And please, let's keep this to the Rock/Pop/Soul genres.
Too many in Jazz to even mention.

My vote is for Maceo Parker's sax solo in James Brown's "Super Bad".
Just makes mee get all funked up inside.

Matt Freeman does a kickass speedy bass solo on Maxwell Murder, the first song on Out Come The Wolves.

His work on "Axiom" ain't that bad either.

I love drum solos. But can't think of any.

Denny Dias sitar solo on Steely Dan's 'Do It Again'

The organ solo on Led Zepplin's 'Trampled Under Foot'.

Stomping Ground - Bela Fleck

The live version on the albums is ridiculous. They all solo. The song is one big solo. haha

I don't know how much you're splitting hairs, but best pedal-steel solo (I know, it's a guitar...but anyway):

"It Might Just Be a One Shot Deal" - Frank Zappa (Waka/Jawaka)
Pedal Steel by 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow

Oh. I thought of another one.

The keyboard solo on Stir It Up - Marley and the Wailers kills me every time I hear it.

"Christine's Song" - Flying Burrito Bros.
is another one that Sneaky Pete tears it up on.

Sugar Cane Harris' crazy violin solos on Hot Rats' Willie The Pimp and The Gumbo Variations. Legend has it, Harris could hardly stay out of jail to record - Zappa had to bail him out on numerous occasions.

When you win the Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, it probably means you play Jazz. Way to totally disregard Todd's wishes.

And that's why it's one big solo, and not a song.

It's not the most difficult slap bass solo ever, but it is the coolest.

Louis Johnson on Stomp by The Brothers Johnson.

Keep in mind that I don't dig disco, and I generally am anti-solo, but that's a bad motherfucker.

The Xylophone solo in "Gone Daddy Gone"
The bass solo in "My Generation"

Todd can SUCK IT!

I don't count it as jazz. so there.

Rob Wasserman's fretless bass solo in Bruce Cockburn's "Pacing the Cage" kills me every time. It's a quiet, gentle song, and this solo isn't any barn-burner, but it's the emotional centerpiece of the song. Without it the song wouldn't have the weight that it does. Very delicate, yet heavy.

Actually, Bela Fleck isn't something I would have thought to disqualify... probably because it is so unconventional.

Although, strictly speaking, it is jazz.

Oh damn, I can suck it, I guess.

At least in this case.

OPA... don't get any ideas.

Why?

Actually, to be serious, I don't know. My experience with jazz is limited to the big names like Miles Davis and Coltrane. So, I suppose like Todd said it is technically jazz. But, I think for myself it would be like saying Phish was jazz. Don't get me wrong, I think Bela Fleck is way more talented than Phish, but I just sort of put them in the same category. Probably because of the similar fan base. I know that's not correct, it's just what I did subconsciously.

O.k.

So because Borg and I both like Peter Gabriel's 'Up', now everyone's gonna lump me into the Phil Collins Fanboy Club?

YESSS!!!

I don't count Mingus as jazz, so how about John Handy's sax solo on "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat".








Or, seriously, Andy MacKay's sax solo on Mott the Hoople's "All The Way From Memphis".

I call it Ellington induced.

he meant the 'stereotypical' fan base.

Apparently I was speaking Australian and didn't know it.

Is it true that Foster's means Beer in Australian?

Mingus not jazz? What are you shooting yourself up with?

My mind goes directly to sax... and old stuff.

Bowie's sax solo on "Walk on the Wild Side"
David Sanborn "Young American"
Clemens on "Jungleland"
Junior Walker "Shotgun"
Sonny Rollins "Waiting on a Friend"