Famous Saxophone Solos & Riffs (Part 4 – 2000-2015)

Reading Time: 4 minutesFebruary 25, 2022

FAMOUS SAXOPHONE SOLOS & RIFFS (PART IV – 2000-2015)

FOREWORD ON PART 4: Except for “Lazarus” by Bowie I do not like any of the tracks listed below. I added them to create a more complete picture for this blog article, some of the visitors might like them.

Get Right (2005)

#2 (Top 40), #3 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs), #8 (US Billboard Pop Songs), #1 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: MACEO PARKER, sampled from “Soul Power 74” (Maceo and the Macks).

“Get Right” is the 1st single of the 5th album “Rebirth”, by Jennifer Lopez.

Maceo Parker (born in 1943) is an American Funk, Soul and Jazz saxophonist. He gained fame by working with James Brown and Prince (New Power Generation). He is the most influential Funk and Soul alto saxophonist due to his unique sound and timing.

Mr. Saxobeat (2010)

#2 (Top 40), #4 (NL Single Top 100), #11 (US Billboard Hot Latin Songs), #21 (US Billboard Hot 100), #3 (UK Singles OCC), #1 (UK Dance OCC)

Saxophonist: ?

“Mr. Saxobeat” is a single by Romanian singer Alexandra Stan. It was her first single with international succes and reached hitlists.

It is unclear if the saxophone in this track is a synthesizer or actually played by someone. No name is mentioned anywhere.

The Edge Of Glory (2011)

#36 (Top 40), #9 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs), #2 (US Billboard Adult Top 40), #3 (US Billboard Mainstream Top 40), #6 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: CLARENCE CLEMONS

“The Edge of Glory” is a song of the American singer Lady Gaga.

Clarence Anicholas Clemons jr. (1942 – 2011) was an American saxophonist en actor. Clemons was a leading member of the E Street Band (de band of Bruce Springsteen – zie Deel 1). He worked with many artists and bands, like: Grateful Dead, Ringo Starr, Roy Orbison, Jackson Browne and Twisted Sister.

Midnight City (2011)

#11 (US Billboard Hot Latin Songs), #5 (US Billboard Alternative Songs), #7 (US Billboard Hot Rock Songs), #34 (UK Singles OCC), #2 (UK Indie OCC)

Saxophonist: JAMES KING

“Midnight City“is a song by the French band M83 with Anthony Gonzalez as frontman. The band was named after the spiral shaped starcluster Messier 83.

James King is an American multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of the band “Fitz and The Tantrums“.

Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (2011)

#7 (Top 40), #24 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs), #1 (US Billboard Hot 100), #1 (US Billboard Mainstream Top 40), #9 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: KENNY G

“Last Friday Night (Thank God It’s Friday)” is the 5th single from Katy Perry‘s album “Teenage Dream“.

Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born in 1956 in Amerika) is with a total of 75 million sold albums the best selling instrumental pop artist ever. He has played with: Barry White‘s Love Unlimited Orchestra, Jeff Lorber, Kashif, George Benson, Patti LaBelle, and Aretha Franklin, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Bebel Gilberto, and others.

Just for visitors of Roel’s World unfamiliar with saxophonists: Kenny G and Kenny Garrett are two totally different saxophonists!

One Day (Vandaag) (2012)

#2 (Top 40), #2 (NL Single Top 100), #15 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: BEN RODENBURG

“One Day” is a track by DJ/Producer Bakermat from 2012. Untill 2014 the number was known under the name “Vandaag” (Dutch for “Today”).

Ben Rodenburg (born in 1988 in Rotterdam) has studied at Codarts (Conservatory) in Rotterdam. He has worked with: Waylon, Edsilia Rombley, Alain Clark, Sam Feldt, De Hofnar, Roog, Erick E, Shermanology, Thomas Jack, Lucien Foort and Federico Scavo and others.

Talk Dirty – feat. “2 Chainz” (2013)

#5 (Top 40), #5 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Mainstream Top 40), #3 (US Billboard Hot 100), #2 (US Billboard R&B/Hiphop), #1 (UK Singles OCC), #1 (UK R&B OCC)

Saxophonist: ORI KAPLAN

“Talk Dirty” is the 2nd single of Jason Derülo‘s 3rd album.

Ori Kaplan (born in 1969 in Israel) is a saxophonist and producer also known as “DJ Shotnez“. He has worked with: Tom Abbs, Firewater, Gogol Bordello, en Balkan Beat Box.

Ori Kaplan also played similar ethnic motives in the track “Worth It – feat. Kid Ink” by “Fifth Harmony” in 2015.

Jubel (2013)

#9 (Top 40), #9 (NL Single Top 100)#24 (US Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs), #3 (UK Singles OCC), #2 (UK Dance OCC)

Saxophonist: SNAKE DAVIS

“Jubel” is a song by Klingande, a Deephouse formation from Frankrijk.

Christopher McFarland Davis (artiest name Snake Davis) is a British saxophonist and flutist. He worked with: Lisa Stanfield, Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Culture Club, George Michael, Tina Turner, Paul Hardcastle, Take That, Cher, Kylie Minogue, Paul McCartney, Dave Stewart, Paul Young, Pet Shop Boys, Robert Palmer, Motörhead, Primal Scream, Spice Girls, Cliff Richard, Dionne Warwick, Amy Winehouse and others.

Problem ft. Iggy Azalea (2014)

#5 (Top 40), #10 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Mainstream Top 40), #2 (US Billboard Hot 100), #2 (US Billboard Dance), #1 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: LEON SILVA

“Problem” is a song by the American singer Ariana Grande together with Australian rapper Iggy Azalea.

Leon Silva is an American saxophonist. He has worked with: Andra Day, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Aloe Blacc, Mary J. Blidge, Jill Scott, Coldplay, Justin Timberlake, and Michael Jackson.

Lazarus (2015)

#32 (Top 40), #32 (NL Single Top 100), #3 (US Billboard Hot Rock Songs), #40 (US Billboard Hot 100), #45 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: DONNY MCCASLIN

“Lazarus” is a single from the last album Blackstar by David Bowie. The song was written for the musical Lazarus.

Donny McCaslin is an in 1966 born American Jazz saxophonist. He played with Steps Ahead, the Gil Evans Orchestra, John Medeski, David Binney, and others.

Part I : the 70s

Part II: the 80s

Part III: the 90s

Part IV: 2000-2015

Famous Saxophone Solos & Riffs (Part 3 – The 90s)

Reading Time: 2 minutesFebruary 25, 2022

FAMOUS SAXOPHONE SOLOS & RIFFS (PART III – The 90s)

Lily Was Here (1989/1990)

#1 (Top 40), #11 (US Billboard Hot 100), #6 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: CANDY DULFER

In ’89/’90 Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) scored together with Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer an international hit, that reached #1 in Nederland with the song “Lily was here“.

Candy Dulfer (born in 1969 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch saxophonist, daughter of Hans Dulfer (also saxophonist). Candy has worked with many famous artists, such as: Prince, Pink Floyd, Van Morrison, The Metropole Orkest, Printz Board (The Black Eyed Peas) and the “Ladies of Soul“.

Infinity (1990’s … Time For The Guru)

#3 (Top 40), #5 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: MAD MICK

Paul Walden, (1964 – 2015) was an English dance producer. Onder the name ‘Guru Josh‘ he released in 1990 his debut single “Infinity (1990’s … Time for the Guru). It reached 3rd place at the Nederlandse Top 40.

Mad Mick is a British saxophonist. He also worked with “Black Box” and “Stevie V“.

Something Got Me Started (1991)

#5 (Top 40), #13 (US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play)

Saxophonist: IAN KIRKHAM

“Something Got Me Started” is a song by Simply Red, a British Pop band.

One of the band members was the English saxophonist Ian Kirkham. He also worked with other known artists, like Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue.

I will always love you (1992)

#1 (Top 40), #1 (US Billboard Hot 100), #1 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: KIRK WHALUM

“I Will Always Love You” was a single (from 1974) by American singer Dolly Parton. In 1992 Whitney Houston covered the song for the movie The Bodyguard and is the “best-selling single” by a single in the music history.

Kirk Whalum (born in 1958) is an American (Smooth) Jazz saxophonist and songwriter.

He worked with famous artists, like Luther Vandross.

He was nominated for 12 Grammy Awards and won his first Grammy in 2011 for Best Gospel Song “It’s What I Do” with singer Lalah Hathaway.

A Million Love Songs (1992)

#7 (UK Singles OCC), #50 (NL Mega Single Top 100), 4 Weken in de “Tipparade”.

Saxophonist: SNAKE DAVIS

“A Million Love Songs” is a single by the English boy band Take That from their debut album “Take That & Party”.

Christopher McFarland Davis (“Snake Davis“) is a British saxophonist and flutist. He has worked together with: Ray Charles, Culture Club, George Michael, Tina Turner, Cher, Kylie Minogue, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Spice Girls, Amy Winehouse and others.

During live concerts of Take That Mike Stevens plays the saxophone.

Another Day (1997)

#4 (Top 40), #5 (NL Single Top 100)

Saxophonist: BRANFORD MARSALIS

Buckshot LeFonque is an American music project by saxophonist Branford Marsalis. The single “Another day” was listed 27 weeks in the Single Top 100 in the Netherlands, the album Music evolution was listed 26 weeks in the Album Top 100 in the Netherlands.

Branford Marsalis (born 1960 in America) is mostly known from the Jazz scene, he worked with many Jazz musicians, such as: Art Blakey and Clark Terry. In Pop music he worked with Sting (“Englishman In New York – zie Deel 2), Tina Turner (“Break Every Rule”, 1986) and Grateful Dead (“Without a Net”, 1990).

Someone loves you honey (1998)

#77 (NL Single Top 100), 4 Weken in de “Tipparade”.

Saxophonist: NIGEL HITCHCOCK

“Someone Loves You Honey” is a song written by Don Devaney and performed by Charley Pride in 1978. In 1980 British June Carol Lodge together with Prince Mohammed covered this song and made it “the hit of the year 1982” in The Netherlands. American R&B-, soul- and pop singer Lutricia McNeal turned it in 1998 into an uptempo version.

British saxophonist Nigel Hitchcock (born in 1971) worked with many known artists: Tom Jones, Wet Wet Wet, Ray Charles, Robbie Williams, and Mark Knopfler.

Part I: the 70s

Part II: the 80s

Part III: the 90s

Part IV: 2000-2015

Famous Saxophone Solos & Riffs (Part 2 – The 80s)

Reading Time: 6 minutesFebruary 24, 2022

FAMOUS SAXOPHONE SOLOS & RIFFS (PART II – The 80s)

Just the Two of Us (1980)

#11 (Top 40), #16 (NL Single Top 100), #2 (US Billboard Hot 100)

Saxophonist: GROVER WASHINGTON JR.

In 1980 “Winelight” was released, an album that received 2 Grammy Awards: “Best Jazz Fusion Opname” and “Best R & B Song” for “Just The Two Of Us“, with vocals by Bill Withers.

Grover Washington Jr. (1943 – 1999) was an American Jazzrock / Jazz-fusion / Funk / Soul saxophonist. He worked with many famous musicians an bands: Bob James, Steve Gadd, Marcus Miller, Patti Labelle, B.B. King, Tommy Flanagan, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, The Four Tops en Lalah Hathaway.

Urgent (1981)

#1 (Billboard Rock Tracks), #4 (US Billboard Hot 100)

Saxophonist: JUNIOR WALKER

“Urgent” is a song by British-American rock band Foreigner.

Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. (1931 – 1995) better known as “Junior Walker” was an American “Motown” saxophonist. His own band was known as: “Jr. Walker & the All Stars“.

Who Can It Be Now? (1981)

#49 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Hot 100), #45 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: GREG HAM

Men At Work was an Australian pop band. In 1981 they released their first single: “Who can it be now?“. In 1982 “Who can it be now?” reched the number 1 chart position in America. In 1982 they received a Grammy for “Best new Artist“.

Greg Ham (1953 – 2012) was an Australian songwriter, actor en multi-instrumentalist (sax, flute, organ, piano & synthesizer) and is mostly known from his work with Men At Work.

Forget Me Nots (1982)

#23 (Top 40), #24 (NL Single Top 100), #2 (US Billboard Hot Dance Music), #4 (US Billboard Hot R&B), #8 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: GERALD ALBRIGHT

“Forget Me Nots” is a song of American singer-songwriter Patrice Rushen.

Gerald Albright (born in 1957) is an American Jazz saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. He worked with many famous bands and artists, such as: The Temptations, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Chaka Khan, Rachelle Ferrell and many others.

Waiting On A Friend (1982)

#9 (Top 40), #17 (NL Single Top 100), #13 (US Billboard Hot 100), #50 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: SONNY ROLLINS

Born in 1930 in New York, Rollins is one of the most legendary and influential saxophonists that had a great impact on younger generation saxophonists. Hij started with piano, but switched via alto sax in 1946 over on tenor sax. In the 70s and 80s Sonny Rollins played – besides “mainstream Jazz” also R&B, Pop and Funk. It is during that period he worked with the Rolling Stones where he played on tracks as: “Slave“, “Neighbours” and “Waiting on a Friend“, all on the album “Tattoo You“.

Maneater (1982)

#17 (Top 40), #18 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Hot 100), #6 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: CHARLES DECHANT

“Maneater” is a hit song of the American duo Hall & Oates with a 4-week long #1 positie in the “Billbord Hot 100“.

Charles “Mr. Casual” DeChant is a Amerikacan multi-instrumentalist you can here on “Maneater” as well as in Hall & Oates’ tracks “One on One”, “Say It Isn’t So” (extended versie) and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)”. DeChant did also work with: Mick Jagger, The Temptations, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Bonnie Raitt, and The Average White Band.

True (1983)

#4 (Top 40), #5 (NL Single Top 100), #4 (US Billboard Hot 100), #1 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: STEVE NORMAN

“True” is a song of the English band Spandau Ballet.

Steven Antony Norman (born in 1960) is an English multi-instrumentalist. In the 80s he is member of Spandau Ballet, but in the 90s the band stops to exist. He emigrates to Ibiza where he works as percussionist en songwriter with various artists like: Ten City and DJ Frankie Knuckles.

Careless Whisper (1984)

#9 (Top 40), #17 (NL Single Top 100), #13 (US Billboard Hot 100), #50 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: STEVE GREGORY

“Careless Whisper” is the debute of George Michael als solo-artiest in 1984, later reissued on Wham!‘s album “Make It Big“.

The catchy sax riff played by Brit Steve Gregory (born in Londen in 1945) is characteristic for this track. Steve plays besides alto sax (in Careless Whisper) also soprano, tenor en baritone saxophone.

Smooth Operator (1984)

#19 (Top 40), #12 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary), #5 (US Billboard Hot 100), #19 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: STUART MATTHEWMAN

“Smooth Operator” is a song by Nigerian-British singer Sade. The song was composed by Raymond St. John (bassist/guitarist) and originally was named “Diamond Life“.

Stuart Colin Matthewman (born in 1960) is a English songwriter, multi-instrumentalist en record producer.

Freeway Of Love (1985)

#31 (Top 40), #27 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles), #3 (US Billboard Hot 100)

Unchain My Heart (1987)

#27 (Top 40), #27 (NL Single Top 100), #17 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: CLARENCE CLEMONS

“Freedom of Love” is a Grammy-Award winnend song from the platinum album “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” by the American singer Aretha Franklin.

Clarence Anicholas Clemons jr. (1942 – 2011) was an American saxophonist and actor.

Clemons was a leading member of the E Street Band (de band of Bruce Springsteen – zie Deel 1). He worked with many artists and bands, like: Grateful Dead, Ringo Starr, Roy Orbison, Jackson Browne, Twisted Sister, and Lady Gaga (zie Deel 4).

“Unchain My Heart” is a song written by Bobby Sharp and was for the first time recorded in 1961 by Ray Charles. In 1987 Joe Cocker covered this song and named his album the same.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going (1985)

#1 (Top 40), #1 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: VERNON JEFFREY SMITH

“When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going” was a single from 1985 by British singer Billy Ocean.

Vernon Jeffrey Smith is an American saxophonist from New York. He worked with many different known artists, like: Daryl Hall (Hall and Oates), Corey Glover (Living Color), Paula Abdul, Heather Headley, Tamia and he is co-founder of the band The Family Stand.

We Don’t Need Another Hero (1985)

#7 (Top 40), #27 (NL Single Top 100), #2 (US Billboard Hot 100), #2 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: TIM CAPPELLO

“We Don’t Need Another Hero” is part of the movie soundtrack Mad Max (3) Beyond Thunderdome.

The in 1955 in America born Tim Capello is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist and got world fame due to his work with Tina Turner. He also worked with other known artists, such as Peter Gabriel, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan and others.

One More Night (1985)

#8 (Top 40), #8 (NL Single Top 100), #1 (US Billboard Hot 100), #4 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: DON MYRICK

“One More Night” is a song from the 3rd solo album “No Jacket Required” by British drummer, singer en composer Phil Collins.

The in 1940 in Amerika born Don Myrick payed soprano, alto en tenor sax with Earth, Wind & Fire (zie deel 1), Grover Washington jr. and Santana. At the age of 53 (1993) he was accidentally shot by a police officer. Phil Collins released the track “For A Friend” in 1993 as tribute.

Your Latest Trick (1986)

#26 (UK Singles OCC)

“Your Latest Trick” is a single from 1986 by British band Dire Straits from the album “Brothers in Arms“.

Michael Brecker played sax on the studio version, Chris White played live on world tours (live videos).

Saxophonist: MICHAEL BRECKER

Michael Leonard Brecker (1949 – 2007) was an American Jazz saxofonist en composer. He played in famous Jazz bands, such as Brecker Brothers en Steps Ahead and worked with many famous Jazz musicians, such as: Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Chet Baker, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius, McCoy Tyner, Pat Metheny, Elvin Jones, Frank Sinatra, Diana Krall and many more. He also worked with many know Pop musicians, like: Steely Dan / Donald Fagen, Lou Reed, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, John Lennon, Aerosmith, Frank Zappa, Bruce Springsteen, Roger Daltrey (The Who), Parliament-Funkadelic, Al Jerreau, and many others.

Saxophonist: CHRIS WHITE

Chris White (born in 1955) is a English Jazzrock saxophonist. He was on tour with Dire Straits from 1985 to 1995. He also played with: Robbie Williams, Paul McCartney, Chris De Burgh, Tom Jones, Bryan Ferry and Mick Jagger.

Englishman In New York (1987)

#9 (Top 40), #32 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock), #84 (US Billboard Hot 100), #51 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: BRANFORD MARSALIS

“Englishman in New York” is a single by British singer Sting, from his 2nd solo-album “…Nothing Like the Sun“.

Branford Marsalis (born in 1960 in Amerika) is mostly known in the Jazz scene, he played with: Art Blakey and Clark Terry. As Buckshot LeFonque (zie deel 3) he founded his own Jazz-Hop project. He also worked with Pop artists, such as Tina Turner (“Break Every Rule”, 1986) and Grateful Dead (“Without a Net”, 1990).

Never Tear Us Apart (1987)

#7 (Top 40), #9 (NL Single Top 100), #5 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock), #7 (US Billboard Hot 100), #24 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: KIRK PENGILLY

“Never Tear Us Apart” is a song of the Australische rockband INXS.

Kirk Pengilly (born in 1958) is an Australian musician, primarily known as member of INXS. Kirk plays saxophone and guitar and did backing vocals.

Small World (1988)

#19 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary), #25 (US Billboard Hot 100)

Saxophonist: STAN GETZ

“Small World” is a track by Huey Lewis and the News, an American band from San Francisco. Their most know sings are “Power of Love”, “Stuck with you” and “Hip to be Square”.

Stan Getz, (Stanley Gayetsky, 1927 – 1991) was an American tenor saxophonist, mostly remembered from is fusion between jazz and latin / bossa nova in the 60s, working together with Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Jan Johansson and Charlie Byrd.

Part I: the 70s

Part II: the 80s

Part III: the 90s

Part IV: 2000-2015

Famous Saxophone Solos & Riffs

Reading Time: < 1 minuteFebruary 24, 2022

FAMOUS SAXOPHONE SOLOS & RIFFS

Many of the big Pop hits (approx. 1 out of 3) between 1978 and the late 80s have saxophone riffs and/or solos. This had an enormous impact on the popularity of the instrument during that period, resulting in a large increase of sales. No wind instrument was – and still is – as popular in Pop music as the saxophone. For this article I have listed some of the best ranking hits with saxophone between 1972 and 2015.

Most listeners have often no idea who it is they hear play saxophone on those hit songs. Often credits were missing from the release info and radio and TV hosts generally didn’t bother to mention their name. What many average listeners – and even some Jazz fans – don’t know is that there were a handful of top level Jazz saxophonists (like Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Michael Brecker, Phil Woods, David Sanborn and Branford Marsalis) that featured on many known Pop hits. Obviously in these articles I will make sure the credits aren’t missing.

Since I am from The Netherlands – and thus have particular memories from those years – the tracks I have selected are mostly hits listed at the Dutch Top 40, the Dutch single Top 100 / Dutch Mega Top 100, as well as the US Billboard and UK Singles OCC. I would not be surprised if you think some tracks are “missing” … there are hundreds, if not thousands of known Pop songs with sax licks and/or solos, to many to mention all and blog about.

Enjoy this short stroll down “memory lane” …

I will “divide” the tracks I like to share with you – into 4 parts:

Part I: the 70s

Part II: the 80s

Part III: the 90s

Part IV: 2000-2015

Famous Saxophone Solos & Riffs (Part 1 – The 70s)

Reading Time: 3 minutesFebruary 24, 2022

FAMOUS SAXOPHONE SOLOS & RIFFS (PART I – The 70s)

Walk On The Wild Side (1972)

#21 (Top 40), #16 (US Billboard Hot 100), #10 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: RONNIE ROSS

“Walk on the Wild Side” is een song by Lou R e ed from his 2nd album “Transformer” (1972), produced by David Bowie.

It might not have been a bg hit, but what makes this song interesting nonetheless is that the (in 1933 born) British saxophonist Ronnie Ross plays his solo on baritone sax, a saxophone less common for Pop music.

Money (1973)

#13 (US Billboard Hot 100)

Saxophonist: DICK PARRY

“Money” is a song of the Britisch progressive Rock band Pink Floyd and the 6th song on the album “The Dark Side of the Moon“. What makes it a rather special track the uncommin 7/4 time signature.

Dick Parry is a in 1942 in Engeland born saxophonist. He played – besides on “Money” – also on several other tracks by Pink Floyd, like: “Us and Them“, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” en “Wearing the Inside Out“. He also worked with other famous musicians, like Jimmy Witherspoon, the band Bloodstone e.a.

Born To Run (1975)

#91 (NL Single Top 100), #23 (US Billboard Hot 100)

Saxophonist: CLARENCE CLEMONS

“Born to Run” is the title song from an album of Bruce Springsteen released in 1975.

Clarence Anicholas Clemons jr. (1942 – 2011) was an American saxophonist en actor. Clemons was a key-member of the E Street Band (de band of Bruce Springsteen) and has worked with various famous artists, like Aretha Franklin (see part 2), Grateful Dead, Ringo Starr, Roy Orbison en Lady Gaga (see part 4).

Young Americans (1975)

#25 (US Billboard Rock Songs), #18 (UK Singles OCC)

How Sweet It Is (1975)

#1 (US Adult Contemporary Chart), #5 (US Billboard Hot 100)

Saxophonist: DAVID SANBORN

“Young Americans” is the title song of an albums by British Pop legend David Bowie.

David Sanborn (born in 1945 in America), known for his characteristic sound and “Jazzrock” albums, has worked with various Pop artists.

David Sanborn did not only play with the here mentioned David Bowie and James Taylor, but also with: Stevie Wonder (on “Talking book” 1972), Elton John (“Boogie Pilgrim” and “Idol”, 1976), The Eagles (“The Sad Cafe”, 1979), Billy Joel (“Easy Money”, 1983), The Rolling Stones (“Undercover”, 1983) and many others. He was 5 years a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Sanborn has received 3 Grammy Awards (2 albums, 1 single).

James Taylor‘s 1975 cover of “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” – originally released in 1964 by Marvin Gaye – is the most successful version of this song.

Just The Way You Are (1977)

#1 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary), #3 (US Billboard Hot 100), 4 weeks in the “Tipparade”.

Saxophonist: PHIL WOODS

Billy Joel‘s “Just the Way You Are“, won the 1979 Grammy Awards for “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year“.

Phil Wells Woods (1931 – 2015) was an American Jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist. He worked with many big names from the Jazz scene: Donald Byrd, Kenny Dorham, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and others.

Baker Street (1978)

#9 (Top 40), #16 (NL Single Top 100), #2 (US Billboard Hot 100), #3 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: RAPHAEL RAVENSCROFT

“Baker Street” is a single by Gerry Rafferty.

Raphael Ravenscroft (an in 1954 born Brit) has – besides his solo on “Baker Street” – worked with many famous musicians and bands, such as: Pink Floyd (“The Final Cut“), ABBA, Marv i n Gaye, Mike Oldfield, Chris Rea, Vangelis, Robert Plant, Tina Turner, Bonnie Tyler, and others.

Too Hot (1979)

#3 (Billboard R&B), #5 (US Billboard Hot 100), #23 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: RONALD BELL

“Too Hot” is a R&B/Soul song from the American band Kool & The Gang from the album “Ladies Night“.

Ronald Nathan Bell (born in 1951 in America) is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, producer, singer and co-founder of Kool & the Gang.

After The Love Has Gone (1979)

#20 (Top 40), #28 (NL Single Top 100), #2 (US Billboard Hot 100), #2 (US Billboard R&B), #4 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: DON MYRICK

“After The Love Has Gone” is a Grammy Award winning hit of “Earth, Wind & Fire” from the album “I Am”.

The in 1940 in America born Don Myrick played soprano, alto and tenor sax with various know artists, like: Santana, Grover Washington jr. and Phil Collins (see part 2). At the age of 53 (1993) he was accidentally shot by a police officer.

The Logical Song (1979)

#20 (Top 40), #13 (NL Single Top 100), #6 (US Billboard Hot 100), #7 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: JOHN HELLIWELL

“The Logical Song” is a single by the British rockband Supertramp. The song was released on the album “Breakfast in America“, written and sung by Roger Hodgson.

John Anthony Helliwell (born in 1945) is a Britsh saxophonist (and clarinetist), mostly known for his memberschip of Supertramp.

Street Life (1979)

#13 (Top 40), #20 (NL Single Top 100), #17 (US Billboard R&B), #5 (UK Singles OCC)

Saxophonist: WILTON FELDER

“Steet Life” was the biggest hit by The Crusaders with featuring vocalist Randy Crawford, this would become her “break through” internationally.

Wilton Lewis Felder (1940 – 2015) was an American saxophonist and bassist. Wilton Felder played with: The Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Grant Green, Billy Joel, Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell, Michael Franks, Bobby Womack, e.a.

Part I: the 70s

Part II: the 80s

Part III: the 90s

Part IV: 2000-2015

Artist “impression”: John Coltrane

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Banner artwork by Dimitar Traychev

February 19, 2022

Artist “Impression” (Review): John Coltrane

Those of you who have been visiting Roel’s World before might have read my other articles about John Coltrane. In case you haven’t, I bet you will enjoy those … later more about that.

This “review” article is something totally different. I am not going to analyze John Coltrane’s compositions and solos, no music theoretical explanations … none of that all. Why? Well, I’ve done so partially in the articles mentioned above and I’d rather like to make this article more “personal” … Why did I “fall in love” with his music? And when? What tracks do I like best? … So, no heavy theoretical article, but one straight from the heart.

The first time …

The first time I heard John Coltrane was when I heard the album “Kind of Blue” of Miles Davis. I ended up listening this album when I was looking for more recordings of Cannonball Adderley, a saxophonist I started listening to at the end of my teenage years.

As with most beginning musicians who like to play Jazz “So What” is a Jazz standard one must know … often played at jam session.

I remember that at first I didn’t like Coltrane’s sound and soloing that much … unlike Adderley (who in general has an “upbeat” somewhat “playful” even “funky” sound and articulation and very melodic solos), Coltrane had a more “melancholic” (sometimes even a little “nasal”) sound and was much more “harmony” oriented in his soloing, not something I was very comfortable with (harmonic progressions) at that time, I mostly played “by ear”. At that time I had not gone much further in my musical “development” then listening to the “old Swingers” (like “The Hawk“, Webster and Hodges) some Jazz-rock (like David Sanborn), Funk legend Maceo Parker and I had just began “checking out” Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley. Let’s just say that I wasn’t ready for Coltrane yet.

I sometimes compare the development in music with wine (but you could think of Whiskey instead if you prefer that). When you drink wine for the first time, you are a little “confused”. It has a strange somewhat sour taste and you are wondering why the others seem to enjoy it so much. You rather feel like grabbing a bear instead, something you got used to easily. It comes in a sturdy bottle, so no worries about braking an expensive wine glass either …
Over time you are curious though. Bears have become so “common” that you like to taste “something else” for a change. So you order a glass of wine. The bar tender asks you: “what kind?”, but you have no clue yet. The bar tender pours you commonly appreciated (but cheap) wine. You start drinking and figure out that that initially sour taste from that first glass wasn’t that bad, in fact, it stimulates your taste buds in a way other drinks had not so far.
You are still wondering, what is the fuss about wine anyway? You heard some friends use the word “bouquet” and other “fancy” words like “Swirling” the wine, the “legs” or “tears” that form in the glass … and you are wondering if you have ended up in some odd abstract movie. But hey, you don’t want to be a “killjoy”, so you “tag along”. In time you figure out there is more to wine then just “chugging it down” like with a bear. You learn to see, smell and taste all the nuances, you become able to distinguish and recognize the more complex structure of the “bouquet” and finally appreciate it for all it has to offer.

John Coltrane is like a unique and exquisite Whiskey that you need to “developed the taste” for (much alike with Wine) to experience the unique qualities and complexity of it’s “bouquet”. When I heard John Coltrane for the first time, I hadn’t developed the taste for his music yet, I was still “drinking bear”.

The first time I really started “feeling” Coltrane was in the first year of my study and the Constantijn Huygens Conservatory (nowadays ArtEZ). With fellow students we formed a Jazz Quintet: Drums, Double Bass, Piano, Alto Sax and (me on) Tenor Sax.

When looking for suitable repertoire the album “Cannonball & Coltrane” could not be “ignored”.

I did not only listened extensively to the album, and in particular the track “Wabash”, I started to “jot down” the theme and a solo chorus or two. Half of your education as Jazz musician comes by listening and transcribing the music you feel inspired by. It teaches you to “listen” while playing, to listen to timing, articulation, intonation, phrasing … it’s like learning the various accents and dialects within the Jazz Language … and it extends your “musical vocabulary” in a way you can’t just from “book-practice”, because you’d miss out on all the “Jazz slang”.

The first time I really “fell in love” with Coltrane’s music was when I heard Blue Train. It felt like everything had “come together”. The first ever Bluesy Jazz recording I (consciously) listened to was “Blues For Yolande” from the album “Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster” (the reason I wanted to learn to play the saxophone). But Blue Train is another full step up in the “evolution”

Today “Blue Train” is still one of my all time favorite tracks (and albums). I started listening to other (“mainstream”) albums like: “Soultrane“, “Coltrane Plays the Blues“, “Ballads“, “Impressions“, “My Favorite Things” and “Coltrane’s Sound“.

Besides “My Favorite Things” and “Impressions” another one of my all time favorite Coltrane pieces is Equinox. I use to play this pieces with a Jazz Quartet during the time I lived in Varna, Bulgaria.

There is an interesting “theory” behind this piece I blogged about here at Roel’s World, might be fun to check out later.

For his more “abstract” (Avant-Guarde / Free-Jazz) albums I had not grown enough as listener and musicians yet.

After 2013/2014 that changed for me. This happened due to an article Corey Mwamba wrote called: “Way of Seeing Coltrane” where he wrote about the “Coltrane Circle” (drawing on the left).

I had just started blogging myself (from 27 September 2013 at Roel’s World) and had (still have) a fascination for the relationship between Music Math / Geometry. Seeing the drawing of the “Coltrane Circle” was like “a red flag to a bull” (coincidentally my sun sign – Taurus).

The result was me diving deeper into the theories behind Coltrane’s music and as result my own blog article about the “Coltrane Cirle” on Roel’s World.

Perhaps this was the next “step” I needed to make in my understanding of his music to fully embrace his masterpiece “A Love Supreme” and to be “open” to the more abstract / Free-Jazz albums like “Ascension”.

For listening to his Free-Jazz albums I still need a particular “mindset”, it is just overwhelming, I don’t think I will ever fully “grasp” what he (and his formation) did. Not the kind of music you will put on your headphones while having a casual stroll through the park or along a beach, you need to be “active”, “participate” as listener.

I think you have a clear picture now why John Coltrane is one of my “icons”? Why I love and admire his music (well, most of it)? He got above and beyond where most musicians will ever be able to go. I know I will never be able to play like that, or compose/produce music at that level. But that’s perfectly fine, who else would be there to admire then?

In my “man cave” (attic of the house) there are only 3 Jazz related artworks on the wall. They are part of the “Jazz Icons” series by Dimiter Traychev. They – John Coltrane (see article banner), Miles Davis & Michael Brecker – are the first “faces” I see when I wake up in the morning.

If you enjoyed reading this article, you might like: “John Coltrane’s Tone Circle” and “The Geomertry of John Coltrane’s Music” as well.

Artist “impression”: Micheal Brecker

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Banner artwork by Dimitar Traychev

February 16, 2022

ARTIST “IMPRESSION” (REVIEW): MICHAEL BRECKER

If you would be forced to burn all your records, delete all your music from your devices … EXCEPT the music of JUST 1 artist – the only one you could keep listening to for life – who would “the one” be for you? For me it would be Michael Brecker.

I would not go as far as saying I listen to his music every day, but there isn’t a week passing by without having listened to him play several times.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I see are 3 artworks created by an acquaintance, the Bulgarian designer Dimitar Traychev: John Coltrane, Miles Davis and (you guessed it) Michael Brecker (article banner image).

Now … in this blog article I am not going to analyze Michael Brecker’s compositions and solos, no music theoretical explanations … none of that all. Why? Well, it would be like asking a plumber (me) explain how open heart surgery by a Master of Surgery (Michael Brecker) works. Besides that, I would not be really adding anything “new”, just Google “Michael Brecker analysis” and a whole bunch of Youtubes and articles will pop up.

In this blog article I am also not going to tell you who Michael Brecker was.
– First of all, I never had the honor to meet and speak with him in person, only had the great pleasure to hear him play live a couple of times. So, what do I really know, right?

– Secondly, there are others that have written books and articles way better then I could ever do.

One book in particular I’d like to mention, “ODE to a TENOR TITAN” by Bill Milowski.

David Sanborn’s testimonial is how I feel about Michael Brecker’s music and playing too.

An article I also enjoyed reading is “How Michael Brecker Reinvented the Concept of Jazz Hero” by Ted Gioia. And for general information you could also visit www.michaelbrecker.com or Wikipedia.

THE FIRST TIME …

The first time I ever hear Michael Brecker play, was not one of his brilliant albums or a live performances. Even though I started listening Jazz around my 12th year, I mostly listened to old Jazz Cats like Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster, followed by a period I listened a lot to David Sanborn and Jay Beckenstein (Spyro Gyra). One day when visiting one of my buddies from the neighborhood I heard “Your Latest Trick” by Dire Straits (a Britisch Pop-Rock band I am still fan of):

On this track, Michael and Randy Brecker feature. Back then I had no idea who Michael Brecker was, my buddy couldn’t tell me either … this happened in the late 80s / early 90s, before we had internet at home, search engines or tools like “Shazam“.
Michael Brecker did a lot of “studio gigs” throughout his life, a solo feature here, participating in a brass section there (like with the Average White Band), he played/featured on hundreds of albums! This track “just” one of the many.

My father and grandfather who also loved listening to Jazz, did not listen anything in style past the 40s. They loved swing, but their love for Jazz ended pretty much with Bebop. So, they couldn’t tell me anything about Michael Brecker either. In the years after I continued listening to mainsteam Jazz, even started playing in a Big Band and formed a Jazz Quintet with some friends. We mostly played Jazz standards and listened to Jazz legends like Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, Joe Henderson, Horace Silver, et cetera.

You would expect that in those years I would finally had figure out who Michael Brecker was, but alas.
It wasn’t until I visited the North Sea Jazz Festival that I finally made the “connection”. Michael and his brother Randy played with The Brecker Brothers band, for me one of the musical highlights of the festival. It was the “Out of the Loop” tour of 1995 (the video on the right is from the same year / tour, but a registration from Japan).

I truly fell in love with Michael Brecker’s music and playing during my study time at the Constantijn Huygens Conservatory (nowadays Artez in Zwolle), The Netherlands, when I started transcribing some of his music.
His album from 1987 called “Michael Brecker” became instantly one of my all time favorite Jazz records, “The Cost of Living” hit straight into my soul and is one of my all time favorite Jazz ballads ever since.

WHY I LOVE HIS MUSIC / PLAYING …

When it comes to complete mastery of the instrument, in my opinion there isn’t nor was a more gifted tenor saxophonist then Michael Brecker. For many musicians their instrument is an extension of “the self”. I am pretty sure that for Michael Brecker his saxophones were “part of the self”, it completed him as human being, though his playing was “unhumanly” good … out of this world, so to say.

His timing, articulation, intonation, dynamics, energy … You simply can’t “miss” a note he played … Where some musicians might “mumble” their notes from time to time, or are searching for direction, there is no “fidgeting” going on when Michael Brecker plays, every note is just “spot on” and engorged with soul, spirit, passion as well. Every note has purpose, is part of a larger picture, a mesmerizing story he had to share. Nothing ever feels “out of place” or “odd” when you listen to him play, but at the same time never is or becomes predicable or cliché … rather the opposite.

His sound in ballads can have a “haunting quality” like no other. But just as easily he blows your socks off with some Funky stuff … or comes up with a blistering solo when flipping the “Beast Mode” switch. And it all sounds just like he’s having a “walk in the park”, just casually whistling, totally at ease. While some musicians seem to “lose” themselves shooting their energy around like lightning from thundercloud, Michael Brecker is like a “sphere” of pure contained radiating energy. Where John Coltrane (another one of my heros) would be like planet Mars (strong forceful raw energy), Michael Brecker would be the Sun (a life-force that enables all things to thrive and grow).

FAVORITE TRACKS …

Alright … enough with the superlatives, perhaps it would be the time for sharing some of my all time favorite recording of Michael Brecker. Naturally this is an almost impossible task, for he has participated on hundreds of albums, one of the most productive saxophonists in history. To preserve space I will not add “The Cost of Living” once again below, you can listen to that Jazz ballad once again if you scroll up. Over time some of these tracks might change … or I might add some more … enjoy listening!

VARIOUS JAZZY

Delta City Blues (Live)

In The Presence And Absence Of …

Travels

Tumbleweed

VARIOUS GROOVY

Brecker Brothers – Spherical

Night Jessamine

Steps – Recordame

Brecker Brothers – African Skies

(SOLO) FEATURE

Solo 1 at 03:03, solo 2 at 04:12

Solo at 02:00

Times Like These

The Man Who Pushes The Buttons

Sa-X-Mas Christmas Songs With Saxophone

Reading Time: 2 minutesNovember 11, 2021

Sa-X-Mas Christmas Songs With Saxophone

For saxophone lovers there are many X-mass songs online from known and less known saxophonists. Specially since the growing popularity of “Smooth Jazz” in the 90s using the saxophone as lead instrument for X-mass songs became increasingly popular. You could fill multiple blog articles with an enormous amount of Smooth Jazz Christmas songs by artists like Kenny G en Dave Koz (they both released multiple Christmas albums), but for these Sa-X-Mas articles I will try to provide a more diverse “picture”.

I’m personally not a fan of Smooth Jazz and dislike Kenny G’s playing style and general music taste, but he’s so well known that I can’t just leave him out of this article if I wish to give you a more “complete picture”.

I “divided” this article in 3 parts (to reduce loading time and easier to browse through):

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

The Christmas Song

Various Christmas Songs

Enjoy the music … and I Wish you a lovely X-mas!

Female Jazz Saxophonists

Reading Time: 11 minutesOctober 30, 2021

Female Jazz Saxophonists

The number of known top level female saxophone players is still relatively small in comparison with the sheer number of top level male saxophonists. That is both surprising and a bit sad as well because those female saxophone players that play at top level are often equally brilliant as many of their male counterparts.

I think they deserve to be put in the spotlight …

So, in this article I will share some youtube video and snippets of information and links to their websites, so you can easily explore all the lovely music they have to offer on your own. This article is thus merely a short “introduction”.

I have decided not to share my personal opinion (usually normal for a personal blog article), first of all not to “influence” you – the reader of this article – but more important because pretty much all saxophonists mentioned on this page are far better saxophonists then I ever was. I admire these ladies of Jazz, respect their work and feel it is not up to me to utter critcs.

The saxophonists in this article are not listed in any particular order, except that I started with some of the first ladies in Jazz that played the saxophone professionally, like Vi Redd, Rosa King, Ann Patterson and Mary Fettig. All others on the page are just randomly added to this article.

VI REDD (USA)
Elvira “Vi” Redd (born September 20, 1928) is an American jazz alto saxophone player, vocalist and educator. Redd is the daughter of New Orleans jazz drummer and Clef Club co-founder Alton Redd and Mattie Redd (née Thomas). She was born in Los Angeles. After working for the Board of Education from 1957 to 1960, Redd returned to jazz. Redd graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, and earned a teaching certificate from University of Southern California.

ROSA KING (USA)
She was born March 14, 1939 in Macon, Georgia, United States, a American jazz and blues saxophonist and singer. Unlike most female saxophonists who play predominantly Alto saxophone, Rosa King played the Tenor sax.
Unfortunately there isn’t much music of Rosa King on Youtube (with reasonable audio quality) to chose from where she plays the saxophone. In many tracks she sang, she did play a solo on saxophone as well though, in the example on the left you can hear her play from 10:52 (I will start the video there).

ANN PATTERSON (USA)
Ann Estelle Patterson (born July 30, 1946) is an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader. She has worked extensively as a big band player and formed her own all-female big band, Maiden Voyage, in 1981, which was active into the 2000s.

MARY FETTIG (USA)
Mary Fettig was born (1st of Juni 1953) in San Francisco, and raised in the suburb of Concord. Her earliest musical training was on marimba, and she moved on to clarinet, sax and flute in her school bands. After 2 years at UCLA, Mary joined the Stan Kenton Orchestra as the first woman to play in the band. From there, she has made her way in the music business as a performer, teacher, and clinician.

“SU TERRY (USA)
Sue Terry (born 1959) is a jazz saxophonist and composer.While a student at the Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut, Terry was a protégé of saxophonist Jackie McLean. McLean encouraged her to move to New York City, where she was later mentored by Clifford Jordan, Junior Cook and Barry Harris. They gave her the nickname “Sweet Sue”. She now uses the spelling “Su Terry”.

CANDY DULFER (NL)
Born on 19 September 1969 in The Netherlands. She began playing at age six. In 1982, when she was twelve years old, she played as a member of Rosa King’s Ladies Horn section at the North Sea Jazz Festival. Her debut album Saxuality (1990) received a Grammy nomination. She has performed with many famous artists, like Prince and Maceo Parker.

VALERIE GILLESPIE (USA)
Valerie Gillespie is an adjunct faculty member at The University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida Southern College in Lakeland, and Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, FL. She earned her BFA from Carnegie Mellon with a major in Classical Saxophone and her MM in Jazz Saxophone from the University of South Florida.

SUSANNE ALT (DE/NL)
She was born in Würzburg, Germany in 1978. After classical saxophone studies at Meistersinger-Konservatorium Nuremberg (1993-1996) she left Germany to study jazz saxophone in the Netherlands at Hilversums Conservatorium / Conservatorium van Amsterdam (1996-2000) and continued her studies at Universität der Künste Berlin (2000-2003) where she graduates cum laude.

KIKI SPRANGERS (NL)
Born in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, in 1994 this talented saxophonist studied Jazz at the Conservatory in Utrecht where she graduated in 2016. Recently she has become interested in exploring Classical music as well and enjoys combining both music genres in her music.

ADA ROVATTI (IT)
Italian native Ada Rovatti started playing saxophone in high school after years of classical piano training. After winning a scholarship from Berklee College of Music in Italy she divided herself between Boston where she studied with Joe Viola, George Garzone and Italy.

TINEKE POSTMA (NL)
Tineke graduated with honors at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and Manhatten School of Music (2002). Rising Star for soprano saxophone in the American Downbeat Polls 2019, tours internationally as a leader and featured guest. She released seven albums as a leader, which have been received with great critical international acclaim.

NUBYA GARCIA (UK)
Garcia was born in 1991 in Camden Town, London. Garcia began learning the saxophone at the age of 10.In 2016 she graduated with honours from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, in Jazz Performance.

ALISON YOUNG (CA)
Born and raised in Ottawa, JUNO nominated saxophonist and composer Alison Young discovered jazz at an early age, gravitating towards the exuberance of Sonny Rollins and Cannonball Adderley, who continue to influence her to this day. Since moving to Toronto in the early 2000s to study music at the University of Toronto, Alison has been an active presence on the Toronto jazz scene.

ALLISON AU (CA)
Allison Au is a Canadian Juno-award winning Jazz Saxophonist, Composer and Arranger. Born to a Chinese father and Jewish mother, and raised in the multicultural metropolis of Toronto. Exposed to a wide array of musical styles, she was captivated by the unhinged freedom of Jazz. Her work weaves a mosaic of influences into a seamless and soulful sound, a concoction steeped in the tradition of Jazz but skillfully laced with elements of Classical, Pop, R&B/hip hop, Latin, and world music.

CHELSEA CARMICHAEL (UK)
Chelsea Carmichael is a Saxophonist, Arranger and Composer based in South East London. She is part of the Mercury Prize nominated SEED Ensemble. Born in Manchester UK, Chelsea moved to London to study at Trinity Conservatoire, where she was welcomed into the thriving London Jazz scene. Since finishing her studies in 2016, she has been making a name for herself performing, collaborating on projects, and educating.

TIA FULLER (USA)
Tia Fuller was born (March 27, 1976) in Aurora, Colorado to jazz musicians Fred and Elthopia Fuller. Fuller is a saxophonist, composer, and a faculty member in the ensembles department at Berklee College of Music. In 1998, she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music, and later went on to complete her master’s degree in jazz pedagogy and performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

SCHEILA GONZALEZ (USA)
Scheila Gonzalez (born August 5, 1971 in Los Angeles, California) is an American, Grammy winning multi-instrumentalist and music educator. After graduating from Anaheim High School in 1989, she attended Fullerton College in the early 1990s and later transferred to California State University, Northridge to complete her undergraduate degree in music.

MELISSA ALDANA (CL)
Melissa Aldana (born 3 December 1988) is a Chilean tenor saxophone player, who performs both as a soloist and with her band Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio. Aldana began with alto, influenced by artists such as Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley. However, upon first hearing the music of Sonny Rollins, she switched to tenor. She graduated from Berklee in 2009.

ROXY COSS (USA)
Roxy Coss is a saxophonist and composer who is based in New York but originally from Seattle. Roxy first started playing piano at the age of five and picked up the saxophone at age nine. Roxy graduated in 2004 from Garfield High School and went on to attend William Paterson University, where she graduated on a full scholarship Magna Cum Laude in 2008, with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies/Performance.

NICOLE GLOVER (USA)
Nicole Glover is a saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and educator currently based in New York City, but grew up in Oregon. She moved to the East Coast to attend William Paterson University and assumed permanent residence in NYC in 2015.

NICOLE GLOVER (USA)
Niswanger, who was born in 1990 in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Portland, Oregon, began her studies in woodwinds before the age of 10. She graduated in 2011 after studying jazz performance on a full scholarship.

Note: I selected this track where she plays the EWI because she is one of very few female saxophonists that play the EWI besides saxophone.

CAMILLE THURMAN (USA)
Camille Thurman (born December 22, 1986) is an American jazz musician, composer. Thurman took up music at a young age, as she grew up in the St. Albans section of Queens, New York, practicing vocals, piano, and flute before attending Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts. She first picked up the tenor saxophone, the instrument she is best known for playing, at the age of 15.

CHELSEA BARATZ (USA)
Born March 24, 1986 in Pittsburgh. After graduating from high school, she studied for two years at the local Slippery Rock University and took part in their summer jazz courses with Branford Marsalis. At the age of 19 she moved to New York to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on a scholarship.

LAUREN SEVIAN (USA)
Grammy award winning saxophonist Lauren Sevian (Born: July 14, 1979) has been performing professionally since the age of 12, first on the piano, then on the saxophone. In the fall of 1997, Lauren came to NYC to attend the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. Lauren graduated in the spring of 2001 with a bachelor of music degree.

GRACE KELLY (USA)
Grace Kelly (born Grace Chung in Wellesley, Massachusetts on May 15, 1992) is an American musician, songwriter, and arranger. Kelly left Brookline High School at age 16 and earned her GED. After studying in the Jazz Department of New England Conservatory of Music’s School of Preparatory Education, she enrolled at Berklee College of Music, where she graduated in December 2011 with a bachelor of arts in professional music at age 19.

https://youtu.be/habF2QGyt5s

ALEXA TATANTINO (USA)
Alexa Tarantino (born May 30, 1992, in West Hartford, Connecticut) is an American jazz saxophonist, woodwind doubler, composer and educator. Tarantino obtained a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Saxophone Performance and Music Education along with a Certificate in Arts Leadership from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. She received her master’s degree in Jazz Studies from The Juilliard School.

TINI THOMSEN (DE)
Multi award winning musician, arranger and composer Tini was inspired to start playing saxophone after falling in love with Tony Curtis in ‘Some Like It Hot’’ when she was just 13. Initially interested in tenor sax, she switched to baritone at the age of 15. Three years later after discovering that for her, ‘low’ wasn’t ‘low’ enough, she added bass clarinet to her studies.

KIRSTEN EDKINS (USA)
As a young alto player, Kirsten was inspired by Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, and Kenny Garrett. Later on inspired by tenor greats like John Coltrane, Rich Perry, Joe Henderson, and Eddie Harris, Edkins developed her voice on tenor as well. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music. Saxophonist and Composer Kirsten Edkins resides in Los Angeles.

CLAIRE DALY (USA)
Claire Daly is a baritone saxophonist and composer. Daly was born in Bronxville, New York, around 1958. She began to play saxophone around the age of 12. She was influenced by attending jazz workshop sessions led by Rahsaan Roland Kirk when she was 18. She attended Berklee College of Music, mainly playing alto and tenor saxophones, and graduated in 1980.

LAKECIA BENJAMIN (USA)
The New York City native born and raised in Washington Heights, Lakecia Benjamin began playing the saxophone in elementary school. Later while attending Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts she became interested in jazz. After high school she attended The New School in New York City.

LEMMA RAWICZ (UK)
Emma Rawicz is a saxophonist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer already making her mark on the UK jazz scene. Emma studied both at the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Chetham’s School of music and now conducts her career alongside her studies in jazz saxophone at the Royal Academy of Music.

LUCIA SARMIENTO (PE)
Born and raised in Lima, Perú, Lucia has been influenced by classic jazz players like Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, as well as the modern Chris Potter and Michael Brecker. After graduating high school, Lucia moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to study at the Conservatorio Manuel de Falla, where she studied jazz performance.

KAROLINE STRASSMAYER (AT)
Karolina Strassmayer (born February 23, 1971 in Mitterndorf , Styria ) is an Austrian jazz alto and soprano saxophonist and flutist. At the age of 17 she discovered on the improvisations of Cannonball Adderley on Kind of Blue jazz. She studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. After graduating, she won a scholarship to the New School for Social Research in New York City.

ERENA TERAKUBO (JPN)
Erena Terakubo was born in Sapporo, Japan in 1992. She began playing the alto saxophone at the age of nine. Erena later attended the Berklee 5-week summer program where she was rewarded a full tuition scholarship, and was selected for the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop, studying with Terri Lyne Carrington.

SAORI YANO (JPN)
Saori Yano (born in 1986, from Tokyo, Japan) is an alto saxophone player. She has played alto saxophone since she was 9 years old. Charlie Parker inspired her to play jazz.

MARTA WAJDZIK (PL)
Born in 2002 in Bielsko?, Poland. She started playing the piano at the age of six. Three years later she became fascinated with jazz. Her idol from the beginning was the saxophonist Branford Marsalis. She was also inspired by the play by Kenny Garrett, Roy Hargrove, Cannonball Adderley and Pat Metheny, among others. She studied at the Secondary Music School in Bielsko.

CAROLINE DAVIS (SG/USA)
Davis was born in Singapore, Singapore. When she was 6 years old, her family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and she began playing saxophone at Sequoyah Middle School. she moved with her mother to Carrollton, Texas, where she attended Blalack Middle School and Newman Smith High School. After high school, she went to The University of Texas at Arlington, where she majored in Cognitive Psychology and Music (2004). She continued her academic path at Northwestern University and received a PhD in Music Cognition in 2010.

NAOMI ADRIAANSZ (NL)
Naomi Adriaansz was born in Breda, The Netherlands on December 18th, 1980. She started at the age of 7 playing the recorder, soon followed by EWI. In that period she also learned to play drums, French horn, and flute. When she was 12 she switched to saxophone.

KASEY KNUDSEN (USA)
Kasey Knudsen is a San Francisco based saxophonist, composer & educator. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music in 2002, Magna Cum Laude. Currently, Knudsen is an Adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies at Sonoma State University. She has taught several classes and workshops at the California Jazz Conservatory, Berkeley High School, Piedmont High School, the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the Lafayette Jazz Workshop, the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Reno Jazz Festival and the UC Berkeley Young Musician’s Program.

SOFI HELLBORG (SE)
Sofi was born in Sweden and started playing music seriously at the age of seventeen at the music Jazzschool in the south of Sweden with the saxophone as her main instrument. For inspiration and to develop as musician she visited Cameroon, Paris and London. Her music contains elements from jazz, African, Funk, DnB, ethnic and hip hop music.

AMANDA SEDGWICK (SE)
Amanda Sedgwick (born October 7, 1970) is a Swedish jazz saxophonist, raised in Stockholm but occasionally also active in the Netherlands and the United States. After two years at folk high school in Skurup, she entered the Royal Academy of Music , where she studied harmony, orchestration and arrangement. Later she settled for two years in The Hague where she took lessons from Ben van den Dungen.

KAREN SHARP (UK)
Karen Sharp (born 30 September 1971, Ipswich, Suffolk) studied classical piano and clarinet before discovering jazz and switching to the tenor (and later also baritone) sax, a choice inspired by two giants of improvisation – Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins.

ALLISON NEALE (USA)
Seattle born altoist Allison Neale’s beautifully crafted lines evoke the spirit of Paul Desmond and Art Pepper with whom she has a particular affinity.

She resides in London (UK) at present time.

NICOLE JOHANNTGEN (DE)
Nicole Johänntgen (born 1981 in Fischbach, Southern Germany) is a Jazz musician (alto and soprano saxophone) and composer. Her musical career started at age six when she learned to play the piano; however, it only took a couple of years for her to discover her true passion – the saxophone. Nicole’s formal training was honed in Mannheim where she studied jazz-saxophone, composition and arrangement – with influential mentors such as Dave Liebman and Guest Lecturer Phil Woods – achieving a Master’s degree in 2006.

CHARLOTTE LANG (CH)
The Swiss saxophonist Charlotte Lang was born in Basel in 1996. In August 2021 she completed her “Master in Music Pedagogy Jazz-Saxophone” and in June 2019 her “Bachelor of Arts in Music, Jazz” with Domenic Landolf and Daniel Blanc at the Jazz Institute of the Basel School of Music. During her studies, in addition to her love for the alto saxophone, she also developed a great passion for the baritone saxophone, the flute and the bass clarinet.

VICTORIA MOZALEVSKAYA (RU)
Victoria Mozalevskaya is a Russian saxophonist, born in Kazakhstan. After moving to the Altai region of Russia two years later, Victoria received piano and singing lessons at a music school for the first time. At the age of 13, lessons on the clarinet followed but she switched to the saxophone only one year later. In 2005 she started Jazz at the Music College in Novosibirsk. In autumn 2008 She studied at the Swiss Jazz School in Bern.

ANAT COHEN (IL)
Anat Cohen (born 1975) is a multiple Grammy-nominated New York City-based Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader from Tel Aviv, Israel. Cohen began playing clarinet and saxophone. In 1996, she studied at the Berklee College of Music.

JELSKE HOOGERVORST (NL)
Saxophonist, composer, arranger, programmer, band leader and teacher, born in The Netherlands. Studied at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

SANDY EVANS (AU)
Sandy Evans is an Australian jazz composer, saxophonist, and teacher. Recognition of her work has included receiving an Order of Australia Medal in 2010 for services to music. In 2014 she was awarded a PhD from Macquarie University, Australia, for practice-based research in Carnatic Jazz Intercultural music. She also received a Churchill Fellowship to visit India in 2014 and began to collaborate with Aneesh Pradhan and Shubha Mudgal. She is currently a lecturer in Jazz at the University of New South Wales.

THE TIPTONS SAX QUARTET (USA)
This saxophone quartet is an internationally renowned all-female saxophone quartet with drums, celebrating over 30 years as a band. Amy Denio Alto Saxophone, Clarinet • Jessica Lurie Soprano, Alto & Tenor Saxophone • Sue Orfield Tenor Saxophone • Tina Richerson Baritone Saxophone • Robert Kainar Drums, Bells, Whistles.

I am sure some great female saxophonists might be missing in this article. In some cases this was because it was sometimes hard to find a good youtube (with proper sound quality). If you really think I should add someone else to this article, then feel free to contact me. But remember … no “Candy Dulfer clones” (the one and only is enough for this article) and none of those many “Smooth Jazz Sax Chicks” (not a fan of Smooth Jazz, sorry!).

SA-X-MAS: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” With Saxophone

Reading Time: 2 minutesNovember 24, 2020

SA-X-MAS: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” With Saxophone

In this article I focus on one of the two all-time-favorites of mine: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas“. It turns out I am not the only one that feels like that about this song, it is a favorite among many saxophonists. From the versions featured in this article I like Dexter Gordon’s and the version that features Bob Mintzer (most original approach) best.

Below you can listen to various versions by various saxophonists, it is very nice to hear how they all have tried to make it their own.

Enjoy listening … and have yourself a merry little Christmas!

Saxophonist: DEXTER GORDON

Dexter Gorden (Los Angeles 27th of February 1923 – Philadelphia 25th of April 1990) America, was one of the greatest Hardbop tenorsaxophonists in Jazz history.

This version was recorded on the 4th of November 1980 in Columbia’s 30th Street Studios in New York. Dexter Gordon was accompanied by Kirk Lightsey (piano), David Eubanks (double bass) and Eddie Gladden (drums).

Saxophonist: TOM SCOTT

Thomas Wright “Tom” Scott (born on the 19th of May 1948) is an American Jazzrock/Fusion saxophonist and composer.

This song was recorded in 1988 and released on the album “A GRP Christmas Collection vol.1“, accompanied by Dean Parks (gitar), Don Grusin (keyboards), Neil Stubenhaus (bassgitar), Mike Fisher (Percussion, Crotales) and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums).

Saxophonist: KENNY G

The most commercially known saxophonist doesn’t let any chance pass by to boost his popularity and 6 Christmas albums (so far) did do that trick for him.

This version was recorded in 1994 and released on the album “Miracles: The Holiday Album“, where he works together with Walter Afanasieff who played all other instruments on this recording and took care of the production as a whole.

Saxophonist: GROVER WASHINGTON JR.

Grover Washington (December 12, 1943, Buffalo (New York) – December 17, 1999, New York City) was an American jazz-fusion, funk/soul and “Smooth Jazz” saxophonist.

On the recording of this track for the album “Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection” released in 1997 Washington was accompanied by Hiram Bullock (gitar & keyboards),Gerald Veasley (bassgitar), Steve Wolf (drums) and Pablo Batista (percussie).

Saxophonist: DAVE KOZ

David S. “Dave” Koz recorded and released 4 Christmas albums (so far): “December Makes Me Feel This Way“, “A Smooth Jazz Christmas“, “Memories of a Winter’s Night“, “The 25th Of December“.

This classic was recorded in 2001 and was released on the album “A Smooth Jazz Christmas“, featuring various artists alongside Dave Coz.

Saxophonist: BOB MINTZER

Bob Mintzer (born Januari 27, 1953) is an American Jazz saxophonist who played with many great musicians from the Jazz and Jazz-Fusion scene, among the band Yellowjackets.

With this recording he is a featuring artist on Sabina Hank’s “Blue Notes On Christmas” album.

Saxophonist: JAY BECKENSTEIN

Spyro Gyra is an American fusionband from Buffalo (New York). De group was formed mid ’70s by saxophonist Jay Beckenstein (born Mei 14th, 1951 in New York).

This track was released in 2003 by Spyro Gyra on the Christmas album “A Night Before Christmas” with many Christmas classics.

Saxophonist: DAVID SANBORN

David Sanborn (born July 30th 1945) is a American saxophonist mostly known from playing Jazzrock, fusion and crossovermuziek, and occasionally Jazz. He performed also with many well known pop music artists.

This version was recorded in 2008.

You can listen to all the youtubes shared above in this playlist.

MORE CHRISTMAS SAXOPHONE: “The Christmas Song” and Various Other Christmas Songs.