The Candy Shop #19

BRING BACK THE BRASS!

For Fans Of A Big Horn

by Nayt Housman

It was big in the ‘30s/‘40s/’50s then flopped, was revived in the ‘80s then went soft for a while until a revival in the ‘90s. Will it grow again? Has it returned? Is it still too daggy because your dad liked it?


Today in The Candy Shop I endeavour to find out, as I share my love affair of the toots and honks of a good brass horn (aka saxophone, trumpet or any other brassy tooting instrument) over the last 60-ish years. So go to the closet, pull out your old horn and dust it off ready for some action. PAAAAARRRRRRRRP!


The jazz era was big on big band brass and oh what an era it was. I wouldn’t be privy to it’s glory had I not purchased one of those cheesy box set of “jazz classics” which introduced me to such delights as these…

The Peacocks 

by Bill Evans Trio featuring Stan Getz

I remember hearing this for the first time and getting major chills. Stunning piece, so classy and sad.

Salt Peanuts 
by Dizzy Gillespie 

Lunacy! Pure lunacy. I LOVE IT!

Brass seemed to have faded away mostly until it was again adopted in the 80s bigger, better and cheesier than ever. Cheesy is not a swear word! Everyone loves a cheesy horn…

Smooth Operator 

by Sade

Oh lordy cheeses sliced! Does pop really get much better than this? Not only is Sade one of the most beautiful women in the world with one of the sexiest voices ever but man she made the right decision to include tootingly good brass in this song.

Bakers Street 

by Gerry Rafferty

This is actually the first song I remember hearing and thinking “Wow! Saxophone is AWESOME!” What a classic.

Careless Whisper 

by George Michael

George you’ve featured quite a lot in The Candy Shop lately but really who can resist you? (Except for cops in public toilets you’re cruising.) Faux pas aside this is some great sex…errrr sax.

Chant No.1 

by Spandau Ballet

I learnt of this song working in my shitty retail job. The one benefit of shitty retail (particularly in my place of employment) is the amazing (this is subjective) music I keep discovering.

Never Tear Us Apart 

by INXS 

A beautiful song, a beautiful man, a beautiful horn…solo.

Hail the 90s! You may not have noticed much tooting during this decade but it’s surely there, especially with the ska revival (remember No Doubt and well, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones). Also there’s Kenny G though lets try not to think about him too hard. Kenny G = Bad Cheese.

Break In The Weather 

 by Jenny Morris

This is one of my all time fave songs. The sax, the floating lips, giant eye, trumpeting ventriloquist dummy and OH the dancing! The fist-pumps beside her face are my fave moves. You are so classy Jenny…so classy indeed.

Bathwater 

by No Doubt

Were No Doubt responsible for reviving the horn section in the 90s? WHO CARES! I only care how awesome this song (and the album Tragic Kingdom) were and that they reintroduced me to some gold shiny brassy goodness. I was hardly going to credit The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

History Repeating 

by The Propellerheads ft. Shirley Bassey

Combining old and new, Bassy and brassy never sounded so good.

00s and beyond and my love of the horn only grows stronger, however, apart from the odd Gaga or Katy Perry track, it’s still not a common element to current pop music.

Lady 

by Regina Spektor

This was never a single but by far one of my favourite Regina Spektor songs. Her Brooklyn accent, touching lyrics and simple piano combined with one of the most emotional sax sections I’ve ever heard. Music needn’t be complicated to be pure perfection.

Only Here For The Fight 

by Jenny Wilson 

Highly underrated and incredibly talented, Jenny Wilson combines the perfect amount of quirk with comedy and well, brass. Rather than incorporating it as a specific solo the brass slowly creeps in toward the end until it crescendos then slowly fades. Gorgeooooous.

Never Again 

by Spender

This dashing Australian saxophonist is not only good for a blow but is a craftsman of some deliciously poptastic tunes. One I will be keeping my ears closely tuned to.

Aeroplane 

by Bjork

There is no way I could leave out Bjork. Always the one to go against the grain and in this song pretty much dominated by it’s horn section is definitely a fave from this impish lil fire cracker.
It’s funny how a single instrument can make you fall in love with an entire song. 

I always say to get into new music it either has to be a simply amazing song or it needs to have what I call an “in”. A single element to connect with, that opens me up to the whole song, that may not always be within my realm of taste but for me the brass section, specifically a good bit of sax has been my 'in' for so many great songs. Now excuse me while I go play with my horn.

*We are aware sax is actually a woodwind instrument but for the sake of this post if it toots and honks and is made of brass it qualifies.