support Tutorials CDs PPT mouthpieces

Saxophones What sax and what mouthpiece?

Greg Strange

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,882
Locality
Hamilton, Waikato, North Island, New Zealand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twqdWWY5iEc

Since I posted the above link in the 'Video' section of the 'Cafe' there appears to be an on-going written exchange between various fans of Wesley Magoogan and somebody who appears to be Wesley himself.

Over the course of the written exchange Wesley has advised his set up on the recording of "Will You" and the above video. Wesley states his set up was a Yamaha YAS-61 alto with a Lawton mouthpiece. From my observation skills the sax actually appears to be YAS-62 alto - longer octave key on neck; different one piece low Bb, B, C key guard and also what appears to be brass 'tear-drop' front F key; also the bell brace appears to be what I call the half oval style. The 61 series has shorter octave key on neck; different designed one piece bell key guard - straighter lines; pearl front F key; and solid bell brace with the 'Yamaha' tuning forks logo molded into it and a few other minor differences.

If I recall correctly some time ago cafe member Rhys put in a offer on e-bay for the mouthpiece that was supposedly used on the recording and it was a Otto Link Super Tone Master.

Anyway here is a couple of links to Stephen Howard's web-site showing the difference between the 61 and 62 series altos.

http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Saxes/Alto/yamaha_yas61.htm

http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Saxes/Alto/Yamaha_YAS62.htm

Regards,

Greg S.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Rhys and I both bid on the mouthpiece. At that time Wesley was selling off his alto and tenor pieces, both Otto Links. He stated very clearly in the advert that it was the Link he used on Will You (although personally I've never been able to get anything like that sort of tone from an unmodified Link). However, I think there needs to be a considerable amount of caution about Wesley's description of his kit. The 'alto' piece he sold Rhys turned out to be a tenor piece. I'd have thought he'd have known the difference. Still, if memory serves, he promptly refunded the purchase price.
 
Rhys and I both bid on the mouthpiece. At that time Wesley was selling off his alto and tenor pieces, both Otto Links. He stated very clearly in the advert that it was the Link he used on Will You (although personally I've never been able to get anything like that sort of tone from an unmodified Link). However, I think there needs to be a considerable amount of caution about Wesley's description of his kit. The 'alto' piece he sold Rhys turned out to be a tenor piece. I'd have thought he'd have known the difference. Still, if memory serves, he promptly refunded the purchase price.

All of that is correct.

The (tenor) Otto Link that I was sold came with signed statement that said

"To whom it may concern,

This is the Otto Link metal 6 star alto mouthpiece I used to play the piece "Will You" composed by Hazel O'Connor and Wesley Magoogan at Goodearth stuios in 1978 with Tony Visconti producing.

Signed Wesley Maggogan
Dated 21-8-10"

Interestingly, the letter had a couple of still pictures which seem to be taken from the same video clip that is linked from the first message in this thread.

Rhys
 
All of that is correct.

The (tenor) Otto Link that I was sold came with signed statement that said

"To whom it may concern,

This is the Otto Link metal 6 star alto mouthpiece I used to play the piece "Will You" composed by Hazel O'Connor and Wesley Magoogan at Goodearth stuios in 1978 with Tony Visconti producing.

Signed Wesley Maggogan
Dated 21-8-10"

Interestingly, the letter had a couple of still pictures which seem to be taken from the same video clip that is linked from the first message in this thread.

Rhys

I suppose if "Will You" was recorded in 1978 then Wesley may have used a YAS-61 alto - I think the 62 series altos were introduced in the same year. It seems a bit odd the song was recorded 3 years before it became a hit in 1981. I believe the film "Breaking Glass" was released in 1980 and "Will You" is part of the soundtrack.

"Youtube" footage of Wesley playing with The Beat (or The English Beat in the US) clearly shows him playing 62 series alto and tenor.

Regards,

Greg S.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
He stated very clearly in the advert that it was the Link he used on Will You (although personally I've never been able to get anything like that sort of tone from an unmodified Link).

Jon, maybe it's not the mouthpiece in relation to the tone, and you should buy a 61 or 62 series Yamaha alto...:thumb:

Regards,

Greg S.
 
It seems a bit odd the song was recorded 3 years before it became a hit in 1981. I believe the film "Breaking Glass" was released in 1980 and "Will You" is part of the soundtrack.

Songfacts http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=10000 says:

"Will You?" is one of 12 songs from the soundtrack of the 1980 film Broken Glass, which featured an unknown Hazel O'Connor in the lead role. In spite of her apparent inexperience, she was also commissioned to compose the soundtrack. "Will You?" is the odd one out, both in style and because it was not actually written for the film.

In her 1981 autobiography, O'Connor explained that she penned it a long time before the film and that it was "not the kind of material I sang at gigs. If you are a support band you cannot get away with a piece like that". She sounds as though she is ashamed of this hauntingly beautiful ballad, but this is a song that anyone from George Michael to Neil Diamond would have been proud to have written.

O'Connor said "Will You?" fitted with a scene from the film that she and her lead Phil Daniels had improvised. In the book that accompanied the film, The Illustrated Broken Glass, she is credited as sole author of the song, but elsewhere the saxophonist Wesley McGoogan is credited as co-writer, probably because of the extended saxophone solo which adds magic to enchantment.


Wasn't there some legal dispute about who wrote the song ?

Rhys
 
Songfacts http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=10000 says:

"Will You?" is one of 12 songs from the soundtrack of the 1980 film Broken Glass, which featured an unknown Hazel O'Connor in the lead role. In spite of her apparent inexperience, she was also commissioned to compose the soundtrack. "Will You?" is the odd one out, both in style and because it was not actually written for the film.

In her 1981 autobiography, O'Connor explained that she penned it a long time before the film and that it was "not the kind of material I sang at gigs. If you are a support band you cannot get away with a piece like that". She sounds as though she is ashamed of this hauntingly beautiful ballad, but this is a song that anyone from George Michael to Neil Diamond would have been proud to have written.

O'Connor said "Will You?" fitted with a scene from the film that she and her lead Phil Daniels had improvised. In the book that accompanied the film, The Illustrated Broken Glass, she is credited as sole author of the song, but elsewhere the saxophonist Wesley McGoogan is credited as co-writer, probably because of the extended saxophone solo which adds magic to enchantment.


Wasn't there some legal dispute about who wrote the song ?

Rhys

Thanks for the information Rhys - I think you are right about some dispute with the song writing credits, and I am pretty sure it was to do with the sax solo and because it had such a prominent role in the make-up of the tune that Wesley ended up sharing the song writing credits with Hazel O'Connor.

Regards,

Greg S.
 
Back
Top Bottom