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The solo on toads of the short forest has really grown on me (not sure who it is). its probably underwood
Other favorites:
Dukes solo on Blessed relief
Dukes solo on Inca roads '73 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7nIgqtQ8ew) not sure what the date is on this one
Prestons solo on waka jawaka
The Grand Wazoo (actaully I don't know who it is ; whoever is after the trumpet)

For some reason Eddie Jobson's Moog solo on I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth from ZINY. His rather simple and melodic almost composed approach makes a nice contrast in between that other stuff and really adds something to Frank's guitar without trying to get into competition. I don't like solos that simply try to showcase virtuosity as technical dexterity.

Another one like this: Sneaky Pete's pedal steel solo on It Must Be A One Shot Deal from Waka/Jawaka.

Also Adrian Belew's atonal free-form "Rhinoceros" solos plus his solo on Flakes on Hammersmith Odeon.

Th.

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Two already cited are on the top of my list:




Three actually, Preston's solo on WJ too (which brings me to the closing track on Filmore East)
Some others might be Ponty's 50-50 sola (and Duke's solo as well)
The sax solo that substitutes the keyboard solo on 88 TBYNHIYL Inca Roads (is that Albert Wing?)
Also... the Sugarcane Harris' solos from the Mother's album
Duke's solos on Pinquantique also catch my ears
O'Hearn's solo over Purple Lagoon... (also the Rubber Shirt xenosolo...)
How can I not cite the sax solo by Michael Brecker on that track as well...

Ah, so many. Duke has the highest rate of sauce...

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Albert Wing and Walt Fowler on Black Napkins, MAJNH.

The Brecker Bros on the Purple Lagoon, especially Michael Brecker, probably the greatest sax moment in Zappa.

Patrick O'Hearn, also from the Purple Lagoon, and Rubber Shirt.

Ian Underwood whips it out, you gotta love that freeform madness!

Keyboard solo in Billy the Mountain, Playground Psychotics.

Lowell George, Underground Freak-Out Music.

Sugarcane Harris, Little House I Used To Live In, The Gumbo Variations, Directly From My Heart To You.

Jean-Luc Ponty, Canard du Jour.

Anything by L. Shankar, and I also quite like the wheezing reeds in Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin!

Not to forget Dweezil's energetic wanking on Sharleena 1984!

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We make a special art in an environment hostile to dreamers. Frank Zappa, 1971

Paul Carman. He usually played alto sax, but the solo on the album is on soprano sax.

Patrick O'Hearn-The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Ian Underwood's solo on Approximate from Wazoo.

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Ian Underwood- Chunga's Revenge! Electric Alto Sax with Wah Wah.

Bobby Martin's vocal "solo" (cadenza) in "Planet of the Baritone Women".

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Let's hear it again for the London Philharmonic Orchestra!

I concur with the people here stating Sugarcane Harris' solos, all of them. Specifically Sharleena and Little House.

Tommy Mars' solo on Pound in Baby Snakes. That is something that just brings a smile to the soul every time I hear it.
I also really love George Duke's improv sections in 74, the dark intros to them he would do.

Vinnie Collaiuta's playing on the solo section of Keep It Greasy. To me that counts as a solo, all I hear is drums when I put that on!

Also oddly enough, Ed Mann's solo on Pound off of YCDTOSA vol. 5. The wood block / whistle thing gets me everytime as simple as it is!

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How could I forget Sugarcane's outstanding effort on Sharleena! When I hear it, I always think that Frank picked up quite a bit from Sugarcane for his mature soloing style.

And yes, that section with Ed Mann on Pound is amazing. I wonder if he got a spot because Frank was to sick of the audience behaviour to pick up his guitar. Wonderful it is, anyway.

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We make a special art in an environment hostile to dreamers. Frank Zappa, 1971

Also like Sneaky Pete"s pedal steel solo on It Just Might be A One Shot Deal.

Me too...

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The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true Art and Science. - Albert Einstein

Pound was always a feature for solos to be passed around.
Regarding Sugarcane, I'm sure you are correct, let's not forget Frank was a fan of his before he got him to record with the band. But you are right, there is a certain Zappaian logic to his solos. He flails with intelligence, and a powerful blues backing, many similar elements.

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For my clinically insane music
http://routenote.com/album/FOWL
http://www.myspace.com/fowlmusic
http://www.last.fm/music/fowl
http://www.deezer.com/en/#music/fowl
Your mental health requires buying my cd

Good call on Ian's synth solo on "Approximate"! I wonder how often Ian Underwood took solos on keyboards, as opposed to woodwinds? I guess his main improvisational instruments were sax/clarinet/flute and I was hard pressed to come up with any of his keyboard solos until I remembered that analog synth freakout from "Wazoo" live album! Are there more examples of his keyboard soloing?

It's actually a shame that Chunga's Revenge is his only wah sax solo on FZ discography, it's not probably his best sax solo, although that tone is superb. My favorite Underwood wah sax solo is from the Sydney June 24 1973 performance of "Mr Green Genes", that's pure electrified jazz genius with some superb runs and melodic ideas besides that superb eccentric tone, I hope that entire concert gets released eventually!

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I know this is completely off topic but on the subject of electric sax solo's, I love Chris Wood's solo on Low Spark.

This thread needs to be revived.

Definately Sugarcane Harris on Little House and Directly from my Heart to You.

Jean Luc Ponty on fifty fifty...

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michael brecker on the purple lagoon is my favorite.

edit: i've also always really liked jack bruce's solo on apostrophe.

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I can't tell when you're telling the truth.
>I'm not.
How do I know anything you've said to me is...
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#1-Charles Lindbergh, Transatlantic Flight, 1927
#2-Amelia Earhart, Global Circumnavigation, 1937

Lindbergh gets the nod. While Earhardt's bravado is stunning her lack of resolution leaves me scratching my head.

It's probably the earthy groovy bluesy and jazzy spirit of St. Louis that simply can't be beat...

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god, what a cheap bubble machine!!!

George Duke on Fifty-Fifty

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"Voodoo Butter Underpants...
heh, heh... the pants that
nearly broke Tommy Mars' neck."

I'm amazed that no-one yet has mentioned Bruce Fowler's trombone solo in Don't You Ever Wash That Thing. That has to be the greatest trombone solo of all time, surely¿

Note - I'm using the upside down question mark to mean rhetorical question.

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The way I see it Barry, this should be a very dynamite show.

Be-Bop Tango

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god, what a cheap bubble machine!!!

Hi,

Very strange ... even though there are times when it seems like Frank is solo'ing, and it is fairly easy for us to think and say so, my appreciation for the music is not any of the "soloing" that is found in these things, mostly because none of it is a "solo" in the classical sense, or in the rock'n'roll sense ... as Frank was pretty much aware of the ego/solo thing ... and his guitar work was less about the solo, than it was as a vehicle to advance the music ... as if it were the string section, or another section of the music ... and this is one of the greatest things in his music ... so seeing this is kinda sad ... if that was what Frank was writing ... and it wasn't in my estimation.

Again, this is the difference between "serious" music and just frivolous rock music ... which Frank harped on time and again ... only to STILL be ignored!

Sorry Frank ... looks like you was wong!

Bunk Gardner's solo on ''Invocation and Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin''