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Pick your 3 favourite sax players

129K views 361 replies 290 participants last post by  SMOOTHJAZZ 
#1 ·
Ok so I'm trying to get a feel for which players people like and if there is a specific time period or style of music people prefer in this community. So I have devised perhaps a foolproof way of doing so: Pick your 3 favourite sax players of all time, IN ORDER, no ties (eg Frank Foster and Joe Lovano tied for 1st) and the players do not have to necessarily be jazz musicians. Please limit yourself to only 3 and if you feel like it explain why. I will start:

1) Charlie Parker
2) John Coltrane
3) Pharoah Sanders


I picked Bird first because in my opinion he is the only true genius to emerge from jazz, he made jazz modern and just about everyone playing now is a grandchild of Bird whether they realize it or not. And on a personal note, he was the first hero in my life. I never had any heroes growing up (of course I had role models) and convinced me I would be a sax player for life.

Coltrane came second because he could not usurp Charlie from the top spot (this is what I mean by no ties). He was an intense brilliant innovator who made me switch to tenor for awhile. I could go on about Trane (and Bird) but now I must come to my third choice.

Pharoah Sanders is third mainly because I consider his sound beautiful and the logical conclusion of the Coltrane sound. I saw a concert of his in 1994 at the Jazz fest here in Toronto and he had everyone in a trance. It was the greatest concert I have ever attended (even beating out the Michael Jackson victory tour back when I was a kid).
 
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#2 ·
I'm going along with the poll, agonizing as it is in the mental gymnastics. Glad I don't really have to choose. I love them and many more like a big dysfunctional family.

1. Charlie Parker
2. John Coltrane
3. Chris Potter (as excited about him as the first two giants)
 
#4 ·
My own personal trinity.

Bird


Bird...the great organizer. One of the most brilliant examples of synthesizing all that has gone before with Lester, Buster Smith, Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins and Armstrong and the Blues, and created a sound through that rooted in the Blues with what we now call "Modern" phrasing. He streamlined the ATTACK in Jazz phrasing IMHO. Doesn't hurt that he's rooted firm in Lester Young.

Warne Marsh

Warne the elastic-izer. Simply one of the greatest improvisers I ever heard. Sure he didn't turn Jazz on it's head multiple times, he wasn't too popular either. But in his line he brought a subtle sophistication that is truly unlike anything I ever heard...even today. Warne played lines just as calm and collected but were obviously the product of a burning mind of a master musician, an intensity underneath a raspy velvet tone. He stretched Bird's line while Bird was still alive. He almost plays ego-less, no added frills, just improvisation. Deeply rooted in Blues, not a shouting blues but subtle. Rooted in Lester as well.

Eric Dolphy

Dolphy the scrambler. Few can 'scramble eggs' like the too soon departed Eric Dolphy. A visionary in the purest form, sincere as well, not a trace of ego. Brought the Alto Saxophone and Bird's concept to the breaking point. Master of the Solo Break.
 
#5 ·
1) Michael Brecker
2) Chris Potter
3) James Carter

-Brecker is just insane, I don't know how to describe him. He can quote himself (like he did on many occasions) yet there's always that energy and creativity that comes along and still leaves you in awe. He's the reason I chose to get a tenor sax, and no matter how many other tenor players I will listen to and have "phases" of, he'll still be number 1.
-Potter is a new favorite of mine and has moved himself up very quickly. I bought a couple of his albums and I'm thoroughly impressed. His sound and his ideas just make me wanna practice even more. He's modern, yet his sound is still fat and not overly bright.
-As you can tell, I'm a youngin who doesn't have a deep seated hatred for Mr. Carter. Yes, he overplays many of his solos, and yes he does make some pretty odd squeaks with the horn...but that's one of the reasons I love him. He's got control in all registers and of pretty much all the horns you can imagine. If you want proof that he doesn't overplay everything, listen to him on round midnight on bari-sax, and also his newer album seems to have some pretty straight forward stuff. He's not afraid to be crazy and show off his skills, and that's something that I think is pretty unique. I sure as hell would never try anything he does (unless we're talking about a practice room setting...) but it doesn't mean I can't appreciate how he chooses to express himself through the horn.
 
#6 ·
John Coltrane
Art Pepper
Dexter Gordon
 
#18 ·
1) Ornette Coleman
2) Joshua Redman
3) Gerry Mulligan
4) Candy Dulfer

Ornette Coleman, because he feared nothing with his style, yet has quite the audience. Quite the insiration.

Joshua Redman, because he bridges the divide between John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.

Gerry Mulligan, simply the best lyrical Bari player that has ever lived! No matter what mouthpiece I use, I find myself emulating his style on Bari. It's just so pure.

Candy Dulfer because she plays as good as she looks! I'm not one for pop normally, but she pulls certain style from the 80s pop greats, yet puts some of her own in there too.
 
#19 ·
1) Charlie Parker (nobody could touch him)

2) Dexter Gordon

3) Sonny Rollins

I never heard Bird live, but I did hear Dexter & Rollins on several occasions. They never failed to amaze me. And of course there are/were so many more great players, but these 3 spring immediately to mind.
 
#20 ·
Totally arbitrary and unfairly designed poll because you should have one for each type of sax, or at least Tenor and Alto. As is it's like saying who is your favorite musician of any instrument and limiting it to 3 choices. Impossible to do that.

So:

Alto

Jackie McLean
James Spaulding
Eric Dolphy

Jackie because he took bebop from Bird and transformed it into hardbop and beyond in a way that no other alto player then or since has done. His sound and lines are instantly recognizable and unmistakeable as his own. Incredible chops and musicality developed through playing with everyone who was anyone from his teenage years on, not by going to school and taking courses to learn how to play what someone before him had done. He created the music that the current crop are playing. He opened up new soil and went one step beyond and let freedom ring without falling into the free-jazz sand trap of incomprhensibility. Heavily creative as a composer, leader and mentor. Never boring, always exploring, totally enlightening.

James Spaulding, is an inexplicably unrecognized giant almost on a par with Jackie in terms of tone and musical vocabulary on the alto. He played on an equal footing with the best of Blue Note artists like Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter.

Eric Dolphy. I put him third only because he was really not just an alto player, but a multi reed and flute player and a true jazz genius. I normally put the geniuses in a group by themselves irrespective of their instrument (Mingus (not just a bass player) Monk (not just a pianist), Art Blakey (not just a drummer) Trane (not just a saxophonist))

Tenor

This is really hard cause 3 is too limiting

Sonny Rollins because he was my first great sax idol and one of the most original and creative tenor voices for more than 50 years.

Joe Henderson. That tone man. Those lines. The voice of Hardbop

(Coltrane Need anything be said? Trane transcends lists--can you put the Buddha on a list?)

George Adams. He played the blues, bop, and free jazz all rolled into one. An incredible musician with a beautiful tenor voice.

Soprano

Steve Lacy I wrote about him on a thread I posted in his honor. A unique pioneering jazz giant who made the soprano sing like no one else could.
 
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