Results for "Saxophone"

Bobby Zankel

Born: December 21, 1949

Writing in the Boston Phoenix, author Norman Weinstein (A Night in Tunisia) declared that “Bobby Zankel deserves any Talent Deserving Wider Recognition Award that the jazz press might offer”.

In reviewing Emerging From The Earth, Jazz Times wrote,” He’s headed to status as a prime jazz innovator.” But who is Bobby Zankel, and where has he been? The Brooklyn-born composer/saxophonist first began attracting attention in the early 70’s for his work with Cecil Taylor’s “Unit Core Ensemble” (Downbeat 9/71) as a “skillful young altoist with a powerful music at his fingertips”. His underground reputation grew on the New York “Loft Scene”, where he performed with the likes of Ray Anderson, William Parker, and Sunny Murray and where he continued his apprenticeship with Taylor.

Lester Young

Born: August 27, 1909

Lester "Prez" Young was one of the giants of the tenor saxophone. He was the greatest improviser between Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong of the 1920s and Charlie Parker in the 1940s. From the beginning, he set out to be different: He had his own lingo; In the Forties, he grew his hair out. The other tenor players held their saxophones upright in front of them, so Young held his out to the side, kind of like a flute (see picture above). Then, there was the way he played: Hawkins played around harmonic runs. He played flurries of notes and had a HUGE tone that the other tenor players of the day emulated. Young used a softer tone that resulted In a soft, light sound (if you didn't know better, you would think the two were playing different instruments). Young used less notes and slurred notes together, creating more melodic solos. He played the ordinary in an extraordinary way, using a lot of subtleties to produce music that Billie Holiday said flips you out of your seat with surprise.

George Young

Born: November 6, 1947

George Young is one of the most frequently heard musicians of our time. Young plays over ten instruments, including Tenor, Alto, Soprano, Sopranino Saxophones, Clarinet, Alto flute, C flute, East Indian ethnic flutes and Piccolo. George has played with Eric Clapton, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Pavarotti, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, James Brown, Frank Sinatra, Madonna, Dizziy Gillespie, Sony & Cher, Tony Bennett, and the list goes on. Read more » Young has contributed to many television and motion-picture soundtracks, including Miller's Crossing, My Blue Heaven, My Name is Earl, Naked Gun 2 1/2, New York, New York, The Simpsons ('03/'04 Season), Sleepless In Seattle, Tootsie, Working Girl, You've Got Mail, Adam Sandler's 8 Crazy Nights, Animal House, Brighton Beach Memoirs, A Chorus Line, Fame, GI Joe The Movie, Ghostbusters, Great Mouse Detective (Walt Disney Pictures), Hair, Meet Joe Black, The Object of My Affection, All that Jazz, Silent Movie, When Harry Met Sally, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and more

Rickey Woodard

Born: August 5, 1950

Rickey Woodard was born in Nashville where he played in a family band with his brothers and sisters, playing Blues and R’n'B around the Nashville area. At an early age, Rickey came up listening to such greats as Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt. Rickey’s favorite saxophone players are Hank Mobley and George Coleman, two of the all-time great players.

After leaving Nashville, Rickey went to California and joined the Ray Charles Band where he was a member for eight years. After that, Rickey decided to pursue a solo career and recorded both as a leader and as a sideman for Concord Records.

Paul Winter

Born: August 31, 1939

Paul Winter’s musical realm has long embraced the traditions of the world’s cultures, as well as the extraordinary voices of what he refers to as “the greater symphony of the Earth.” His concert tours and recording expeditions have taken him to 52 countries and to wilderness areas on six continents, into which he has traveled on rafts, mules, dog sleds, horses, kayaks, sailboats, steamers, tug-boats and Land Rovers. Paul’s journey started in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he began playing drums, piano and clarinet after the age of five, and then fell in love with saxophone in the fourth grade

Willie Williams

Steve Williamson

Born: June 28, 1964

Kirk Whalum

Born: July 11, 1958

Johannesburg is a long way from Kirk’s hometown of Memphis, TN. Having grown up a "pastor’s kid," it’s not surprising to learn that Kirk’s warm, melodic sound was birthed in the Baptist church. Born into a musical family, Kirk first expressed his interest in music on the drums, switching to saxophone in Jr. High School when he was "impressed" with the shininess of the sax. Kirk began playing local functions and clubs while still in high school. A music scholarship brought him to Texas Southern University in Houston, beginning his road to musical maturity. "I became enthralled by the "Texas Tenor" sound and was able to spend many years gleaning from Arnett Cobb one of the fathers of that "big" Texas sound." Having built a steady following as a sideman in some of Houston’s top jazz clubs, 1980 saw Kirk stepping out in faith and starting his own band. "Houston was such a cool music town in the early ‘80s

Jerry Weldon

Internationally renowned veteran sax man Jerry Weldon, has been a player on the jazz scene for more than 35 years. With eight CD’s as a leader and more sideman sides than even he can count…or remember, this native New Yorker’s performance/recording résumé reflects his venerable tenor tenure and reads like a virtual "Who's Who of Jazz." After graduating from Rutgers University Jazz Studies Program in 1981, Jerry joined the legendary Lionel Hampton Orchestra and continued his association with Hamp into the new millennium. Next came a long, rewarding stint with master organist Jack McDuff & his "Heatin' System." Additionally Jerry has worked with organists Jimmy McGriff, Joey DeFrancesco, Bobby Forrester, Dr

Walt Weiskopf

Born: 1960

Saxophonist, composer and author Walt Weiskopf began his New York career performing with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1981 at the age of 21. Since then, he has made an impressive mark as both a leader and sideman with 20 critically-acclaimed CDs and countless sideman credits, including performing and recording with Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs and Michael McDonald. A dynamic player with enormous technical prowess, Walt is equally well regarded as a composer. His recordings as leader contain predominantly original work with unique interpretations of standards always in the mix