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Learn to Work with the Saxophone: My Top Ten Favorite Sax Players

Sep 26 '07 Write an essay on this topic.

The Bottom Line You like Sax? I like sax. Here are ten sax players that I love.

The saxophone! I can't tell you quite why, but out of all the wind instruments, the sax is my favorite. It's the quintessential jazz instrument in my mind. It adds that full fat sound to the blues! It gives rock music flavor. Film noir s would have no soundtracks without the sound of the sax. Where would romance be without sax? (sure some like sax without romance, but that's another essay). I placed this review under Major Performers in Jazz, because most of the sax players on my list are jazz musicians, but they are not all jazz players. Rest assured though, everyone on this list blows a mean saxophone!

Ten - Pharoah Sanders Any sax player that starts his career playing with John Coltrane is alright in my book. Sanders has a sax style that has to be heard to be fully appreciated.

Nine - Hank Carter aka Hank "Hurricane" Carter. Do you like the rock 'n' blues of George Thorogood? Hurricane Carter is the one who compliments George's fat Gibson ES sound with his fat full sax sounds.

Eight - John Helliwell You may not know his name, but I bet you will recognize the name of the band he played with Supertramp. This was one of the first rock groups that amazed me with how awesome the saxophone could sound.

Seven - Dick Parry Who is this guy? He never made a jazz album! Yet, I know you have heard his work. His saxophone solos are on the album that broke the Billboard longevity records. Yes, Dick Parry is the saxophone player on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, and you can hear his solos on Money and Us and Them. Do you like the incredible saxophone solo on Pink Floyd's Shine On You Crazy Diamond? Session man Dick Parry again. Parry has toured with Pink Floyd and played and toured with David Gilmour on his solo material. Check out David Gilmour's new Concert DVD Remember that Night and hear Parry's sax for yourself.

Six - Charlie Rouse I must admit, I've never heard any solo work by Charlie Rouse. However, as a member of the Thelonious Monk quartet, I always found Rouse's saxophone to be the musical match for Monk's piano. Absolutely beautiful music. Pick up Monk's Dream and listen for yourself.

Five - Maceo Parker What? you don't know Maceo Parker? I bet you've heard his soulful sax solos. Do you know James Brown, the godfather of soul? Then you know Maceo Parker! Not only was this awesome sax player the sound behind Good God, Huh! James Brown, he has also released a number of solo albums that rock the house. Check out Life on Planet Groove for a fun time.

Four - Sonny Rollins Another of the best saxophone players of the jazz era, Sonny is still alive today. He has played with the best of them. A great place to start is Saxophone Colossus to hear how awesome saxophone can sound.

Three - Charlie Parker a.k.a. Bird. First, I am fully aware, that for many Charlie belongs at the top of the list, but he is still in my top three. Parker was not only one of the best saxophone players, but he is also considered as one of the best jazz musicians. Clint Eastwood even directed a movie about him.

Two - Stan Getz Famous in the USA as a renowned jazz player in the 60s, Stan Getz also broke Bossa Nova out of Brazil and made "The Girl From Ipanema" a song that everyone knows! (It is featured in many elevator scenes in movies, such as the Blues Brothers). Elevator music aside, when it was released, the album Gilberto/Getz put Brazilian Bossa Nova on the map, thanks in large part to Getz's romantic saxophone.

One - John Coltrane I think Coltrane is recognized as the best saxophone player or at least one of the best and most influential in the world of jazz. I don't care about all that, John Coltrane is simply my favorite. You want a blues sound? Coltrane's played that! You like langorous romance music? The "For Lovers" series has two full discs featuring just the tip of the iceberg of Coltrane's romantic saxophone. You want experimental blow your mind jazz? Coltrane did plenty of that too! The CD to start with would probably be A Love Supreme.

There you have it, ten great sax players. Are there ones I missed? Absolutely, lots and lots. For example, I always love the saxophone music on the albums of Steely Dan and Donald Fagans solo albums. Who plays sax on all of those? I don't know. I love the sax on Foreigner Four. Kenneth Gorelick a.k.a. Kenny G. was left off my list on purpose however.

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