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Illinois Jacquet Solo

In 1942, at age 18, Jacquet soloed on the Hampton Orchestra version, one of the very first times a honking tenor sax was heard on record. The record became a hit. It was a jazz classic, as well as what can be considered one of the first rock and roll records. The song immediately became the climax for the live shows and Jacquet became exhausted from having to "bring down the house" every night. The solo was built to weave in and out of the arrangement and continued to be played by every saxophone player who followed Jacquet in the band, notably Arnett Cobb and Dexter Gordon, who achieved almost as much fame as Jacquet in playing it.

It is one of the very few jazz solos to have been memorized and have been played very much the same way by everyone who played the song. The solo helped influence and define the honking and wailing style of saxophone playing that became a feature of early Rhythm and Blues music.

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