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A Saxophonist's Library: The Essential Recordings

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Required Listening for Sax Students and Professionals

Here you will find choice recommendations on commercially-available recordings that feature the saxophone. Although typically thought of as a Jazz instrument, the saxophone has played a prominent role in all the popular American forms including Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Funk, and Hip Hop. We will also delve into less mainstream (though equally important) genres such as Classical, Avant-Garde, Free Improvisation, Jam, and others.

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[Photo credit - www.jazzlinks.net]

For Your Listening Pleasure...

Tonight's Set List

A short list of quick links to longer lists. It's kind of like a table, but it's more like a list...of contents.
  1. Jazz: America's Classical Music
  2. Soul: From Funk to R&B
  3. Popular: Top 40 Etc.
  4. Jam: Genre-Blending
  5. Classical: Solo Art
  6. Chamber: Small Group Conversations
  7. You Choose
  8. So, what do you think?!?
  9. Lists Of Lists
  10. Guest List

Jazz: America's Classical Music

"I'll play it first and tell you what it is later." - Miles Davis

Soul: From Funk to R&B

"I taught them everything they know...

...but not everything I know." - James Brown

Popular: Top 40 Etc.

"Do I listen to pop music because I'm miserable...

...or am I miserable because listen to pop music?" - John Cusack

Jam: Genre-Blending

"We are a band that jams, instead of a jam band." - Gregg Allman

"The simple truth is that there is no jam band that has a song comparable to any Springsteen concert standard." - Adam Gold

Classical: Solo Art

Chamber: Small Group Conversations

You Choose

Decision '08

This is *YOUR* list!

Move these titles up and down as you see fit. Or add another title to mix it up, and make your contribution to "The People's" list today!

A Love Supreme

A Love Supreme

A Love Supreme is a suite about redemption, a work more...2 points

Kind of Blue

Kind of Blue

This is the one jazz record owned by people who do more...1 point

Crash

Crash

It's tempting to label the Dave Matthews Band as torchbearers more...1 point

Shine

Shine

Smooth jazz star Boney James's first album for Con more...1 point

Candy Store

Candy Store

Dutch-born saxophonist Candy Dulfer has been mesme more...1 point

Saxophone Colossus

Saxophone Colossus

Though he lacked the improvisational fire of John Coltrane more...0 points

Dark Side Of The Moon

Dark Side Of The Moon

Dark Side of the Moon, originally released in 1973, more...0 points

Breathless

Breathless

Like its predecessors, Kenny G's latest album, Bre more...0 points

Philip Glass : Saxophone

Philip Glass : Saxophone

This is the fourth CD from the archive and studio of more...0 points

So, what do you think?!?

Saxophone Opinion Poll

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Lists Of Lists

Saxophone Recordings Recommended By Other Experts

John Laughter
History of Top 40 Sax Solos.
Tim McAllister
Classical list broken down by category - Solo, Quartet, and Large Ensemble.
Bret Pimentel
Nice commentary on various Classical discs plus a bonus section entitled "Unusual Saxophones and Techniques."
Skip Spratt
Great CD reviews and transcriptions of various Pop & Jazz Solos.
Listmania!
A frenzy of lists at Amazon.com

Guest List

"Umm...I'm like...with the band."

Comments. Concerns. Confessions. Caveats. Critiques. Questions. Declarations. Disagreements. Intimations. Proclamations. Recommendations. Rebuttals. Rants. Raves. Reviews.

  • jjaysmoker Dec 9, 2010 @ 7:09 pm | delete
    I like the simple design of this lens, easy to digest, and to the point. I agree Kenny G should be in this lens, in that you should know ,how not to play. though ole Kenny has managed to sell a heck of a lot of records over the years , there is something to be said for that. but his brand of fuzak is not my cup of tea
  • jeff coffin Mar 16, 2008 @ 11:49 am | delete
    this has GOT to be at the top of the list. i cannot imagine how anyone could put kenny G above Coltrane. not to dis kenny - i feel he is doing what he believes in but as far as an artistic and musical statement he's not even in the same book, never mind the same page...

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Wilton_Elder

Wilton Elder has shared the stage with a wide range of popular artists including Marshall Tucker Band, Will Hoge, Soulive, Col. Bruce Hampton, Charlie... more »

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