Great Players Who sparked your love of Sax music

[PiccoloPirate]

Neighbors throwing rocks, accurately, when I played the Bagpipes, so I bought a Tenor Sax and learned Harlem Nocturne.
Grew up across the street from the Apollo Theater. Tough part of town.
Fiddle players got air hammered.
Life was a Cakewalk for me and my Tenor.

Seriously, the Big Apple had every kind of music, and on TV, the piercing Altos in Mancini's scores.
Tenor was the Rock N Roll horn in the '50s.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfAv8yAaHps

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Here ya go again.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtgJz2JOwyA

Did work across the street from the Apollo as a teenager in the '60s.

 

[John Laughter]

so I bought a Tenor Sax and learned Harlem Nocturne.

#39 HARLEM NOCTURNE—VISCOUNTS
HARRY HALLER - TENOR
This instrumental group was from New Jersey and included tenor saxophonist Harry Haller, guitarist Bobby Spievak, organist Larry Vecchio, bassist Joe Spievak, and drummer Clark Smith. They scored one hit in 1966, a nicely done version of “Harlem Nocturne” for Madison. This was a standard “must know” instrumental for just about every sax player in that era and can still be heard today as some of the “oldie” bands continue to bring the music of the past to the dance floor.

Discography:

1960 The Viscounts—Madison
1965 Harlem Nocturne—Amy

 

[Targa]

This was a standard “must know” instrumental for just about every sax player in that era and can still be heard today as some of the “oldie” bands continue to bring the music of the past to the dance floor.

It's also on the cd Midnight in the Naked City by Pete Thomas

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU-QiGDZJns

 

[John Laughter]

by Pete Thomas

 

[Paul_Dennis]

In Phil Woods’ biography (Life in Eb) he recounts that in his early days he used to play Harlem Nocturne many times a night at a strip club!

 

[mizmar]

In Phil Woods’ biography (Life in Eb) he recounts that in his early days he used to play Harlem Nocturne many times a night at a strip club!

Between classes at the Manhattan School of Music or Juilliard?

Or:

Professor: "young man, it's been reported that you where in a strip club last night. What exactly where you doing there?!"

Woods: "ummm ahhh..playing with my clarinet saxophone..."

 

[Paul_Dennis]

I think he had graduated from Juilliard by then.

“My main income was still derived from my silky renditions of Harlem Nocturne at the Nut Club. Mom and Dad came down for a weekend when I was doing a two‑fer; a concert at Town Hall with Jimmy Raney and then on to my strip gig at the Nut Club. My folks were very proud to see me in such a prestigious venue as Town Hall.”

Not sure what his parents made of the Village Nut Club!

 

[thomsax]

When I heard King Curtis, Jr Walker .... but also hornsections like Memphis Horns ... they caught my interest. Musicians like John Fogerty, Bobby Keys, Clarence Clemons .... were the reason that I started to play. A little bit easier to learn.

 

[Greg Strange]

In Phil Woods’ biography (Life in Eb) he recounts that in his early days he used to play Harlem Nocturne many times a night at a strip club!

Phil was a great raconteur...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOyLwQVRuhA


Greg S.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Page 24. Have I already commented?
Jr Walker was my first love. Then came Take five and Paul Desmond. The Guy who inspired me to buy a saxophone was Brian Travers of UB40.
Johnny Hodges and Gerry Mulligan keep me playing.

 

[Paul_Dennis]

Phil was a great raconteur...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOyLwQVRuhA


Greg S.

What a great interview with two great alto players. Sadly both now playing in that great gig in the sky.

 

[ghostler]

What a great interview with two great alto players. Sadly both now playing in that great gig in the sky.

Loved Phil Woods' description of making lead metal soldiers.

I still have my father's moulds for making such. (Nicest set is one with 3 sailers - one holding the US flag, one on snare drum, one on bugle.)

When I was 6 - 8 years old back in the early 1960's, for the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) after school meeting, they had a bazaar. My father moulded the soldiers, placed a half dozen in each bag. I don't remember what they sold for but helped the PTA make money for programmes for the kids.

This was back in the day when we were not afraid of the dangers of lead. (We learned not to put these toys in our mouths. As Brad Upton of Dry Bar Comedy Channel stated in one of his humorous videos, "Our parents allowed us to play with guns, knives and fireworks. There were no dumb kids, because they didn't make it!" (Sorry, I'm just "flatulating".) 😉

Today we call it "learning risk assessment", a lost art these days I'm afraid. This is where a parent, adult or older child can help the younger by teaching them early on.

Risk Assessment: Process, Tools, & Techniques | SafetyCulture

Learn how to effectively perform a risk assessment, assess consequences and likelihood, and implement respective control measures.

safetyculture.com

Back to Phil Woods, I love his description of his personal encounter with Charlie Parker, and how Charlie was very kind to him, convincing Phil that he just needed to continue practising. There was nothing wrong with his sax nor mouthpiece.

Occasionally we see here in the Café where a less experienced sax player seems to be struggling with their sax; yet the model and mouthpiece although beginner is still capable of performing if in a good state of repair. The admonition is to keep at it. If need be, get some instructor or experienced sax player help.

 

[John Laughter]

Jr Walker

 

[Jimmymack]

I was in an hotel in Edinburgh on a weekend break, it was Saturday night and I switched on the radio and got the Jazz programme, they played John Coltrane playing Blues Minor.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

^^^^
JL,
I guess there's no emojis for the Twist and the Mashed Potato?
You had to play and dance in the early '60s.

Almost 15 in '62, and getting the licks of Lester and others, JATPH, albums.
Took a break and honked out already memorized Tequila.
Knock on the basement back door and a older, college age, piano playing neighbor asked, was that you?
He said to follow him across the alley, and up into the living room.
His band was there, and he said to play that. After I finished, he picked up two cases of very scratched up 45s, and said to learn the sax parts to everything.
Which first?
He pulled out Harlem Nocturne.
If you were tall and looked 18, Tenor boys got work.
The Hokey Pokey was another necessary tune, most often on Clarinet.
Slow dance, Stranger, also on Clarinet.

 

[LostCircuits]

This guy:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqImYFQpl30

 

[ZeroZero]

For me, it was Charles Miller. Not heard of him? He definitely deserves more attention. He played for War (a peaceful band) from LA in the 70s. Illustrious personel included Eric Burden (ex Animals) . Sadly Charles Miller got murdered before we could hear more. He played with the best but they always gave him huge solos as he was just SO good. Personally I don't like "clever" players with too many notes in every bar, it just does not float my boat. I think it's all about emotional connection and this is what Miller is about. Yes he has the tech, but that's not what he is in front of you for - its about communication heart to heart -direct, simplified, passionate, uncluttered - he is truly "speaking". Nearest thing to a prayer on a sax I have ever heard.

I would post links here, but I am a newbie and they would be blocked. So go to utube and look up these tracks

WAR Back Home

WAR Blues for Memphis Slim

Go on take a look, don't pass it over, it's well worth knowing him

Z

 

[FraRa]

What else but Desafinado with Stan Getz!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vaila2-oos

 

[chrysalis]

When I was about 12 or so, I used to sneak into my brother's room to copy his LPs onto cassette tape. He had Brothers in Arms lying around, including Your Latest Trick. Shortly after, it occurred to me that the saxophone would be a great instrument to play. Consequently, I blame it all on Mike Brecker. (Still working on those charming grace notes, more than 3 decades later ...)