Contemporary Sax Stars...Who Do You Like?

[Vincent]

Obviously, just about every sax player has one or two idols of yesteryear, but I was curious about which of todays artists are liked among all of you, as far as sound, technique, style, etc. :)

[sessionsax]

Mark Douthit, David Sanborn, Eric Marienthal, Andy Snitzer, Dave Koz, Kirk Whalum, Nelson Rangell, the list goes on. Each offers his own qualities.

David Sanborn, Gerald Albright, Dave Koz, Kirk Whalum, Warren Hill

[Vincent]

Hi winesax,
Out of the players that you mentioned, who's tone do you like the best and who's style of playing do you like the best?

Vicent....That's a hard question to answer...but if I had to choose between those I listed it would have to be David Sanborn for his purity of sound with power and control and his ability to make you feel what he feels when he plays. He is a very emotional player...so are all the rest that I listed.

Regards

[Dig Gonsalves]

Ori Kaplan, Rob Brown, Jemeel Moondoc, Marco Eneidi, Claude Lawrence, Sonny Simmons, Frode Gjerstad, Charlie Kohlhase, Marshall Allen, Byard Lancaster, Mark Whitecage, Carl Grubbs

Bert Wilson, Joe McPhee, Ken Vandermark, Peter Brotzmann, Kidd Jordan, Fred Anderson, Odean Pope, David Murray, Thomas Borgmann, Matt Langley, David S. Ware, Ellery Eskelin, Elliot Levin, Frank Lowe, John Tchicai, Daniel Carter, Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre

Perry Robinson, Ben Goldberg

[johnny]

I suppose my choices are a bit more mainstream than most of those listed so far, but these days I just can't get enough Chris Potter and Jerry Bergonzi

[Stencilman]

Smooth jazz artist Nelson Rangell on alto, tenor and flute. Great sound, awesome technique and his music goes beyond the typical smooth jazz fluff. His flute technique is inspiring. I don't like his soprano sound (nanny goat vibrato) but then he doesn't feature soprano very much.

[KarstenTS]

I just bought the new Album of Maceo Parker and I really like it. I don't really have a Saxophone player that I like most, sometimes I love Candy Dulfer and a cloudy day last month Kenny G. found his way to my ears...

[mr00420]

Steve Lacey, John Zorn, O. Coleman, D. Redman, Pharoh Sanders, Marty Erlich, Carla Bley, A. Blythe.

[-j.]

Don Braden, Vincent Herring, Bennie Wallace, John Zorn, Andy Scherrer.

-j.

[mr00420]

I forgot Tim Berne.

[bcnsax]

Chris Cheek, Joshua Redman (I like this fat, biiiiiiiiiiig sound on the tenor), and spanish players (I highly recommend you!!) perico sambeat and Gorka Benítez. Good sound, technique and control.
Also Dewey Redman, Mark Turner, etc...
I like this "new school" based on expression, big sounds and phrasing control...

[JJ]

Chris Cheek - an interesting player. Never heard about him until now.

You can hear 2 sound clips with him playing with the danish guitarplayer, Jakob Bro on the Danish Radio web site:

http://www.dr.dk/Jazz/maanedens/index.asp

or the direct link:

http://www.dr.dk/Jazz/ram/maanedens/0306/daydreamer.ram
http://www.dr.dk/Jazz/ram/maanedens/0306/philadelphia.ram

[UMBari]

As an addition to names that have already been mentioned:

David Sanchez, Ralph Moore, Ralph Bowen, Miguel Zenon, Rudresh Mahanthappa.

All worth a look.

VP

[Vader]

Chris is ever bit as strong as any of the names mentioned here. It's just that not as many people have heard of him.

[amalfitano_hamilton]

My choices:

Paquito D'Rivera
Tom Scott
Michael Brecker
Gerald Albright
David Sanborn
Kirk Whalum
James Carter
Wayne Shorter

and one player down in New Orleans named Tony Dagradi.

[Docax]

More young players, in addition to those already mentioned:

Dave Ellis, Seamus Blake, Marcus Strickland, John Ellis, Walt Weiskopf

[Leotomcov]

Eric Marienthal and Nelson Rangell are my two favourite in the more smooth/modern sound. No one has brought up Jeff Kashiwa yet (former Rippingtons player before marienthal) ...awesome alto sound and feel...not quite as technical as marienthal/rangell can be. I still like Jay Beckenstien from time to time, but his alto tone wears on me after a while. Now in more mainstream Jazz, Im a huge fan of Donald Harrison. I just love his sound, groove and feel. He's a great hard-bop alto improviser who does a good job of keeping the melody alive (like Cannonball used to do). Phil Woods is God. I'm not a tenor fan, but I do like Bill Evans on tenor...I've always been surprised that his career didnt take off more...I think he's every bit as good as Brecker.

[52nd Street]

What about Gary Bartz? Most of what he's done sinds the early 90's is really great. I think he up there with people like Kenny Garrett and Phil Woods.

[bcnsax]

Dick Oatt's.
Man!!!!!!! He plays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Listen to "Standard Issues"

[Flatted 5th]

Went to a Steve Coleman show last week and really enjoyed it. (no thanks to the 4.oo$ bottle of 10oz. Guiness :shock: ).

A very original composer. The concept of having the sax and bass play the same lines, although not unique, really defines his bands sound.
The addition of a singer was great, she sang scat for alot of the show, and that was a treat.

[Frank D]

I didn't check in when this thread first started, but now that its been revived:

Stan Getz
Dexter Gordon
John Coltrane
Michael Brecker
Bob Berg
David Sanborn
Eric Mairenthal
Tom Scott
Joshua Redman
and probably a few more I'm not thinking of at the moment

[shazzo]

these 2 guys just stole my heart...

andy snitzer & david sanborn...simply awesome!

[bluesax]

Harry Allen, one of the best saxophone players i ever heard. His musicality and technique are outstanding. If you like old standards perfectly played go for him.

www.harryallenjazz.com

[dee-nice1969]

I will like to add my list of favorites:
Gerald Albright
Kirk Whallum
David Sanborn
Boney James
Mike Phillips
Maceo Parker
Dave Koz
Everette Harp

[clem]

David "Fathead" Newman is still alive and well, and he has been doing about one album a year. I have them all and I've never heard him play so beautifully.

Hank Crawford is doing like Fathead, about one album a year. And I'll take his gorgeous tone anytime against Sanborn's.

Houston Person continues to do one album a year, mostly ballads and standards. Great blues player who never really got the recognition he deserved.

All these guys are about 70 yrs old and play so effortlessly and relaxed. I think it's from the confidence they got from playing so many years. None uses their altissimo much anymore. I doubt Fathead ever really learned much of it--he still misses the occasional G3 he plays just like he did with Ray Charles over 40 years ago!

OK, so they don't play like Sonny or Wayne Shorter or Phil Woods; but they are giants of the blues saxophone and are national treasures. Enjoy 'em while they are still around!

[warmdaddy]

I don't buy much contemporary jazz stuff, mainly because I don't trust what I don't know much about. But I do like Wess Anderson, Walter Blanding and Ted Nash from the LCJO and Vincent Herring, what little I have heard of him. I like some local players around Melbourne Australia, like Julien Wilson and Tim Wilson.

[lowguy]

Joe Lovano
Chris Speed
Scott Robinson
Marty Ehrlich
Dave Liebman
Bob Berg
and french EXCELLENT Stephane Guillaume

[Balladeer]

Mark Shim. Checkout his album from 1997 or '98 titled "Mind Over Matter". Big tenor sound, edge, not too bright, and modern straight-ahead jazz.

[Ian]

I listen to more and more Kirk Whalum. His control in the altissimo register amazes me, he plays so fluidly and apparently effortlessly up there.

[HeavyWeather77]

Now do we mean "Contamporary saxophonists" or saxophonists who play what "they" call "contemporary jazz?" Seems like we've had two different interpretations of the question.

Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter, Mark Turner, Kenny Garrett, Joe Lovano, Jerry Bergonzi, Jon Gordon, Steve Coleman, Gary Thomas... to not even scratch the surface... pretty much all rule. Haven't heard any Dave Koz, I confess. Does anyone think he holds a candle to any of these guys? I mean no offense, I'm just genuinely curious. After all, Eric Marienthal can really play some serious saxophone, too. While he's not busy making millions playing the smooth stuff, that is.

[sw3119]

Ron Holloway is a big favorite of mine, check out his CD's 'Scorcher' and 'Grove Update'. Huge tenor sound!

On alto I realy like Kenny Garett, Steve Coleman, Greg Osby.

http://www.m-base.org/sounds.html

check out the Steve Colman link above, lots of free downloads.

http://www.gregosby.com/mp3.html

more from Greg Osby.

I'm also a big fan of Henry Threadgill

[Dentarthurdent]

Only just spotted this thread!
All of the American players named so far are undoubtedly great! It does grieve me though that some of the great players that we have here in the UK do not get the exposure that they deserve in the US. You guys would really dig them I'm sure!
My favourite contempory player is Andy Sheppard. He has what must be one of the most Beautiful sounds on both tenor and soprano ever. His recordings are good but don't really do him justice. Live he is absolutely mesmerizing. He is also interesting because he does not tread the well worn paths but introduces influences from around the world.
Jim Tomlinson is also excellent - a really fine melodic player in the style of Stan Getz.
Otherwise check out: Courtney Pine, Tommy Smith, Tim Garland etc

[sw3119]

I should have mentioned Courtney Pine. I have his 'Modern Day Jazz Stories' CD. Again, great tenor and soprano. He does a great job of mixing traditional Jazz with modern sounds and styles.

Another that I didn't mention is Steve Williamson. I have his 'Journey to Truth' CD. I like this album alot.

Both of these CDs I picked up in the used bin at the local record/CD store. (Yes they still sell lots of vinal :shock: )

[francois]

Many good names already mentioned so I thought I'd add a few new entries.

German player Christof Lauer (I'd recommend his album Mondspinner) for modern jazz.

Dutch player Leo Van Oostrom for his superb renditions of ragtime/swing classics (listen to Vaudeville Saxofoon Novelties)

French player Claude Delangle maintains a strong French Classical tradition after Mule, Deffayet & Londeix. His recordings are always of high quality. You could listen to "Historic Saxophone", a great sax/piano duo album.