hancock and more to his cause. The solos on “Bitches Brew” are occasionally angry and frequently atonal and possess a hard rock fire. There’s a joyously spastic sense of improvisation to Miles’ note choices, while the jamming rhythms embrace both free jazz chaos while pioneering a jazz/rock hybrid sound that many would echo in the years that followed.
