Heh, I did something like that at region jazz band auditions with a tenor and an alto, but it was only one note, and pretty in tune but the tone quality sucked
Anyway, I'd also be happy to relay the message to Jeff Coffin. Wow, he's very good at this. Granted he does it in almost the same way at every Bela Fleck concert, with little change in the notes used, but still!
Re: Global Ban on Fools who play two horns at the same time!
Durn right! I concur(means I agreeOriginally Posted by tenorman
), wholeheartedly. Theys gotta be brought unner control; oughta be registered offenders, maybe confined to house arrest, and at most confined to carnival side shows. Maybe if they got a special license, paid a fee for noise pollution, they could be tolerated; you know like, the poor things do deserve to live. Bless their hearts.
You are all probably too young to remember him, but Vic Hyde played two, three and FOUR trumpets simultaneously in his act. I played shows behind him at several venues in NW PA during the early 60s. I have looked on the web for info but find little regarding him. He had a curved plate made through which each mouthpiece extended, thereby stabilizing his "embouchure" - really amazing to hear 4 part brass lines from one player even if he only had to use three buttons per side at most.
I also wonder what the psychological pundits might have to say regarding these types of "oral fixations".
NYC based saxophonist Michael Blake plays soprano and tenor (the two horn thing) VERY well. If you haven't heard this guy, do a search on him, Ben Allison, Medicine Wheel, The Herbie Nichols Project, and the Jazz Composers Collective...
There is a guy here in Albuquerque who's got polio in his left hand and what he did was tape down the the upper stack keys. To get those note he just plays the harmonics and no octave key for the higher notes. He use the opposite of his elbow or upper left arm to play the palm keys. He just doesn't make sounds he can play just like a regular pro and you wouldnt know the difference. He also has a good solid tone out of his alto - which I think is a result of playing w/o the octave key. He also uses a TrueTone Buescher. So if this guy can do it - maybe you can tape your down the uper stack on the other horn as well
example
if anyone caught the performance on PBS a few weeks ago of Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, you may have gotten the chance to see Jeff Coffin bring the house down playing alto and tenor together.
Outstanding work, well worth seeing if you get the chance IMHO.
In an interview, someone asked Jeff:
WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND PLAYING TWO SAXES AT THE SAME TIME ?
He responded: Rahsaan Roland Kirk. It is my nod to him, a tribute of sorts, of the open page that music presents to each and every one of us at all times. If you try things and experiment with your instrument you will find many ways of doing things that seem far fetched to some.
Roland Kirk played three saxes at a time and would circular breathe while doing it! Now that's some imagination! fusion music.
Rashaan had auxillary keys on at least one or two of his horns and could play full range as a result while multisaxing it (how this is possible is beyond my understanding, but he did it). After his first stroke he was left with only one useable arm...He then could play one horn with only one hand better than most of us mortals can do with two-the same on flute...after his stroke, Emerson DeFord (Emersons were distributed by King then and Rashaan was a Big King endorser) designed a mechanism that could accomodated one handed playing....Rashaan was from another planet and was the coolest.
A think a guy in the band Bloodwin Pig (early 70's) used to play 2 saxes.
Grady Jackson played tenor and alto, on the Blacktop Recording Go Girl! by the Tri Saxual Soul Champs.
I've also seen Joey Stann play Baritone and Tenor together with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, many many moons ago, not sure if he still does it.
I have a close friend who has played tenor and trumpet at the same time. Doesn't really work and I've told him so, but he does get a sound out of both even if the trumpet tone is basically flatulent. ;-)
I was playing alto for about 6 months when I first heard Kirk's version of the Burt Bacharach classic 'Say a Little Prayer'. No understatement to say that the experience completely changed my ears forever. It wasn't just that he played several horns simultaneaously and well, or even the circular breathing, but also that he could take a cheesy pop tune like that and turn into it into a war cry. Important? IMHO, every bit as revolutionary as Bird and co's bebop.
1saxman, cheers for the tutorial and your extensive post. I always wanted to know how that was done.
Jay Leslie who plays with the Tokens (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) does an incredible job of handling 2 saxes at the same time during their live shoes. He told me he does this on a regular basis as part of their act.
Frankbiff-
The cat in Blodwyn Pig, (Mick Abraham's band after he left Jethro Tull for the unitiated), was Jack Lancaster, and indeed he played soprano and tenor at once from time time (upper stack work, but reasonably done).
A great tune from the first album (A Head Rings Out) with Jack just on soprano and Mick on Seven string (he says it's a 12 string with 5 strings missing)..is the great Blues in 7/4 called "Dear Jill". Later, he re-appeared on the second Mick Abrabams band LP (Never avaiable in the US) and did some fine arranging for several of the tunes and some fine rock playing.
Another Brit who played sop and tenor at once was Dick Heckstall-Smith of the band Coloseum (sp?) and later on Jack Bruce's album "Things We Like"...He, as well, was pretty good at upper stack doubling.
Playing 2 saxes at once goes way back, I had an uncle who played 2 saxes at once in vaudeville shows.
geez, I can barely handle one saxophone, much less two
as for dual trombone playing, I think it could be done with a chair, duct tape on ones shoes, and a little imagination
It would also probably be hilareous to watch.
The vaudeville connotation plagued Rashaan for his entire career. People would be so amazed by this big guy blowing Tenor, Stritch, and Manzello at once, they would forget to listen to how amazingly musical he was....
Just heard a live recording from the Keystone with Rashaan playing clarinet on the jitterbug waltz...what huge and beautiful sound he had on that instrument....!
Yah- Glad to see Kirk's supporters hijacking this thread!
People were aware of the vaudeville connotations of RRK's music, but those truly aware of their music history will also know that the whistles and shouting found in RRK's work is very much part of the jazz tradition and can be traced back almost to Storyville itself.
Are you really condemning all dual sax player because of one 2nd tenor player? And he is the only one you ever heard? That's really narrow minded don't you think?
You should check out Roy Haynes album 'Out of the Afternoon' with Roland Kirk on it . He plays a sax and a nose flute at the same time (this is really a flute you stick up your nose!) and makes some beautiful harmonies.
p.s. "USING CREATIVITY TO CAUSE CHAOS" now that's what I call art.
actually he used to play three saxes at the same time until he had a stroke and was paralyzed on one side. (then he cut down to only playing two at a time)
and did I mention he was blind as well.
I saw the saxplayer from Fernando Lamerinhas.
(Forgot the name, sorry)
He has plays soprano and alto.
I saw his soprano was altered so he could the complete register.
I'm pretty sure I remember seeing Roger Lewis (Dirty Dozen Brass Band) playing baritone and curved soprano together pretty effectively too.
Michael Blake uses key clamps on his soprano to change which notes are available to him.
How about a worldwide ban on goofs who think that they can go out and perform advanced extended techniques and be musical with it without hundreds of hours of practice.
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