Faust
It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl
Objectively, “It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl” is repetitive and somewhat idiotic — much like the bad side of romance. But stick around for seven minutes of hypnotic un-syncopated drumming, pointillistic guitar, and exclamations of the title, and you’ll be redeemed by a scale-based saxophone solo, beautiful in its simplicity.
John Coltrane
Acknowledgement
When John Coltrane pauses towards the end of “Acknowledgement,” the opening track of his 1964 album A Love Supreme, to chant the album title in a rough low voice, he’s probably referring to spiritual bliss or even heroin, not romantic love. Regardless, Coltrane’s rolling turns on the saxophone over crashing cymbals and gongs create some of the most euphoric free jazz ever.
James Chance & the Contortions
Bedroom Athlete
Wild, out-of-control, and erratic, Contortions frontman James Chance twitches around “Bedroom Athlete,” sending out squealing blasts of saxophone, attempting seduction by enumerating just how much he loathes himself. Surprisingly it seemed to work for Chance, who was the toast of early ‘80s downtown New York.
Alèmayèhu Eshèté
Mèkèyèrshin Salawq
In ‘60s and ‘70s Ethiopia, Alèmayèhu Eshèté slicked back his hair and channelled Elvis and James Brown through elements of local traditional music. In “Mèkèyèrshin Salawq” Eshèté barks over trumpet-aided early rock and roll, but things only really get out of control when Gétatchèw Mèkurya jumps in for a tenor saxophone solo, playing with youthful abandon.
Roxy Music
Love is the Drug
The saxophone in “Love is the Drug” doesn’t do anything too fancy; it just slots in perfectly as another element in the song’s slick glam-rock groove. Saxophonist Andy Mackay layers clarion calls over clipped disco guitar, and singer Bryan Ferry twists clichés of love around, both critiquing them and revealing their lasting power.
