Saxophone
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The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family.
It is usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. The saxophone is commonly associated with popular music, big band music, blues, and jazz - but was originally intended as both an orchestral and military band instrument. Saxophone players are called saxophonists.
Contents |
See also
List of saxophonists
For people that played more than one of the types listed, but _primarily_ played only one, please surround the "X"s of the nonprimaries like so: X. As an example, John Coltrane is listed as playing Soprano, Alto and Tenor, but he most definitely played Tenor the most, so the X's for Soprano & Alto have been surrounded in tags.
Let's keep this as a pretty comprehensive list, including the unquestionably great (Coltrane, Parker) with the new guys few have heard of (as long as they actually have recordings [or just mysterious, but widespread fame] out there) - more categorical lists can be made later on.
Eventually a little color should be added - alternating shades for rows and columns (just to make the distinction easier) and probably assigning each Genre a color. Possibly color-code Timespans that fall into "the golden age of jazz" from like 1940-1970 or something. Shade groupings for the standards (alto, tenor, baritone), the lows (bass, etc.) and the others.
--> Explanation of columns:
- s = Sopranino
- S = Soprano
- A = Alto
- T = Tenor
- B = Baritone
- b = Bass
- c = Contrabass
- sc = Subcontrabass (i.e. Tubax)
This page lists all saxophonists. See List of jazz saxophonists for a list of jazz sax players.
Explanation of indicators:
- X = instrument has been used by person or group
- X = instrument has been used by person or group, but much less often than other X-marked instruments
- C = person or group uses a C melody saxophone (either as primary instrument, or in addition to the normal tenor sax)
Fictional saxophonists
- Ribaz, from Fishnet Parachutes
- Bear, from The Bear Comes Home
- Blue from the M&M's
- Bleeding Gums Murphy from The Simpsons
- Dale Turner from Round Midnight (played by Dexter Gordon)
- Phoebe Terese from The Magic School Bus
- Lisa Simpson from The Simpsons
- McClintic Sphere
- Sesame StreetHoots the Owl, from Sesame Street
- Zoot from The Muppet Show
- Midvalley the Hornfreak from Trigun
- Tiny Kong from Donkey Kong 64
- Eddie from The Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Sunny Bridges from Class of 3000
- Sue Ellen Armstrong from Arthur
- Shirley the Medium from Courage the Cowardly Dog
List of jazz saxophonists
Jazz saxophonists are musicians who play various types of saxophones (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, etc.) in jazz, jazz fusion, and other jazz subgenres. The techniques and instrumentation of this type of performance have evolved over the 1900s, influenced by jazz at large and by influential sax players within it. Jazz saxophonists adapted different soloing and playing styles to suit the different periods of jazz history. In the 1930s, during the swing and big band era, one of the well-known sax players was Johnny Hodges (1906– 1970), an alto saxophonist who led the saxophone section in the Duke Ellington Big Band.
In the early 1940s, jazz bebop saxophonists such as Charlie Parker shifted jazz from danceable popular music towards a more challenging "musician's music", with solos that included more chromaticism and dissonance. In the 1950s, hard bop sax players infused their music with rhythm and blues styles and gospel influences. In the 1950s and 1960s, free jazz pioneers such as sax player Ornette Coleman (1930- ) (alto, tenor) and John Coltrane (1926-67) developed unusual new sounds and playing styles. In the 1970s-era jazz-rock fusion scene, Wayne Shorter was one of the key sax players. In the 1980s, sax players such as Kenny G (Kenny Gorelick, 1956- ), (soprano, alto, tenor) and David Sanborn (1945- ), (alto, soprano) played a radio-friendly style of fusion called smooth jazz. In the 1990s and 2000s, Joshua Redman (1969- )(alto, soprano, tenor) returned to a more traditional approach which reached back to the sax greats of the 1950s and 1960s.
Notable jazz saxophonists include:
A
- Mindi Abair (1969-), (alto)
- George Adams (1940–1992), (tenor)
- Pepper Adams (1930–1986), (baritone)
- Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (1928–1975), (alto)
- Ahmad Alaadeen (1934- ), (soprano, tenor)
- Eric Alexander (1968- ), (tenor)
- Harry Allen (1966- ), (tenor)
- Pete Allen (1954- ), (alto, soprano)
- Gene "Jug" Ammons (1925–1974), (tenor)
- Fred Anderson (1929- ), (tenor)
- Peter Apfelbaum (1960- ), (tenor & other instruments)
- Julian Arguelles (1966- ), (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone)
- Harold Ashby (1925- ), (tenor)
- Gilad Atzmon (1963- ), (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone)
- George Auld (1919–1990), (tenor)
- Albert Ayler (1936–1970), (alto, tenor, soprano)
B
- Buster Bailey (1902–1967)
- Iain Ballamy (1964- ), (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Pat La Barbera (1944- ), (tenor, soprano, alto, clarinet, flute)
- Gato Barbieri (1934- ), (tenor)
- Eddie Barefield (1909–1991)
- Gabe Baltazar (alto)
- Dale Barlow (1959- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Carolyn Breuer (1969- ), (alto, soprano)
- Alan Barnes (1959- ), (alto, baritone)
- John Barnes (1932- ), (tenor)
- Polo Barnes (1901-1981), (alto)
- Charlie Barnet (1913–1991), (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Gary Bartz (1940- ), (alto, soprano)
- Mario Bauza (1911–1993), (alto)
- Heinie Beau (1911–1987)
- Sidney Bechet (1897–1959), (soprano, tenor, bass)
- Bob Belden (1958- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Tex Beneke (1914- ), (tenor)
- Daniel Bennett (1979- ), (alto)
- Ivy Benson (1913–1993)
- Bob Berg (1951-2002), (tenor, soprano)
- Jerry Bergonzi (1947- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Tim Berne (1954- ), (alto, baritone)
- Chu Berry (1910–1941), (tenor)
- Barney Bigard (1906–1980), (tenor)
- David Binney (1961- ), (alto)
- Chris Biscoe (1947- ), (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone)
- Jane Ira Bloom (1955- ), (soprano)
- Hamiet Bluiett (1940- ), (baritone)
- Arthur Blythe (1940- ), (alto, soprano)
- Graham Bond (1937–1974), (alto)
- Earl Bostic (1913–1965), (alto)
- Charles Brackeen (1940- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Don Braden (1964- ), (tenor)
- Anthony Braxton (1944- ), (all saxophones & other instruments)
- Michael Brecker (1949-2007), (tenor, EWI)
- Willem Breuker (1944- ), (saxophones)
- Nick Brignola (1936-2002 ), (baritone, soprano, tenor, alto)
- Gordon Brisker (1937-2004), (tenor)
- Tina Brooks (1932–1974), (tenor)
- Peter Brötzmann (1941- ), (alto, tenor, bass)
- Ari Brown (1944- ), (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Boyce Brown (1910–1959), (alto)
- Pete Brown (1906–1963), (alto, tenor)
- Marion Brown (1935- ), (alto)
- Rusty Bryant (1929- ), (alto, tenor)
- Jane Bunnett (1955- ), (soprano)
- Chris Burnett (1955- ), (soprano, alto)
- John Butcher (1954- ), (tenor, soprano, baritone)
- Sam Butera (1927- ), (tenor & other)
- Don Byas (1912-1972), (tenor)
C
- Harry Carney (1910-1974), (baritone)
- Scoops Carry (1915-1970), (alto)
- Benny Carter (1907-2003), (alto)
- James Carter (1969- ), (all saxes - from soprano to bass)
- Luciano Caruso (1944- ), (soprano)
- Pete Christlieb (1945- ), (tenor)
- Jeff Clayton (1954-), (alto)
- Arnett Cobb (1918-1989), (tenor)
- Tony Coe (1934- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Jeff Coffin (1965- ), (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, & other woodwinds)
- Al Cohn (1925-1988), (tenor)
- Richie Cole (1948- ), (alto, tenor, baritone)
- George Coleman (1935- ), (tenor)
- Ornette Coleman (1930- ), (alto, tenor)
- Steve Coleman (1956- ), (alto, soprano)
- Buddy Collette (1921- ), (alto, tenor, flute, clarinet)
- John Coltrane (1926-1967), (tenor, soprano, alto)
- Ravi Coltrane (1965- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Randolph Colville (1942- )
- Junior Cook (1934-1992), (tenor)
- Bob Cooper (1925-1993), (tenor)
- Lindsay Cooper (1951- ), (soprano, alto)
- Gerard Cornielje (1962- ), (alto, tenor)
- Lol Coxhill (1932- ), (soprano)
- Hank Crawford (1934- ), (alto, baritone)
- Ray Crawford (1924- ) (tenor)
- Sonny Criss (1927-1977), (alto, soprano)
- King Curtis (1934-1971), (tenor, soprano)
D
- Eddie Daniels (1941- ), (tenor)
- John Dankworth (1927- ), (alto)
- Joe Darensbourg (1906–1985)
- Julian Dash (1916–1974), (tenor)
- Kenny Davern (1935–2006)
- Eddie Lockjaw Davis (1921–1986), (tenor)
- Lem Davis (1914–1970), (alto)
- Nathan Davis (1937- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Elton Dean (1945- ), (alto, saxello)
- Paul Desmond (1924–1977), (alto)
- Johnny Dodds (1892–1940), (alto)
- Klaus Doldinger (1936- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Eric Dolphy (1928–1964), (alto, flute, bass clarinet)
- Arne Domnerus (1924- ), (alto)
- Sam Donahue (1918–1974), (tenor)
- Lou Donaldson (1926- ), (alto)
- Jimmy Dorsey (1904–1957), (alto)
- Bob Downes (1937- ), (alto, soprano)
- Paquito D'Rivera (1948- ), (alto)
- Gerd Dudek (1938- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Candy Dulfer (1969)- , (alto)
- Hans Dulfer (1940)- , (tenor)
- Paul Dunmall (1953- ), (tenor, soprano, baritone, saxello)
E
- Allen Eager (1927-2003), (tenor, alto)
- Bill Easley (tenor, alto)
- Teddy Edwards (1924-2003), (tenor)
- Richard Elliot (tenor)
- Booker Ervin (1930-1970), (tenor)
- Ellery Eskelin (1959- ), (tenor)
- Bill Evans (1958- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Herschel Evans (1909–1939), (tenor, alto)
F
- Joe Farrell (1937–1986), (tenor, soprano)
- Wally Fawkes (1924- ), (soprano)
- Wilton Felder (1940- )
- Buddy Featherstonhaugh (1909–1976), (tenor, baritone)
- Ricky Ford (1954- ), (tenor)
- Jimmy Forrest (1920–1980), (tenor)
- Sonny Fortune (1939)- , (alto, soprano)
- Al Foster (1944- ), (tenor)
- Frank Foster (1928- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Charlie Fowlkes (1916–1980), (baritone)
- Bob Franceschini (1961), (tenor)
- Bud Freeman (1906–1991), (tenor)
- Chico Freeman (1949- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Von Freeman (1922- ), (tenor)
G
- Slim Gaillard (1911–1991), (tenor & other instruments)
- Al Gallodoro (1913-2008], (alto)
- Jim Galloway (1936- )
- Jan Garbarek (1947- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Lou Gare (1939- ), (tenor)
- Joe Garland (1903–1977), (tenor, baritone, bass)
- Tim Garland (1966- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Kenny Garrett (1960- ), (alto, soprano)
- Charles Gayle (1939- ), (tenor)
- Herb Geller (1928- ), (alto, soprano)
- Stan Getz (1927–1991), (tenor)
- John Gilmore (1931-1995), (tenor)
- Jimmy Giuffre (1921-2008), (tenor, baritone, soprano)
- Victor Goines (1961- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Harry Gold (1907–2005), (bass, tenor, alto)
- Benny Golson (1929- ), (tenor)
- Paul Gonsalves (1920–1974), (tenor)
- Scheila Gonzalez (1971- ), (tenor)
- Benny Goodman (1909–1986), (alto)
- Dexter Gordon (1923–1990), (tenor)
- Kenny G (Kenny Gorelick, 1956- ), (soprano, alto, tenor)
- Bill Graham (born 1918), (alto)
- Kenny Graham (1924-1997), (tenor)
- Wardell Gray (1921–1955), (tenor)
- Bunky Green (1935- ), (alto)
- Johnny Griffin (1928-2008), (tenor)
- Steve Grossman (1951- ), (alto, soprano, tenor)
- Gigi Gryce (1927–1983), (alto)
- Peter Guidi (1949- ), (alto, soprano)
- Lars Gullin (1928–1976), (baritone)
- Tommy Gwaltney (1925- ), (alto, tenor)
H
- Scott Hamilton (1954- ), (tenor)
- John Handy, (1933- ), (alto)
- Everette Harp (1961- )
- Billy Harper (1943- ), (tenor, alto)
- Joe Harriott (1928–1973), (alto)
- Eddie Harris (1934-1996), (tenor)
- Tubby Hayes (1935-1973), (tenor)
- Alfred Harth (1949- ), (tenor, soprano, alto, baritone)
- Coleman Hawkins (1901–1969), (tenor)
- Jimmy Heath (1926- ), (tenor)
- Ernie Henry (1926-1957), (alto)
- Joe Henderson (1937–2001), (tenor)
- Julius Hemphill (1938-1995), (alto, soprano, tenor)
- Woody Herman (1913-1987), (alto)
- Warren Hill (19??-), (soprano, alto)
- Nigel Hitchcock (1971- )
- Johnny Hodges (1907–1970), (alto, soprano)
- Ron Holloway (1953), (tenor)
- Charlie Holmes (1910-1985), (alto)
- Paul Horn (born 1930), (alto)
- George Howard (1956–1998), (soprano, tenor)
- Derek Humble (1932-1971), (alto)
J
- Illinois Jacquet (1922-2004 ), (tenor)
- Joseph Jarman (1937- ), (alto)
- Boney James (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Carter Jefferson (1946-1993)
- Hilton Jefferson (1903- ), (alto)
- John Jenkins (1931-1993), (alto)
- Bill Johnson (1912–1960), (alto)
- Budd Johnson (1910- ), (alto)
- Edward "Kidd" Jordan (alto, tenor, soprano, baritone)
- Louis Jordan (1908–1975), (alto)
K
- Richie Kamuca (1930-1977), (tenor)
- Tom Keenlyside (all saxes, jazz flute)
- Robin Kenyatta (1942- ), (alto)
- Peter King (1940- ), (alto, soprano)
- Rosa King (and singer)
- Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1936–1977), (all saxes - including some of his own creation)
- Eric Kloss (1949- ), (alto)
- Kadota "Jaw" Kouske (tenor, soprano)
- Dave Koz (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone)
- Sigurd Køhn (1959–2004), (alto)
- Lee Konitz (1927- ), (alto, soprano)
- Fela Kuti (1939-1997),(tenor, alto)
L
- Pat LaBarbera (1944- ), (soprano, tenor)
- Steve Lacy (1934-2004 ), (soprano)
- Harold Land (1928-2001), (tenor)
- Prince Lasha(1929-2008), (alto)
- Azar Lawrence (1952 - ), (tenor, soprano)
- Amy Lee (soprano, alto)
- David Liebman (1946- ), (soprano, tenor)
- Erica Lindsay (1955- ), (soprano, tenor)
- Fred Lipsius (1945- ), (alto)
- Charles Lloyd (1938- ), (tenor, alto)
- Mornington Lockett (1961- ), (tenor)
- Carlos López (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Joe Lovano (1952- ), (tenor, alto)
- Preston Love (1921-2004), (alto)
- Arun Luthra (soprano, tenor, alto)
- Jimmy Lyons (1934- ), (alto)
M
- Andy McGhee (1927- )
- Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre (1936- )
- Hal McKusick (1924- ), (alto, clarinet)
- Jackie McLean (1931–2006), (alto)
- Charles McPherson (1939- ), (alto)
- Joe Maini (1930-1964), (alto)
- Didier Malherbe
- Steve "The Count" Marcus (1939-2005), (tenor, soprano)
- Charlie Mariano (1923-2009), (alto)
- Lou Marini (1945- ) (soprano, alto, tenor)
- Branford Marsalis (1960- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Warne Marsh (1927-1987), (tenor)
- Marion Meadows (soprano)
- Bob Mintzer (1953- ), (tenor)
- Roscoe Mitchell (born 1940), (saxes)
- Hank Mobley (1930–1986), (tenor)
- James Moody (1925- ), (tenor, alto)
- Frank Morgan (1933-2007), (alto)
- Dick Morrissey (1940–2000), (tenor, soprano)
- Gerry Mulligan (1927–1996), (baritone)
- Mike Murley (tenor, soprano)
- David Murray (1955- ), (tenor)
- Henry 'Boots' Mussulli (1915-1967), (alto)
- Michael J. Parlett (1963- ), (tenor)
N
- Ted Nash (1960- ), (alto)
- Oliver Nelson (1932-1975), (alto, tenor)
- David "Fathead" Newman (1933-2009), (tenor)
- Lennie Niehaus (1929- ), (alto)
- Sal Nistico (1938-1991), (tenor)
O
- Mike Osborne (1941-2007), (alto)
- Greg Osby (1960- ), (alto, soprano)
- Dick Oatts (soprano, alto, tenor)
P
- Walter Parazaider (1945- ), (alto)
- Charlie Parker (1920–1955), (alto, tenor)
- Evan Parker (1944- ), (soprano, tenor, alto)
- Leo Parker (1925-1962), (baritone, alto)
- Maceo Parker (1943- ), (alto)
- Derek Pascoe (1957- ), (Tenor)
- Jerome Don Pasquall (1902-1971), (alto)
- George Paxton (1930s and 1940s bandleader), (tenor)
- Cecil Payne (1922-2007), (baritone & other instruments)
- Art Pepper (1925–1982), (alto, tenor)
- Bill Perkins (1924-2003), (tenor, baritone)
- Houston Person (1934- )
- Flip Phillips (1915–2001), (tenor)
- Courtney Pine (1964- ), (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Bobby Plater (1914- ), (alto)
- Pony Poindexter (1926-1988)
- Odeon Pope (1938- ), (tenor)
- Art Porter, Jr. (alto)
- Chris Potter (1970- ), (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Russell Procope (1908–1981), (alto)
- Dudu Pukwana (1938-1990) (alto, soprano)
Q
- Ike Quebec (1918-1963), (tenor)
R
- Rama IX of Thailand (1927- ), (alto)
- Boyd Raeburn (1913-1966), (bass)
- Boots Randolph (1927- ), (tenor)
- Nelson Rangell (1960- ), all saxes
- Sonny Red (1932-1981), (alto)
- Dewey Redman (1931-2006), (tenor, alto)
- Don Redman (1900-1964), (alto)
- Joshua Redman (1969- ) (alto, soprano, tenor)
- Fritz Renold (1960- ), (alto)
- Jerome Richardson (1920-2000), (alto)
- Scott Robinson (1959- ), (all saxes)
- Spike Robinson (1930-2001), (tenor)
- Bob Rockwell (1945- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Adrian Rollini (1904-1956), (bass, baritone)
- Sonny Rollins (1930- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Bernt Rosengren (1937- ), (tenor, alto)
- Ronnie Ross (1933-1991), (baritone)
- Marshall Royal (1912-1995), (alto)
S
- Edgar Sampson (1907- ), (alto)
- David Sanborn (1945- ), (alto, soprano)
- David Sanchez (born 1969), (tenor, soprano)
- Pharoah Sanders (1940- ), (tenor)
- Mario Schiano (1933-2008), (soprano, alto)
- Anton Schwartz (1967- ), (tenor)
- Ronnie Scott (1927-1997), (tenor)
- Bud Shank (1926-2009), (alto, baritone, tenor, flute)
- Paul Shapiro (tenor, alto)
- Archie Shepp (1937- ), (tenor, soprano, alto)
- Andy Sheppard (1957- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Wayne Shorter (1933- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Sonny Simmons (1933- ), (alto)
- Zoot Sims (1925–1985), (tenor, soprano, alto, baritone)
- Alan Skidmore (1942- ), (tenor)
- Steve Slagle (alto, soprano)
- Ben Smith (1905- ), (alto, tenor)
- Bill Smith (1938- ), (soprano, clarinet)
- Buster Smith (1904-1991), (alto)
- Mike Smith (1957- ), (alto, soprano, flutes, clarinet)
- Tab Smith (1909-1971), (alto)
- Tommy Smith (1967- ), (tenor)
- Gary Smulyan (1956- ), (baritone)
- James Spaulding (1937- ), (alto)
- Hal Stein (1928-2008), (alto)
- Sonny Stitt (1924-1982), (alto, tenor, baritone)
- Vernon Story (1922-2007), (tenor)
- Frank Strozier (1937- ), (alto)
- John Surman (1944- ), (baritone, soprano)
T
- Buddy Tate (1913-2001), (tenor)
- John Tchicai (1936- ), (alto)
- Joe Temperley (1929- ), (baritone)
- Art Themen (1939- ), (tenor, soprano)
- Gary Thomas (1961- ), (tenor, flute)
- Lucky Thompson (1924-2005), (tenor, soprano)
- Cliff Townshend (1917–1986)
- Mark Turner (tenor)
- Stanley Turrentine (1934–2000), (tenor)
V
- Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson (1917-1988), (alto)
W
- David S. Ware (1949- ), (tenor, saxello, stritch)
- Earle Warren (1914-1995), (alto)
- Grover Washington, Jr. (1943–1999), (tenor)
- Sadao Watanabe (1933- ), (alto, soprano)
- Don Weller (1941-), (tenor)
- Ernie Watts (1945- ), (alto, tenor)
- Trevor Watts (1939- ), (alto, soprano)
- Ben Webster (1909-73), (tenor)
- Don Weller (1941-), (tenor)
- Bobby Wellins (1936- ), (tenor)
- Frank Wess (1922- ), (tenor)
- Barney Wilen (1937–1996), (soprano, alto, tenor)
- Steve Williamson (1964- ), (tenor, alto, soprano)
- Steve Wilson (1961- ), (alto, soprano)
- Juli Wood (tenor)
- Phil Woods (1931- ), (alto, soprano)
- Leo Wright (1933-1991), (alto)
Y
- Pete Yellin (1941- ), (alto)
- Lester Young (1909-1959), (tenor)
Z
- Miguel Zenón (alto)
- John Zorn (1953- ), (alto)
See also
References
- Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian: The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. London. Penguin. (Various Editions).
- Miedema, Harry: Jazz Styles & Analysis: Alto Sax. Chicago, Maher. 1975.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Saxophone" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Saxophone" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
