Sax and jazz..or not

[Moz]

Sax is associated with jazz but I like to play classical what do others do? (going to try a poll here)

Martin

 

[kevgermany]

Should add blues/rock/rock and roll as a choice (s?). I love the sax for older jazz, rock/blues. I'm less keen on it for classical work, but maybe I need to listen to it more. Cos I really enjoy clarinets and oboes in classical music.

 

[visionari1]

I'm mostly a jazz listener tho would listen to classical sax more if I knew where to look?

Cheers

 

[thomsax]

The major solo instrument in Rhythm & Blues is the saxophone.

"Its sound is the voice of R&B and the short, heavily structured sax-solos of R&B-songs that crossed over into Rock and Roll, and the sax riffs that built these songs are forever engraved in the hearts and souls of a generation. The encounter with wild, extroverted and totally uninhibited sax players in the early '50s predates but had a "Presleylike-effect" on white youngsters." (Mr R&B)

I listen to both jazz and classical saxophone. But when I’m playing sax, it’s Rock & Roll Saxophone!!!

Thomas

 

[Taz]

I mostly play blues and rock 'n' roll, but with my hanckling(?) for a bari (that's sorted at the end of next month ;}) I'm starting to listen to a little bit more jazz. I'm loving Gerry Mulligan at the moment! Very smooth.

 

[Sue]

Depends on the mood. I like to play big band, blues and classical mainly. I like to play jazz from the dots and would improvise more if I had the talent for it. I do like rock 'n roll but think it's more suited to tenor than alto, and I don't much like playing tenor

 

[Jules]

Ok- yet another blues/ rock & roll agent here as well! Listening wise i take in a fair bit of older jazz (young, webster, hawkins etc)..... there's also quite a bit of celtic influence coming in in my own playing on occassion (having been brought up as a bit of a folkie) & a love of wierd nosies and harmonic trickery......

 

[old git]

Depends on the mood. I like to play big band, blues and classical mainly. I like to play jazz from the dots and would improvise more if I had the talent for it. I do like rock 'n roll but think it's more suited to tenor than alto, and I don't much like playing tenor

We should have Iranian laws. Take her to the square and stone her.;}

Musical instruments are meant for playing music, it's the musician who chooses the genre. Most amazing experience of my life was hearing a slow blues on a church pipe organ. He said he was practising for the Sunday service.

 

[jonf]

Hate trad jazz and modern jazz self indulgent nonsense. Don't mind a bit of big band. Find classical boring (probably because my musical beginnings were learning clarinet in the classical method, and I found it stifling).

Rock n roll, blues, that's more like it. Oh, and punk as well. Yup, I mean it.

 

[AndyG]

Rock n roll, blues, that's more like it. Oh, and punk as well. Yup, I mean it.

Yup me too!!

 

[TomMapfumo]

Love jazz quintet/sextet stuff from late 50's onwards, but not indulgent nonsense. Ska brilliant! Also more recent stuff which is probably labelled jazz rather than fitting any other category - like Jan Garbarek, Dave Stapleton Quintet, Matt Wates Sextet and Gilad Atzmon. Love horn sections on several bands (Beirut, Mumford, etc.) which ensure that bands don't sound too "dry". In a straight fight prefer trumpet/cornet/flugelhorn to sax.

Kind regards
Tom

 

[dooce]

I love playing Brazilian choro music - check out Jacob do Bandolim or Ernesto Nazareth on youtube to get an idea of it. Basically, the folk music roots that samba and bossa nova sprang from.

I give huge respect to anyone who brings horns into new areas - check out Bellowhead with their traditional folk songs played with a 4-piece horn section. Saw them a few weeks ago - absolutely, freekin, awesome, must-see band!!

 

[ArtyLady]

I voted jazz and other. I also play blues and funk. I've tried a Classical ensemble on the tenor but didn't get on with it at all - very uncomfortable playing sitting down and as for having to play everything exactly as written! :shocked: - think i'll save classical for the flute and piano

 

[Moz]

I must say that when I put the poll up I suddenly had a mental block as to what types and styles of music I should add to the list and I realise today that 'other' is obviously going to be the biggest group as there is such a wide range of music out there. I have to say I would probably never have put Braziilian music in as a category, now that IS an obscure and specific genre. I suppose I was being a bit biased because I am great fan of playing classical music and love to make the low notes on my tenor sound like a cello, the upper notes like a violin and overall like a french horn -- sometimes I like it to sound like a saxohone!

Of 'the others' it does seem that the biggest groups are rock (and roll) and blues, perhaps more so than jazz but then jazz has so many subdivisions.

The important thing is that we play saxophone and each his or her own.

Oh, apart from 'free jazz', no one should 'play' that unless you want to outplay a randy tomcat!

Cheers

Martin

 

[TomMapfumo]

I give huge respect to anyone who brings horns into new areas - check out Bellowhead with their traditional folk songs played with a 4-piece horn section. Saw them a few weeks ago - absolutely, freekin, awesome, must-see band!!

Agree wholeheartedly - seen Bellowhead twice - love the horns!

Kind regards
Tom

 

[Sunray]

Hmmmmm ...

Well as a n00b ....

I guess I can get away with saying - I ain't really decided yet ....

I like most styles and I am learning to like stuff I never even heard of before I arrived here at the Cafe ...

I particularly like many of the slower ballads - but on the other hand I love to hear those throaty roars and polished improvisations as well ...

And I marvel at those sweet methodical sounds that players like Fausto Papetti and others achieve ...

Oh! .... Yep! I also like the squawks n squeals that I can make ... ))))

 

[kevgermany]

...unless you want to outplay a randy tomcat!

Yes, but not with a sax ))

 

[kevgermany]

The important thing is that we play saxophone and each his or her own.

:welldone :welldone :welldone

 

[Andante cantabile]

The saxophone was invented for the purpose of classical music. Now, I like classical music, but very few pieces seem to have a substantial saxophone part AND get played and recorded. Some orchestras even use a the flute for the soprano part in Ravel's Bolero and who knows what for the tenor part. So if one wants to listen to saxophone music jazz is probably the best option. Modern jazz is actually rather interesting, even if some of it is self-indulgent. When I hear some of these people improvising I can only marvel. They propose or pick up a theme, develop it and then pass it on in good order to the next player. That, dear reader, requires skill.

 

[dooce]

I must say that when I put the poll up I suddenly had a mental block as to what types and styles of music I should add to the list and I realise today that 'other' is obviously going to be the biggest group as there is such a wide range of music out there. I have to say I would probably never have put Braziilian music in as a category, now that IS an obscure and specific genre. I suppose I was being a bit biased because I am great fan of playing classical music and love to make the low notes on my tenor sound like a cello, the upper notes like a violin and overall like a french horn -- sometimes I like it to sound like a saxohone!

Of 'the others' it does seem that the biggest groups are rock (and roll) and blues, perhaps more so than jazz but then jazz has so many subdivisions.

The important thing is that we play saxophone and each his or her own.

Oh, apart from 'free jazz', no one should 'play' that unless you want to outplay a randy tomcat!

Cheers

Martin

I think it is important to play music that challenges you (technically, not aurally - I wouldn't suggest a practice regime of Stockhausen unless you are a real fan!). I get easily bored with the usual scales and exercises and that's why I got into Choro music - fast, relentless and demands the use of all the alternative fingerings, but still tuneful and quite jolly, so good fun to play. To be honest, I don't think I could sit and listen attentively to more than about 30 minutes of it though. I do quite a lot of classical as well - a lot of Bach flute and cello sonatas work well on sax, and they are great at developing precision in timing and control.

All this so I can go and honk out the backline to Mustang Sally........