Favorite altissimo solo and highest note in there.

**zorroperro** · 05-15-2006, 09:05 PM

Fore example, mine is Junior Walker on tenor on Foreigner's Urgent. He hits an Ab4 for tenor as a highest note there.

Also I love the Warren Hills performance of Hey Jude on alto, long D4 and maybe there is an E4 around. Not sure.

Name horn (alto, tenor, bari...), song and highest note.

I think it is encouraging to know what solos or performances have guided us to this section. Isn't it?

Cheers,

JI

**zorroperro** · 05-16-2006, 04:32 PM

Here comes another one. Michael Brecker on Spherical. I guess it is a D4 on tenor.

Cheers,

JI

**Grumps** · 05-16-2006, 05:20 PM

Lenny Pickett, any time he opens (or closes) Saturday Night Live.

**zorroperro** · 05-16-2006, 06:56 PM

Yes, he is the main reason I watch Saturday Night Live. But, which is the highest note he hits there... he varies, but I guess it is a A4 or higher...

**V1812470** · 05-16-2006, 08:35 PM

I've heard Lenny Pickett go up to an E5 on a recording of the opening of SNL.

**1stchair** · 05-17-2006, 04:04 PM

He plays higher notes thana piccolo..Its mad crazy.. I did a interview with him by email its in this section.

He tells me that when approaches high notes he approaches them vibrato and uses a clarinet type embouchure when approaching the high extremities of the upper register altissimo.

**martysax** · 05-17-2006, 04:15 PM

Woody Herman did a cover of Carole King's "Jazzman" that has a Tenor Solo at the end that used to give me shivers back in the seventies. I forgot the guys name, but it was a great album.

**KyleO** · 05-17-2006, 07:19 PM

I don't know the artist, but the alto solo in Tank (Cowboy Bebop Theme) is pretty sweet. He (or she) hits some altissimo notes in the end.

**AZAZAZ** · 05-17-2006, 09:24 PM

Lenny's solo at the end of Landscape - the last track on Borneo Horns. Not sure where he peaks out, but its up around B6

**zorroperro** · 05-18-2006, 09:00 PM

At Straight to the Heart he hits through the album some very interesting altissimo. He hits what I think is a D#4 before the rest of the band joins.

**ssleb** · 05-29-2006, 09:59 AM

I agree with KyleO, tank! has some pretty nice altissimo in there. Have you heard the live version? That one goes pretty insane (and awesome may I add).

**makemyday** · 05-29-2006, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by azahurak

its up around B6

Guys, to prevent any confusion:

Our lowest C is C3; that makes top F (with al four palmkeys) F3

Most professional players will be able to play up to an octave above normal range: up to F4/G4.

After that it becomes squeeky - C5 is about the highest thing anyone would want to hear on a saxophone. So about that B6......

**zorroperro** · 05-30-2006, 07:31 PM

C1 is the lowest one. I know you are correct in a sense, but commonly speaking, C1 is the lowest C, and then you start going up.

C4 is the first alitssimo.

Regards,

JI

**dirvin** · 05-30-2006, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by martysax

Woody Herman did a cover of Carole King's "Jazzman" that has a Tenor Solo at the end that used to give me shivers back in the seventies. I forgot the guys name, but it was a great album.

I think that was Frank Tiberi. I remember seeing a transcription of this solo. It went up to a "D" 2 octaves above the palm D.

... good stuff...

**zorroperro** · 05-31-2006, 03:13 AM

Is it a single note around that high? Or he reached it chromatically?

D5 is expectacularly high. I do not recall any solo that high (besides Lenny Picket's) and I will have to check Junior Walker's tapes.

I guess I have not heard any alto going thath high, though you are talking about tenors. Even for an alto, to reach that note performed by a tenor, D5, (thinking in terms of a piano or guitar, which is a C) may have to play an A4 which I don't think many players can.

**NIMOGT** · 09-05-2006, 07:19 PM

in tank! the recorded version i believe goes to the first altissimo a so i think it is A3?(correct name?)

**renaissance_man** · 09-11-2006, 12:30 AM

I have three to add to the list:

1) Joshua Redman on his album Freedom In The Groove, track 4 entitled "When The Sun Comes Down". It's a quasi-blues and during the climax of his solo, Joshua hits an A4 (second altissimo A) on tenor.

2) Marc Russo, formerly with The Yellowjackets, on their album Four Corners, track 8 entitled "Room With A View". During the peak of his solo, Marc hits an F#4 (F# above F# key) on alto.

3) Also impressive is Joshua Redman on his album Timeless Tales (For Changing Times), track 17 (song #10). Here, on Prince's tune "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?", Redman slides smoothly - that is, with no perceptible break in airflow, sound, or slide - from Ab3 to F4 on tenor.

Now I realize that these are not the highest notes reported in this thread (assuming that there were no exaggerations...), but I had to mention them in that these artists did not just blast out these notes to end a phrase or for effect, as so many saxophonists tend to do. They incorporated the notes effectively into their solos with the kind of precision and fluidity that one would expect to hear in lines an octave lower.

I listed these solos in descending order based on highest pitch for the instrument, but it should be noted that, in my humble opinion, Marc Russo plays with the greatest accuracy, grace, technical facility, and power of any saxophonist I've heard. It would be a good idea to check out any of his recordings while with the Yellowjackets, but particularly the album Politics. His non-altissimo playing is really tasty, as well.

**zorroperro** · 09-11-2006, 02:42 AM

If I am right Marc does his magic with a Meyer 5 and plasticovers. The Vandoren V16 reaches that kind of sound.

JI

**ssleb** · 09-11-2006, 07:01 AM

Speaking of Joshua Redman, his version of Rollin's ST. THOMAS.

wow.

**Mime** · 09-11-2006, 07:12 AM

Richie Cole! that guy goes really high...I can't really tell which note it is but it should'nt be hard to hear it sinse he goes very on many recordings.
He goes high a few times on this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxFYRZA9UIE
Around 3:30 he goes wild
though I recall hearing him go much much higher on some track on his "Pure Imagination", I'll check that out...