Beginner What baritone music should I listen to?

[richardfm]

I've been learning alto for nearly 18 months and finally bought the baritone I had promised myself if I was still playing the alto after a year.

My problem now is where to find baritone music to listen to. I have fairly eclectic taste in music, and while I generally like jazz, my preference is definitely towards rock/blues more than improvisation. I really like Morphine and have ordered the first CD by Dana Colley's new band A.K.A.C.O.D.

Does anyone have suggestions for other baritone oriented music?

 

[half diminished]

You should check out Karen Sharp - Wait and see

WAIT AND SEE review by Humphrey Lyttelton - March 2007
"Wait and See is a delight from start to finish. Karen’s playing on both saxophones is a perfect blend of poise and passion. One moment she is bringing out the beauty of a Billy Strayhorn composition with rare tenderness, the next she leads her wonderfully complementary band in a track that captures, in a way remarkable for a small group, the urgency of one of Charles Mingus’s rampaging gospel-inspired pieces.

Some of the best things here are Karen’s own compositions. I know, because I have had to discipline myself to play some of them, of her meticulous attention to detail with regard to form and dynamics. Anyone who approaches them in the expectation of a predictable ramble down familiar paths will have many a pleasurable surprise.

This is the first album of hers on which Karen Sharp has played baritone saxophone. Having persuaded her to buy one when she joined my band three years ago, I glow in the dark with the awareness that she now has one of the best sounds on the instrument to be heard on this planet. In fact, listening to this lovely album has made me seriously phosphorescent, so I’ll say no more. You’ve got the gist"

The album is brilliant. Can't help other than that as I don't listen to much baritone.

 

[Mamos]

I quite like Joe Temperley

mamos

 

[Justin Chune]

Me too. I particularly like his ending to "Drop Me Off In Harlem" He plays a cadenza that starts high and seems to never stop going down, and finishes on the two lowest notes. Very effective.

I had a few words with Joe at a gig he was playing in West Lothian. He plays a Conn Crossbar that has been well modified to his spec. There was no time o ask about the cadenza or the modifications. He is a real nice guy.

Jim.

 

[Taz]

Have a listen to Beth Rowley album "Little Dreamer" and listen to "Oh My Life" Ben Castel (Roy Castles son) accompanies her on barri, giving a great solo. I love it. also check this out, I know its been on the BR before , but I think its the greatest collection of pure tallent you'll ever find. Billie Holiday With Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Gerry Mulligan, Vic Dickenson, Roy Eldridge

 

[Pjonah]

Have a listen to Beth Rowley album "Little Dreamer" and listen to "Oh My Life" Ben Castel (Roy Castles son) accompanies her on barri, giving a great solo. I love it. also check this out, I know its been on the BR before , but I think its the greatest collection of pure tallent you'll ever find. Billie Holiday With Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Gerry Mulligan, Vic Dickenson, Roy Eldridge

I'll second that Taz, am hoping to do the "Oh My Life" track with our band. Mulligan on "Fine & Mellow" is awesome, not withstanding the other also rans....just kidding.

Also listen to Dick Parry on "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" - Pink Floyd or what about Boots Randolf on "Return to Sender" - Elvis, there are countless tracks from Motown and Stax worthy of much investigation. There's loads of stuff out there, but more importantly welcome to the Bari Owners Guild (BOG), good luck with the best sax of all! Oooooh little contraversial perhaps???

What Baritone did you get?

 

[richardfm]

You should check out Karen Sharp - Wait and see
WAIT AND SEE review by Humphrey Lyttelton - March 2007
"Wait and See is a delight from start to finish.

The album is brilliant. Can't help other than that as I don't listen to much baritone.

Enough said ... I'll get that one.

I don't know his music very well, but what I've heard I liked and I have a great respect for the man from listening to him for many years on I'm sorry I haven't a clue, so with such a glowing recommendation, Karen Sharp *must* be worth a listen.

 

[Mamos]

You should check out Karen Sharp - Wait and see

WAIT AND SEE review by Humphrey Lyttelton - March 2007
"Wait and See is a delight from start to finish. Karen’s playing on both saxophones is a perfect blend of poise and passion. One moment she is bringing out the beauty of a Billy Strayhorn composition with rare tenderness, the next she leads her wonderfully complementary band in a track that captures, in a way remarkable for a small group, the urgency of one of Charles Mingus’s rampaging gospel-inspired pieces.

Some of the best things here are Karen’s own compositions. I know, because I have had to discipline myself to play some of them, of her meticulous attention to detail with regard to form and dynamics. Anyone who approaches them in the expectation of a predictable ramble down familiar paths will have many a pleasurable surprise.

This is the first album of hers on which Karen Sharp has played baritone saxophone. Having persuaded her to buy one when she joined my band three years ago, I glow in the dark with the awareness that she now has one of the best sounds on the instrument to be heard on this planet. In fact, listening to this lovely album has made me seriously phosphorescent, so I’ll say no more. You’ve got the gist"

The album is brilliant. Can't help other than that as I don't listen to much baritone.

Listening to it now on spotify

mamos

 

[richardfm]

Have a listen to Beth Rowley album "Little Dreamer" and listen to "Oh My Life" Ben Castel (Roy Castles son) accompanies her on barri, giving a great solo. I love it.

I tried that ... and liked it. A spot check of other tracks from the album is good too. I like the style of music and she's a very good singer.

 

[richardfm]

I'll second that Taz, am hoping to do the "Oh My Life" track with our band. Mulligan on "Fine & Mellow" is awesome, not withstanding the other also rans....just kidding.

Also listen to Dick Parry on "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" - Pink Floyd or what about Boots Randolf on "Return to Sender" - Elvis, there are countless tracks from Motown and Stax worthy of much investigation. There's loads of stuff out there, but more importantly welcome to the Bari Owners Guild (BOG), good luck with the best sax of all! Oooooh little contraversial perhaps???

What Baritone did you get?

I had to go back and check 'Shine on you crazy diamond' ... I'd forgotten that it had Baritone sax in it. The quality of the sound is something like Arne Domnerus's alto sax playing in the church acoustic in in Antiphone Blues. How much of that sound is electronic processing though? I'd love to be able to get something like that out of my saxophone one day.

As to which Baritone I got ... a Bauhaus-Walstein.
I tried out a Sakkusu (didn't get on with it ... couldn't get the low notes out), and a Mauriat (easy to blow, but far too costly). I couldn't try the Walstein, but watching/listening to Pete Thomas' "Blues #9 Work in Progess" clip on youtube, I knew it *could* sound good. Now I just need a few decades of practice.

 

[Pjonah]

I had to go back and check 'Shine on you crazy diamond' ... I'd forgotten that it had Baritone sax in it. The quality of the sound is something like Arne Domnerus's alto sax playing in the church acoustic in in Antiphone Blues. How much of that sound is electronic processing though? I'd love to be able to get something like that out of my saxophone one day.

As to which Baritone I got ... a Bauhaus-Walstein.
I tried out a Sakkusu (didn't get on with it ... couldn't get the low notes out), and a Mauriat (easy to blow, but far too costly). I couldn't try the Walstein, but watching/listening to Pete Thomas' "Blues #9 Work in Progess" clip on youtube, I knew it *could* sound good. Now I just need a few decades of practice.

Dick Parry used minimal effects apart from switching mid solo to tenor sax! he's just a sax god of mine!

Ah, the BW bari is good, I played one of the prototypes and that was nice, so my guess is you got a good-un there, no excuses now!

 

[Taz]

I had to go back and check 'Shine on you crazy diamond' ... I'd forgotten that it had Baritone sax in it. The quality of the sound is something like Arne Domnerus's alto sax playing in the church acoustic in in Antiphone Blues. How much of that sound is electronic processing though? I'd love to be able to get something like that out of my saxophone one day.

As to which Baritone I got ... a Bauhaus-Walstein.
I tried out a Sakkusu (didn't get on with it ... couldn't get the low notes out), and a Mauriat (easy to blow, but far too costly). I couldn't try the Walstein, but watching/listening to Pete Thomas' "Blues #9 Work in Progess" clip on youtube, I knew it *could* sound good. Now I just need a few decades of practice.

I hadnt seen this, but now that I have, a BW bari is on the shopping list For those like me who forget to keep up with Mr Thomas here it is. FANTASTIC

 

[Mamos]

John Surman?

mamos

 

[thomsax]

You can listen to:

Jazz

Lars Gullin; the Swedish bariplayer with the Nordic sound!
Nick Brignola & Pepper Adams; CD "Baritone Madness"


R&B and early Rock 'n' Roll

Paul Williams; "The Hucklebuck" one of the first Rocksongs?
Bob McNeely; great bariplayer. Listen to Big Jay McNeely's songs from the 50's.
Red Tyler; Fats Domino, Joe Turner, Little Richard .... member of the legendary Cosimo Matassa's studio band. Played with Lee Allen.

R&B- and Rock-sax duos

Red Tyler- Lee Allen
Steve Berlin-Lee Allen, Berlin (LA) played with The Blasters and nowadays with The Lobos. I think Berlin played a Buescher bari when he played with The Blasters.
Doug James-Sax Gordon; Roomful of BluesJames played with Roomful of Blues and met Sax Gordon there when he replaced Piccolo(ts), Duke Robbilard, Joe Turner ... .


Rock and Soul

Mike Terry; Motown's bariplayer. Four Tops, Supremes, Tempations, Jr Walker .... .
John Williams; bariplayer on lots of songs with Ike & Tina Turner, early Ray Charles .... and is in the Count Basie Band.
Steve Douglas; played bari on lots of Phil Spectors produced songs like
Ronnie Cuber; Paul Simon, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton ...

Other you may like; David "Woody" Woodford (Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bonnie Riatt, Tower of Power, Arosmiths, Robben Ford ...) great bariplayer but mostly heard on tenor. Angelo Moore (Fishbone) he is also playing a Vito bassax. Talking of bassax, there is another bariplayer who also is on bassax called Glenn Shambroom, Boston. He plays a Buescher bassax and a The Martin Magna Baritone to Low A and a The Martin Baritone to Low B.

Thomas

 

[Pjonah]

I hadnt seen this, but now that I have, a BW bari is on the shopping list For those like me who forget to keep up with Mr Thomas here it is. FANTASTIC

Great post Pete and well played Pete, nice one!