"Ships with Sails" from The Doors' 1971 album Other Voices features an unexpected instrumental highlight: an extended acoustic bass solo by guest musician Willie Ruff. Ruff, a classically trained French horn player and bassist who was a member of the acclaimed Mitchell-Ruff Duo, brings a jazz sensibility to the rock context, his bass solo in A minor providing a moment of exploratory calm within the song's driving arrangement. The solo spans over a minute, an unusual commitment to instrumental improvisation for a rock album, and Ruff's melodic approach to the bass transforms what might have been a conventional break into something genuinely distinctive. The composition, credited to Robby Krieger and John Densmore, reflects the more collaborative songwriting approach the band adopted after Morrison's death. Manzarek's keyboard provides the harmonic framework, while Densmore's rhythmic support gives Ruff's bass solo a solid foundation. The inclusion of an outside musician like Ruff on Other Voices suggests the remaining Doors were open to new musical directions, and his contribution adds a dimension of jazz-influenced sophistication that enriches the album's sonic palette.
