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A sax reputation problem...

8K views 42 replies 24 participants last post by  j3rry85 
#1 ·
Hi,
I want to share a little "problem"
I started learning tenor sax last May, since then, once a week I come to work with the big case (I don't wanna live it in the car, it's too dangerous)
My work fellas started to get interested about that case, a few guessed right about the nature of it, most of them thought I'm carrying a rifle in there.
When they all knew its a saxophone and that I'm learning, soon started talking about the association they make between the saxophone sound and porn movies background music, which is not so far from the truth...
What can I do with these ignorant people. You can't tell them about Coltrane or Getz! They don't know about it! When I tried to make some of them listen to some jazz tunes with sax, they said they don't like jazz because it reminds them of... you guessed... porn movies!!!
WHAT THE HECK ????
Actually, is not such of a problem, I just ignore their jokes about it and keep on, I just thought of doing something to get them to know a bit more about music...
As we usally say here "You can bring the horse to the pond but you can't force him to drink"
I just wanna get your opinion...
Thanks
Ziv
 
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#3 ·
Well, all of them are very good friends, but only at work, not like very personal friends, there's only one, ironically the younguest one, about 23 y/o who plays bass guitar and loves jazz just as much as I do. I actually feel sorry for them that they didn't have the luck I had to grow in a family that always heard good music of all kinds, they're just young people that like a certain kind of music, some of the bands they like, I like too, but here resides the difference between them and me, my musical education allows me to love and enjoy a very vast range of different musical styles, they can't.
I wouldn't call them "idiots" they're just in lack of a lot of music within... anyway, they loose.
Ziv
 
#5 ·
What bands do they like? What Genre? If there are any sax parts in the genre, make them listen to their music more closely and point out the sax sound there. Sometimes even country music has a sax part or 2.

Short of that (if they're into heavy metal), you're gonna have to stick to your guns and keep playing. Tell them the parts you audition for come with some really interesting scenery. :twisted: :D
 
#8 ·
Don't you have a boom box at work? Just bring in some Kenny G CDs and you'll win them over right away. :D
 
#9 ·
I don't think it will help

GAS_Wyo said:
What bands do they like? What Genre? If there are any sax parts in the genre, make them listen to their music more closely and point out the sax sound there. Sometimes even country music has a sax part or 2.

Short of that (if they're into heavy metal), you're gonna have to stick to your guns and keep playing. Tell them the parts you audition for come with some really interesting scenery. :twisted: :D
I think that even if I could find a heavy metal song with a sax solo, they'd say about it "here comes the porn movie solo..."

I guess they're just kidding, not really seriously...

gary said:
Just bring in some Kenny G CDs and you'll win them over right away.
Kenny G.???? C'mon, give me a break! If we are talking in my co-workers terms, then Kenny G. is the father of all porn films music!!
Besides, is well known that Kenny G. doesn't play what he can or really like, he plays exactly what sells and gives him money.

Other people use to call that "Elevators music"

Ziv
 
#42 ·
Re: I don't think it will help

GAS_Wyo said:
Short of that (if they're into heavy metal), you're gonna have to stick to your guns and keep playing. Tell them the parts you audition for come with some really interesting scenery. :twisted: :D
I think that even if I could find a heavy metal song with a sax solo, they'd say about it "here comes the porn movie solo..."
The Brecker Bros. "Heavy Metal Be-Bop". I know it isn't Metalica, but if that doesn't make a rock'n'roll lover at least give jazz a little bit of a listen, nothing will. And there's no porn on that album for sure.
 
#10 ·
Tell them that's just one of the perks of being a tenor sax player. Really, I am surprised that the general population can recognize the timbre of a tenor sax enough to attribute it to porn movies.
 
#11 · (Edited)
zivley said:
Kenny G.???? C'mon, give me a break!...Kenny G. is the father of all porn films music!! Besides, is well known that Kenny G. doesn't play what he can or really like, he plays exactly what sells and gives him money. Other people use to call that "Elevators music"
Ziv - it's a joke! ;)
 
#13 ·
zivley said:
soon started talking about the association they make between the saxophone sound and porn movies background music, which is not so far from the truth...
Ziv
Cool, I can tell my wife I watch porn for the "SAX"..
Its just like reading playboy for the "articles"
 
#14 ·
madgrocer said:
Cool, I can tell my wife I watch porn for the "SAX"..
Its just like reading playboy for the "articles"
That's a great idea!
Now I know what to tell!!
"Is not about the SEX, but SAX!"

I, personally, don't remember hearing so much sax music in porn movies.

Gary, about Kenny G. I know it's a joke, he's all a joke. ;)

What about "elevator's music"? is that a proper definition for Kenny's music?
Once I've got a mail that talked about things that make you know when you're getting old, one of them was "When you hear "Queen" cover version songs in an elevator"
 
#15 ·
zivley said:
Hi,
I want to share a little "problem"
I started learning tenor sax last May, since then, once a week I come to work with the big case (I don't wanna live it in the car, it's too dangerous)
My work fellas started to get interested about that case, a few guessed right about the nature of it, most of them thought I'm carrying a rifle in there.
When they all knew its a saxophone and that I'm learning, soon started talking about the association they make between the saxophone sound and porn movies background music, which is not so far from the truth...
What can I do with these ignorant people. You can't tell them about Coltrane or Getz! They don't know about it! When I tried to make some of them listen to some jazz tunes with sax, they said they don't like jazz because it reminds them of... you guessed... porn movies!!!
WHAT THE HECK ????
Actually, is not such of a problem, I just ignore their jokes about it and keep on, I just thought of doing something to get them to know a bit more about music...
As we usally say here "You can bring the horse to the pond but you can't force him to drink"
I just wanna get your opinion...
Thanks
Ziv
What's the problem?

So what if they associate the sax with strip joints. A lot of great jazz and blues players have done the strip joint gig. Ask Tim Price to re-tell some of his stories. Being able to play low down dirty blues saxophone is a great skill to have down.
Ya can't have your cake and eat it too. The sax can sound sexier than just about anything out there, (with the possible exception of a V8 or F1 engine). That's not really a bad thing is it? Remember it's not just the blokes at work that make that association. Plenty of women make the same connection and we've all hit home runs on the back of that sax = sexy thing. And long may it be so!
This line of reasoning pops up in various guises regularly here. It's essentially arguing that "intellectual," or "sophisticated," Jazz sax is great music, or "high art" and low down, funky, gut bucket, sexy, sax is crap.
Bollocks! They're just expressions of two different parts of our nature. It's all good. There's a time and place for everything.

A buddist walks into a pizza joint and says "make me one with everything."

We could all try to be like that with music. Jazz isn't the "be all" and "end all" of musical greatness. Any more than Classical, Pop, Folk or any other genre of music is better than another.
People tend to like music that resonates with where they're at, where they've been, or where they want to be, as a person. As your workmates get a little further on down the road, their taste will change. If you try to force jazz down their throats, they're likely to reject it and you both. If you shun them as musical morons, well then they'll just think you're a typical Jazz ****er.
 
#17 ·
zivley said:
I think that even if I could find a heavy metal song with a sax solo, they'd say about it "here comes the porn movie solo..."

I guess they're just kidding, not really seriously...
Most probabely, since they know you feel kind of bad about it. You could answer something like :
"hey, the good part is you get pretty close to the stars. Especially when they're in a good day" or something in that respect. I try to be err.. diplomatic, given the child rate here.

Another one : "Oh, I didn't know you guys were such experts on porn-background music. How long are you in the business already?"

Kenny G.???? C'mon, give me a break! If we are talking in my co-workers terms, then Kenny G. is the father of all porn films music!!
One point where they're not too far from the truth :twisted: (sorry, couldn't resist)
 
#19 ·
zivley said:
Hi,
I want to share a little "problem"
..soon started talking about the association they make between the saxophone sound and porn movies background music, which is not so far from the truth...What can I do with these ignorant people. Ziv
Ask them how they know so much about porn movie background music.
 
#22 ·
Jolle said:
One point where they're not too far from the truth (sorry, couldn't resist)
The thing about Kenny G. being the father of all porn movies music was something I SAID, not them, I just was saying, if we talk in their music terms about porn music, then I THINK Kenny G. is the father...
So, Jolle, I was the first one that couldn't resist, heheh
 
#23 ·
bari_sax_diva said:
Heck, I'd just be telling them about all the money you're making doing those porn gigs after work...
Yeah, I thought of that, the other problem I can share with them is the "concentration" issue, I find it hard to concentrate on playing the melodies, especially when the actresses see my nice "horn" and get jiggy with me... They start asking me to let them blow it too...
 
#25 ·
PG-13???
 
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