Good alto saxophonists to listen to (jazz and classical)

[CMelodyMan]

What are some good alto sax soloists to listen in jazz and classical music(besides CP)?

[illezt]

Phil Woods

[stray dog]

Paul Desmond

[Saxland]

Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Gene Quill, Frank Morgan, Sonny Stitt, Johnny Hodges, Sonny Criss.

[Brendan Muse]

Anyone and everyone you can find.

[Chris S]

Jazz: Aside from those listed already; Eric Dolphy, Chris Potter, Cannonball Adderly (This is a good question, made me realize that my alto collection is a little lacking)

Classical: John Harle, Marcel Mule, Eugene Rousseau, Don Sinta, Lynn Klock, Larry Teal, Sigurd Rascher, Fred Hemke, James Houlik, Tim McCallister, Joe Lulloff, and I've heard good things about Ed Fraedrich, but haven't heard any of his recordings. Some might disagree with some of the players on this list, however if you listen to them all, you'll get a good idea of different 'schools' of classical playing.

Best,
Chris S

[bronzZoot]

to add to the other lists:

Classical: Nobuya Sugawa, Kenneth Tse, Jeremy Justeson (Juggernaut), Frank Bongiorno, Arno Bornkamp, Laura Hunter.... there's a ton. The trick with classical saxophone is getting your hands on the recordings :? ...goodluck!

[Minatar12]

Jazz, aside from those already listed:

Jackie McLean, Ornette Coleman, Lou Donaldson, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Ernie Henry, Jimmy Lyons...and of course, the king...

Charlie Parker. You can hear his influence in all of these other players (yes, even Coleman and Lyons!)

And his greatest disciple, Eric Dolphy (already mentioned but I gotta plug my main saxophonist again. :) )

[clem]

Paquito D'Rivera for any type of music.

Also, any Stan Kenton album from the 50's will feature a great alto sax. Among them were Art Pepper, Lee Konitz, Bud Shank, Lennie Neihaus, Charlie Mariano, Gabe Balthazar, and I'm probably forgetting a couple. Even the lead altos who rarely took solos are well worth listening to for their section leads, like Dave Shildkraut, Dick Meldonian, and especially Vinnie Dean.

[Chris S]

Just thought of a few more: Dan Higgins, Eric Marienthal (sp?).

Check out Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, they have a VERY tight sax section (as well as one of the tightest big bands I've ever heard).

Chris S

[BKauth]

For classical saxophone, I would also recommend Lawrence Gwozdz, Steven Mauk, John-Edward Kelly, and Harry White. All of them are fantastic players.

[SaxyAcoustician]

On a recent road trip I brought with me a bunch of my classical saxophone CDs. After much critical listening I must say that Arno Bornkamp is unequivocally the greatest classical saxophonist alive. No one I've heard has displayed such command of the instrument (particularly the voicing aspects of the saxophone) and used his considerable technique so musically and tastefully. Make no mistake about it: Arno Bornkamp is the Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, and Evgeny Kissin of the saxophone. He exemplifies the word AWESOME.

[DD]

Dan Higgins and Gary Foster with Pete Christlieb on bassetthoundmusic.com InnerPlay CD due out Aug. 1 - See my 7-10-05 post under Pete Christlieb thread. Must hear playing.

[BlueNote]

Here's my list for jazz:

Julian "Cannonball" Adderley
Charlie Parker
Lee Konitz
Bud Shank
Johnny Hodges
Marshall Royal
Phil Woods
Kenny Garrett
Benny Carter
Paul Desmond
Eric Marienthal
Gerald Albright
Dick Oatts
Eric Marienthal

[kyleboon]

hmmm, most of the names i can think of r already written... but i think claude delangle is a name worthy of adding to that list of classical players.

[HeavyWeather77]

A few younger, unsung mofos of the alto I would like to include:

Dave Pietro: very VERY VERY very good. Great writer, and he has one of my favorite alto sounds. I think he's still lead alto in Toshiko Akiyoshi's band, but regardless he has some great solo albums with guys like Dave Holland, Kenny Werner, and Bill Stewart. Not a bad band, huh?

Jon Gordon: Guess what, he won the Monk competition in '96! Never heard of him? That's cause he's not as marketable as Redman! I guess. I don't really understand it, it's not like he doesn't deserve the attention. He's unbelievably good. Check out "Ask Me Now," an album he did with Tim Hagans, Bill Charlap, Larry Grenadier, and Billy Drummond.

Jaleel Shaw: He has some live MP3's on his website. www.jaleelshaw.com The tracks speak for him. He's wicked good.

Patrick Cornelius: Again, www.patrickcornelius.com should take care of any questions about this guy's skills. Beautiful playing, beautiful sound, great writing. Check it out.

New York is jumping with great alto players right now; it seems to me that alto has a lot of ground that has yet to be explored by forward-thinking jazz musicians. The tenor has always been THE instrument of jazz, and has been explored and re-explored to death, but the alto seems to be starting to come into its own a bit more, especially in that New York scene.

[Mime]

And nobody said yet David Sanborn?? listen to this guy! if you ask me he has the perfect tone!

[Razzy]

I thought he was asking about jazz and classical players? Perhaps the thread should be more specific. Does "jazz" in this case include contemporary and rock players?

[altoist]

Here's my list for jazz:

Julian "Cannonball" Adderley
Charlie Parker
Lee Konitz
Bud Shank
Johnny Hodges
Marshall Royal
Phil Woods
Kenny Garrett
Benny Carter
Paul Desmond
Eric Marienthal
Gerald Albright

That's a nice first cut at a good jazz listening list, though the O.P. clearly said "besides C.P." I'd omit Marshall Royal, since he never appears as leader, and Marienthal and Albright since they largely don't play jazz IMO. Same as Razzy's point about Sanborn. I like those guys, so if you're a smooth jazz fan, don't get upset, it's just not jazz IMO. Put Art Pepper on the list, he earned it!

I'll abstain from doing what most people do, which is to mention only their favorites and no one they don't like. Leaving Ornette Coleman off of the list is wrong. I hate his music, but it's his music and he is quite influential. Same
with Jackie McLean.

Living guys who you should check out include Greg Osby, Jesse Davis, Dave
Glasser, Jim Snidero, Paquito D'Rivera. Osby in particular is doing some
"interesting" (I like it but understand if some people hate it :) things musically. Dave Glasser's alto tone is among the most distinctive I've heard
lately.

Brendan Muse is right that you should listen to everyone you can. More names you say? Sonny Stitt (who also plays lots of tenor), Sonny Criss,
Eric Kloss, Richie Cole, Hank Crawford (more R&B than jazz perhaps), Lou Donaldson, Charlie Mariano, John Handy, Bunky Green, Kim Richmond...
I'm sure I left many out.

Not as much alto as tenor in jazz, but still more than bari or sop. Somehow,
more alto players playing "weird" (as in, your non jazz fan friends will not want to hear it) stuff and there aren't many alto equivalents of Houston Person or Scott Hamilton around. Young alto ballad players always seem to want to put these super fast runs in there.

If the OP were more specific as to what he's looking for, I'd suggest certain
albums.

[HeavyWeather77]

Excellent point about Ornette and Mclean (although I do like both of them in small doses). I think the same goes for Dolphy, unless someone already mentioned him, which is quite possible. If we're going to mention Osby, though, then I think we need to give priority to Steve Coleman. If you've never heard him, he has most of his albums available for FREE from www.m-base.org . And you can't get this for free, or maybe at all, but Coleman's on some Dave Holland albums that are spectacular, as is everything Dave Holland does, near enough. And speaking of Dave, the original alto/soprano player in the Dave Holland Quintet, Steve Wilson, is another good player with amazing tone on all his instruments (alto, sop, flute, clarinet); he plays with Chick Corea and Avishai Cohen, as well, and all the albums he's on by those guys are great.

[jrvinson45]

In a previous post, altoist said "Not as much alto as tenor in jazz, but still more than bari or sop. Somehow, more alto players playing "weird" (as in, your non jazz fan friends will not want to hear it) stuff and there aren't many alto equivalents of Houston Person or Scott Hamilton around. Young alto ballad players always seem to want to put these super fast runs in there. "



I guess I violently agree, but just out of curiosity here... If you think there aren't many alto equivalents to Houston Person, could you point me at just one? I personally think if you were to look up the word luxurious in the dictionary, it would have a clip of Houston's sound... but I can't think of an alto player that plays that way... wish I could...

[!anarkisti!]

:shock:

No one mentioned Gary Bartz? Budds... ;)
Seriously, listen to his albums "Libra" and "Another Earth". I think you can have them as compilation now.

[BlueNote]

Also add to the list:

Steve Slagle

[JazzJunkie]

Anthony Braxton, Marion Brown.

[CMelodyMan]

I thought he was asking about jazz and classical players? Perhaps the thread should be more specific. Does "jazz" in this case include contemporary and rock players?

Yes.

[koteris]

I like David Binney, and I second the Dick Oatts nomination.

[BayviewSax]

I'm going to add Abraham Burton, Gary Bartz and Henry Threadgill.

[altoist]

I guess I violently agree, but just out of curiosity here... If you think there aren't many alto equivalents to Houston Person, could you point me at just one? I personally think if you were to look up the word lugubrious in the dictionary, it would have a clip of Houston's sound... but I can't think of an alto player that plays that way... wish I could...

I can't think of one either :-(

I should have mentioned Bobby Watson previously, fabulous player and he can play a ballad well, but he doesn't play in the same space as Houston or
Scott Hamilton.

IMO, the best alto ballad players are dead, Johnny Hodges and Paul Desmond. Desmond is still my favorite alto (really any sax) player and
Hodges just kills me with his sesnitive handling of slower tempo pieces.

There's certainly an opening for someone out there!

[Toot Sweet!]

Anyone and everyone you can find.

I find this to be true, in a way: everybody is best in something.

[Alto Giant]

My favourites are:

Bird,Cannonball Adderley,Sonny Stitt,Jim Snidero,Paul Desmond,Phil Woods,Donald Harrison

[HeavyWeather77]

Man, I study with Jim Snidero's teacher and got to hang out with Jim and listen to him play a whole lot. Honestly, I wasn't very impressed. His tone is beautiful; his improv is kind of boring and clumsy. Maybe his studio albums show him in a different light, but I just thought he was really lame live. Check out Dave Pietro if you like Snidero, he's got all the beautiful tone but with some of the best playing you'll ever hear on an alto; he's got it.

And as long as I'm griping, there's this new Bud Shank/Phil Woods album that I've heard snippets of that's insanely disappointing. Both of those guys can play, but you wouldn't be able to tell from this album, or at least the cuts I heard; they sounded like amateur weekend warriors in middle America, not alto legends.

Sorry, I don't really like to be negative all the time, I just had to get this stuff off my chest.

[altoist]

Man, I study with Jim Snidero's teacher and got to hang out with Jim and listen to him play a whole lot. Honestly, I wasn't very impressed. His tone is beautiful; his improv is kind of boring and clumsy. Maybe his studio albums show him in a different light, but I just thought he was really lame live. Check out Dave Pietro if you like Snidero, he's got all the beautiful tone but with some of the best playing you'll ever hear on an alto; he's got it.


First, I appreciate your honest comments. No need to stifle negative comments, it would be really boring.

I'm an amateur, and I use Snidero's Jazz Conception studies to practice with, and I like them. I like his tone and phrasing, and his taste in music,
as his studies are modified standards. The rhythm section is tight. As you
mention, a wonderful alto tone.

I also have his standards album, and I have to admit that while I still like his tone, I almost never put that album on. So, upon reflection, I may agree with you a bit about his improvisation, though I wouldn't call it clumsy (that's almost an objective criteria) but as I'm not moved boring is about right. I haven't seen him live.

Not to be a PITA, but if you don't like Snidero's playing, what makes you think that those who do should check out Pietro? ;-)

More seriously, thanks for the recommendation, I'll check him out, I see he
plays C-melody too, just like Lester Young's idol Frankie Trumbauer.



And as long as I'm griping, there's this new Bud Shank/Phil Woods album that I've heard snippets of that's insanely disappointing. Both of those guys can play, but you wouldn't be able to tell from this album, or at least the cuts I heard; they sounded like amateur weekend warriors in middle America, not alto legends.

Sorry, I don't really like to be negative all the time, I just had to get this stuff off my chest.

I liked Bud Shank's old tone better (Braziliance and the cool stuff) but I like
his improvisation style still. That album of standards with Cyrus Chestnut is
good. Almost all of the Phil Woods stuff I have is good or great, so I'm sorry to hear that this collaboration is flat.

[Alto Giant]

, I wasn't very impressed. His tone is beautiful; his improv is kind of boring and clumsy. Maybe his studio albums show him in a different light, but I just thought he was really lame live. .

Well, everyone can have bad days.....I heard people talking that Sonny Rollins' playing was boring when he was not motivated....so....I think he had a bad day...

[catseyeweb]

Charles Neville (Neville Brothers). If you get The Neville Brothers "Live from Planet Earth" CD, I promise you won't be disapointed! In addition to a BANGING live performance that features Charles on sax very prominently, you will get a rendition of Aaron Neville doing Amazing Grace that will make you weep!!!!!

(pic from performance at H.O.B. during Jazz Fest '05)

[ThomasK]

.....

[Alto Giant]

Bird, Bird, Bird and more Bird.

The greatest jazz innovators on the alto are:

Hodges
Carter
Bird
Cannonball
Desmond
McLean
Sanborn
Garrett
Greg Osby
.

Why do you think those people are innovators????:? They were all great musicians and Cannon's my favorite of them(see my avatar) but I don't think .all of them were innovators.....Mclean...might be....Hodges,Carter and Desmond....defenitely....Cannonball...well,in a way...a bit....but explain me why Sanborn,Garret and Osby???

[CMelodyMan]

Out of all of the alto saxophonists that I've listened to, I really like Benny Carter, and of course, Charlie Parker's sound. Has anyone mentioned Jamey Aebersold yet?

[Vortex]

I almost insist that you check these cats out. Outta be mandatory.

Contemporary:

Greg Osby - One of the finest alto players out there right now. Really unparalleled.
Kenny Garrett - Quite a FIERY player!

An important note, both of these guys are well rounded jazz musicians but have DIVERSIFIED their influences all over the map. They've done hip-hop, old jazz, world, new jazz, and everything inbetween. They have original, balanced sounds that don't reflect their setups (Osby with a Yani, Jumbo A45, DC 3's, Bay, achieving a remarkably dark and quick responding tone - Garrett with a Mark VI, Selmer Soloist E, and Hemke reeds, getting a sound that's projecting and best described as "duck man")

Classical:

Marcel Mule - To set a standard for you to achieve. Check out the vibrato man!
Lynn Klock - For good interpretation and fluidity
John Harle - A very compelling sound and superb approach to whatever he plays.

About Sanborn... He's definately an innovator, but he's an extreme as well. Super-bright R&B player with some nice blues licks that can kinda feign jazz too. He's all right to listen to, but if you set Dave as your target style/goal, you'll alienate yourself from a lot of styles and possibly good technique.

[BlueNote]

And you can't forget VINCENT HERRING for a great modern altoist.

[1stchair]

Gerald Albright..Awesome player... :!: :!: :!:
If you want to hear a great tune find "Georgia On My Mind" by him..It's pure greatness..

[CaptainWillabo]

Albert Ayler... not what everyone likes but well worth listening to...

[Minatar12]

Has he ever recorded on alto? I've only heard him on tenor...still, you gotta at least hear him, even if you don't like him. He's one of the last real innovators on the saxophone, and perhaps the most challenging.

The altoist (though he plays many, many instruments) I've been digging the most lately is Anthony Braxton. For most people here he is probably too far out, but he is phenomenal...his tone, technique, energy...no one can deny his complete mastery over his instrument. His solo sax album, For Alto, is simply astonishing. Also has an important role on the famous Conference of the Birds by Dave Holland. After hearing him over the last few months, he's settled right into second place on my top alto lists, behind Dolphy.


Also I recently got Ascencion, and Marion Brown's work on it is good, I'm very much open to hearing more of him.

[primetime]

Has anybody said Sigurd Rascher yet? He literally wrote the book on saxophone altissimo playing, and I've heard (But am not sure) that even Marcel Mule looked up to his playing...and anybody who can play beautifully on a Buescher with no tone holes HAS to be good!

[JazzJunkie]

Oliver Lake is awesome, he is one of my favorite saxophonists. The Live in Willisau album is very good, check it out.

[ShedShark]

Joe Cohen

[Saxanet]

Also Doug Masek. He's the lecturer at UCLA. I was just at his workshop today, which is why I thought of him. He has a really excellent, warm tone and some great technique. I haven't heard his jazz playing yet, but his classical sound is pretty great. I love his sound.

[Jazz Is All]

Although this thread might have died, I'll post in hopes of reviving it.

The triumverate
Bird, Dolphy, Mclean: each unique, with an instantly recognizable individual sound, each an innovator of alto playing and jazz composition, and who all actually had an important influence on the development of jazz sound, style and compositional form. I don't think any of the others mentioned, with the exception of Ornette, could be said to be comparable in those terms, although they might be great players.

Great alto players:
Besides Charlie, Eric, and Jackie I have always considered Charlie Mariano and John Handy, in their work with Mingus and his various Jazz Workshops, outstanding players.

The other alto player who stands out for me is James Spaulding who played on a lot of 60's Blue Note dates with Wayne Shorter and Freddie Hubbard. A great great hardbop alto player, for the life of me I can't understand why nobody has mentioned him:? . If it's because you've never heard him then listen to Hub Tones, Breaking Point, or particularly The Soothsayer.8-)