Clarence Clemons Sax Solo on Jungleland

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    If you don't know, Clarence Clemons was Bruce Springsteen's saxophone player. On my favorite Springsteen album, Born to Run, which came out in 1975, is a song called Jungleland. Bruce can tell a story and pull it off with genius imagery. He can surely paint a picture. In this case, it is about gangland and the death of the "Magic Rat." 

    So, if you can put that aside and listen to the song Jungleland again, focusing on the CC solo, you'll catch my drift. Wow. I mean, wow. Talk about setting the mood. The phrasing is incredible. He never overplays. He knows when to boost the intensity and when to bring it down. When to hold a note and when to keep it short and sweet. His sense of melody is top-notch. It's the best sax solo in rock if you ask me. 

    Check out the tune again. Sometimes, we don't hear a song for a long time and can't fully appreciate it. As a teenager in 1975, I didn't appreciate the subtlety and power of this incredible playing. Check it out on Spotify: Jungleland.

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