Perhaps it's been exposed too much, but Paul Desmond on "Take Five" defined a style. No alto player since has dared use those hard reeds and dry tone. To me, it's the definition of how jazz alto should sound. Of course, Pauls discography is a treasure trove of great sax.
Dave |
Here are a few more.
Sonny Rollins with Elvin Jones and others,in a Live Village Vanguard recording of "Four".
John Coltrane playing soprano sax on "My Favorite Things." |
For me, Don Byrd's BLUE NOTE Lp Title, "Free Form".....credits W. Shorter as writer, of its Best tunes. This performance captures a period of Post-Bop with EACH tunes' feel. The resulting Aesthetic, owes its compelling affect, to an uncommonly powerful emotional release.....scarcely matched elsewhere in Shorter's recorded archives... On side II -- Shorter's "French Spice" The intense anguish, the single notes that soar, with a longing, of DESPERATION......some notes in this solo....to me, it's as if his reed is going to snap...emotional involvment asked of the listener, is more
than some listener's CAN give..... |
Tom Scott "DESIRE" every tune on this album was amazing.If you like the sax you have to check it out. |
Let's not pass over Paul Desmond who penned "Take Five" and forever changed the perception of jazz for all time. As well as Gerry Mulligan and Pepper Adams on the Baritone and the very often over looked Hank Mobley, but a true giant on the sax. And the great Chicago southside tenor that was Sonny Stitt. |
Kenny Garrett with Miles Davis in PARIS,(I think it was Paris.) |
Thanks Dave, will be digging a few of those out, (probably start w/ Vandermark)... Kurt McGettrick (RIP) We Are Not Alone from Zappa's Man From Utopia is big old barrel of baritone sax goodness. |
A few...
Coltrane - Blue Train, Love Supreme, all Giant Steps, etc...
Johnny Hodges - I Don't Know About You/Blues A Plenty
Johnny Griffin - The Way You Look Tonight/Blowing Session, all on Monk's Misteroso
Cannonball Adderly - Autumn Leaves/Somethin' Else
Ben Webster - Chelsea Bridge with Mulligan, Danny Boy & Tenderly/King of the Tenors
Eric Dolphy - On Green Dolphin Street + more on Outward Bound & Out There
Joe Henderson - Inner Urge
Getz - Body & Soul, These Foolish Things, All Things You Are, Detour Ahead, all Gilberto
Sonny Rollins - St. Thomas & You Don't Know What Love is, Sax Colossus
Charlie Parker - any - maybe the best, even at his worst
Joshua Redman - entire Disc 1, Spirit of the Moment Live
James Carter - entire The Real Quietstorm & most of JC on Set
Ken Vandermark - Outside Ticket/Elements of Style
Eric Dolphy, lots of stuff on Outward Bound & Out There
Booker Ervin - lots on Exhultation and Freedom Book |
Thats one of the coolest ever recording period...those were the days. |
John Almond's solo on John Mayall's "The Turning Point" album-you have to hear his solo on the first cut which is "California".-Mrmitch |
Chris potters got to be my favorite new young cat on the jazz seen! |
Michael Nyman- Saxophone Concerto. |
Lots of good solos mentioned. My champion soloist is without a doubt John Coltrane BUT I want to mention one that I go back to time and again for the sheer wonder and awe. An album named "CONFLUENCE" by Gato Barbieri and Dollar Brand(Abdullah Ibrahim)from 1970 on Arista Records. Not at all for the faint of heart and at the same time cathartic, spiritual and uplifting. The cut I speak of is "The Aloe And The Wildrose" which at 14:20 is a journey to parts exotic and back. Abdullah's piano is also a lost wonder. I'm curious how many others know this piece of music? Go ahead, a little adventure is good for the spirit. |
Charles Lloyd - almost anything - my favorit is "Tales of Rumi" from Canto. |
80's pop. 'Will you'- Hazel O'connor. |
pete christliebs solo on deacon blues(aja,steelydan). |
Morphine's Dana Colley
RIP Mr.Sandman...
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Great thread. I've been banging my head all day thinking of additions from some of the great jazz LP's of all time. Then I decided to stay away from mentioning solos from any jazz pieces and concentrate on sax solos in other genres. There are simply too many great solos in jazz to even try to pick a half dozen or so to list here. Besides, is it really a solo when it's part of a lengthy improvisation? (Don't answer that). Then I came back to the thread to see what was up and I saw Steveaustin's posting of the Handy solo on "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and I chucked my whole approach. That solo KILLS me. I can still remember the first time I heard it--my roommate in England played it one morning and I ended up late for work because I had to hear it like 15 times before I could leave the house. Sorry about the ramble... |
I like the baritone sax solo in the metro in the movie 'Subway', called 'Song to Xavier'. Think it was played by Alain Guillard. Don't know if it was composed by Eric Serra - the person who scored the movie. |
Nice thread.
Lots of faves. Here's a few:
•Joe Henderson - on "Song for my Father", Horace Silver-Song for my Father
•John Coltrane - on "Naima", John Coltrane-Giant Steps
•David Murray - on "Ming", World Saxophone Quartet-Revue
•James Carter - on "Chasin' the Gypsy", James Carter-Chasin' the Gypsy
•Cannonball Adderley - on "Blue in Green", Miles Davis-Kind of Blue
•John Zorn - on "Beeroth", Masada - Live in Sevilla 2000
•Michael Brecker - on "Choices", Michael Brecker-Michael Brecker
•Pharoah Sanders - on "The Creator Has a Master Plan", Pharoah Sanders-Karma
•Art Pepper - on "Straight Life", Art Pepper-Straight Life
•Charlie Parker - "Salt Peanuts", Charlie Parker-The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever |
King Curtis packed more emotion into Soul Serenade and Midnight Blue than anything I had ever heard. Made it cry, scream and moan. |
Coltrane has a lock on the greatest (in my opinion), but if you're looking for a solo that stands out both musically and sonically, try Joe Henderson's amazing opening to "Ask Me Now" on MyCoy Tyner's "New York Reunion" CD (Chesky JD51). All alone, Joe opens the cut -- for a few minutes, it's only his sax, sometimes subtly teasing, sometimes fiercely punching. |
John Handy's solo on Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" (the version on Mingus Ah Um)- *beautiful*. |
I would second "Doctor Wu" and add Clarence Clemons solo from "Independence Day" on The River. Real simple, just moves me. |
Mentioning anything called a "solo" likely means an inferior sax player of "Yakety Sax" quality. |
Clarence Clemons on Jungleland. But maybe that's just because I went to a Bruce Springsteen concert last night. By tomorrow, it will probably be back to Coleman Hawkins' Body and Soul. |
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Young michael brecker on don grolnicks four sleepers(hearts and numbers cd).So many!!! |
The best I have heard is Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane play So What on Miles Davis-Kind of Blue.(breath- taking) |
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Coleman Hawkins - Body and Soul
Dick Parry on Us and Them - Pink Floyd DSOM |
I can't name just one. There are dozens. Depends on what mood I'm in. But here's a few:
Sonny Rollins - Blue 7, St. Thomas
Ben Webster - That's All, Tenderly
Charlie Parker - Embraceable You, Now's the Time
Coleman Hawkins - Body and Soul
Stan Getz - Desafinado
Paul Desmond - Concierto de Aranjuez
Cannonball Adderley - Waltz for Debbie |
Michael Brecker's solo on Michael Frank's "Doctor Sax"
Danlib 1: Good call on Phil Woods!
Wayne Shorter's solo on the Dan's "AJA" title cut. |
Dunno if you can consider it a solo since it is part of the main melody line, but I can never get Raphael Ravenscroft's sax line in Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street out of my head. |
Junior Walker's awesome solo on "Urgent" by Foreigner still gives me chills. |
So many to name, but as shallow as it sounds, one always comes to mind first: Phil Woods on Steely Dan's Katy Lied, Doctor Wu. |
Branford Marsellis - Night In Barkley Square from Harry Connick, Jr. - We Are In Love Album |
The Big Man of the E Street Band on "Trapped" |
