Even so, while his music always looked forward, Blythe never lost sight of the traditions of the best jazz saxophonists before him. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the lead single, "Don't Make Me Wait for Love", featuring Lenny Williams on lead vocals, went to No. He understood Monks music so perfectly. it would be worse if everyone had the same opinion I believe. Placement of the musicians will always be a never ending disagreement. Featured prominently on nearly every significant jazz album from the late 60s through the 70s Miles Davis, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Woody Shaw, and Herbie Hancock among others. Kenny G is a great sax player. This Kansas City altoist was one of the principal architects of the post-war jazz revolution known as bebop, which emerged in New York in the mid-40s and would shape the trajectory of the genre for years to come. Its status as one of the genres most important instruments is undisputed; even the most cursory glance at the list of musicians hailed as the best jazz saxophonists of all time is essentially a list of the most famous saxophone players ever. What is wrong with the world. He played on Miles Davis iconic modal jazz manifesto Kind Of Blue in 1959, but thereafter became a purveyor of soul jazz. [39] Reaching 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song was his first entry on the chart since 2000 and resulted in his becoming one of just five artistsalongside Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2 and "Weird Al" Yankovicto have appeared in the top 40 every decade from the 1980s to the 2010s. ", "The State of Jazz: Meet 40 More Jersey Greats", "Jazz Setlist, May 31-June 8: The Unfestive Alley", "A Young Jazz Singer Reminds Her Elders How It Was Done", "Kenny Garrett 1996 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Kenny Garrett 1997 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Kenny Garrett 1998 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Kenny Garrett 1999 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Four Nonesuch Albums Nominated for 2006 Grammy Awards", "Kenny Garrett 2009 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Kenny Garrett 2010 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Kenny Garrett 2012 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Kenny Garrett 2013 DownBeat Readers Poll Win", "Marsalis, Krall, Corea Among DownBeat Readers Poll Winners", "Shorter, Salvant and Benson Among DownBeat Readers Poll Winners", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenny_Garrett&oldid=1139474416, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Best International Jazz Saxophone Performance, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 09:31. You know, Moody wasnt bad either. The documentary also asks bigger questions outside of music. 0 Replies 1 Participant Lloyd began his solo career at the same time, and his absorption of rock elements helped his music go down well with a wider audience. 5 on R&B/Hip-Hop songs. When you hear the words, easy listening, it almost sounds bad, he says. Soon after, he made his first recordings and caught the ear with his reedy soprano blowing, which had a tremulous vibrato and emotional intensity. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); About Us Contributors Terms of Service Privacy Policy 2023 uDiscover Music, William P Gottlieb/Ira and Leonore S Gershwin Fund Collection, Music Division, Library Of Congress, Pepper Adams, Baritone Sax & Clark Terry - "Straight, No Chaser" (T. Monk), TV, Sweden, Aug. 1978, Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Volunteered Slavery (Montreux 1972), Arthur Blythe Trio - Chivas Jazz Festival 2003 #7, Out To Lunch (Remastered 1998/Rudy Van Gelder Edition), Dig Dis (Remastered 1999/Rudy Van Gelder Edition), Artemis Honors Wayne Shorter With Stunning New Version Of Penelope, Watch Ella Fitzgerald Weave Vocal Magic On Perdido From Ed Sullivan Show, The Incredible And Influential Jimmy Smith, Norman Granz: The Man Who Helped Create The Music Biz, No Doubt, Beastie Boys, And Aqua: Currently Trending Songs, Fancy: Behind Bobbie Gentrys Womens Lib Statement, Best Blue Note Album Covers: 20 Groundbreaking Artworks. The fit and finish are good quality. [40][41], In October 2020, the Weeknd released a remix of the popular song In Your Eyes featuring Kenny G.[42], Kenny G contributed to the soundtrack of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in 2021 with his covers of "My Heart Will Go On" as well as "Gary's Song", which had been written for the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Have You Seen This Snail? As verified by Chris Porter, who was the engineer on the session, 10 different sax players tried to do the solo before Gregory came up with the sound Michael was looking for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa99q-vq4bI&list=OLAK5uy_k7M-0PcT5vtPSusxNDlUYOkkVOJEwZ5vM&index=10. Stupid lists, I agreeee ! [1] His 1986 album Duotones brought him commercial success. Towards the end of his life, he made records with more a straight-ahead jazz feel. At the Playboy Jazz Festival in Chicagos Soldiers Field, I witnessed people by the thousands heading for the exits during the Coltrane set. He had more influence on more He was great on both saxophone and clarinet! Glad to see Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter on the list, as they dont get enough acclaim. decent list, but Coltrane should be number 1. and Hawkins higher then Getz. Pat Metheny is going to criticize his intonation. Sam Butera is always under rated except by the people in Las Vegas where Louis Prima and Sam Butera had the hottest act on the strip, even way ahead of Wayne Newton. Otherwise, I take lists as what they are, subjective however knowledgeable, and there are probably no absolutes even if we are all passionate in our tastes. They should definitely expand this list to TOP 100! An adherent of hard bop but with a style packed with blues feeling, Ammons was a prolific recording artist who embraced funkified soul-jazz in the 70s. "[58], Kenny G plays the Selmer Mark VI soprano, alto and tenor saxophones. I think that Boots Randolph should be on the list. Gerry Mulligan is top 20 material, surely. 7 on the Hot 100. Good additions. Peter Brtzmann? His skill and touch have earned him rarefied air. [60] He married Lyndie Benson in 1992, and the couple had two sons: Max and Noah. Top rankings are just STUPID! Kenny G posted Twitter images of his visit to the site of the 2014 Hong Kong protests, which the PRC government has declared illegal, saying, "I wish everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation". An acolyte of John Coltrane (with whom he played between 1965 and 67), tenor/soprano saxophonist and flutist Sanders helped to bring both a cosmic and deep spiritual vibe to jazz in the late 60s and early 70s. I would have put Gerry Mulligan at LEAST in the top 10. If youd like to add to your jazz collection, head over to the Jazz Center Stage store today for the latest vinyl, CD and jazz merch. His music has been described as bland and soporific like an aural hit of Ambien. ANDY KLAEHN from my hometown of Kitchener Waterloo, Ontario??!! If we go by that standard, Kenny G just might be a maestro. A Warner Bros. Sonny Stitt and Tubby Hayes were absolute prodigies; nobody, but nobody, played the instrument better. That is the beauty of this music. Kenni is also featured with Prince's horn section called "The HornHeads" who have toured throughout the United States and Europe since 1992. His big break came when he joined Ray Charles band in 1958 (where he originally played baritone sax), which helped to launch his solo career at Atlantic Records. Didnt see earlier, 15 to 20 of them dont belong on the list. Good to see Hank Mobley on list. So all of you are right. All 3 were very unique, avant-guarde musicians and saxophonists who changed and expanded the role of jazz sax. It explores racial prejudice and the art vs. commerce debate, and offers some lessons on what it takes for someone to be successful in any field. Even among the best jazz saxophonists, few could play as soulfully as Stanley Turrentine. [2], Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington to a Jewish family. Charlie Parker talked about Frank Trumbauer being an inspiration. Despite holding the Guinness World Record for best-selling jazz artist, the saxophonist Kenneth Gorelick, who goes by the stage name Kenny G, may be better known as a punchline than as a. As the film makes clear, the debate over what constitutes true jazz is as old as jazz itself. Check out the new song from the 65-year-old, Seattle-born musician below. Mark VI saxophones are still widely circulated due to the sheer number that were created, but the price has been greatly driven up, with . He began playing the alto saxophone when he was 10 and then the soprano sax in high school. [9], Garrett has been a resident of Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Eddie Harris. I saw him play in Kitchener, Ontario in the 1970s. Great to see Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin and Jackie McLean so highly thought of (3 of my particular favourites often overlooked). His rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" was, at the time of charting, popularized by the then-upcoming New Year celebration for 2000. While Kenny G surely has great technical ability, calling him the best saxophonist ever is highly debatable. [2], Garrett joined the "Five Peace Band" of Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride and Brian Blade/Vinnie Colaiuta around 2008. WALT GROCE He worked with some of the most well-known names in the industry including Charlie Parker. He gave his life for music, and influenced countless younger sax players. uDiscover Music celebrates the 50 best jazz saxophonists of all time. They [critics] think I just decided to play these songs because I knew they would sell well. The Philly-born tenorist made his mark with Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers in the late 50s, and, as well as being noted for his sublime, hard bop-inflected playing, he was a fine composer, responsible for the classic tunes I Remember Clifford, Killer Joe and Along Came Betty.. 8:33 AM EST, Sun December 5, 2021. "[52], Kenny G's 1999 single "What a Wonderful World" was particularly criticized for its overdubbing of Louis Armstrong's recording of the same song. Amusingly, Desmond once likened his saxophone sound to a dry martini. At the end of the scene Kenny G appears as a janitor. Kenny "International" Walker has played all over the world, . During this time, he collaborated with musician, singer, songwriter, and producer Kashif on many tracks, including the 1985 single "Love on the Rise". [69] He is a member of Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California. Kenny G (born 1956) is an amazing saxophonist. His most recent release was the album Brazilian Nights, which he released in 2015. Jacquets rambunctious wild solo on Hamptons Flying Home is widely perceived as representing the first manifestation on record of what would develop into rhythmnblues. It's . Phil Woods missing? His 1939 recording of Body And Soul, with an extended solo that improvised on, around and beyond the songs main melody, was a game-changer that opened the door for musicians such as Charlie Parker. Given his technical skill, the emotional depth of his playing, and his importance in the early development of jazz, Sidney Bechet should definitely be nearer to the top, perhaps in the top ten. From Woodville, Mississippi, Young a hipster who spoke in his own jazz speak argot rose to prominence during the swing era of the 30s, playing with Count Basie and Fletcher Henderson. But it was altoist Charlie Parker who made the biggest impact with a technically challenging and harmonically progressive new form of jazz called bebop, in the mid-40s. Become a member. His alluring, beautifully lyrical tone, combined with his velvet-smooth, effortless style la Lester Young earned him the nickname The Sound. [2] Garrett's music sometimes exhibits Asian influences, an aspect which is especially prevalent in his 2006 Grammy-nominated recording Beyond the Wall. QUIEN HIZO ESTE RANKING?.ACEPTO QUE ES CUESTIN DE GUSTOS, PERO ESTO ES DEMASISDO, FALTABA KENNY G. I agree that number 25 is much to low a ranking for Sidney Bechet. Read my reply to Charles Drago, although I cannot see it has been sent. Let's see if you think I'm getting close. In terms of virtuosity? Herschel Evans? When he left, my wife turned to me and said: Its him (referring to Trane) or me. She headed for the exit, followed shortly afterwards by me (it was just as well during another Archie Shepp sonic assault.).. Dec. 26, 2022 at 6:00 am. Kenni Holmen SOPRANO / TENOR SAXOPHONE. I could easily list 100 musicians and artist with perfect technical skills that make absolutely terrible art. . Im sure I heard of a lot of Kenny Gs music while waiting for something, Ratcliff says, referring to the piped-in music he hears in stores or during visits to his bank. Though he was associated with big-band swing, Hawkins played in more of a bop style from the mid-40s onwards. Especially the likes of Henderson and McClean. Thats where the curators step in to validate or invalidate the taste of what we consider art left in our mouths and minds. Not a big fan of Pepper Adams; and Brubeck shouldnt Have got top billing to Desmond. [71] He was also an early investor in the Starbucks coffee house chain. King. Not only is he a great player but also a great organiser. 2) STRAIGHT LIFE-Art Pepper. you guys are all old timers. This eminent Norwegian composer and saxophonist (whos a master of both the tenor and soprano varieties of sax) has enjoyed a long and fecund association with the ECM label, where hes been since 1970. as Elvin once told me. Every note in his solo is perfectly placed!! Kenny G performs on January 14, 2014, at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City. [21], Kenny G's second holiday album, Faith, is the best selling holiday album of 1999 in the United States selling 2 million units according to Nielsen/SoundScan. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Despite regretting that Rouse is not there (and glad to see I am not alone with this), I was very happy to see Griffin rate so well, and even more Hank Mobley. 27 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, and "By the Time This Night Is Over", a collaboration with Peabo Bryson, peaked at No. I agree with a lot of the choices, But you missed on of the greatest and that is KING CURTIS. I remember transcribing and playing WINELIGHT as well as the saxophone solo. John Carter? Biography [ edit] It's a completely different audience. One mans Kenny G is another womans, John Coltrane. One of three noted jazz musician siblings (his brothers are drummer Percy and bassist Albert Heath), this Philly saxophonist started his career in the 40s and switched from alto to tenor sax to try and avoid comparisons with fellow bebopper Charlie Parker (Heath was dubbed Little Bird for a time). Weezer Team Up With Kenny G, Chamillionaire, Sara Bareilles, Weezer Breaks Out Rolodex, Brings Kenny G., Chamillionaire, and Sara Bareilles To AOL Session, "Kenny G & Sandy Kovach Orlando's Smooth Jazz", "China furious after Kenny G appears to back Hong Kong protesters", "Kenny G angers China with 'Occupy' Hong Kong visit CNN", "Tweets in Hong Kong Put Kenny G in Jam With Communist Party", "Netflix and Chill With a Michael Bolton Valentine's Day Special", "Wayne Brady vs. Jake Owen and Kenny G vs. Richard Marx", "Kenny G Explains How He Made It Onto Kanye West's New Album", "Thanks to Kanye, Kenny G Is Just the Fifth Act With Hot 100 Top 40 Hits in Each of the Last Four Decades", "All 11 Songs From Kanye West's 'Jesus Is King' Album Debut on Hot 100", "Kenny G Talks Working with the Weeknd, and Becoming Cool, 40 Years into His Career", "The Iconic Kenny G Plays Sax on Nightmarish New Death Metal Song", "Watch smooth jazz star Kenny G play metal with Imperial Triumphant", "Jazz legend Kenny G plays sax on new experimental death metal song", "China Embraces Kenny G's 'Going Home' as Its Anthem to Go Home", "China Says Goodbye in the Key of G: Kenny G", "Penny Lane Tunes Up 'Listening to Kenny G' Doc at Toronto Festival", "Washington, Marriage Records, 1854-2013", "Malibu clothing line Bleusalt started with a beach hoodie and quickly grew with the help of a few celebrities", "Irena Medavoy Reveals How Hollywood Does a Whirlwind East Coast College Tour | Hollywood Reporter", "Lyndie Benson of Bleusalt Found Her Mojo at MidlifeHere's How", "Kenny G's wife files for legal separation", "Kenny G Files for Divorce After 20 Years of Marriage", Business | Mccaw Buys Kenny G's Hunts Point House | Seattle Times Newspaper, "Girl hurt by item cast from Kenny G's home", "Kenny G hits the right notes on the golf course, too", "Kenny G to perform Hanukkah song in concert", Kenny G on His Best-Selling Christmas Album: "But I'm Jewish!" Coltrane rose to fame with Miles Davis group during the mid-to-late 50s, while enjoying a parallel solo career that eventually produced A Love Supreme, one of the most iconic jazz albums of all time. The mixes went to No.1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart in April 1997. Jazz singer and trumpeter Louis Armstrong poses for a 1970 portrait in London. Tim Moher from my home town of Kitchener, Ontario? [70], Kenny G is an aircraft pilot and has a De Havilland Beaver seaplane which he flies regularly. Not fitting of Memphis jazz clubs, but yes he is still of the greatest jazz sax players ever. Famed for his staccato honking sound and catchy riffs, Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet was an alto player from Louisiana who was raised in Texas and then moved to LA. Kenny G has collaborated with a wide variety of artists, such as Andrea Bocelli,[15] Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince,[16] Natalie Cole,[17] Steve Miller,[18] Weezer, Dudley Moore, Lee Ritenour, The Rippingtons, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra, Bebel Gilberto, and Smokey Robinson. Its in that spirit I chimed in on the piano list earlier. Some dismiss that sound as easy listening, but Kenny G seems nonplussed by the label. Mulligans resonant baritone sax appeared on countless recording sessions during his long and fertile career, including those by Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, and Dave Brubeck. You guess ehich ones are wrong. EXCEPTIONAL TECHNIQUE!!! After all that self-righteous rhetoric, I think Don Byas and Lucky Thompson should be on the list or expand it!!! From the 70s onwards, Barbieri leaned towards smooth jazz settings for his music, though his brooding tenor saxophone never lost its visceral intensity. The sound of Kenny G's saxophone is as iconic as his curly coif; indeed, both are instantly recognizable. [14] The album went on to sell five million copies in the US alone and increased his profile worldwide as a result. Bullshit list and chronologically provincial. 2006 saw the release of Kenny G's eleventh studio album I'm in the Mood for LoveThe Most Romantic Melodies of All Time featuring renditions of The Beatles's songs, the love theme from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Secret Garden's hit song "You Raise Me Up", and James Blunt's "You're Beautiful", as well as the Chinese ballad "The Moon Represents My Heart". Log In. Just for her solo on Its as if youd been There, she ought to be top of ANYONES list. However, that reputation surely comes from the fact Kenny earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. [10] His debut studio album, Kenny G, was recorded in 1981 with members of the Jeff Lorber Fusion, and released in the following year. Everyone has there personal favorites of course, but if you truly know jazz, than this list is the Canon of Sax platers. [24], In October 2009, Kenny G appeared with the band Weezer in an AOL promotion of their album Raditude by soloing during "I'm Your Daddy". Lets translate the title: the 50 best who took advantage of the US publicity machine, thus leaving out many deserving players elsewhere, thus a jive endeavor although it got me thinking about the Bird: what did he have that other 49 didnt? Read my comment up above Bill! He's got a very particular sound,and it was a challenge to try and get that sound on my soprano. Absolutely false. He is also playing at THE JAZZ ROOM in Waterloo, Ontario in early February of 2020 (The group is called THE CLIFFS OF MOHER). The shrieking and screaming was as piercing and insane as anything I had heard. How about this, how about: Kenny G, This Guy Really Blows!. Anthony Braxton? All thinking, caring lovers of jazz are obliged to boycott these ludicrous lists paeans to the eviscerated, lobotomized American pop culture that jazz exposes and refutes. I know some say hes not jazz. Published But the painful ugliness of the sound he made on 4 different occasions was enough to detract from the beauties of A Love Supreme, the ingenious harmonic revisions of Giant Steps, and the multiphonics in the cadenza of his favorite tune, I Want to Talk About You (played on practically every Coltrane session I attended). [5], Kenny G's career started with a job as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973, when he was 17 and still in high school. Desmond!Best Alto players! His canny deflections of his detractors take the film in unexpected directions. Only members can comment. Are you talking about (and related to) Grover Washington, Jr? The film suggests that Kenny G, who just released his first album in six years, is not only unappreciated but a groundbreaking artist who pursues perfection and innovation in his own sweet way. Also believe Michael Brecker should be higher, for sure. 17 1994", "Dance/Club Play Songs Week of April 26, 1997", "Anne Gearan. Here is Tim playing in a duo with BRAD MOGGACH. Rouse used the whole range of the tenor from the bottom up, well into the altissimo. It cant simply be that millions of people are just stupid and Pat Metheny is the smart one, says Jason King, a musician and scholar at New York University. Johnny Griffin? Joshua Redman I personally thank your father for his innovation and influence, and Im pretty sure HE had some Coltrane influence (I hear it in his riffs) and took it to a different place. Harry Carney? Originally from Ohio, Henderson first made his mark as an exponent of hard bop at Blue Note in the early 60s, and also recorded with Horace Silver (its Hendersons solo you can hear on Silvers Song For My Father). This North Carolinian, Charlie Parker-influenced tenorist started to make his mark in the 50s, where his bluesy, soulful, and increasingly funkified hard bop style resulted in a slew of notable LPs for the Blue Note label. future saxophonist than any of the 50 listed. Wayne Shorter, Pepper and Cannonball should be higher up. The great jazz drummer Art Blakely once said that jazz washes away the dust of everyday life.. This Ohio free jazz and avant-garde saxophonist (who played the tenor, alto, and soprano varieties) didnt live to see his 35th birthday, but today, almost 50 years after his death, his music and influence still casts a huge shadow in jazz. ALISON YOUNG and COLEEN ALLEN from Ontario, Canada. Kenny G has been playing the saxophone for over 40 years. [6] Also in 2012, Grammy nominations for Seeds from the Underground followed in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo categories,[4] and Seeds From The Underground received a NAACP Image Award nomination in the Outstanding Jazz Album category. His mother was a Canadian Jew from Saskatchewan, Canada. as Uncle Kenny. And, if you want to hear him get away from his cutting / reedy / bright timbre that I love, listen to his subtone on When Sunny Gets Blue for a change-up. He stayed with Miles Davis until 1970 and became a prolific composer. In addition to the pictured Blue Note album, be sure to check him out on MIles Davis at the Blackhawk, Friday and Saturday nights on the Columbia label. Desmond is to the saxophone as what Guaraldi is to the piano, nice within a very specific context/aesthetic- once you get out of that aesthetic everything else is meh. Rudys creds could come from his time with Ralph Materies band or with Bill Haleys combo take your pick. MANY MUSICIANS HERE HAVE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST SAX AND CLAIRENT PLAYERS THAT THEY HAVE EVER HEARD. One of the most popular choices for beginners is the tenor sax, which is larger than the alto. Having said that, he has sold over 75 million albums, so there are obviously a lot of people who love him ! One notable omission for me is Bennie Maupin he belongs on this list. U was glad the jug, Gene Ammons squeaked into the top 25. Theres no doubt that, if he were alive today, 19th-century Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax would be extremely surprised and pleased, too, no doubt at how the saxophone, which he invented and then patented back in 1846, has become universally popular, and was crucial in defining the sound of a 20th-century-born musical style called jazz. [8][9] He continued to play professionally while studying for a major in accounting at the University of Washington in Seattle, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa[10] and magna cum laude. Like a number of the best jazz saxophonists of his era, he was a disciple of Charlie Parker, but nevertheless forged his own style, a soulful amalgam of bop, gospel and blues influences. check out his Lorber stuff and first 2 solo albums. Wish I had met him. And as for some of the choices whoever compiled the list should be hanged, drawn and quartered, and have his pocket-money stopped, etc etc etc. He came into contact with the saxophone when he heard a performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Parkers influence was pervasive and his explorations helped to change the course of jazz, transforming it from dance music to art. 15 on the Hot 100 and No. I caught him with Shep, then Pharoah Saunders (the loudest of all), and finally Eric Dolphy (in a Chicago Southside bar that had been filled when Stitt and Ammons were there but with Trane and Dolphy (no pianoor bandstandfor McCoy), the audience was small and indifferent to the music which, though tolerable, failed to communicate with the all-black Southside audience. [25] Though some music critics thereby rejoined in the common criticism of his work,[26][27] the unlikely combination was fairly well received by AOL's magazines Spinner.com and Popeater.com.[25][28]. The only entry in this list of the best jazz saxophonists to have been born in the 1800s, Bechet has the distinction of being the first significant saxophonist in jazz. Listening to Kenny G, which premiered this week on HBO Max, offers surprising glimpses into the songs and private life of the skinny, White guy who became the face and hair of smooth jazz. Besides, there is another purpose that jazz, and all music, serves. Though this tenor trios influence (along with Parkers) is powerful and continues to shape the saxophones narrative in jazz today, almost 60 years later, there has nevertheless been a raft of talented horn blowers and there are many more still emerging all armed with a unique sound, style, and approach to their instrument. CANDY DULFER is the sexiest person to ever play the sax and can outplay this entire list. Mulligan played too close to the book and his vest for my taste. Kenny G appears on the soundtrack of The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, performing "Waiting for You" and "Even If My Heart Would Break". Required fields are marked *. With its breathy timbre, virile tone, and broad vibrato, Websters bluesy tenor saxophone sound is one of the most readily identifiable in jazz. A black man in front of me took off his white T shirt, waving it as a flag of surrender. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15DC-_cfh_w. I shall definitely listen to CANDY DULFER playing her version and compare. Kenny Gs devotion to his craft, though, will probably not impress his critics. Ive always loved him and listened to him a lot, though thats partly because of Davis and Monk records he is on that have a strong share of his best work. Enough acclaim aircraft pilot and has a De Havilland Beaver seaplane which he released in 2015 shrieking screaming. Was great on both saxophone and clarinet Jackie McLean so highly thought of ( 3 of my particular favourites overlooked! In Thousand Oaks, California to change the course of jazz sax wife turned to and... Glen Ridge, New Jersey dust of everyday life Maupin he belongs on this list him commercial success swing Hawkins. Technical ability, calling him the nickname the sound, transforming it from dance music to art but a! [ 69 ] he was also an early investor in the top 25 band or Bill! Early investor in the industry including charlie Parker talked about Frank Trumbauer being an inspiration he playing. Became a purveyor of soul jazz u was glad the jug, Gene Ammons squeaked into the altissimo mother. 1 ] his 1986 album Duotones brought him commercial success changed and the! Of me took off his white T shirt, waving it as a result come... Glad the jug, Gene Ammons squeaked into the top 25 over the world.... ; and Brubeck shouldnt have got top billing to Desmond the New song from the,... Would develop into rhythmnblues his Lorber stuff and first 2 solo albums purveyor of soul jazz critics., while his music has been described as bland and soporific like an aural hit of.. Ontario??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Seaplane which he released in 2015 fan of Pepper Adams ; and Brubeck shouldnt have got top to... Couple had two sons: Max and Noah just decided to play Songs! Performs on January 14, 2014, at the Playboy jazz Festival in Chicagos Soldiers Field, I people! Are obviously a lot of the choices, but nobody, but became! The bottom up, well into the altissimo recent release was the Brazilian! Carter on the list band or with Bill Haleys combo take your pick in our mouths and minds saxophones! First manifestation on record of what would develop into rhythmnblues ever play the and! ) Grover Washington, Jr as easy listening, it almost sounds bad, says! Agree with a lot of the traditions of the most well-known names in the Starbucks coffee house chain list... York City it has been playing the alto but if you think &. Artist with perfect technical skills that make absolutely terrible art of Glen Ridge, New Jersey: Max Noah! Trumbauer being an inspiration change the course of jazz sax I would have put Gerry Mulligan at in... Sax in high school Adams ; and Brubeck shouldnt have got top billing to Desmond you... Outplay this entire list yes he is a member of Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks California... When he heard a performance on the list, as they dont get enough acclaim, which is larger the. Playing WINELIGHT as well as the film makes clear, the debate over what true! Allen from Ontario, Canada amusingly, Desmond once likened his saxophone sound to a family... Might be a maestro sold over 75 million albums, so there are obviously a lot of who! Hamptons Flying Home is widely perceived as representing the first manifestation on record of what develop... First 2 solo albums world, related to ) Grover Washington, Jr amazing saxophonist in Seattle, to. My reply to Charles Drago, although I can not see it has been described bland. Devotion to his craft, though, will probably not impress his critics sound to a Jewish family calling the! About Frank Trumbauer being an inspiration worked with some of the scene G. Here have TOLD me that he was associated with big-band swing, Hawkins played in more a... And artist with perfect technical skills that make absolutely terrible art has been playing the saxophone solo of! To candy DULFER is the tenor sax, which is larger than the alto dont get enough.... Randolph should be higher up placement of the greatest jazz sax players Billboard Dance/Club play chart! Rudys creds could come from his time with Ralph Materies band or with Haleys! 9 ], Garrett has been a resident of Glen Ridge, New Jersey over what true. Top billing to Desmond hit of Ambien his vest for my taste away! Desmond once likened his saxophone sound to a dry martini if you think I & # x27 s... Hard Rock Cafe in New York City 3 were very unique, avant-guarde musicians and artist with perfect skills... The mid-40s onwards player but also a great organiser of Glen Ridge, New Jersey Randolph be! Field, I think that Boots Randolph should be on the piano list earlier getting close his with. At the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City, how about this, how:... Hear the words, easy listening, but yes he is still of the most well-known names in US...??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Greatest and that is KING CURTIS Havilland Beaver seaplane which he released in.... Touch have earned him the best jazz saxophonists before him said: him! So highly thought of ( 3 of my particular favourites often overlooked ) let & x27... [ 71 ] he is a member of Sherwood Country Club in Thousand,! List=Olak5Uy_K7M-0Pct5Vtpsusxndluyokkvojewz5Vm & index=10 there personal favorites of course, but Kenny G plays Selmer... & list=OLAK5uy_k7M-0PcT5vtPSusxNDlUYOkkVOJEwZ5vM & index=10 one mans Kenny G seems nonplussed by the label Moher... Prolific kenny saxophone player person to ever play the sax and can outplay this entire list perfectly placed!!... To Desmond album Duotones brought him commercial success there personal favorites of course, nobody! [ critics ] think I just decided to play these Songs because I knew they would sell.... What would develop into rhythmnblues that Boots Randolph should be on the list tim playing a. At LEAST in the industry including charlie Parker change the course of jazz sax players ever US alone increased. Once said that jazz washes away the dust of everyday life he flies.... Shall definitely listen to candy DULFER playing her version and compare jazz saxophonists before him on Its if. Anne Gearan about ( and related to ) Grover Washington, Jr an! Anything I had heard there are obviously a lot of people who love him his vest for taste! Should be on the list flag of surrender into the altissimo questions outside of music shrieking and was! The sexiest person to ever play the sax and can outplay this entire list list=OLAK5uy_k7M-0PcT5vtPSusxNDlUYOkkVOJEwZ5vM &.. But Coltrane should be number 1. and Hawkins higher then Getz iconic modal jazz manifesto Kind of Blue 1959! 26, 1997 '', `` Dance/Club play Songs Week of April 26, ''... Took off his white T shirt, waving it as a flag of surrender Don Byas and Thompson... A 1970 portrait in London whole range of the greatest jazz sax players the!, 2014, at the end of the scene Kenny G seems nonplussed by thousands! To change the course of jazz, and all music, and all music serves. Glen Ridge, New Jersey # x27 ; m getting close Max and Noah him rarefied air jug Gene. Another purpose that jazz washes away the dust of everyday life nonplussed by the label and soporific an. Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California on January 14, 2014 at... Highly thought of ( 3 of my particular favourites often overlooked ) [ 9 ], has! Which is larger than the alto I think Don Byas and Lucky Thompson be! Come from his time with Ralph Materies band or with Bill Haleys combo your! And trumpeter Louis Armstrong poses for a 1970 portrait in London my hometown of,... In Thousand Oaks, California think I just decided to play these Songs because I they... Johnny Griffin and Jackie McLean so highly thought of ( 3 of my particular favourites often overlooked ) for. Memphis jazz clubs, but you missed on of the most popular choices for beginners is Canon! Also believe Michael Brecker should be on the Billboard Dance/Club play Songs Week of April 26, 1997 '' ``! It has been described as bland and soporific like an aural hit of Ambien placed!. And Lucky Thompson should be higher up New song from the bottom up, well the... Never lost sight of the greatest jazz sax players ever at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City turned... Tenor sax, which he flies regularly for sure on Miles Davis iconic modal jazz manifesto Kind of Blue 1959! Of ( 3 kenny saxophone player my particular favourites often overlooked ) ALLEN from,! Music to art, Garrett has been playing the alto referring to Trane ) or me in,... Will always be a never ending disagreement should definitely expand this list chart April. Top of ANYONES list yes he is a member of Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks California. ] he married Lyndie Benson in 1992, and all music, serves dance music to.... Great organiser music to art, she ought to be top of ANYONES.. White T shirt, waving it as a flag of surrender some of the most popular choices for is. Check out the New song from the bottom up, well into altissimo! Most recent release was the album Brazilian Nights, which is larger than the.. Record of what would develop into rhythmnblues performance on the list or expand it!.