Poll ......Which sax do you like in GJ

Jazzaferri

So Michael, did you tell me to bring me sax to DIJ just for the joy of thinking of me packing all the way there or?? :rofl:

Michael Bauer

Did I tell you that, Jay? Wow, I have to stop drinking!

Seriously, saxes are fine. I particularly love bari sax, but for some reason, I find saxes jarring in gypsy jazz. Nothing wrong with them, but they are just not to my taste in the genre. Now put in in some reggae or Stax Records stuff, and I am hooked!

GerrySax

I think they all sound great as long as they're played within the genre.

woodamand

I would have to go for clarinet, as you might imagine from my photo. I have played my alto in jam sessions and it was OK but didn't fit as well. Sopranos......I can only think of a couple of players that made them sound good, and the first was named Sidney and the last was named Bechet know what I mean?
OK I am kidding! If not the clarinet, you would think soprano I guess.

Bob Holo

Wim Glenn wrote: »

Can't stand soprano sax ... ... Often it sounds really out of tune, even when played by guys with years of experience. What's up with that?

I think I know what you're talking about... there's a stylistic thing in some old jazz where soprano sax players go after this edgy tone and lip the crap out of every note. Some violin players do this too - swishing around like an impressionist painter, never choosing a note and trying to get a very "hard" tone. I'm not a big fan of "impressionist jazz" or egregious crimes against intonation either. (lol)

But I assure you, it's absolutely possible to play a Soprano Sax with good tone and intonation. I did it for years in a (and I'm warning you in advance, haha - so don't judge me) a mod style funk jazz group. Honest to God. We wore a lot of rayon and played a lot of Weather Report. Hey, it was the thing to do. I still like that stuff, though I've played and heard enough of it for a lifetime. That, & Trad Jazz, & Big Band, & Arena Rock were my four musical food-groups as a kid. Man-perms & 80's big-hair happened. The first step to healing is admitting to it. ;-) Watch a little Ron Burgundy and do a little soul searching and you'll be fine...

But I digress... anyway, there's nothing wrong with the soprano sax. They can be made to sound obnoxious - and sometimes they are - but it's not the horn's fault. Here's what I consider to be a good Soprano sax tone. If you don't like this - then - you probably really don't like the Soprano sax.

Jazzaferri

Koen de Cauter does some really nice soprano sax with the Rosenberg trio as well as in his own bands.

Incredible musician. Sings, sax clarinet gypsy guitar. If I knew how to embed a YouTube link from my iPad I'd include it.

Jim Kaznosky

I play with a sax player weekly in a quartet in this style. It sure sounds good to me. We cut some tracks late summer and I'll have something to share soon.

pickitjohn

@Jazzaferri here you go...
Bossa Dorado ! Rosenberg - K De Cauter



Enjoy

>-

husy

My vote definitely goes to soprano sax for GJ, because, as others also pointed out, it has tonal qualities very similar to clarinet.

Also as an added benefit, GJ is one context where I can stop associating soprano sax with Kenny G and just enjoy it.

anthon_74

Soprano all the way. Otherwise it sounds like smooth Jazz.