Just wondering what sax players you guys and gals listen to, that inspire your harp playing?
I've always been a big Lester Young fan, but now I'm looking for some other sax players to check out. Right now I am particularly interested in hearing some "jump blues" players, but open to any suggestions!
To follow on from the refined melodic style of Lester Young, Check out Stan Getz and Paul Desmond. For a simpler more muscular, bluesy sound, try Gene Ammons. Also Cannonball Adderley was a funky soul-jazz giant. ---------- KiwiRick
John Coltraine , Coleman Hawkins, Willis "Gatortail" Jackson, and Ben Webster should keep you busy for the rest of your life. For pure, beautiful TONE...you gotta look and high and low to beat Boots Randolph.
Last Edited by on Aug 16, 2011 3:43 AM
Hank Crawford (esp. w/Jimmy McGriff) Houston Person (blues stuff, not his jazz stuff) Maceo Parker Eddie Harris Wilton Felder in the Crusaders (he does more with less) Paquito d'Rivera Willis Gatortail Jackson
Check out Wilton Felder's sax stuff in "Put It Where You Want It." Not a wasted note.
The thing to ponder when listening to what Felder does on this cut is: How do you achieve a mature style on tenor sax in a time when so much incredible music has already been played? When Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, etc., have already mined so much? But the great R&B guys like Felder didn't worry about all that. They just got a great tone, a great groove, and played with feeling. When you've got those three things--tone, groove, feeling--you've got most of what it takes. "Technique" is just a way of delivering those things. They didn't just recycle old licks; they found a way of making them sound new and contemporary. They altered the groove slightly, or they added a new chord or two. (In the case of "Put It," they added the II7/IV7 change where the V7/IV7 change had been.)
Last Edited by on Aug 16, 2011 6:50 AM
You go back and look for unexplored byways. You put down the best-known "classic" players and tracks--or put down their best-known tracks--and unearth buried treasures in their repertoire. You set old songs to new grooves. You try new combinations. I tried to do that on KICK AND STOMP. "Sunshine of Your Love" on solo harp: turns out that the riff is perfect for the instrument.
Anybody who covers "Juke" these days should do whatever it takes to estrange the song a little--as Billy Branch did in "Son of Juke," where he modulated and did other things to give it a contemporary edge. Modulations are good. Personally, I'd forget about doing it as a swingy shuffle. Set it to a funk groove.
Joe Houston, Red Prysock, Hal Singer, Buddy Tate, Illinois Jacquet, Hank CRawford, David Fathead Newman, Louis Jordan, Stan GEtz, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, and that's for starters. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
I mentioned Sanborn, then got to thinking about it, and if I had to choose what well-known harp line sounds as if Sanborn would play it, it would be Thunky Fing. ---------- Todd L. Greene
rahssan roland kirk did some honkin` blues on sax,flute,nose flute, manzillo,strich,clarinet and a dozen other things...a trumpet with a reed on it too. i saw him do it a number of times...
Last Edited by on Aug 16, 2011 12:12 PM
I studied sax in college so my list is rather long. From Johnny Hodges, Sonny Rollins, Parker, Trane, and Cannonball to Albright, Brecker, and Joshua Redman.
@ Micha- Karl Denson is a great listen. I saw Greyboy All-Stars live and it was one of the tightest, jammin' sets I've heard.
But when I'm not transcribing or pulling licks and just want to relax and listen to some good soulful sax- Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson
Eddie Shaw, AC Reed, King Curtis, Maurice John Vaughn (who is a good guitar player), Lester Young and Terry Hanck.
@Jinx - Howlin' Wolf's sax man was the legendary Eddie Shaw. Eddie is still around and has a few albums under his own name. He also play some harp. ---------- The Blues Photo Gallery
Last Edited by on Aug 15, 2011 9:24 PM
