| doremi 07.03.2005 12:10 |
Impromptu on Live At Wembley Stadium, what do you all think? I never get tired of hearing Freddie and the band improvise this entire song. Freddie literally scat sings the entire song,(and we all know nobody scat sings better than Freddie, --just listen to "Under Pressure")-- & Roger, Brian, John all show that they have a great flair at just having fun with playing music in a live setting, and creatively stretching out and kind of spurring one another on. It also has a Great jazz and rhythm vibe and its wonderful to hear how talented the band are at mastering yet another music style and cutting loose with it, making the song fun, breezy....and cool. |
| Farlander 07.03.2005 12:44 |
Agreed, it was fantastic. It really showed their talent as musicians, no doubt. |
| The Real Wizard 08.03.2005 02:08 |
Great post, except for the jazz reference... you call that jazz? |
| Fraz 08.03.2005 12:57 |
It's a Excellent song, this is my favourite Queen Album, it's the first album i bought so it's a special one, it's still my best, followed by all the other great albums. |
| doremi 08.03.2005 13:11 |
yes! I do call that jazz, as in modern, cool jazz in the style of Ramsey Lewis, Sting in his modern zazz fusion 80's days with Branford Marsalis, George Benson, etc! and I think Queen nails it! |
| GiantSpider 08.03.2005 13:52 |
Hey Spike played aswell. Can't forget Spike. |
| doremi 08.03.2005 19:47 |
I agree. Spike Edney is a God! and he is a wonderful addition to the Queen artistic ensemble. Also--gee, I could have sworn that I--did--say--jazz....fusion...! I wasn't trying to get into cerebral jazz purism/purists. I meant that Impromptu has those definite fusion jazz stylings that alot of artists experiment successfully with which was why I used Sting's mid 80's period when he worked with Branford Marsalis as an example. Of course any jazz purist would probably snootily turn up their nose, to Sting's work then, but to me, any artist who melds and adapts any music style....as long as it sounds great...that's what matters...not adhering to some snooty purist idea. Blues, jazz, rock, classical, country, who cares. If an artist integrates an element of any music genre into their music....and it sounds great...that's the ultimate statement in what matters. So...call me a lousy jazz purist, I can handle it. I am a fan of Coltrane, Ella, Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, (Eubie Blake, Cab Calloway, Billie Holladay who....purist lucky me, are from my home town, Baltimore, Maryland USA),-- But---I still love Queen's jazz leanings take on Impromptu!--Because it's just plain stunning! |
| Farlander 09.03.2005 10:13 |
Well hey there, fellow Baltimorian! |
| Freddie-B 09.03.2005 11:22 |
Well, for two chords and Freddie screaming it's not bad, but I think it's a bit excessive to start calling it a great song. You'll be saying Gimme Some Lovin has more lyrical creativity than Bo Rhap next. |
| Lester Burnham 09.03.2005 12:28 |
Freddie-B wrote: You'll be saying Gimme Some Lovin has more lyrical creativity than Bo Rhap next.I'd like to see you try to come up with two half-hearted verses that weren't even the original words and then garble the lyrics beyond comprehension! |
| KittyCat 09.03.2005 13:53 |
I LOVE Impromptu on Live At Wimbley! Brilliant song! Absolutely shows their talent ... |
| boy of destiny 09.03.2005 14:06 |
It's hardly improvised when they did it alot. |
| Leppar 09.03.2005 14:07 |
Nope, one i skip. Not one of my faves though. |
| doremi 09.03.2005 14:15 |
KittyCat wrote: I LOVE Impromptu on Live At Wimbley! Brilliant song! Absolutely shows their talent ...Well gee, as Rodney Dangerfield would say, yeah Give Queen some respect for "Impromptu". I didn't say or anywhere infer that it was anywhere in the realm of say, Bohemian Rhapsody or a masterpiece. I just think it really shows how talented Queen is when they can literally pull a totally non-sensical improvised bunch of musical chords, sequences, scat singing--out of thin air-- and off the top of their head, improvising in the moment, and make something cohesive, coherent, melodic, and downright musically/sonically good. How many of you in the peanut gallery can pull that off and do that, eh! Not so easy is it, huh! --Can you imagine the outakes from their records that showcase what basically is the band fooling around and kidding around, or warming up, but might sound like jewels to alot of us if we could have the opportunity to hear this stuff!-- |
| Canadian May Fan 09.03.2005 22:21 |
I agree, great performance of the song. I just wish the video footage was better -- would it have killed the director to cut to the band at some point?? (slightly off topic, I know, but hey I'm a video guy, I notice these things) |
| Mr.MadGuy 10.03.2005 00:01 |
Impromptu was anything but impromptu. It was all planned and mapped out. Not one damn part of that song was thought up on the fly. And I think some of you are getting a little silly with the whole " Freddie's the best scat singer ever! No one's ever been as good a scat singer as him!" bullshit. I know we're all fans...why else would we be here? But there is a limit to the amount of Freddie ass kissing that you can dish out without being called on it. Let's get real. Queen is not a jazz band and Impromptu is anything but. |
| Canadian May Fan 10.03.2005 09:34 |
Just why precisely is it not jazz? How do you personally know that it was not improvised? |
| doremi 10.03.2005 11:27 |
--Good Grief guys, get a grip! Again I never said Impromptu is going to re-write jazz history!-- --Chuckle! chuckle.-- --Let's not get too serious about all this. It's just a fun song, done well, that owes some of it's flavor to jazz.-- ---As for calling me a Freddie ass kisser,-- ---I kiss no one's ass but my own thank you very much.--- ---But, I do give credit where it's due -- --(For me, to Freddie!)--and I'm sure everyone out there has some music artist or performer, considered a legend or considered to be just an everyday performer, that all of you out that are ga ga about and admire.-- --That's what makes us individuals and creates great open discussions and differences of opinion as on Richard's wonderful forum here.--- --------Hey, by the way Richard, let me give credit where it's also due, to you, for giving all of us this great open discussion forum.--- --------Thank you.---Take a bow!!!! --P.S. Bet no one out there ever would have known that, what a surprise!-- --I was on my High School Debate Team!--Ya think! |
| doremi 10.03.2005 11:34 |
--oh...and I still think Freddie is an outstanding scat singer...--for NON jazz music but for rock/pop music.-- --No, I mean this. But that's my subjective opinion, and all of you out there I'm sure have tons of artists you also think are great scat singers.-- --I also think these NON jazz artists are great scat singers.....Stevie Wonder, Doyle Bramhall II, Bette Midler-- --but for jazz, the real Queen of scat singing is of course the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald....-- --and for male jazz singers, the king is Mel Torme "the velvet fog" who was one of a kind and he used to duet with Ella alot!.--- |
| ANAGRAMER 10.03.2005 14:55 |
Mr.MadGuy wrote: Impromptu was anything but impromptu. It was all planned and mapped out. Not one damn part of that song was thought up on the fly. And I think some of you are getting a little silly with the whole " Freddie's the best scat singer ever! No one's ever been as good a scat singer as him!" bullshit. I know we're all fans...why else would we be here? But there is a limit to the amount of Freddie ass kissing that you can dish out without being called on it. Let's get real. Queen is not a jazz band and Impromptu is anything but.well said Mr Mad |
| doremi 10.03.2005 18:03 |
Take a prozac and lighten up! You also need to thorougly read my last 2 posts where I elaborated on your thoughts about my "freddie ass kissing" and Freddie's scat singing... a womp bom a loo bop a womp bam loo! |
| newcastle 86! 16483 10.03.2005 19:43 |
well said arlene! your view was a very nice post, naturally theres gonna be debate on the subject but hey, the way some people go on is funny im tellin u! lol |
| Canadian May Fan 10.03.2005 20:18 |
<font color = "crimson">ThomasQuinn wrote:Are you sure -- I've heard three different performances of that song and other than the general tone and key there's no real similarity between them.Canadian May Fan wrote: Just why precisely is it not jazz? How do you personally know that it was not improvised?Because it sounded exactly the same (alright, there were some MINOR changes) since '84/'85? |
| maxpower 11.03.2005 19:25 |
well for me.. its rather dull compared to a proper Queen track id'a much prefered something like "keep yourself alive" but the 86 set-list was the most bizzare Queen ever esembled |
| doremi 12.03.2005 13:35 |
Live At Wembley, for what so far has been officially released of Queen's Live shows, is actually my favorite. I adore the set list. It still has the hits overall, but I love that Queen performed songs from and to promote "A Kind Of Magic", as well as some stuff they rarely performed such as "Is This The World We Created" which is even better that the Live Aid version. Also of all of the live versions of "Love Of My Life" that I have heard amd there are quite a few out there, plus this is my tied favorite Queen song with "These Are The days Of Our Lives", I think this is Freddie and the band's most stunning interpretation and take on "Love Of My Life" and I adore hearing the Wembley crowd sing along. You notice at the end, Freddie speaks...."I Still Love You" rather than singing those words... ..which he would do at the end...of "These Are The Days Of Our Lives".. all the emotion and convisction are in the Wembley "Love Of My Life" and "Is This The World We Created"....and all the other songs from "One Vision" to "Under Pressure" to the wonderful 50's/60's medley where the band show case their wonderful talents at interpreting their favorite msuic artists/influences (my favorite is Ricky Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou/Goodbye Heart") and of course.....Bo Rhap..are all just a wonderful gift package...great set list, great interpretations of all the songs new, old, hits, covers. I love Wembley 1986. |
| _amadeus_ 08.04.2005 17:58 |
The only reason I watched the entire video through of Impromptu is because it misread it for Innuendo O_o. I know what Impromtu means, but I really didn't think they were impromptu in the video :D Cool :) |
| mike hunt 09.04.2005 16:35 |
i agree with arlene on this one, one of my favorite moments in live at wembly is the impromptu, most of the people in these forums will put down anything that's 80's queen. live at wembly is one of the best queen shows i'v seen, even if freddie's voice was a bit rough. |
| JP Star 11.04.2005 10:31 |
Hello all, This was really an entertaining thread to read!! Very "fannish" and extremely introvert.... regarding a well-rehearsed number. Keep it up! /JP |
| doremi 11.04.2005 10:32 |
I was listening to "Live At Wembley Stadium" all weekend in my car...nice drive on a spring day! Listened carefully to Impromptu and REALLY noticed how FANTASTIC John sounds on bass at the very last part of the song as the song climaxes and finishes out. John really sounds like a thunder master, riffing away and propelling the music upwards and for the lead outro. part. People DO underrrate John, and on this live track, he REALLY shines! |