I love it when an improvised solo becomes so famous that other jazz artists / groups can recreate it and people will recognize it.
Here are some examples:
Arturo Sandoval recreated and harmonized Clifford Brown’s legendary “Cherokee” and “Joy Spring” solos. The live rendition of Cherokee from the GRP All-Star Big Band Live was particularly good.
Vocal groups like Manhattan Transfer and New York Voices frequently lyricize classic jazz songs, sometimes including some of the improvised solos. New York Voices’ rendition of Giant Steps is particularly good. The lyrics are silly but I like their Ella Fitzgerald “Lady Be Good” rendition.
What are your favorites? Or are there solos that are iconic that you wish someone would recreate?
That’s a pretty niche question. So niche that I can’t answer it since I find the act of purposeful quotation to be kitschy. That said, I’m sure I could change my mind with the right example.
If you’re up for it, listen to Clifford Brown’s Cherokee solo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M283JFxesic
Now here’s the GRP All-Star Big Band playing it live, with a harmonized version of the solo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QnoAMPmoNk
Now here’s Coltrane’s Giant Steps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy_fxxj1mMY
Then New York Voices referenced Coltrane’s solo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hmcE1NreWQ
Or even more obscure, Arturo Sandoval did a Latin tune with the same chord progression as Giant Steps and quoted Coltrane’s cadenza at the end:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v49R8A9Pf8