Great non-guitar tracks for playing/practising to.

equalsql

I thought I'd start a thread where we can post great non-guitar recordings/tracks that are perfect for jamming over.
These are tracks with great melody and composition but with enough space to add guitar to.
I'm a jazz-fusion fan so my posts will be orientated towards this genre, but if you know of any great tracks out there of any style, that have 'room' for added guitar then please post them here.

My starter for ten is the track 'Yellow Jacket' by the brilliant gospel/soul keyboardist Shaun Martin.
Followed up by the wonderful Jeff Lorber and his track 'Come On Up'
Both are great tracks for learning the main melodies and then using the space to branch out into your own solos.

AlexC

Great tracks. This is a good idea for a thread. As a young teen learning to play I used to use classical recordings as practice backing - even though I'm a rock/pop/blues player. Two reasons - 1) there's no guitar on them and 2) they usually state the key... Symphony In A maj, etc. Worked for me anyway! Haha. 

stimpsonslostson

The jam group I'm a part of frequently use non-guitar songs as the basis of our sessions. 
Most recently: Hello by Adele and Blank Space by Taylor Swift. Both worked surprisingly well played by a "rock" three piece. 

equalsql

Here's a good one to get your ears (and fingers) around.
This is a jammed version of 'Creepin' by Stevie Wonder.
Lots of key changes but with a solid melody to pick out and an extended bass jam at the end with plenty of space for trying out any jazzy licks that you've got.

Fretwired

You can have fun with this ...




And this ..

equalsql

Here's another superb fusion track for trying out your chops. Plenty of key changes to keep you on your toes but a beautiful melody that glues it all together.
I give you the peerless jazz ensemble 'The Yellowjackets' who incidentally had Robben Ford as a member of their debut album.

equalsql

Another track to the list. This one is a cool smokey jazz/roots feel over a simple motif by Robert Glasper.
Lovely for jamming or just grooving to.

equalsql

Another fine and challenging track with plenty of space to play on:
This track is called Pikalar and is written and played by the awesome drummer Anika Niles.

A really good cut to test our chops out on.

LesbianWithAGun

Flink_Poyd

I use these sometimes 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX3PDCBeTcNpzRac6arlwYw

LesbianWithAGun

Oh you mean backing tracks?


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is a fun one.
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Phil_aka_Pip

FWIW I used to help guitar pupils to get maximum use from their Rockschool Grade books as follows: You do a grade then keep the book & cd. While you work on the next grade, you use the tracks minus guitar of the grade you've just done for improvising and making up your own thing. It often helps with the next grade exam you do because the improv part of the exam is usually over something of similar complexity to the last grade you did, not the grade you're doing now.

Phil_aka_Pip

I've played the 1st violin part along with the record of GF Händel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, on guitar. Most of it is just fun but in the Overture there's a few bars of highspeed descending scales that are hard work.

Skipped

equalsql - I totally agree with you.
And I like your examples.

The difference (IMO) between a good musician and a wonderful musician is timing.

This may be a controversial thing to say but the way to improve feel and timing is to jam with great musicians......not to jam with a generic backing track.
If great musicians happen to live next door - that is very fortunate.But otherwise, playing along with shit hot jazz players is a very good idea for novice (and not so novice) players heading into Blues/Jazz/Fusion/Rock God territory.
 

equalsql

Thanks @Skipped.
I agree, backing tracks are OK, but the real fun is to find tracks that are fully realised having the the melody there and including enough space for a guitarist to play along with.

pintspiller

I used to like strumming along to Crazy by Gnarls Barkley. There was something by Gorillaz where I auditioned with a karaoke singer (Down There or something).

equalsql

Here's another sweet track this time from the superb neo-soul band Moonchild.
Plenty of room for some laid back funky clean  rhythm wah tones.
(as a bonus the filming locations are stunning)