The Bassic Sax Blog

Archive for the ‘Styles Of Saxophone Playing’ Category

Well according to British, classical composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, unless you’re playing classically—and even then you’d have to keep a pretty tight rein on your axe—there’s a pretty good chance it does.

Williams’ last composition, Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, was written between 1956 & 1957, and was performed publically for the first time in London by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in April 1958—just 3 months before the composer’s death. It was for this symphony that Williams incorporated the seldom-used saxophone.

In the program notes for his Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Williams made the following comments:

The usual symphony orchestra is used with the addition of three saxophones [2 altos and 1 tenor] and flugelhorn. This beautiful and neglected instrument is not usually allowed in the select circles of the orchestra and has been banished to the brass band, where it is allowed to indulge in the bad habit of vibrato to its heart’s content. While in the orchestra it will be obliged to sit up and play straight. The saxophones, also, are not expected, except possibly in one place in the scherzo, to behave like demented cats, but are allowed to be their own romantic selves. Otherwise the orchestra is normal, and is, the composer hopes, sound in wind and strings.

Source: wikipedia.org

Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, here is the third movement of William’s 9th symphony—the scherzo—where you can can hear for yourself how saxophones sound when they sit up and play straight.

Can you hear them behaving like demented cats in this movement? I’m not sure I even know what means. Do you?

For more information about this famous British composer, check out the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society website.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

WERS, New England’s oldest non-commercial radio station, rated Saxophone Solos that Rock. Here is their pick for the 5 best and worst:

Best

1. The Rolling Stones: Brown Sugar
2. Roxy Music: Re-Make/Re-Model
3. Bruce Springsteen: Dancing in the Dark
4. David Bowie: Modern Love
5. X-Ray Spex: Oh Bondage Up Yours!

Worst

1. Kenny G: Song Bird
2. Gerry Rafferty: Baker Street*
3. Billy Ocean: Get Outta My Dreams (Get Into My Car)
4. Madness: It Must Be Love*
5. The Beach Boys: Kokomo*

* Videos have been removed due to violation of terms of use, or infringement of copyright.

Although 3 of the videos under the Worst category have been removed from YouTube, if you’re not familiar enough with the songs, you’d most likely still be able to find them someplace if you are so inclined.

What do you think? Do you agree with the good people at WERS?

Obviously this is a very subjective exercise, and it’s impossible to have everyone agree with the choices made. I do think however, that there were a whole lot of saxophone solos that happened before the 1980s, that were obviously not considered by whoever put together this list.

So to the good folks of WERS: Yes, there were rock sax solos before the 1980s—and even before the 1970s. For example, there is this classic by Little Richard…

Besides being a good solo, I really enjoyed the tenor player’s performance on the top of the grand piano. Now that’s entertainment.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

Thanks to tags on YouTube, I find myself in the most unusual of places nowadays. Places miles away from where I started, and from what I started looking for. It’s a bit like taking a drive into a big city that you haven’t been to before, and forgetting to pack the GPS.

This morning’s GPS-challenged trip into YouTube land, led me into a time capsule that—at least based on the clothing—must have been the mid 1970s. Here on the set of the popular musical variety show Soul Train, I heard a funk, sax-based song called Get Up Get With It, by Steady Freddy.

Steady Freddy, AKA Fred Horn, is a LA-based saxophone player who has had a very interesting and varied musical career to date. He has worked with some very big names in the funk and R&B business. Poke around his website for a while, and you’ll see what I mean.

     Source: freddyhorn.com

Besides playing funk and R&B, he also does Latin, as well as a variety of jazz styles. You can find sample recordings on his site.

If you’re like I was earlier today, and not familiar with Fred Horn’s work, he is a player who’s worth checking out… And be sure to check out the clothing and platform shoes in the video above.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.