Great Players Who sparked your love of Sax music

[Sopranoplanet]

I wan't yet 9 when a cousin took me to a rock & roll show with all the big stars at the time (Buddy Holly, Little Richard and a lot more). The house band was Billy Ford and the Thunderbirds, and the tenor sax player was Sam "The Man" Taylor, who knocked me out completely. I said to myself, "I want to do that!".😎

 

[Pete Effamy]

The Dutch Swing College Band, Chris Barber, Kenny Ball and Acker Bilk. I was 11.

 

[Hassles]

for me - it was the instrument itself. When young I'd listen to Supertramp / Steeleye Dan / Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band / Roxy Music - Jorga Chalmers / etc etc just to hear the sax

 

[Jive Dadson]

I chose saxophone for Jr high school band, ca. 1959, because I was crazy about the sax breaks in R&R songs.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I chose saxophone for Jr high school band, ca. 1959, because I was crazy about the sax breaks in R&R songs.

What better reason could there be?

 

[Grumpikins]

What an awesome thread! I'm not in love with Saxophone, but I do really enjoy it and especially when played well. My middle school band teacher who is probably the most influential person in my life is a Saxophonist. He is currently mid 90s and still leads his own big band and a combo giging weekly. An amazing person. He knew i had a family history of Tuba. So when I started on Tuba he sent 2 tubas home with me. Told my dad to start practicing. Then he took us to Tubachristmas, the three of us playing Tuba poorly. A ton of fun.

I never liked Saxophone much, outside of recordings by real artists, until I went to music school and heard people who could actually play well. One of the coolest concerts i attended at school was a Saxophone sextet. Really amazing. Until I went to college, all I heard from players was all the bad stuff, honking, squeaking, nails on chalkboard sounds. Oh, and Kenny g, yuck!