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Alto Saxophone: Recommended Listening...........

TomMapfumo said:
Is it better than John Coltrane playing John Coltrane - serious question, which is primarily a subjective dislike of most of his improvising. I like many of the tunes that he has written but intensely dislike his introverted, self preoccupied wanderings. If KG has some order to his playing I will purchase it forthwith.....!
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I absolutely adore most of Coltrane's playing (I'm a bit lost with the very late Coltrane). However, Kenny Garrett and Coltrane are two completely different players. It's difficult to say whether you are going to like this album. Countdown and Giant Steps are full on high energy tunes whereas Like Sonny is a more lyrical tune. And Pat Metheny gives it a contemporary sound. But at the end of the day it's all down to personal preference...
Juju
 
Juju said:
I absolutely adore most of Coltrane's playing (I'm a bit lost with the very late Coltrane). However, Kenny Garrett and Coltrane are two completely different players. It's difficult to say whether you are going to like this album. Countdown and Giant Steps are full on high energy tunes whereas Like Sonny is a more lyrical tune. And Pat Metheny gives it a contemporary sound. But at the end of the day it's all down to personal preference...
Juju
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Just to be clear - Juju's talking about the "Pursuance" album - which is very fine. Jules and I were talking about "Beyond the Wall" which is wonderful - and more lyrical and "Chinesey". Although Pharaoh Sanders is playing on it, he's a much more "inside" player these days than he was with Coltrane. I don't think you'd have any problem with either album. And what a contrast to Maceo Parker!
 
I'm not really into alto players but I think I ought to give a plug to the chap who actually inspired me to take up sax (40 years ago). Elton Dean got to be known primarily as a free player but his early stuff with Soft Machine (Third, Fourth and Fifth) could be very lyrical. His playing on the Keith Tippetts Group "Dedicated To You But You Weren't Listening" and his 'solo' album "Just Us" is also very good. Here's a video of him guesting with "The Wrong Object" a couple of months before he died. The video doesn't match up to the sound - shows him playing alto in places when all you hear is sop (a King Saxello), but the sound is good.
 
Another couple of names for the list!

I would like to add Stefano di Battista (a fellow Roman!) and John Zorn, for that slightly different approach to improvised music.

Ciao,
M.
 
Hi Juju!

I'm just listening to Giant Steps - actually quite enjoying it. I have played several Coltrane pieces on various instruments and like his writing - Equinox and Blue Trane on Trombone, Mr. PC and others on Alto Sax. His improvising on Giant Steps is pretty decent.
I'll have to get the KG albums in my next round of purchases.

Kind regards
Tom
 
TomMapfumo said:
Hi Juju!

I'm just listening to Giant Steps - actually quite enjoying it. I have played several Coltrane pieces on various instruments and like his writing - Equinox and Blue Trane on Trombone, Mr. PC and others on Alto Sax. His improvising on Giant Steps is pretty decent.
I'll have to get the KG albums in my next round of purchases.

Kind regards
Tom
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Hi Tom,
glad you like it - I wish I could play on Giant Steps, I always get lost :((( well, maybe in my next life...
I initially got interested in Coltrane through his Ballads album, have you listened to that? (sorry, off topic...)
Juju
 

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