Sealemon, I’ve never heard SRV play Voodoo Chile. What album is it on? His cover of Hendrix’s Little Wing kicks major ass, though.
The Violin solo on “Baba O’Reilly”, the keyboard solo on “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who. I agree with “Comfortably Numb”.
In the underappreciated category I also appreciate almost any electric solo played by Neil Young, god he can play.
The most amazing solo I ever saw was done by Los Lobos on the Tonight show. They did a version of La Bamba that featured a solo that traced the history of myusic from mexican folk, through the Beatles, Hendrix etc. It was stunning and the audience did not appreicate it. I still have a videotape of it some where.
You want brilliance BEFORE I’ve had my coffee!!!
I think any recorded live solo by Stevie Ray Vaughn would be a candidate.
HEY MY FIRST POST!
Does classical music count?
It’s not a solo per se, but my favorite instrumental song of the modern music era is Metallica’s ‘Orion,’ off master of puppets. The solo from ‘Four Horsemen’ is really good, too.
Whoever else said it already, yeah – new stuff from M sucks now, but their concerts are still pretty good.
Huh? Are you and I thinking of the same band?
Anyways, I third Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth). I nominate Cliff’s bass solo in Orion. It is so simple yet so effective. The first solo in Four Horsemen is the best solo in Kill 'Em All… I could go on, but that’s good for now.
My favourite guitarist is Ry Cooder. He plays Texas twangy guitar, or jazzy, or a variety of different kinds.
All of his albums are good, but “Get Rhythm” is a classic.
one of my favorite guitar songs is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “I know a little”… I tried learning that one, and gave up after attempting to get through the first bar… 
although it’s not an extremely complicated song to play, one very pleasant-to-the-ear song would be Dee, by Randy Rhodes (sp?)
and also a few other songs on the Tribute album, although I can’t remember specific ones…
Dave Gilmore is still one of my Gods… he’s always known exactly what should be played at any given moment, during a solo…
another guitarist like that, that I like, is Slash, from Guns ‘n’ Roses… I STILL can’t get that run in the middle of the solo for Sweet Child O’Mine…
I don’t suffer from insanity…
I enjoy every minute of it!
That would be “Couldn’t stand the weather”, I believe.
Mere Life is not Victory.
Mere Death is not Defeat.
Joe Cool
I can up TMR one on anaesthesia… I can now make it 12 notes past the drums in anaesthesia…
Christ that part is a biznitch.
But for bass solos, Jaco Pastorius is the only electric bass player I know that was arguably better than Cliff. He’s got a song called “Song For Tracy” that should be required learning for all bass players of any genre.
http://www.madpoet.com
“I never meant to hurt you,” you said,
And buried yourself in lies instead.
Next time I would rather be slain,
Than forced to bear your mercy again.
Lord Derfel: You can also find it on his second greatest hits album. It was released either last year or in 98.
You say “cheesy” like that’s a BAD thing.
I’m sure I could name hundreds, but a few Phish moments come to mind–the guitar solo from “Horn” on Rift, the crazy parts near the end of “David Bowie” and “Run Like an Antelope”, and, well, damn near all of “Guyute” and “Divided Sky”.
Don’t know that I’d go so far as to say the best guitar work I’ve heard, but definitely one of my favorite live acts out there. I’ve seen 'em about six times, most recently a couple of weekends ago in Cincinnati. Between the Reverend himself and “the Michael Landon of the rockabilly world” Jimbo Wallace on the stand-up bass, you’ll find few more energetic evenings of music. (Word of advice–don’t stand near the stage unless you weigh at least 180. I’ve got that beat by a few, and I was getting killed.)
Dr. J
Stevie Ray Vaughn, fer shure.
Eddie Van Halen.
Buddy Guy, esp. when the crowd is with him.
Clarence Clemmons, same-o, on the sax.
Don’t particularly like drum solos, either, but Phil Collins could do ok, when he was playing drums.
Also that one-armed drummer, whos name and band eludes me, get’s some extra credit.
And my friend Roger Randall, saxaphonist, whom you guys have never heard of. 
Peace,
mangeorge (Hell, they’re all good)
I only know two things;
I know what I need to know
And
I know what I want to know
Mangeorge, 2000
The drummer from Def Leppard’s only got one arm!
The drummer from Def Leppard’s only got one arm!
The drummer from Def Leppard’s only got one arm!
http://www.madpoet.com
“I never meant to hurt you,” you said,
And buried yourself in lies instead.
Next time I would rather be slain,
Than forced to bear your mercy again.
“Antelope” is one of my favorite Phish tunes for that very reason. The way that song builds and builds and builds and then finally explodes is incredible.
I’ve always thought that the David Sancious’ keyboard solo on Springsteen’s “Kitty’s Back” (from “The Wild, The Innocent…” album) is just amazing. It’s a real shame that he didn’t stick around with the E-Street band after that album.
I’d like to cut your head off so I can weigh it. What do you say?
Damn! I thought somebody would mention my friend Steve Vai or Eric Clapton.
If at first you don’t succeed you’re about average.
You also have to give Ry Cooder & Steve Vai major major credit for the whole “cuttin’ heads” sequence in “Crossroads”
That was amazing.
Mere Life is not Victory.
Mere Death is not Defeat.
Joe Cool
Thank’s, MadPoet.
How 'bout voice, a cappella?
Sting?
Peace,
mangeorge
I’ll second Coldfire on the Mark Knopfler Sultans of Swing solos.
And who did the fabulous guitar solo at the end of Amy by Pure Prarie League? It was not Vince Gill, I’m sure of that. Although he’s a damn fine player, I don’t think he was with them when that song came out.
This space blank, until Wally thinks up something cool to put here.
Carlos Santana in Samba Pa Ti (was that on Abraxas?) - cool, smooth Latin.
JohnLarrigan, when I listen to this song all the virtuosity I hear is coming from Jon Entwistle’s excellent bass work. There is no guitar solo in “The Real Me.”
Mick Taylor & Keith Richards (Rolling Stones) “Can’t Ya Hear Me Knockin’”
Billy Zoom (X) “Devil Doll”
Miles Davis “Sketches of Spain”
Jon Entwistle (The Who) “My Generation”
Dave Davies (The Kinks) “All Day and All of the Night”…the man practically invented punk-rock right then and there.
Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) “EMI”
Eric Clapton and company (Derek & the Dominoes); the instrumental at the end of “Layla”
“My hovercraft is full of eels.”