I Need a Favourite Player - Any Ideas?

[Bobby G]

Not a list of favourites, but how to find 'em especially if you're new to a certain area of music - get hold of half-a-dozen or so random albums, maybe by people you've only heard of, give 'em a listen, find out who you like the sound of, get more albums by them. The nature of jazz is that very often the personnel on any given album by one artist will be different from any other album by the same artist, so you will be led through a sort of 'chain', picking up on players you like (or not) along the way. For instance, starting off with Miles Davis you can get into Cannonball Adderley in one direction, or Coltrane then by association Eric Dolphy in another, and so it goes on.....

 

[RedBottom]

Sometimes, as well, if you find an album you like, reading the sleeve notes will point you to other artistes, either via the 'also available' bit or by reading the artist's biog and finding out who their influences were.

Films are good, too. I first saw Lou Marini in 'The Blues Brothers' and went out looking for his album after that. Not a sax player, but still a great singer/songwriter, is Randy Newman, and I first knowingly heard of him on a Katie Mehlua album, and then singing the 'Monk' theme. Now I just love his stuff. You know, you just kind of listen for what you like and then follow them up.

If you'd rather not spend a fortune on CDs you might not like, it's worth checking with your nearest main library what they've got in stock. You might be surprised. I know my department spends between ?500-?1000 a month on sound recordings of all genres, not including chart CDs. It may cost you a couple of quid or so to borrow one, but that's got to be better than fifteen. And you can always ask them to buy in what they haven't got.

 

[jools]

Redbottom has it in one. Get out there and just listen to as MUCH stuff as you can. Find out who played what - it could be on a famous album or a TV advert or the guy that lives in the next street.

Welcome to the world of being the saxophone equivalent of a 'train spotter'
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
but without the rain and the creepy clothes.

 

[Bobby G]

Randy Newman, such a cynical writer, you have to love him!

 

[Col9]

Its funny but after reading Jools's post regarding Paul Desmond half the reasons he lists for disliking him would be on my list for really liking him, polite phrasing, classical dynamics and an urban image etc.

Just goes to show that two people can get the same vibe from the same artist but interpret or appreciate it completely differently. Listening to his playing just makes me smile, so relaxing.

Listen to everything with a sax in it old,modern,jazz,classical its all educational at the very least 😉

Col.

 

[jools]

Completely agree Col!
As you say - the music stands there on it's own, and we all feel differently about it. THAT's the magic that makes it so much fun.

 

[Bobby G]

Col9, to paraphrase your last post - listen to everything with a musical instrument in it.... etc. Some people play their chosen instrument influenced totally by players on another instrument, for instance Ian Anderson out of Jethro Tull started playing lead lines on flute mainly because he thought his guitar playing wasn't up to it.

 

[Bobby G]

Jools wrote:
ah yeh, fair comment. But 'in general' I've found jazz and blues players much less aggressive than, say 'rock' musicians. And far less ...erm, maybe 'aloof' than classical players. :whistle:

What about the folkies though, eh? Thugs to a man :laugh:

I reckon the aggression of some rock musicians stems at least partly from the 'gang mentality' of some bands. That and the drugs. Jazz groups tend to be much more fluid and flexible in their approach to lineup, which I guess would make them more approachable in that they sometimes must have to find musical and personal common ground, sometimes at very short notice. Having said that, some of them, while not actually aggressive, can be a bit intimidating....