Jazz Greats Instrumental Collection

[Dylan]

Just came across this: http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS/instrumentsB/

The Jazz Dept at Rutgers University have a collection of instruments described and pictured on their web site. The tenors of Don Byas, Ben Webster and Lester young are included.

Thought some similar sax obsessives would be interested in this 8)

The Don Byas horn is a Dolnet. To be honest I've never come across this manufacturer before. Anyone tried one?

 

[saxismyaxe]

Great link.
I have a Dolnet Bel Aire like Byas' ( a personal favorite Tenorman BTW), and it is comparable in sound and flexibility to a Conn 10M.

 

[Dylan]

Thanks for that Michael. Isn't tinternet a wonderful thing!

Is that your main horn. Were they around the same sort of period as the 10M?

Another question you or other forummers may be able to help with is prompted by the appearance of Betsy, Ben Websters tenor, on the Rutgers site. I read somewhere that Ben bequeathed Ol Betsy to Dexter Gordon who then went on to play her for some time.

The Rutgers site does not mention this and I'be never seen the info anywhere else. A myth?

D

 

[saxismyaxe]

Hi Dylan (great Cymric name BTW...my mother's an Edwards),
No, I have a nice collection or horns, and acquired this one mainly because Don Byas played them. I actually use a 1947 The Martin Committee most often as my main Tenor presently, although I also utilize my Super 20 and 30M among others, for certain gigs.

I've heard the same story about Dexter, as well as the one about this same horn being haunted by Ben. Apparently the legend is that the wife of the man who owned it reported hearing it being played at night in the basement where it was stored, and sold it in part due to the haunting disturbances it/they created!

 

[Dylan]

Saxismyaxe wrote:
I've heard the same story about Dexter, as well as the one about this same horn being haunted by Ben.

A haunted sax! What a fantastic story. I don't think I'd get rid of a horn that treated me to an original Ben Webster gig every night 😉

I'll try and do some more digging on the Ben and Dex story.

Cheers

D

Cymru an byth!