Great Players Andy Sheppard

I have just been going through my favourite sax players and writing down things about their tone, phrasing and things like that to help focus me in on some specifics I want to improve when I realised I didn't have any music by Andy Sheppard!

He's a great saxophonist, british, and writes great music in lots of different styles and influences.

I don't know what CD or CDs I should buy? There is too much choice! So I'm asking for your favourites, recommendations and 'must have tracks' so I can fill the abyss.

 

[Mamos]

I do like his eponymous album Andy Sheppard

Some really fantastic stuff on there

mamos

 

[Andrew Sanders]

Hi Linky
I'm a big fan of Andy's and have seen him live on many occassions.
I don't think you have to look any further than 'Learning to Wave'
His band on that one is brilliant; John Parricelli,(gtr) Chris Lawrence (Bs) Steve Lodder (keys) and Paul Clarvis (dr).
Some really fine tenor playing and wonderful plaintive soprano work to rival Garbarek in my opinion.
Not so keen on Nocturnal Traveller with loops and whicky-whicky stuff going on.
Another one to look out for is P.S with Parricelli. Stripped down to guitar and saxes there is plenty of space in there.
Andrew

 

[half diminished]

I'm a big fan. Check out http://www.andysheppard.co.uk/andysheppard/index.html

I've seen him live a few times and following the masterclass he gave at Jonny Myalls in Croydon in Nov 2008 i was lucky enough to have dinner with him. 🙂

Following that I bought my 66RUL though in all honesty he sounds better on his than I do on mine! Must be his mp or reed

I have pretty much all his albums which all have something of note. As stated elsewhere, Andy Sheppard is a great album, especially love Want a Toffee and I know Learning to Wave is a fav of Andy himself - it's a great album.

His latest though move away from more mainstream sound and all are worth a look - Nocturnal Tourist, PS and Movements In Colour - check out Reverie, Les Mans D'Alice and Glencarron (on PS) but the whole album is superb.

There are some great tracks on Dancing Man & Woman too.

Introductions in The Dark, an early album is also great and Soft On the Inside is worth a listen.

Finally checkout collaborations with Carla Bley (The Lost Chords) and Rita Marcotulli (On the Edge of Reason) - the latter has a brilliant re-work of Les Mans D'Alice

I can play a bit of this track but it goes up to altissmo G 🙁

 

[Linky Lee]

Thanks for the replies. I've been through the iTunes shop and had a listen to some snippets of a few tracks here and there.

I must say Glencarron was one that most definitely caught my attention, it's beautiful!

I think I'm leaning towards Learning to Wave. I'll go and make my purchases. Many Thanks!

 

[half diminished]

Thanks for the replies. I've been through the iTunes shop and had a listen to some snippets of a few tracks here and there.

I must say Glencarron was one that most definitely caught my attention, it's beautiful!

I think I'm leaning towards Learning to Wave. I'll go and make my purchases. Many Thanks!

Linky

For some reason I have 2 copies of Soft on the Inside - nice donation to Pete's charity and you can have it. PM me your address and confirm you've donated and I'll send it. Yeh?

 

[rhysonsax]

I really love his straight ahead playing on both tenor and soprano. Some of his wilder excursions miss the mark for me, but he is a great, great musician.

One of my favourite Andy Sheppard recordings is "Songs with Legs" recorded live on European tour with Carla Bley and Steve Swallow. http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Legs-Carla-Bley/dp/B000003212

I particularly love Andy's playing on "The Lord is Listenin' to Ya, Hallelujah" - so much so that I got Curtis Swift of saxsolos.com to transcribe it and another US guy to record me a backing track for it.

Rhys

 

[half diminished]

I particularly love Andy's playing on "The Lord is Listenin' to Ya, Hallelujah" - so much so that I got Curtis Swift of saxsolos.com to transcribe it and another US guy to record me a backing track for it.

Rhys

I've had a go at transcribing Les Man D'Alice and on my t'do list are Say So, Just Below the Surface and Learning to Wave but they've taken a back seat due to working on stuff for Oxjam and Buskmania

 

[Riversider]

I like his work, too, and yes, I'd recommend Songs with Legs as well: it's really uplifting, witty jazz with great piano from Carla Bley. And I'd put a special word in for Music for a New Crossing, if you can get hold of a copy. It was commissioned for the Gateshead millennium bridge in Newcastle, with Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell and it's really wonderful music.

 

[Saxlicker]

I found out yesterday he's in Southampton at the university on the 6th.
Had a quick ring around and can't drag up any interest or get people to excuse themselves from previous commitments so...

I'm going to go as Billy no mates even 'er indoors' has opted for a night in.
But I'm strong, strong enough to withstand the humiliation of being alone.

Meet, me myself and I

We'll have a right knees up.

Anyone else down this neck of the woods going?

 

[half diminished]

I found out yesterday he's in Southampton at the university on the 6th.
Had a quick ring around and can't drag up any interest or get people to excuse themselves from previous commitments so...

I'm going to go as Billy no mates even 'er indoors' has opted for a night in.
But I'm strong, strong enough to withstand the humiliation of being alone.

Meet, me myself and I

We'll have a right knees up.

Anyone else down this neck of the woods going?

Probably just too far for me but I am tempted. What I find intriguing is the way 'main stream' jazz peeps seem to dislike Andy. My teacher Karen (Sharp) was less than complementary and I've read a few disparaging reviews in several places. Wonder why is is so out of favour?

 

[Josh Johnson]

I have a couple of albums that were recorded before CDs were about of a band Andy used to be in. The band were called Sphere (Monk's middle name?) and his sax playing is great, if not fully developed into what it is now. Interesting to hear the similarities and differences.

On the back of one of the sleeves, the first album, Andy has hair down to the middle of his back - I kid you not! He wouldn't have looked out of place in the Led Zep line up!

 

[daveysaxboy]

Probably just too far for me but I am tempted. What I find intriguing is the way 'main stream' jazz peeps seem to dislike Andy. My teacher Karen (Sharp) was less than complementary and I've read a few disparaging reviews in several places. Wonder why is is so out of favour?

JAZZ SNOBS GET ON MY WICK

Sheppard is everthing i wish to be,very talented guy with a tone to die for.As Andy says himself he is a World music player.
As for your teacher well has she became an international sax star by playing her own stuff for many years.Been signed to Bluenote.Worked with MANY of the top jazz players etc

REMEMBER IF IT DONT SWING IT DONT MEAN A THING,LOAD OF B*LL*CKS I THINK

 

[half diminished]

JAZZ SNOBS GET ON MY WICK

Sheppard is everthing i wish to be,very talented guy with a tone to die for.As Andy says himself he is a World music player.
As for your teacher well has she became an international sax star by playing her own stuff for many years.Been signed to Bluenote.Worked with MANY of the top jazz players etc

REMEMBER IF IT DONT SWING IT DONT MEAN A THING,LOAD OF B*LL*CKS I THINK

I dunno what it is. I read a review of Movements in Colour which was pretty negative.

He's a top guy and a top player. I was chuffed to have a chance to spend a couple of hours over tukka with him - I've been a fan since 1988. Saw him play his latest tour/album at Ronnie Scotts in November (I think) - totally awesome. He also works with some brilliant musicians - Jon Parricelli, Kuljit Bhamra, Stephane San Juan to name but 3.

I also have a load of vinyl going back to 1988 but alas these days it all CD or MP3 for his The Birds album - that one was a bit weird. Just did a quick check and I have 17 albums. It must be serious!

 

[daveysaxboy]

I have most of his stuff also,love him so any messing about our Andy and rant i will:shocked: Here is a guy who pens all his own stuff,how many times ya heard andy do any standards.Done all formats from his own big bands down to duo.This guy is a tour de force,stellar player,AND HIS OWN MAN.Which makes a change from all the Brecker clones out there.So many tenor players out there that sound the same,you hear them and you dont no who it is,they all play the same licks etc then you hear Andy Sheppard and WOW,smack in the face its so fresh,his own concept on playing and sound scape:welldone:welldone:welldone
give Andy a Knighthood for his own thing.

 

[half diminished]

Yeh agree whole-heartedly.

I was listening to Bobby In Africa yesterday and there are three great licks that I'm going to have a look at using in some way. Unlike Andy I don't write all my own stuff.

Have you seen these two youtube clips?

and

 

[daveysaxboy]

Yea seen them,there's loads of great new stuff of his new album live on youtube and on his own site now,about time.Long live AS:welldone

 

[fishpond]

I didn't know about it until wednesday.
A little late to change my plans.🙁

 

[Josh Johnson]

I have most of his stuff also,love him so any messing about our Andy and rant i will:shocked: Here is a guy who pens all his own stuff,how many times ya heard andy do any standards.Done all formats from his own big bands down to duo.This guy is a tour de force,stellar player,AND HIS OWN MAN.Which makes a change from all the Brecker clones out there.So many tenor players out there that sound the same,you hear them and you dont no who it is,they all play the same licks etc then you hear Andy Sheppard and WOW,smack in the face its so fresh,his own concept on playing and sound scape:welldone:welldone:welldone
give Andy a Knighthood for his own thing.

Wise words Dave - he's nobody's clone. I knew Andy quite well before 1988, when he came runner up in the Shlitz Jazz Competition that put him firmly on the map. He is very kind-hearted and into music full stop. If he wasn't playing he was at a gig digging the music that was being played - whoever was playing it.

I can't understand how anyone could have a bad thing to say about him.

 

[Saxlicker]

A quick note about Andy's show on saturday 6th, Feb in Southampton.

I found it really lifting in a very relaxed way. The mood and ambience took the starring role in each tune with no self indulgence creeping through in any musician.
I am not over familiar with any of Andy's stuff as I have only admired his playing in snippets between listening to many other players.
Saw him once before back in the 90's in Salisbury which was technically good but not as interesting as I had hoped. This time though, it was far far more captivating. Movements in Colour was the theme for the night and it's hard for me to imagine that they could have done any more to create a better feel on the night.
The sound was great and no unnecessary amplification.
Beautiful is the best way to describe it.

At 40 something though, I did feel teenage when I looked around me at the average age of the decent sized crowd. That is fine but I couldn't help wondering why the balance was so strongly in favour of B&Q discount every wednesday?

Can't let it go with out mentioning 2 more things...
Kuljit Bhamra. INCREDIBLE!!!!

link will be posted - Edit, scrub that. Nothing I've found on the web lives up to what I experienced.

And
Doesn't really matter I know but what Tenor Sax was he using? Should be a Mauriat but the half decent glimpses I got had convinced me it was his MKVI right until he walked off at the end and I thought I spotted the Mauriat type body to bell brace.
It was raw brass but no whacky coloured key touches, just plain old white MOP. So I am not convinced either way.