This article is part 2 in a 3-part series covering the latest and greatest saxophone products shown at NAMM 2015. In case you missed it, click here for part 1.

Note for Mobile Users: Normally it’s not a big deal, but for this particular series of articles, I thought I’d mention – you’ll be seeing some ad banner images mixed in with the product images in this article, so keep in mind that any image with the word “Sponsored” directly above it is an ad and not part of the article (will try to think of a more elegant solution for the future).   

Part 1 was just the beginning, here is the second installment, with products listed in no particular order. 

SAXWORKS Ligature

Throughout 2014, I saw more and more players using this SAXWORKS Ligature, and the overall response has been great. This year, I was able to meet with its creator, Joel Harrison. This lig, like the Compass by Claude Lakey, is designed to fit most common saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces. All the parts that make up this ligature are gold plated brass, and each one comes with a Universal Flex-Cap. It only makes one point of contact, and uses a gold-plated brass reed plate to improve the overall response. I found that the SAXWORKS Ligature fit my mouthpiece well, but it initially took a few minutes to adjust it because it’s a fairly large ligature.

I found that overall, the SAXWORKS, like the Silverstein, allowed the reed to vibrate freely, and I found I gain a bit more projection on this ligature compared to what I’m using for my current setup. If you are in the market for a new lig, I would put the SAXWORKS ligature on your list to try out.

More info:
http://www.sax-works.com

Cannonball Key Artist Series Saxophone

I have played the Cannonball Big Bell Stone Series and The Vintage Reborn series in various finishes. When I heard about the Cannonball Key Artist Series, I knew I had to play test the tenor and alto, since I have not seen wood key touches on many saxophones unless it was a special request.

Unlike the Cannonball Big Bell Stone Series, The Key Artist series uses a traditional bell combined with Cocobolo wood finger buttons, bell-to-body brace, and a wood thumb button to offer a warm and rich timbre. This model also contains nickel-plated brass resonators and blued-steel springs.

I have to say that The Key Artist Series is my favorite line of saxophones that Cannonball offers because I found it to have an even scale, the right amount of resistance, and overall was not as punchy as the other models but had a nice timbre that would nicely suit classical as well as jazz playing. It seems that each horn manufacturer has its various line of saxophones and one of those saxophones is in reference to a certain “vintage saxophone”. Although the Vintage Reborn would mostly be Cannonball’s line that would interest vintage Selmer players, I found the Key series to come even closer in my personal opinion to the “vintage sound” which I think most players are looking for in a saxophone.

More info:
http://www.cannonballmusic.com/keyseries.php

P Mauriat Master 97 Alto Saxophone

Since the introduction of the Greg Osby 76 3rd edition alto saxophone, which was well received and in my opinion, the best alto that P Mauriat currently produces – comes the P Mauriat Master 97 alto saxophone.

When I initially heard about this alto, I thought it was going to be targeted towards classical players, but after play testing this alto, I can see either classical or jazz focused saxophonists checking this horn out. The P Mauriat Master 97 alto has such features as Pisoni pro pads, blued-steel springs and a sterling silver octave pips. The P Mauriat Master 97 alto had a nice warm sound that projected well and what most players said and I agree with had probably the best intonation of the P Mauriat alto saxophones.

I found while going through my overtone series that this saxophone was spot-on and I found it easy to adjust the pitch. Mechanically the horn reminded me of the Greg Osby model and felt great under my fingers. I hope P Mauriat is working on a Master 97 tenor for those players seeking a well-balanced tenor, and I expect to see more and more players checking out this alto saxophone.

More info:
http://pmauriatmusic.com/products/item/3-alto/108-master-97

Eastman 52nd street soprano

[No image at this time, will update later if image becomes available]

The Eastman 52nd Street tenor and alto saxophones have become very popular. This year, I was able to speak with Ralph Torres over at Eastman and he told me that they recently added the bari and soprano saxophones to the 52nd Street line.

The Eastman 52nd street soprano saxophone embodies many of the characteristics players enjoy in their alto and tenor counterparts, but what’s unique about this soprano saxophone is it has rolled tone holes on only the bottom 5 and the rest are drawn tone holes. The Eastman comes in a one piece body that has a straight neck as well as a curved neck which reminded me of the popular Yamaha 62 sopranos. I am glad to see the new additions to the Eastman 52nd street line, and for those who enjoy the altos and tenors, you should give the soprano and bari saxophone a play-test.

More info:
http://www.eastmanmusiccompany.com

Theo Wanne Shiva (A.R.T) Mouthpiece

With the introduction of one of Theo’s new mouthpiece, named “Shiva,” the big announcement was of the new material Theo is using called A.R.T (Advanced Resonance Technology). Theo put a good amount of research into this material, and believes he has surpassed hard rubber in terms of resonance, tone and response.

The Shiva mouthpiece was designed for players who were looking for more edge, but also a mouthpiece that played similarly to a Berg Larsen, Dukoff or Guardala. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to sit down and really test play the new Shiva mouthpiece with the A.R.T material due to the large number of players already at the booth. I was, however, able to speak with various Theo Wanne artists and other players who all said if you are looking for a very bright mouthpiece, then you should look into the Shiva.

More info:
http://store.theowanne.com/products/shiva-tenor-art-saxophone-mouthpiece

Trevor James Signature Custom Raw XS

Another horn that I was able to try this year was the Trevor James Signature Custom RAW XS tenor. The finish of the RAW XS compared to the RAW has quite a bit more hand polishing which gets it down to the raw brass, and in my opinion resonates a bit more than the RAW, although they are both great models.

I had tried these saxophones at the Bari booth last year but had a chance this year to test play the various Trevor James Signature Custom Finishes at the Trevor James Booth. I thought Trevor James had a great idea in which they brought a fully-overhauled Selmer Mark VI tenor and told players to test the Mark VI against one of their Signature Custom models to see which one they preferred. I took the challenge and compared a Trevor James Signature Custom Raw XS with a 6 digit Selmer Mark VI tenor.

I found that both horns played great and felt comfortable in my hands, but from an intonation, even scale, and overall tone standpoint, I actually found the Trevor James Signature Custom Raw XS to be the better horn.

Each horn is built in a pro sax shop in Lenham (UK). The model Trevor James I was test playing also had a new “vintage” neck which I found to have resistance not unlike that of the Selmer Mark VI I test played. I thought this neck really made the Trevor James Signature Custom Raw XS model very Mark VI-like, but with modern keywork and better intonation. I was overall very impressed with the Trevor James Signature Custom RAW XS tenor and can see why they have been so popular overseas. So it’s good to see that they are now gaining traction in the United States.

More info:
http://tjsaxes.co.uk

Nadir Saxophone mouthpieces

I have seen and spoken to many players who enjoy playing on the various model Dave Guardala mouthpieces, and I have seen a few of the vintage Dave Guardala MB1’s sell on Ebay for well over $1000 dollars. I had a chance this year to meet Nadir Ibrahimoglu, who besides owning a very successful music shop in Europe, has been crafting and refining the Guardala mouthpieces.

Nadir offers mouthpieces called the “Dave Guardala Reborn”, as well as his own line of mouthpieces under his name. Although I traditionally enjoy playing on a hard rubber or metal link, I wanted to see how Nadir’s mouthpieces played. Nadir offers such models as the Crescent, MB II, BM, and FAT BOY MBII – each with their own tonal characteristics.

After speaking with Nadir, he told me to check out one of the mouthpieces that will be released soon. The piece Nadir gave me I believe was a FATBOY, but with a different facing. Although I prefer hard rubber mouthpieces, this mouthpiece was incredibly free blowing, took very little air to gain a full sound, and was easy to articulate. While playing through the horn chromatically, the mouthpiece offered an even scale, which was appealing since I find some metal mouthpieces tend to either get too bright or thin when you start playing in the palm keys. This was not the case with Nadir’s mouthpieces.

Overall, I can see that Nadir takes his work very seriously and will not display or offer a mouthpiece that is not playing up to his standards. If you are a “Guardala-holic”, and are looking to find the right model for you, check out some of Nadir’s mouthpieces, and I am sure you will find what you are looking for.

More info:
https://nadirsaxwinds.com/mouthpieces

So that’s it for this installment of Zach’s adventures at NAMM 2015. Stay tuned for Part 3 coming shortly! – Doron

The post The Definitive NAMM 2015 Saxophone Roundup – Part 2 appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

This pic has absolutely nothing to do with saxophone, but a picture of 80’s movie star, Corey Feldman at NAMM 2015 surrounded by a small flock of “ladyfriends” was too much to pass up. Photo via Justin Higuchi.

Note for Mobile Users: Normally it’s not a big deal, but for this particular series of articles, I thought I’d mention – you’ll be seeing some ad banner images mixed in with the product images in this article, so keep in mind that any image with the word “Sponsored” directly above it is an ad and not part of the article (will try to think of a more elegant solution for the future).

This article is part 3 in a 3-part series covering the latest and greatest saxophone products shown at NAMM 2015. In case you missed them, click here for part 1 and click here for part 2.

ReedGeek set

I purchased the ReedGeek last year after its creator, Mauro, showed me some basic tips how to improve a reed that was not responding to my satisfaction. This year, Mauro showed me the new ReedGeek which is called the ReedGeek “Universal” G3 which has a titatinum-cermicoat so you do not have to polish or sharpen this ReedGeek over time. In addition, Mauro showed me the plague and gauge set. This plague and gauge are designed so you can find the mouthpiece facing curve and where you need to start working on the reed to have it perform better. I believe this is one of the best reed tools on the market, and I say that from my own experience, as well as seeing how so many players have purchased the ReedGeek and started using it with success.

More info:
http://www.reedgeek.com

Plaque and Gauge Set Instructions
http://www.reedgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/PlaqueInstructions.pdf

Forestone daCarbo neck and saxophone

I have played the Forestone mouthpieces, reeds, and saxophones and have been very impressed by their consistency as well as the attention to detail. Forestone has teamed up with daCarbo, who is known for making high end brass instruments out of a carbon fiber compound, to introduce a daCarbo/Forestone saxophone neck.

I was able to try the standard Forestone neck as well as the new daCarbo neck. The new neck is made out of carbon fiber compounds, which I was told optimizes the neck’s vibration. The neck is said to enhance your articulation and response as well as make it easier to play your low notes and keep your high notes at a stable pitch.

The Forestone tenor with the standard brass neck played great at the booth, but I do have to say I was very surprised by how the daCarbo neck compared. The daCarbo neck had the same overall sound as the traditional brass neck, but I found it to be a bit warmer, and while playing chromatically through the Forestone tenor saxophone’s range, I found the daCarbo neck helped me produce a very even scale and project without having to force lots of air through the saxophone. Overall, the daCarbo neck with the Forestone saxophone is a great combination, and I hope to try this neck out on other saxophones to see if I find a similar result.

More info:
http://dacarbo.ch/en/news.html

Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 tenor saxophone

Photo via hornsales.com.

I had a chance this year to head over to the Sax Dakota booth and try out one of their newer saxophone models called the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92. Compared to the other Sax Dakota models that come in various finishes, the SDT-XR-92 looked like Sax Dakota’s “vintage” offering. What’s distinct about the SDT-XR-92 is that this horn is made out of an un-lacquered bronze brass alloy.

In terms of how the SDT-XR-92 tenor saxophone played, it was overall very good. I found this tenor was free-blowing from low Bb to high F# with very little resistance. The action felt comfortable and it just took me a couple minutes to get used to the layout of the palm keys. I preferred the sound of this model over the other Sax Dakota models because I found it to be more focused. The intonation was solid on this tenor, and did not take much adjustment whatsoever while playing through my overtone exercises, long tones, etc.

I am glad that Pete LaPlaca, the founder of Sax Dakota has introduced a model that I believe many vintage players as well as those players looking for a modern “vintage” saxophone will most likely enjoy.

More info:
http://www.saxdakota.com/index.html

Buffet Senzo Alto Saxophone

Photo via instrumentalsavings.com.

I was excited this year that I had the chance to test play the Buffet Senzo alto saxophone. The Buffet Senzo alto was inspired by such previous models as the Super Dynaction and S1. When I first saw the Buffet Senzo, it reminded me of the Yanagisawa 992PG model in terms of its appearance. The Buffet Senzo is made up of a red copper body with yellow brass key-work. In addition, it was installed with blue-steel springs, leather pads and metal resonators.

In terms of the sound, the Buffet Senzo had by far one the warmest sounds I have experienced thus far on a modern alto saxophone. The action felt great but I would have to say, if you have not played a Buffet or Keilwerth before, you might have to take a couple minutes to get used to the layout of the saxophone. I believe the Buffet Senzo is well suited for classical music as well as jazz. I am hoping a tenor model is in the works but for now, I recommend trying the Buffet Senzo alto if you are in the market for a new modern alto saxophone.

More info:
http://www.buffet-crampon.com/en/content/senzo-0

Selmer Limited Edition Alto Saxophone

Photo via sax.co.uk.

Henri Selmer Paris recently came out with a limited edition alto saxophone to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Adolphe sax. This limited edition alto takes various aspects from previous model saxophones and combines them on a modern horn.

Some of the interesting design features that pay tribute to some of the vintage model Selmer’s are as follows: the neck key, the spatula key with the pearl thumb rest, the brace between the body and the bell, the wire key guards, the pearl key rollers, and the nickel silver key buttons. The extensive and unique engraving illustrates various elements depicting the world of Adolphe Sax.

When I played this saxophone, the overall sound was on the brighter side and it reminded me of a series II or III saxophone in terms of response. I found the action of the saxophone reminded me of my Super Balanced Action alto with respect to the octave key, and the rest of the horn felt like a series II or III. Overall, I think anyone who is a saxophone collector will definitely want to add this alto to their collection.

More info:
https://www.selmer.fr/instruinfo.php?page=NEW&famille=SELMER%20SAX

Vandoren Reed Trimmer

I stopped by the DANSR booth and Sylvan Carton was nice enough to show me how the Vandoren Reed Trimmer worked. The Reed Trimmer looked like a simple way to repair damaged tips and increase the strength of reeds that may have already gotten a lot of use.

Currently there are 5 different models for clarinet and 2 models for the alto saxophone. Each model cuts a specific model of Vandoren reed (ie: V12, Green Java, V16, ZZ, etc). I thought this was a great tool if you are really into reed trimming, and the only drawback I saw was if you play different Vandoren reeds, you would have to purchase additional reed trimmers per each cut.

More info:
http://www.vandoren-en.com/Reed-Trimmer_a720.html

Marmaduke “Feather” Strap

I revisited Marmaduke this year after have played his alto and tenor hard rubber mouthpieces, – which are nicely finished, hand-made, and designed to embody many of the characteristics of the vintage Meyer and Otto Link mouthpieces.

While at the booth, Alex showed me one of his neck-straps, which I’ve seen more players using as an alternative to a traditional neck strap. The Marmaduke “Feather” Strap was designed to distribute the weight of the saxophone mainly to the shoulders. I found this strap was fairly easy to adjust and felt stable when placing an alto or tenor saxophone on it. In addition, this strap did not restrict the horn to one spot, like some harness straps do. Overall, The Marmaduke “Feather” Strap is a great new product Alex has added to his existing line of products.

More info:
http://kyotobeauty.ocnk.biz/product/14

Conclusion

The 2015 NAMM Show was another great year filled with new artists, new products, and most importantly new exhibitors showcasing their saxophones, ligatures, reeds, necks, mouthpieces, neck straps, and the list goes on.

What I have seen over the past 4 years, besides the introduction of new products, is the improvement of current saxophone models. This is important because there are many saxophones out there that were overall good horns, but with additional research and development by the manufacturers, are now becoming great horns.

Unfortunately, I was not able to visit every booth I wanted to and spend the amount of time I would have liked to test play various saxophone products. If I did not include you in this list, this is not a reflection on your product, it just came down to time. If you would like me to review your product specifically or have any questions, please feel free to contact me using the information from my author bio below.

Again, another great NAMM Show and I can’t wait to see what NAMM 2016 has in store for us saxophonists next year!

PS. If you have any products or experiences from NAMM that you’d like to share, leave a comment below!

The post The Definitive NAMM 2015 Saxophone Roundup – Part 3 appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Background

There has been a lot of buzz around jazz saxophonist Krzysztof Urbanski. Krzysztof has participated in many jazz festivals, concerts, and competitions where he has consistently been awarded 1st place for his musical ability. Most recently Krzysztof became a Julius Keilwerth artist after placing 1st in the 2013 Saxophone Idol International Competition in Chicago, IL.

From listening to many new saxophone players, Krzysztof is by far in my opinion, one of the best young players on the scene and according to Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, and Kenny Burrell, one of the best in his generation.

I had the chance to interview Krzysztof and here are his comments in regards to his playing, ways for saxophonists to improve their playing, and his new album coming out this fall.

The Interview

ZACH: What material do you practice to further improve your current musical ability?

KU: I practice in many different ways and it depends on what I hear and what I have been influenced by recently. I write my own harmony structures and I play along with them to extend my own jazz vocabulary. I am still working on scales and chords, but to achieve a better understanding of each scale I go deeper into the scales. To be more specific, I am playing intervals and chords based on particular scales as well as passing notes (notes outside of the particular scale) to extend the amount of colors from each scale.

ZACH: In regards to developing your sound, what advice can you give to young saxophonists?

KU: I am still working on my sound, as it is the most important factor to me. I want to achieve the ability to be more of a vocalist rather than instrumentalist on my saxophone. At the end of the day, we are all trying to imitate a human voice. I keep concentrating on proper breathing and creating as much of a focused, intense and rounded sound as possible. Intensity is a huge part of my sound.

As additional advice, I would say that trying different horns will give you a better understanding of your own sound. I used to play my old Selmer Super Balanced Action, and I still love this horn. But I went through many saxophone brands and I ended up with this really great sax, Julius Keilwerth MKX.

Even though this sax is a modern, contemporary instrument I can still create my own sound based on my originality. In regards to my new saxophone, I can tell that this is the first instrument that allows me to speak in my original voice.

ZACH: When you teach a master class, what topics do you discuss with young players?

KU: That’s a very difficult question just because I think the jazz community in general is doing very well. Our jazz society is constantly growing and colleges are creating really interesting programs for the students. I would just add one important aspect, in my opinion. I think that our generation is more focused on the past than what is going on today. Jazz used to be an art form where musicians could express their originality and creativity. Of course, I have been brought up on Jazz traditions and love it, without it my playing and everything that I do in music wouldn’t be very valuable. Jazz vocabulary and the history of the music are really important and help us to completely understand the beauty of jazz. But as I’ve mentioned before, it is very important to keep jazz fresh in terms of everything that surrounds us, sound, electronics, the digital generation of listeners. I remember Miles Davis saying that even a car accident sounded different in 90’s than in 50’s, and he knew that all these aspects of modern lifestyle would change the sound of today’s Jazz.

ZACH: Who did you study saxophone with as you progressed to the career you have today?

KU: My very first saxophone teacher was Wladyslaw Chwin in Poland. I studied classical music with him at the Artistic school of music in Gdansk – Wrzeszcz . He helped me a lot and just because he didn’t play saxophone during our lessons, he opened my imagination. The fact that I have experienced the whole spectrum of the classical music was very helpful for me to develop my technique and the sound of my instrument.

I also studied saxophone with my heroes including Joe Henderson, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Dewey Redman, Charlie Parker, Joe Lovano, Michael Brecker, Sonny Stitt, Wayne Shorter and Kenny Garrett. I didn’t meet these gentlemen but they were a massive influence on my life and my music. I studied saxophone with trumpeters and pianists. I have always wanted to be musician not only a saxophonist. I didn’t want to be limited to just the saxophone’s possibilities.

ZACH: If you could change or add one aspect to jazz education being taught at the college level, what would it be?

KU: It depends on the level of musicians I talk to. I am trying to be flexible and adaptable enough to share the most relevant subjects with my students. I think the most important aspect is sound, as it is our identity. Through the sound we can express ourselves, we can share our thoughts and feelings. The sound of the instrument should be an extension of our voice. So that’s why it takes such a long time to develop it. Of course I focus on jazz harmony, jazz vocabulary as well as technical issues like articulation, correct breathing, and all of the other aspects of great saxophone playing.

ZACH: Do you have any C.D.’s or projects coming up soon?

KU: I have just recorded my new album, which is called Urban Jazz Society History of Tomorrow. It is available now on iTunes. It is completely original and very personal music which I am very proud of. I have started to collaborate with some of the most innovative musicians in the UK. This record is the way I hear music. I want to play music that makes people feel good, music that touches people in an emotional way that words can’t. This is what my album is all about.

My goal is to create a fresh and honest sound of our generation, to keep jazz cool and at the same time push jazz forward. Because everything is always changing, my goal is to keep jazz as an art form that is still alive. As a result, jazz is in a continuous state of innovation and development. I want to grow as an instrumentalist and also as an improviser, but the main goal to me is to create my own voice as a composer. John Coltrane, for example, didn’t just have an individual approach to the saxophone, but his method of composition made him so unique and original. I would like to keep improving my sound and the sound of my band, as it is the most important factor to me.

Equipment

• Saxophone: Julius Keilwerth MKX tenor saxophone
• Mouthpiece: Bari Hard Rubber 8/ Kell Geometric 1950′ 7## refaced by Morgan Fry
• Ligature: Francois Louis
• Reeds: La Voz Hard

More about Krzysztof

Krzysztof Urbanski’s Website
http://www.urbanskimusic.pl/index.php/en/

Performing Giant Steps

New track off the album

The post Rising Sax Star Krzysztof Urbanski on Scales, Sound, and the State of Jazz Education appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

 Introduction

After having a chance to compare the Claude Lakey Compass ligature to my current setup (Marc Jean ligature) at the 2015 NAMM Show, I asked John Morrison, president of Claude Lakey, if I could spend some more time test-playing this ligature to see how it compares to other ligatures I have played in the past. John was nice enough to send me one to compare and get my overall feedback.

Review

The Claude Lakey Compass ligature comes with a tenor, alto/clarinet, and soprano mouthpiece cap, as well as foam insert pads if you decide that the ligature is a bit loose for your current setup and would prefer a tighter fit. I applied the foam inserts to find out how it would fit my hard rubber Otto Link mouthpiece. I discovered that (as mentioned in the instructions) the ligature was initially a bit difficult to put on or remove from my mouthpiece, but after using it a few times, the foam pads started to form to my mouthpiece. Overall, I discovered that I simply preferred the ligature as is without the foam inserts.

When developing the Compass ligature, Claude Lakey decided to team up with innovative manufacturer for the sports and medical industry, BOA Technology due to BOA’s patented reel-based adjustment system. What Claude Lakey discovered while working with BOA was they were able to design a ligature that provided more uniform pressure around the mouthpiece and enabled 30% more volume with less effort required.

What’s nice about the Compass is that it comes with a lifetime warranty in case of any sort of malfunction. When I compared the Compass ligature to my Marc Jean, Francois Louis, Vandoren M/O, and RW ligatures, I noticed that they all were a bit different in how the reed responded. I found the Compass Ligature to be the most neutral of these ligatures when comparing it to the overall sound. And in comparison to my stock ligature, the Compass simply required less air and produced a bigger sound. I recommend putting the Compass Ligature on the mouthpiece first and then placing the reed in between the mouthpiece and ligature when making adjustments, which is easy to do with the adjustment knob at the bottom of the ligature.

Overall Thoughts

I found the Claude Lakey Compass Ligature to be very durable and am excited that Claude Lakey stands behind their ligature with a lifetime warranty. When looking further into the price of this ligature, I found it sold for around $40. At this price point, anyone from a student to professional can afford a quality ligature which will fit on most alto, tenor, soprano and clarinet mouthpieces.

I would like to thank John again for sending me the Compass Ligature, and would appreciate any feedback or comments in regards to your experience trying out the Compass ligature by Claude Lakey.

More Info

http://www.claudelakey.com/collections/ligature

See the Compass in action.

Find on Amazon.com

The post Claude Lakey Seeks to Break New Ground with “Compass” Ligature appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Biography

Lucas Pino, multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader has been hailed as one of the most sought-after saxophone voices of his generation on the scene today. Pino has been called a “high wire act of musical textures and technique…” (Carmel DeSoto, jazzpolice.com) and been described as having “huge range, controlled ferocity, fleet notes and articulate expression” (Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star).

Pino composes for and leads the No Net Nonet, his own ensemble featuring a selection of New York City’s best young musicians. The nonet’s debut record is due out early 2015. The No Net Nonet can be seen regularly at the famous Smalls Jazz Club, where they have held a residency since 2013. A featured sideman in many groups, Lucas records and tours with acts Rafal Sarnecki, Gideon van Gelder and Jeremy Siskind among many others.”

The Interview

Zach Sollitto: Why did you choose the saxophone?

Lucas Pino: I was one of the many kids at my school that opted to try band in 5th grade. Originally, I was going to play trumpet and I remember bringing home a permission slip to my father. I had written trumpet on the permission slip and he said, “Oh, you want to play trumpet?” I replied that I actually thought the saxophone was way cooler, but didn’t want to play the same instrument as everyone else (assuming everyone had the same feelings about the saxophone and would also choose it). My father said, “If you want to play the saxophone, play the saxophone!” and that was that.

You have to understand at the time, I have two brothers and two sisters, my mother was finishing her degree at ASU – a saxophone would be a huge expense for our family. I talked with my father about looking into a school loaner horn, and went to band class the next day to get it sorted out. After school I came home to find in my bedroom a brand new student model VITO alto saxophone, and a pile of records stacked on top. I was out of my mind excited. My father took me into his office, sat me down in his chair and wrote on his dry-erase board: “My favorite saxophonists: John Coltrane, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz…” He showed me the CD’s on his shelves and told me I can listen anything, anytime I wanted. Jazz is the first music I ever really listened to, and I hope it’s the last!

ZS: Who helped you progress as a saxophonist?

LP: When I was living in Arizona, my first teacher was Romy Guzman, a student at a nearby college and I believe he’s a doctor of ethnomusicology now. My second teacher, who is still teaching and playing in Phoenix, helped introduce me to playing changes and vocabulary. His name is Tony Vacca – and I do hope you young Phoenix cats check him out. Charles Lewis is a pianist in Arizona and was my primary mentor from 15 – 18 years old. He’s in the Arizona Music Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. We used to get together every Sunday and play duo at his house. The first time I went over there I remember the first thing he said, “You’re not opposed to dissonance, are you?”

When I studied at the Brubeck Institute in Stockton, CA I had the opportunity to take lessons with a handful of amazing saxophonists/geniuses: Mike Zilber, Anton Schwartz, Andrew Speight, Benny Maupin, Vincent Herring, Miguel Zenon, Gregory Tardy – that was an amazing time. When I moved to New York, I studied with some of my favorite saxophonistx: Chris Cheek, Rich Perry, Tony Malaby and Ron Blake. It would be an understatement to say they only taught me saxophone – I don’t believe I’d still be playing music without these amazing people in my life, period.

ZS: Who do you listen to on a daily basis and why?

LP: To be honest, nothing on a daily basis. Something everyday though. I think we all get on little kicks, maybe one artist for a few months and then your brain is ready for the next thing. My favorites at the moment: Gerry Mulligan – “What Is There to Say?”, Cannonball Adderley – “Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley” (those arrangements!! Quincy!).

ZS: Many professional musicians recommend practicing long tones, scales, transcribing, etc, Is there material or an idea you practice which you think would help advancing students?

LP: I suppose I’m supposed to be super slick with an insightful exercise or cool practice idea, but to be honest, I’m not into practicing those types of things right now. We learn solos and scales and develop our technique so we can effectively remove the natural barrier of incompetence that impedes the art that is in us! So you got to do it! No doubt. Next step, hardest step, is you have to set those things aside and play. Play the way you speak. You want to be coherent, and understood. Record yourself, and listen back and be critical.

When I was taking lessons with Aaron Goldberg, I’d be playing in the living room, sometimes with pianist Glenn Zaleski or bassist Rick Rosato (my roommates at the time), and I’d hear coming from the kitchen things like, “your phrases are way too long!”… *playing*… “Still TOO LONG!”

We’d talk about how no one likes conversing with someone who doesn’t let you digest what they just said before moving on the the next topic – run on sentences in the form of lines! My favorite players are the ones who sound like they are actually speaking to me.

ZS: What groups are you currently playing in and do you prefer leading your own group or being a sideman?

LP: I lead my own group the No Net Nonet. We’ve been playing at Smalls for a while now. It has really been one of the great joys of my life. I love my band, the venue, the audience – it keeps growing and growing. I play in Rafal Sarnecki’s band, Gideon van Gelder’s band, Jeremy Siskind’s trio with Nancy Harms, and we do quite a bit of touring and have records recently released or very soon to be. Nick Finzer’s band, we have a CD I’m very proud of and are headed into the studio for round 2 next month. I recently joined David Lopato’s band (I think! at least we’ve been playing regularly) and that’s been a real treat – Ratzo Harris and Colin Stranahan are in that band. I play in a brazilian music group led by Richard Boukas; he calls it Quarteto Moderno and that’s with Gustavo Amarante and Mauricio Zottarelli. Brazilian music is outrageous and playing with those cats has been so rewarding.

Most recently I’ve been playing in a new trio that guitar virtuoso and all around swell guy Peter Mazza has put together. We have been playing his amazing standards arrangements and that also features bassist Tamir Schmerling. I recently made records with Eyal Vilner’s big band and Christopher Zuar’s big band, both of which feature some of my favorite musicians. Marike van Dijk has a beautiful large ensemble record coming out soon, and I’m playing mostly clarinet on that one. I couldn’t choose what I like doing more.

Some days nothing compares to having your tunes played… other days, nothing compares to helping someone else’s vision be realized.

ZS: What’s the single best piece of advice you’ve been given over the course of your playing career?

LP: Don’t play from a place of fear.

ZS: What are you trying to accomplish musically in the upcoming months?

LP: I’ve decided that I’m going to be writing a whole new book for the Nonet for our next studio recording. For those of you unfamiliar with large ensemble writing, 10 or 12 new compositions represents a significant amount of time! What have I committed myself to?! Before we do that, I believe there are plans for a live recording of the Nonet as well. We are going to release our current record early 2015. I’ve also fallen in love with the clarinet, so I’m shedding it with the goal of feeling the same type of freedom I feel when I play saxophone!

ZS: What’s your saxophone equipment setup?

LP: It’s worth noting that all my horns have been overhauled and are maintained by Mike Manning at Manning Custom Woodwinds. That’s three tenors, bass clarinet, Bb clarinet, soprano saxophone. Since meeting and working with Mike, my whole musical life has gotten better!

I play Vandoren mouthpieces, ligatures and reeds exclusively. With Vandoren it’s pretty simple. They have the best cane and the best cut. I use every reed out of the box. EVERY REED! Are you kidding? That isn’t to say that every reed is identical, but it’s damn close. The wonderful saxophonist Bryan Ruth, professor of jazz saxophone at Arizona State University, names his reeds. Fred, Herman, George etc…

You can’t be too mad at a reed when you realize they have their own personalities too! The V16 mouthpieces are the result of experts listening to artists. I used to play a vintage mouthpiece, I don’t think I’ll ever go back. The piece I play now has a super clean sound, even, full dynamic range, sub tone, straight tone and actually helps my 95 year old saxophone play a more evenly tempered scale. That’s crazy!

More about Lucas

Find his latest CD,  “No Net Nonet” on Origin Records at Amazon.com.

Equipment

• Saxophone: Conn New Wonder II Tenor
• Mouthpiece: Vandoren V16 T9 large chamber metal mouthpiece
• Ligature: Vandoren Optimum Ligature
• Reeds: Vandoren ZZ 3 or 3 1/2 if I had my spinach
• Case: Manning Custom Cases
• Neckstrap: Manning Custom Strap

Find Lucas on the Web

https://www.facebook.com/LucasPinoMusic

See Lucas in action!

The post Why You Too Should Be Buzzing About Sax Star, Lucas Pino appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Introduction

After test playing the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 at the 2015 NAMM show, Pete was nice enough to send me one to try out for a few days and gain a better understanding of what this horn has to offer. I will be reviewing the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 tenor saxophone based on the following criteria: Response, Sound & Intonation, Action, Build Quality, and finally concluding with my overall thoughts and recommendations.

Response

I found the XR-92 to be free blowing with not too much resistance from low Bb to high F#. I did find that the altissimo range took some adjustment to clearly voice high G, G#, A, etc. but with the use of other false fingerings, I was able to play these altissimo notes consistently and in tune.

Sound & Intonation

I found this tenor for myself played on the darker side compared to other Sax Dakota model saxophones. I found that the sound was centered and projected well overall without being too spread. With regards to intonation, from low Bb to high C# while working through long tones, overtone exercises and arpeggios, the XR-92 responded well without much effort to maintain a stable pitch. When I started playing from high D to high F#, I found that I needed to adjust my embouchure because I found the pitch to be on the sharper side. After some adjustments as well as playing through my exercises again, I was able to play the palm keys to high F# in tune and figured out that some fingers on my current setup did not work as well on the Sax Dakota and vice versa.

Action

I found the action on this tenor to be very tight. My personal preference would be to take this horn to my local repairman and have the spring tension lightened, but for shipping purposes and making sure the pads are sealing accordingly, I understand why the action would be on the tighter side. The key-work felt comfortable from high G to high F# in terms of the key spacing was compact and I found this made it easier to navigate through the palm keys and altissimo more fluidly. The lower stack felt good as well but my two suggestions would be to open up the Eb key or raise the Eb key guard because the Eb felt a bit stiff, and this made it a bit difficult when playing chromatically. In addition, I would like to see a bit more of an extension on the low Bb key.

Build Quality

Some of the build quality features you will find on this model are the double arms on the low Bb, B, and C key, pro leather pads with plastic resonators, black oxide needle springs, rose brass, black mother of pearl key touches, stainless steel key rods, and a metal thumb rest to name a few. When I received the XR-92 it seemed that someone had gone through the saxophone to make sure the pads were seating well with the tone holes, and the action was fluid throughout the entire range. I found the un-lacquered bronze brass material felt sturdy and overall it looked like a worn vintage horn. The floral like engraving on the bell, bow, and neck were done by hand, and the material allows the engraving to really stand out on the horn with a copper-ish color.

Overall Thoughts & Recommendations

I was glad I had another chance to test play the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 tenor saxophone and see how it compared to the other Sax Dakota models. I believe if you trying to figure out which tenor saxophone would be the right fit when checking out various Taiwanese brands, you should also compare the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 to the P Mauriat 76 2nd edition tenor, the MACSAX Mac 8, Trevor James Signature Custom, and the Eastman 52nd street tenor saxophone.

I found the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 embodied many features that players have come to expect in a professional level saxophone. I personally would prefer this model without the high F# key and to also have metal resonators. In regards to the saxophone case, it is a “vintage” looking hard shell case which is great for local gigs, but from the traveling players perspective he or she would have to purchase a flight bag because unfortunately you would have difficulty getting this case on the plane and if you decided to check your bag, you might as well start praying that your saxophone does not make it to your final destination in multiple pieces.

I wanted to thank Pete again for sending me the SDT-XR-92 to test play and if you have any questions, feel free to leave any comments, or check out the website below.

http://www.saxdakota.com/index.html

The post Test Drive Results for Sax Dakota’s Latest Tenor appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Introduction

As I discussed in my 2015 NAMM Product Review Part 1, over the past few years, the Silverstein ligatures have become one of the most popular ligatures used by professional players such as Dave Liebman, Jerry Bergonzi, Tony Malaby, Vincent Herring and the list goes on.

Sean Yang and May Rhyu over at Silverstein were nice enough to send me one of their new Cryo4 ligature for tenor saxophone as well as the Silverstein Light, which they just released. I will be reviewing the Cryo4 based on its construction, sound, and my overall impression of how it compares to other ligatures on the market. In addition, I will be giving a product overview as well as my overall impression of the Silverstein Light and what benefits it can provide.

The Silverstein Saxophone Ligature II

Construction

After speaking with Sean Yang over at Silverstein, I was told that the new Cryo4 ligature goes thru a cryogenic treatment process that submerges the alloy of the Silverstein ligature into -300°F, resulting in a metal that has a more natural sound with improved resonance. The four square pieces of metal that are adjustable on each side of the ligature are called “fine tuners.” These fine tuners supposedly change how the ligature responds to the vibrations of the reed. By adjusting the fine tuners to your mouthpiece, you will be able to find what suits your mouthpiece and reed combination best.

The Cryo4 uses a dotted cord that is interspersed with a refined strand allowing less contact with the reed but also provides a better grip around the mouthpiece. I was surprised to find out that this ligature was, according to the manufacturer, created with the same technology and manufacturing process as the cords used on the “Sky Crane” that lowered the Mars Rover onto the surface of another planet. In other words, it should be practically indestructible. The cap that comes with the Silverstein Cryo4 ligature is sturdy, cover’s the mouthpiece well, and reminds me of the Rico H ligature cap. Finally, when you purchase a Silverstein ligature, it comes with a 5-year warranty which you can register online, which is not typical with many ligature manufactures.

Sound

When test playing the Silverstein Cryo4 ligature, I decided to compare it to my current ligature, which is a Marc Jean ligature. I found the Silverstein Cryo4 ligature was very easy to take on and off of my mouthpiece as well as adjust the fine tuners while on the mouthpiece. I found that I did not have to tighten the top screw of the ligature very much and the reed stayed secure with minimal restriction. While playing thru my warm-up exercises, I found the Silverstein Cryo4 ligature allowed the reed to vibrate freely while allowing me to maintain an even and full sound from low Bb to high F# at various dynamic levels.

I thought the Silverstein Cryo4 ligature embodied many of the same characteristics as my Marc Jean ligature (core, edge, warmth, resonance) except that I found my sound to be a bit darker as compared to my Marc Jean ligature and the overall sound on the Cryo4 was a bit more spread.

Overall Impression

If you do not already own a Silverstein Cryo4 Ligature or currently own one of the first models, you have to give the Cryo4 ligature a try. The Silverstein Cryo4 ranges from $200-$245 dollars if you purchase one directly through the Silverstein Works website. At this price point, you essentially can purchase any other ligature on the market unless you are looking for an old vintage Brilhart, vintage Harrison ligature or Winslow ligature, which are going for hundreds of dollars on eBay.

I will say that the overall construction, warranty, sound benefits, and feedback I have gotten from players who have switched to the Silverstein or at least have compared it to their current setup have all been positive. Although the price is on the high side for a ligature, I would not discount the overall benefits the Cryo4 ligature has to offer. If this ligature is not in your price range, I would consider such other ligatures as: Vandoren M/O, Francois Louis, Marc Jean, Rovner Versa X, Joel Harrison, and the list goes on. If the Silverstein Cryo4 ligature is in your budget and you are in the market for a new ligature, I can almost guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Find on Amazon.com
Silverstein Works Classic Silver Ligature Medium/Small Clarinet/Alto Sax

Silverstein Light

Product Info

The Silverstein Light is, “a patented UV and Ozone sanitizer for your mouthpiece and instrument.” This is the first sanitizer I have seen on the market designed for musicians whether you are a woodwind player or even brass. The Silverstein Light has been lab tested and had a 99.9% effective rate at combating such notable infections such as “Escherichia coli, staphylococcusaureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, and MRSA.” In addition to its effectiveness at combating these bacteria’s for health reasons, the Silverstein Light also helps to reduce bad odors. The Light runs on a rechargeable battery which has a built in USB port. If you charge thru an outlet, The Light should be fully charged between 2 and 2-1/2 hours. If you decide to charge it through your computer, it could take between 4-5 hours.

Results

When you decide to use the Silverstein Light on one of your pieces of equipment, I recommend reading the instructions that comes with the device which clearly lists which timer to use depending on the piece of equipment.

Timer:

1. First tap: This is a 15 minute runtime displayed by a white light and is the recommended timer when used to clean mouthpieces.
2. Second tap: This is a 30 minute runtime displayed by a green light and is the recommended timer when used to clean larger mouthpieces, small instruments, i.e. clarinet, soprano saxophone, trumpet.
3. Third tap: This is a 45 minute runtime displayed by a blue light and is the recommended timer for large instrument cleaning, i.e. trombone, tuba.
4. Power off.

Note: The device will shut off at the end of the cleaning cycle and the button is very touch sensitive so make sure to leave it on a surface that won’t change the various cleaning settings.

I have been using the Silverstein light for over a week on my tenor sax as well as hard rubber tenor mouthpiece. I typically just use a cloth and sax swab to clean my saxophone after every practice or rehearsal, but I do I have to say that sometimes I do not put as much time into cleaning my saxophone after every practice as I should. I did not notice much of a change on my saxophone in terms of how clean the instrument actually was but I did notice my mouthpiece seemed to be a bit cleaner so I will continue to use the Light for further testing.

Overall Impressions

If you are a health nut, do not clean your saxophone very much, or like me who wants to make sure that my equipment is in top shape mechanically as well as stays as clean as possible, the Silverstein Light is a device you need to check out. There is the Light Basic, Light Standard, and Light Plus. Each model is the same but comes with different accessories.

I want to thank Sean Yang and May Rhyu for sending me the Cryo4 Ligature and the Light to review. Whether the Cryo4 or Light is a fit for your setup or not, I highly recommend visiting the Silverstein website to find out more information about their innovative products and I can’t wait to see what new products Silverstein will develop for the future.

For more info on Silverstein products:
http://www.silversteinworks.com

Please leave comments or questions.

The post Silverstein’s Space-Age Ligatures and Saxophone Sanitizers…Real Deal or Hype? appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Josh Quinlan is a saxophonist, composer, and educator based out of  Colorado. Quinlan is currently an Instructor of Jazz Studies at the University of Colorado, music faculty member at Denver School of the Arts, Director of Education for the Colorado nonprofit, Gift of Jazz, Director of the Dazzle Recordings label, and Co-Director of the Telluride Jazz Celebration Educational Program.

Quinlan obtained a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Colorado and is a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (BM) and DePaul University (MMA). In recent years, Quinlan has performed and taught in Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Australia. He has released numerous albums as bandleader, composer and saxophonist including Mountain Time Standards (2012), Open Space (2014), Hear, Here (2015) and is currently finishing production on a new project, Fields of Green that features trumpeter and fellow P. Mauriat endorser, Terell Stafford. Josh is an endorsing artist of P. Mauriat saxophones, Bari Woodwind Mouthpieces and Gonzalez Reeds.

The Interview

Zach Sollitto: What made you decide to pick up the saxophone?

Josh Quinlan: I began playing the saxophone the summer after seventh grade, which was 25 years ago. My brother had studied saxophone for a number of years in school and had recently switched to guitar in the school jazz band, so his saxophone remained in his closet for several months. One day, for no obvious reason, I decided to go in his closet and began playing. I had studied the clarinet for one year and was only mediocre at best, but this new instrument really resonated with me in a way that my earlier studies had not. I became addicted and practiced for hours and hours a day starting at that moment. I remember waking up and rolling out of bed to practice before I brushed my teeth. I found jazz music a year later when my brother played me a vinyl of Charlie Parker Live at the Royal Roost. The rest is really history.

ZS: What teachers helped you progress?

JQ: Hmmm, I have to say that I have had so many teachers and mentors throughout the years that influenced me. My first teacher in seventh grade helped me realize the importance of technique and sound. That was the foundation for me, and crucial to my ideology even today. I really consider myself an improviser more than a saxophonist because of the fact that 99% of what I do is create improvisations and compositions. I think this may be due to the fact that many of my most important mentors were not saxophonists, but teachers of ensembles. These were musicians who thought from a musical and not technical sense. The album I just released this year, Hear, Here, I made with one of my most important teachers, trumpeter Bob Montgomery. Bob has always been focused on the melody and feeling since I studied with him 20 years ago. I have been really fortunate to continue my relationship with him in Colorado where we are both living. This year we have toured the U.S., Australia and soon Europe.

ZS: How did you develop your sound?

JQ: I would have to say the most effective way was through the act of listening and absorbing the qualities of sounds that I love from some of my favorite saxophonists. On alto language-wise I am first and foremost influenced by Bird (Charlie Parker) and on tenor Coltrane, but it is the way that I supplemented those influences with my listening to other players that has resulted in what I hope is an original concept. For instance, on tenor I love the work of Charles Lloyd, Stan Getz, Eddie Harris, and Hank Mobley. Those players were all original and completely different.

Another means to develop sound that I pass on to my students is through the jazz repertoire. It is unbelievably important to learn and memorize tunes and play them in a personal way. When I say tunes I mean standards from the Great American Songbook. I think that developing a personal repertoire is a big part of creating a personal sound and language concept. Of course, I cannot discount long tones, playing with a tuner, and all that we must go through when studying.

ZS: What practice routine have you developed?

JQ: Jazz is a bit different from that of classical studies in this regard. In general, I have not practiced with books from the beginning of playing jazz. Obviously transcription is quite important for learning the language, but to develop the technique on the horn I have constantly created and expanded exercises from memory. This started with triads, then sevenths to ninth, elevenths and on. Then I can always ask myself how can I make this harder? Up, down, inversion, through different cycles, etc. You can approach scales in the same manner and of course patterns. Then working on improvising through the repertoire I mentioned before ties this all together. In this manner jazz musicians develop technique.

ZS: When your students are looking to upgrade their current setup, what advice do you give them when trying out various brands and models?

JQ: Well, as an endorser of P. Mauriat and a lover of the sound of their instruments, I always recommend this brand to my students and I have a lot of students that play their tenors and altos as a result. The horns for me changed my life because the focus of an instrument is sound, and the P Mauriat resonance works best for me. I am playing a System 76 tenor that is amazing and I could not function without it. Mouthpieces are a little more personal and difficult to approach. What works for one player might not work for another. There are so many brands out there that range in price in extreme ways. With my students I help them by letting them know what sounds good and maybe what thing they are missing or need in the quality of sound produced by a mouthpiece. My preference is hard rubber on both tenor and alto because of the warmth possible. I play a Rafael Navarro Bob Mintzer Bebop Special on tenor, Gottsu from Japan on alto, and a Bari mouthpiece on soprano. They all feel very similar to me which is important when playing all of your instruments which are essentially the same yet completely different.

ZS: Who do you find yourself listening to these days?

JQ: In August I played the repertoire of Charlie Parker with Strings with the National Orchestra of Panama in concerts throughout the country of Panama, so I spent a lot of time studying that music. This life is entirely project based and it is through these projects that we progress, whether that is via a concert, school, touring, composing, recording, etc. It is all from the same energy. I love listening to vinyl, so I listen to a lot of jazz players who are not around anymore. James Moody, Stan Getz, Eddie Harris, Frank Foster, Lester Young, Johnny Hodges and all of the people who really developed jazz saxophone and led us to where we are today. I spend even more time listening to classical music and love the music of European composers like Chopin, Brahms, Beethoven, Mahler and Tchaikovsky.

ZS: What’s the next musical frontier you’d like to tackle?

JQ: I am busy planning my next move at all times. The job in reality is twenty-four-seven. Sunday hits and I am still working, and of course practicing is a big part. The other part for me right now is even more crucial. This includes the planning of teaching opportunities, touring, composing and recording.

One of my goals is to put out a new album every year or year and a half which, I have had the great fortune to do. I have an excellent model in another mentor, John Gunther, who is the head of Jazz Studies at the University of Colorado where I work and studied. Being active and visible he once told me is incredibly important in being successful.

Also, being a band leader has been a big part of my ability to do these activities and develop my career. Without my bands, I would be just a solo musician and in jazz that flat out does not work. I started booking tours in 2010 for my projects after finishing a doctoral degree and have not stopped since. This summer I have been home very little because of touring in Costa Rica, the U.S., and right now in Panama with plans to tour in Europe in October.

I never really thought this would be possible, but now I know that people everywhere love jazz music. In Panama City there is an unbelievable audience for the music as the people are very sophisticated in their tastes, and of course, the same goes for Europe. The touring and travel inspires more writing and touring, and of course I feel that I am the best when I am playing all of the time. Another aspect that goes hand in hand is the educational side. Two days ago I taught a workshop in Panama City at the Danilo Perez Foundation that was so inspiring for me because of the interest and energy of the kids there.

May was a residency for me at the National University of Costa Rica where I spent one week teaching all of their music classes. I saw the majority of students in the schools in many different classes where I really tried to show the beauty and uniqueness of North American jazz music.

School at the University of Colorado is about to get started, and one of my teaching duties is a class of 350 students on the subject of jazz history. Many of these students develop their ears and learn to appreciate jazz music and find ways to listen to their own music in new ways. This is very special for me, to have contact with so many people at once and hopefully lead them in a positive and cultural direction.

Josh’s Setup

Saxophones

• Soprano: P Mauriat System 76 2nd edition gold lacquer.
• Alto: P. Mauriat System 76 2nd edition un-lacquered.
• Tenor: P. Mauriat System 76 2nd edition un-lacquered.

Mouthpieces

• Soprano: Bari .070
• Alto: Gottsu 9
• Tenor: Rafael Navarro Bob Mintzer Bebop Special 8*

Reeds

• Soprano: Gonzalez Local 627 (3)
• Alto: Gonzalez Local 627 (3)
• Tenor: Gonzalez Local 627 (3.5)

Ligatures

• Soprano: Bonade Silver
• Alto: Rico H ligature
• Tenor: Rico H ligature

Josh Quinlan at Dazzle Jazz

Josh Quinlan at Saxquest

Josh Quinlan Website

http://joshquinlan.com

The post Technique, Tone, Music Business, and More from Saxophone Master, Josh Quinlan appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Biography

Marcus Strickland (born 1979 in Gainesville, Florida) is a jazz soprano, alto and tenor saxophonist who grew up in Miami, Florida who currently lives in New York. Down Beat Magazine’s Critic’s Poll named Marcus ‘Rising Star on Tenor Saxophone’ in ’10 and ‘Rising Star on Soprano Saxophone’ in ’08 and JazzTimes Magazine’s Reader’s Poll named him ‘Best New Artist’ in ’06, he placed third in the 2002 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition.

The saxophonist also has seven releases as a leader: Triumph of the Heavy, Vol 1 & 2 (’11), Idiosyncrasies (’09), Open Reel Deck (’07), & Twi-Life (’06) on his own music label Strick Muzik (launched in 2006); Of Song(’09) on Criss Cross Records; Brotherhood (’02) & At Last (’01) on Fresh Sound Records.

In addition to his own trio and quartet, Marcus currently plays with Dave Douglas, Jeff ‘Tain” Watts, and also had a five-year stint with legendary drummer Roy Haynes. Strickland has been on two Grammy-nominated recordings (Fountain of Youth – Roy Haynes & Keystone – Dave Douglas). He considers his father an early inspiration as he had been a drummer in jazz and rhythm and blues, but is now a lawyer. Marcus’ identical twin brother E.J. Strickland is a drummer, and is currently a member of Marcus’ quartet and leads his own quintet as well.

The Interview

ZS: What made you decide to play the saxophone?

MS:: It was the most different looking of all the instruments introduced in band class, and it being a hybrid of woodwind and brass helped my decision too. What cemented my obsession with it was learning that John Coltrane played the soprano sax on “My Favorite Things”, the recording that got me interested in jazz in the first place.

ZS: What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the saxophonist you are today?

MS:: Steve Kirkland, Dr. Roby George, Whit Sidener, George Garzone, Patience Higgins and Branford Marsalis

ZS: Who do you find yourself listening to these days?

MS:: All sorts of stuff, Thundercat, Flying Lotus, J Dilla, Sonnymoon, Hiatus Kaiyote, D’Angelo, anything cool regardless of genre or instrument.

ZS: What do you find is most difficult when switching from soprano to alto to tenor saxophone?

MS:: First of all, alto is the hardest of them all, might be the shape of the neck that lacks the resistance I am accustomed to on tenor. Soprano is hard to keep in tune, but once you build the chops and posture to have a steady embouchure its cool.

ZS: What practice routine or exercise have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical ability?

MS:: Drones, drones, drones. I tune to them for long periods of time, with large interval leaps and melodic phrases, my tone improves drastically when I manage to consistently do this. Nothing fancy, just the fundamentals, etudes both from myself and other composers.

ZS: For someone who is looking to purchase a professional saxophone, what would you recommend they look for when trying out various models from various manufacturers?

MS:: I like P. Mauriat, they are reasonably priced, they have many bore proportions to choose from, and other options as well.

ZS: What’s the next musical frontier for you?

MS:: Who knows, many times I have tried to predict what will be created next and all that does is make me look like an idiot. LOL I just know it will be open and not limited to one genre, and for the people, that’s where I am at.

Markus’ Complete Setup

Saxophone

Soprano: P. Mauriat system 76 2nd edition.

Alto: P Mauriat Master 97 un-lacquered.

Tenor: P. Mauriat 66RUL.

Mouthpiece

Soprano: Selmer S-90

Alto: Lebayle Jazz Chamber 7 (wood)

Tenor: Lebayle LRII metal 9*

Reed

Saxophone: Vandoren v-16 3 ½ or Vandoren V-16 3.

Ligature

Ishimori silver ligature for soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone.

Case

Michael Manning double case (tenor/sop), Protec case (alto).

Repair

KB Saxophone Services.

See Marcus in action

To learn more about Marcus go to http://marcusstrickland.com

The post Jazz Heavyweight Marcus Strickland on the Hardest Saxophone to Play, and More appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Introduction

While visiting the 2015 NAMM show, saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz Brown was nice enough to introduce me to one of my favorite baritone saxophone players, Jason Marshall. If you have not heard of Jason Marshall yet, I would recommend checking out one of his albums. I asked Jason if he would be willing to share his experience playing the saxophone specifically when it came to approaching the baritone saxophone. I have included a biography as well as my interview with Jason which I hope you will enjoy.

Biography

Jason Marshall is one of the most sought after baritone saxophonists on the scene today. Gaining wide recognition early in his career as a member of several ensembles led by trumpet star Roy Hargrove, he’s played with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Arturo O’Farrill, the Charlie Mingus Big Band Beyonce, Kenny Latimore, The Roots, Kevin Mahogany, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, the Isley Brothers, and the Temptations. Jason can also be found performing weekly with the iconic NYC hip hop band, Nickle & Dime Ops and with his own, The Jason Marshall Organ Trio.

An accomplished composer and arranger, he’s been nominated for a Grammy for his work on the modern day classic “Miss Garvey, Miss Garvey!!” He has also written and arranged music for the Taipei Jazz Orchestra and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. His work for large ensemble can be heard most regularly performed by his critically acclaimed orchestra, the Jason Marshall Big Band.

On top of all of that, he is a respected speaker and writer, giving speeches on a variety of subjects, not limited just to jazz, but also Afro-American history, classic menswear, and travel tactics. Summer 2015 will see the release of Jason’s first book “Elegance at Altitude”, the collected wisdom and best practices for the “post – 911” traveling musician.

The Interview

ZS: What made you decide to play the baritone saxophone?

JM: Well I started off playing alto saxophone. Before I entered fifth grade, I remember attending the Timerbemont music camp. I remember seeing another student named Montrell Smith, who was just a few years older and playing the baritone saxophone. I remember wanting to switch from alto to baritone saxophone and when I started 6th grade my music teacher let me play on the school baritone saxophone.

ZS: What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the saxophonist you are today?

JM: I took lessons from a variety of players. Some of those players were Holly Pasquale, Lorenz Wheatley, Paul Carr, Fred Foss, Gary Smulyan, and Ronnie Cuber. I remember Paul Carr taught me how to teach myself by listening to records and playing along with the music. Lorenz Wheatley, helped me understand how to listen to jazz and understand what the saxophone was capable of doing. Fred Foss taught me what constitutes bebop and what makes it unique. Gary Smulyan taught how to articulate on the baritone and how it was not like every other saxophone. Finally, Ronnie Cuber taught me how to make the baritone saxophone sound relevant in modern music.

ZS: How did you find it switching from alto to baritone saxophone?

JM: I was very young when I started playing baritone saxophone around age 11 or 12 and did not really notice the difference. Each teacher I worked with did not talk about airflow much and allowed me to be creative without any boundaries.

ZS: How did you develop your sound on baritone saxophone?

JM: I view my sound as relating to the human voice. I used to and still listen to such players as Grover Washington, Bruce Johnstone, Nick Brignola, Stanley Turrentine, Cannonball Adderley, and Johnny Griffin which have influenced the way I approach my sound.

ZS: What practice routine or exercise have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical ability?

JM: I work on breathing correctly and supporting my air stream. I find that most players do not use enough air when playing. Such players as Cannonball Adderley, Gene Ammons, and Dexter Gordon are great examples of players who play with enough air and support. A modern tenor player more in common with what I am trying to accomplish would be Ricky Woodard (on tenor). Some other great examples would be Abraham Burton and Greg Tardy. I also employ such saxophone practice ideas as practicing slow for the purpose of improving my ability to play fast, and to play ballads to work on my long tones. A very important idea I find that many saxophonists neglect is to pick one direction to come from. Focus on one style for a while instead of constantly jumping around.

ZS: For someone who is looking to either add the baritone to their line-up of saxophones or switch to playing baritone saxophone exclusively, what would you recommend they look for when trying out various baritone saxophones from various manufacturers?

JM: A lot has to do with the construction of the instrument. P Mauriat makes an excellent instrument through constant R&D every year. In addition, Yanagisawa, Yamaha, and Keilwerth make great baritone saxophones. I find that a well-constructed saxophone needs to be able to be taken apart and put back together many times with the pads sealing well and not any major wear over a short period of time. Although some of the vintage baritone saxophones are great saxophones, I highly recommend playing on equipment you can easily replace in the future.

ZS: Who do you find yourself listening to these days?

JM: I find myself listening to Cannonball Adderley, David Fathead Newman, Johnny Griffin, Gerald Albright, and Kirk Whalum.

ZS: What’s the next musical frontier for you?

JM: I have a travel tactics book for musicians coming out as well as one or two transcription books coming out soon. I have been writing a lot for my big band and trying to broaden my musical output. I am always trying to get better because nothing I am doing is finished. I am focused on being a leader over these next several months.

ZS: What’s your current setup?

JM:

• Soprano: P Mauriat System 76 2nd edition.
• Alto: P Mauriat Master 97.
• Tenor: P Mauriat System 76 prototype.
• Baritone: P Mauriat 300 (PMB 300) Prototype.

Mouthpiece

• Soprano: Jody Jazz DV 10.
• Alto: Jody Jazz JET 9.
• Tenor: Jody Jazz DV 10.
• Baritone: Jody Jazz DV 10.

Reed

• Soprano: Rico Orange Box 4.
• Alto: Rico Select Jazz 3s.
• Tenor: Rico Orange Box 4.
• Baritone: Rico Orange Box 4.

Ligature

• Soprano: Rovner Platinum Ligature.
• Alto: Rovner Platinum Ligature.
• Tenor: Rovner Platinum Ligature.
• Baritone: Rovner Platinum Ligature.

Other equipment:

• Mike Manning Cases
• AMT Microphones
• Hercules stands

Repair-shop

JL Woodwind Repair

Jason Marshall at Sax.co.uk

Jason Marshall playing “Cherokee”

Jason Marshall’s Website

http://www.jasonmarshalljazz.com/

The post Bari Sax Master Jason Marshall on What Most Players Don’t Do, and More appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Introduction

This marks my 5^th year attending NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) and it keeps getting better and better every year. The 2016 NAMM show was yet another year filled with more exhibitors showcasing new and updated products ranging from saxophones, necks, ligatures, mouthpieces, reeds, and the list goes on. With only 4 days to see it all, I did my best to try as many products as possible but unfortunately, I was not able to get to everything. This year I saw more “vintage” saxophone offerings and noticed that although many brands seemed to look alike and use similar materials, the setup of the saxophone is what differentiated various brands at the show. I will be reviewing and revisiting some products I had a chance to try at the 2015 NAMM show as well as discussing some new products that have recently been launched for 2016. In addition to the reviewed products, I will list products at the show that I hope to test play at a later date as well as recommend you check out.

These products, in no particular order…

Macsax: The Artist

After having test played Macsax’s line of saxophones and settling on the Empyreal tenor as my favorite model, Greg Wilson and Eric Falcon at Macsax recommended I test play their new model called “The Artist.” According to MacSax, “The Artist model follows the vibrant and focused sound of the late 1950’s vintage French-made saxophones yet adds more ergonomic key-work, an exceptionally free blowing neck, and powerful projection.” Some features of this saxophone are: “Ribbed construction, hand hammered bell, Italian pisoni pads, blue steel springs, and shellac installed pads to name a few.” When I play tested The Artist series tenor, I noticed it was an incredibly free blowing from top to bottom. I found the action and key layout to feel comfortable and fluid under my fingers. Compared to the Empyreal model, I found that when I played this tenor, the sound was broader and projected well while the Empyreal had a bit more resistance (which I prefer) allowing me to achieve a more focused sound. Overall, The Artist tenor saxophone is a great new addition to the Macsax line up and at $2,495, it’s a great option for anyone looking to upgrade from a student to a professional saxophone.

More Info:

http://macsax.com/artist-tenor/

Yanagisawa T-WO20

Since hearing about the popularity of the new Yanagisawa WO alto saxophones from last year’s NAMM show, I was excited to finally get a chance to try out the new Yanagisawa WO tenor saxophone line. My first professional tenor saxophone (which I still own) is the Yanagisawa 991 tenor saxophone. While at the 2016 NAMM show, I had the chance to test play the Yanagisawa T-W020 which is the newer version of the Yanagisawa 992 (bronze model). Some of the enhancements Yanagisawa has made to the new WO series are as follows: new source of brass, readjustment of the bore and tone hole for better tonal response from high to low registers, redesigned front F key, additional stopper under the right side key to alleviate unneeded pressure, a new right pinky angle for smoother fingering, and new palm key plate. When I played the Yanagisawa T-W020, it felt just like my 991 but some of these enhancements I mentioned above made the T-W020 easier to get around on. The overall intonation was great and this tenor was very free-blowing with an even scale from low Bb to high F#. I highly recommend you check out the new Yanagisawa WO series tenor saxophones and for those of you who have the 991 series and are thinking about upgrading to this model, I recommend play testing the various finishes first to see if you notice a significant difference. I personally would not upgrade to the W010 from my 991 series Yanagisawa because the difference was not significant for me but after playing the W020 model, I did prefer the overall response and believe that possibly the sterling silver models would make enough of a difference to make me switch to the new WO model.

More Info:

http://www.yanagisawasax.co.jp/e_newproducts.html

Lefreque

While trying out various mouthpieces from CE winds and saxophones from Lupifaro, I noticed a booth around the corner with a product called a LefreQue. The LefreQue comes in a few sizes and different finishes such as: Brass, silver plated, red brass, sterling silver, gold plated, etc. Hans Kuijt, the inventor of the LefreQue, explained to me that the LefreQue is a sound bridge made up of two metal elements that address sound breaches that occur at different parts of the instrument affecting the sound quality and tuning of the tone. Hans informed me that you put the LefreQue on an instrument such as a saxophone using a special elastic band. He told me that cork is a material that does not pass on sound so using the LefreQue to touch your mouthpiece and circumvent the cork, will result in a better sound and tuning. I tried the brass, silver plated and red brass and I found that the red brass made the most difference for me. I found that with the LefreQue, the sound resonated a bit more resulting in a more tonal colors. For me I did not think the LefreQue significantly improved the tuning and tone but I did notice it enough to where i can see why many woodwind players have started to adopt this product.

More Info:

https://www.lefreque.com/

Ochres X series

Ochres, like Sahduoo, was another new exhibitor to NAMM this year and was showcasing their line of professional saxophones. The model that stood out to me was the X series OCT-N5VX. This tenor saxophone had a vintage finish with abalone key touches. Unique to the Ochres model was an alternate F# key that was larger than I have seen on any saxophone and had a wood key touch instead of a pearl or metal. In addition, this saxophone had a 24k gold medal stamped above the Ochres name on the front of the bell with a Mark VI like floral engraving. This tenor sonically had one of the best sounds I thought at the show. The level of resistance, edge, and core I found on this model reminded me most of the characteristics many players are looking for when they are searching for a great vintage Conn, King, or Selmer saxophone. I found the key-work comfortable and easy to get use to but would have the spring tension lighter for my personal preference. In terms of materials, this saxophone is setup with blue steel springs and pisoni pads installed with shellac. I am looking forward to play testing this saxophone again and hope to review one in further detail later this year.

More Info:

http://www.ochresmusic.com/

Macsax FL 65

Eric has introduced and collaborated with many companies looking to design and manufacturer their own line of mouthpieces. One of Eric’s new mouthpieces is the Macsax FL 65. Since so many players are searching for a vintage link or alternative to a vintage link, Eric created this mouthpiece inspired by the Florida no USA vintage Super Tone Master. I have played on an old hard rubber slant Otto link that Eric worked on and was excited to try this FL 65 mouthpiece. I found that I was able to push a lot of air thru this mouthpiece without much resistance but get a really focused sound that was easy to control. I found this FL 65 to have a lot of edge if you pushed it and like so many of Eric’s mouthpieces, the FL 65 offered many of the qualities you are looking for in a great mouthpiece without the issues you would find with various vintage mouthpieces. If you are currently in the market for a metal mouthpiece and specifically like vintage links, I would highly recommend you check out the Macsax FL 65.

More Info:

http://macsax.com/contact-us/

Sahduoo XT series

While searching thru the NAMM app before the show, I noticed there was a new saxophone manufacturer from Taiwan called Sahduoo. When I stopped by Sahduoo’s booth, they had their student and professional model alto’s, tenor’s and soprano saxophones as well as their own line of mouthpieces. I tried a few of their hard rubber tenor mouthpieces which I thought played well overall. I played two of their professional model tenor saxophones known as the XT series. The XT series tenor came in an array of finishes from gold lacquer, black lacquer with gold keys, matte finish, and un-lacquered to name a few. I ended up liking one of their newer finishes which was a matte finish with black mother of pearl. From first looking at the XT series, the key-work and appearance reminded me of a Mark VI copy combined with various keys and features I see on other Taiwanese saxophones today. When I started playing this saxophone, I found the overall setup felt good and the sound leaned a bit on the brighter side. This saxophone played well from low Bb to High F# and was stable and consistent thru-ought. I did recommend a few changes that I think many players would like to see on the XT series but was impressed with the craftsmanship and Sahduoo’s team’s interest in getting players feedback on how they can better improve their saxophones. I would highly recommend checking out their website to find out more information and hope to in the future spend more time playing the XT series to gain a better understanding of what this saxophone has to offer.

More Info:

http://www.sahduoo.com/

Lupifaro Baritone Saxophone

It was great to see Luca Cardinali, the creator of the Lupifaro saxophone line. Since the Platinum series saxophones were introduced at the NAMM show almost 3 years ago, they have gotten more and more popular. This year in particular, Luca introduce the new Platinum baritone saxophone. The Platinum series is meant for those players who enjoy vintage Selmer’s but want the modern enhancements included. This baritone saxophone, unlike many new professional baritone saxophones built today is without a low A key. Similar to the discussion how many players prefer vintage saxophones without the high F# key, many baritone players who are coming from a vintage Selmer or Conn, prefer no low A and just Bb. The various students and professional saxophone players that came by to try the Lupifaro Platinum baritone saxophone said they enjoyed the overall ergonomics and tonal colors. Those players who specifically play on low Bb bari’s and are looking for a modern version should check out the Lupifaro Platinum baritone saxophone.

More Info:

http://lupifaro.com/

Jazzlab “Deflector”

Since picking up the first version of the Saxholder neckstrap which has become incredibly popular in the saxophone community, I decided to stop by the booth to see what new products Jazzlab had to offer. At the Jazzlab booth, I saw a product called The Deflector. The Deflector reminded me of the Ploeger sax sound mirror which I used in the past. I tried out the Deflector and found it easy to put on the saxophone bell and secure it in place. The Deflector was very easy to adjust whether you wanted it to be close to the bell or not. Overall, I could hear the sound being deflected back in my direction which was extremely great with all the noise going on at the NAMM show. Since the Deflector I tried at the show was just a prototype, I am excited to see when the final version comes out on the market because I intend to pick one up.

More Info:

http://www.jazzlab.com/en/

ReedGeek “Klangbogen”

In addition to the widely popular ReedGeek, Mauro has released and has been perfecting his new product called the Klangbogen. I have been test playing this Klangbogen for over a year now and have been trying it on various saxophones. I can say that the overall effect depends on the particular saxophone and can be noticed in the low’s and the high’s at various extreme’s. I used the Klangbogen on my Mark VI tenor and I found the low B and Bb to play more stable as well as found a similar result when playing in the palm keys. I recommend you email Mauro or find a retailer by you to try a Klangbogen and make sure it fits your saxophone lyre holder. I will have a more detailed review coming out this year but am excited that Mauro has come out with another product to make our saxophone playing lives easier.

More Info:

http://www.reedgeek.com/klangbogen/

Gottsu  Sepia VI mouthpieces

The Gottsu booth was one of the first booths I stopped at when I attended my first NAMM show. Since trying his first Sepia Tone mouthpiece, I wanted stop by the booth to say hello to Mr. Gottsu and see what new products he had to offer. One of the mouthpieces Mr. Gottsu recommended I try was his popular Sepia Tone VI mouthpiece but in a marble finish. When I played tested this mouthpiece and compared it to my Otto Link, the Sepia Tone VI played easily and at the same time I liked the overall tonal colors I could achieve on this mouthpiece. Although I found it easy to play through-out the entire horn, I found the Sepia Tone VI had a bit more resistance in the palm keys than I was not accustomed to on my Otto link hard rubber mouthpiece. I found the Sepia Tone VI could be dark when you wanted it to or brighter if you pushed it. I did not find this mouthpiece leaned towards either too dark or too bright and was very versatile. I would recommend checking out Mr. Gottsu’s hard rubber as well as metal mouthpieces.

More Info:

http://www.gottsu-japan.com/english/

Additional Products to check out

1. Marmaduke alto and tenor mouthpieces (http://kyotobeauty.ocnk.biz/product-list/2)
2. Ishimori Woodstone saxophones (http://www.wood-stone.jp/)
3. Rampone & Cazzani (http://www.ramponecazzani.com/eng/index.php)
4. Trevor James saxophones (new neck coming soon!)( http://tjsaxes.co.uk/)
5. Forestone saxophones (http://www.forestone-saxophone.com/index.html)
6. Vandoren V21 Reeds (http://www.vandoren-en.com/V21-Saxophone-Reeds-New_a834.html)
7. Cannonball 20 year anniversary saxophones (http://www.cannonballmusic.com/20th.php)
8. P Mauriat Master 97 saxophone (http://www.pmauriatmusic.com/en/products/item/3-alto/108-master-97)
9. Joel Harrison ligature (http://www.sax-works.com/)
10. Silverstein mouthpiece’s (http://www.silversteinworks.com/mouthpiece-le/)
11. CE Winds saxophones and mouthpieces (http://www.cewinds.com/)
12. Theo Wanne Slant Sig tenor mouthpiece (http://store.theowanne.com/products/slant-sig-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece)
13. Horae saxophones (http://horaewinds.com/)
14. Nadir Winds mouthpieces (https://nadirsaxwind.com/)

Conclusion

The 2016 NAMM Show was another great year filled with new artists, new products, and most importantly new exhibitors showcasing their saxophones, ligatures, reeds, necks, mouthpieces, neck straps, and the list goes on. What I have seen over the past 5 years, besides the introduction of new products, is the improvement of current saxophone models as well as products designed to correct problems still seen on new horns manufactured today. This is important because there are more saxophones coming out on the market which is leading to additional research and development by manufacturers to set their saxophones apart resulting in better horns to the player. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit every booth I wanted to and spend the amount of time I would have liked to test play various saxophone products.

To any of the manufacturers I met at NAMM, if I did not include you in this list, this is not a reflection on your product, it just came down to time. If you would like me to review your product specifically or have any questions, please feel free to contact me using the information from my author bio below.

Again, another great NAMM Show and I can’t wait to see what NAMM 2017 has in store for us saxophonists next year!

The post NAMM 2016 Saxophone Gear Roundup appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Stephan Kammerer MouthpiecesIntroduction

The first time I heard of Stephan Kammerer is when I visited KB Saxophone Services in N.Y.C. Kim Bock introduced me to some of Stephan’s prototype hard rubber mouthpieces while I was test playing various SBA’s and Mark VI’s with my Otto Link Slant Signature tenor mouthpiece. I remember playing one of Stephan’s hard rubber tenor mouthpieces which reminded me of a slant link and the alto mouthpiece was reminiscent of a N.Y. Meyer. Overall, I was very impressed by the quality and attention to detail Stephan put into each of his mouthpieces. I asked Kim if I could meet Stephan since he was based in N.Y.C. and Kim was nice enough to arrange a time for me to meet up with Stephan at the shop and discuss his line of mouthpieces.

When I met Stephan, we discussed two mouthpieces that he was working on and once finished, he would send me one tenor and one alto mouthpiece to test play. I am glad to say that although Stephan has gotten busier and busier as a mouthpiece re-facer and as a player in N.Y.C., he was nice enough to send me an Otto Link Super Tone Master (vintage specs) and his SK New York Custom alto mouthpiece. The tenor mouthpiece is a 7* but Stephan has it marked after re-facing it to a 106 and the alto mouthpiece is a .080 tip opening. I will be reviewing each mouthpiece on the following: Sound, Intonation, Response, Build Quality, and my Overall Thoughts.

SK Metal Otto Link Super Tone Master 7* (106.)

Sound

I have played Otto Link Super Tone Master’s before and overall found that each one responded a bit differently from mouthpiece to mouthpiece (focused, spread, stuffy, free-blowing, bright, dark, etc.). Stephan’s Otto Link Super Tone Master, which he refaced and hand finished to vintage specs was one of the better Otto Links I have played to date. The overall sound of the mouthpiece, I found to be neutral rather than leaning on the brighter or darker side. I found that the sound was even from low Bb to high F# and very easy to control. This Otto Link had the right amount of edge, focus, and warmth that you do not find in all metal Otto Link Super Tone Masters.

Intonation

I have heard from many saxophonists that they find metal mouthpieces to play shrill in the palm keys, and are more difficult to get used to initially when compared to a hard rubber mouthpiece. From test playing more and more mouthpieces from various manufacturers and made from various materials, I do not see this as the case. I would say a metal mouthpiece that has been hand finished and play tested over and over with adjustments should play just as even, in tune, and easy to control as a hard rubber mouthpiece. I found Stephan’s Link to play evenly throughout all of the registers and while working thru my overtone exercises, it took very little time for me to adjust which is not always the case when trying various metal mouthpieces.

Response

The Otto Link Super Tone Master responded well throughout the entire range of the horn. I did find it to contain more resistance or back pressure compared to my Otto Link Slant Signature but this resistance allowed me to project more than my Slant Link. I did find this mouthpiece took more air which could be due to it being a 106 tip opening and I play a 7 or 100 tip opening. When I played chromatically from bottom to top and vice versa, I noticed it was very easy to play from high D to high F# with a full sound that was not shrill and was easy to control.

Build Quality

The rails, tip, and baffle were even, smooth, and balanced on both sides. From my experience, these qualities you do not find all the time when purchasing new Otto Link Super Tone Master’s.

Overall

The vintage Otto Links are some of the most sought after and commonly played mouthpieces on the market today. Unfortunately, the new Otto Link Super Tone Master’s from my experience do not respond and feel like the vintage ones of the past. The SK Otto Link Super Tone Master is a great alternative for someone looking for that “vintage” Otto Link metal mouthpiece or as a back-up to their existing Link. If you are in the market for a metal mouthpiece or searching for the ultimate link, check out a SK Metal Otto Link Super Tone Master mouthpiece or email Stephan for further information.

Sam Dillon test playing the SK Otto Link Super Tone Master Tenor Mouthpiece

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPgeSV32uZg

 SK New York Custom Alto Mouthpiece (.80)

Sound

I found the SK New York Custom alto mouthpiece reminded of a N.Y. Meyer. The overall sound I found to be warm, focused, and contain a nice amount of edge in the mid-range, a bright but full sound in the upper range and into the palms keys, as well as a dark and full sound down to low Bb.

Intonation

Although I mainly play tenor, this mouthpiece was very easy to control, stay in tune, and while working thru various overtone series took very little time to adjust which makes it especially great when switching between alto and tenor or vice versa during gigs.

Response

The response was instant with a bit of resistance which really allowed me to project.

Build Quality

The tip, rails, baffle, etc. was clean and even. The finishing work was nice and I noticed no scratches. I liked that Stephan used Zinner blanks because I have tried various mouthpiece facings using Zinner blanks and I believe the material is solid.

Overall

To put it simply, if you are in the market for a N.Y. Meyer alto mouthpiece, I would highly recommend checking out Stephan’s SK New York Custom alto mouthpieces. The sound, response, intonation, and build quality is great and I know Stephan can customize the mouthpiece to your preference.

David Mann presenting the new SK New York Custom Alto Mouthpiece

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6yeQVF9ztY

Conclusion

I would like to thank Stephan Kammerer for sending me his SK Otto Link Super Tone Master tenor mouthpiece (vintage specs) and SK New York Custom alto mouthpiece to test play. With so many mouthpieces on the market today, it can be difficult to figure out which one will suit you best. In addition, there have been many copies and re-releases of popular mouthpiece facing under almost every mouthpiece manufacturer and refacer to date. All I can say is Stephan Kammerer is someone I have added to my list as a quality refacer, as well as a go-to guy if something ever happened to one of my mouthpieces, I know he is someone I could contact to find a great replacement or fix.

Please feel free to send Stephan an email (via his website, link below) with any questions and I highly recommend scheduling an appointment with Stephan at Kim Bock’s shop.

 SK Mouthpiece Website

http://www.skmouthpieces.com/

The post Stephan Kammerer Mouthpieces appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Klangbogen

Introduction

At the 2016 NAMM show, I stopped by ReedGeek to check out the ReedGeek Black Diamond G4. While at the booth, Mauro Di Gioia, founder and president of ReedGeek, showed me a new device he called the Klangbogen. To gain a better understanding of what the Klangbogen has to offer, I will be discussing the following information: Product Overview, Klangbogen Placement, Test Results, and my Overall Thoughts.

Product Overview

“The ReedGeek® Klangbogen™ is the latest innovative product offering from ReedGeek, Inc., designed by German artisan and ReedGeek team member, Torsten “Toko” Köhler. The Klangbogen; instantly increases output and depth of tone of the saxophone while stabilizing the extreme ranges of the horn so it speaks with clarity.”

This device is a solid brass bow that fits alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone and attaches to the music-lyre screw holder. The Klangbogen will maximize the airflow through the conical tube which improves the efficiency of a balanced reed by supporting and reducing air turbulence at the neck-tenon and palm keys. The neck-tenon and palm keys have historically suffered tremendous nodal disturbances. The overall result is an enhanced tone with greater projection and focus to the sound.

Klangbogen Placement

The post can be unscrewed and re-positioned in one of the three hole placements depending on what type of saxophone you are using (alto, tenor, or baritone).

To install, unscrew lyre screw and insert Klangbogen into lyre slot, tightening the screw securely against the knurled post. The device may be placed below or above the neck screw tenon as seen in picture 3 and picture 4.

Picture 3

Picture 4

Results

I have been using the Klangbogen for over 1 year. I have tried this device on various saxophones and I have noticed the benefit each time. For me, I preferred placing the Klangbogen above the lyre screw holder (see picture 4) but it also worked well below (see picture 3). What I noticed when using the Klangbogen is it did offer me more stabilization, focus, and projection in the upper and lower range of the saxophone. I felt that while playing up in the palm keys, the sound was more stable and easier to control. In the lower register, especially when playing low Bb, I was able to get a bit bigger and fuller low Bb. I will say if you use the Klangbogen for a few hours and then take it off, you will most likely notice a difference.

Overall Thoughts

I am excited that Mauro is constantly developing and experimenting with various products that will correct or improve problems we saxophonist have to deal with on a day to day basis. The Klangbogen will not take a stuffy saxophone or one with neck issues and solve it, but I will say the Klangbogen has only improved the various saxophones I have tried by enhancing and stabilizing various areas on the saxophone. The result is different and can be more noticeable from saxophone to saxophone, but I highly recommend checking one out because everyone whom I have met thus far and has tried the Klangbogen has been happy they did.

The Klangbogen comes in polished brass, sterling silver-plate, and a heavy gold plate.

ReedGeek Website

http://www.ReedGeek.com/klangbogen/

Ricker Keller demo’s Klangbogen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W3O7gSLlPc

Brian Landrus demo’s Klangbogen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv2GUQ4uUJs

The post Can the ReedGeek “Klangbogen” Bore & Reed Stabilizer Instantly Improve Your Sound? appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

ReedJuvinate

Introduction

I have struggled like many saxophonists to find a good reed. I would say most to all players have bought a box of 5 or 10 reeds and have only found one or two reeds that play well right out of the box. Some methods I have used to improve the overall reed’s responsiveness are as follows: ReedGeek, soaking in water, soaking in apple cider vinegar, soaking in vodka, and the list goes on. When we are lucky enough to find a good reed or work on a reed to where its playing to our standards, the first thing I and can assume many of us think to ourselves is how do I keep this reed alive and playing as long as possible.

My current method to keep my reeds from warping or drying out has been to find an old spice jar or any small plastic or glass bottle, clean it thoroughly and then pour a small amount of vodka at the bottom. I have found this to increase the life of my reeds, sterilize my reeds, and keep them from warping. I recently received a ReedJuvinate which reminds me very much of what I am currently doing but uses a different liquid (original Listerine) and storage device. I am going to give you an overview of the ReedJuvinate, my results from using the ReedJuvinate, and end with my overall conclusion and recommendations.

Overview

“The ReedJuvinate is the woodwind reed storage and conditioning system that keeps your saxophone and clarinet reeds ready to play and free from destructive effects of bacteria, mold and salivary chemicals. The ReedJuvinate preserves your favorite reeds, saving you the cost and hassle of replacing them. It works for all sizes and kinds of reeds.”

Benefits

1.) Reeds last longer; so you save money.

2.) Reeds stay clean and sterile.

3.) Reeds don’t warp and are readily playable.

My Results

I have used the ReedJuvinate over the past couple of weeks and am happy with the overall results. The reeds stayed flat and I did not see any signs of the reed warping. In addition, the reeds absorbed enough of the listerine to keep them clean and playable right away. The ReedJuvinate comes with 2 methods you can use to keep your reeds, whether you want your reeds to be saturated more or less in the Listerine. I have included the 2 step process for you to review:

Steps (2 methods)

A.) Humidify (reeds have lowest water content)

1.) Soak the triangular sponge with full strength Listerine (original formula- yellow in color). Pour off any extra fluid.

2.) Insert your best three reeds into the ReedJuvinate, with the tip down and flat side toward the center of the cylinder. Leave 1 cm of base of the reed exposed you can easily pull it out again. Don’t let the sponge touch the reeds.

3.) Screw the cap on.

4.) Every four weeks, remove the reeds, soak sponge with Fresh Listerine, and replace your reeds.

B.) Soak Humidify (reeds have higher water content)

1.) Insert your best three reeds into the ReedJuvinate, with the tip down and flat side toward the center of the cylinder. Leave 1 cm of base of the reed exposed you can easily pull it out again. Don’t let the sponge touch the reeds.

2.) Fill ReedJuvinate with full strength Listerine (original formula- yellow in color) Screw cap on.

3.) Soak reeds for 10 minutes pour off Listerine leaving the triangle sponge wet. Screw the cap on.

4.) Every four weeks, remove the reeds, soak sponge with Fresh Listerine, and replace your reeds.

Conclusion

I have tried various reed soaking methods whether it be with water, apple cider vinegar, different mouthwashes, and now vodka. I have tried other products from various manufacturers to keep the reed flat and in an environment that would prevent it from warping or growing any sort of mold or unwanted bacteria. I will say that the results I see when using my old spice jar and vodka method is similar to the results of the ReedJuvinate. I thought that the ReedJuvinate is a much better system for regulating the amount of substance you put in the container which will prevent an instance where the reeds become waterlogged or over saturated. I can say if you currently do not have a method in place to preserve and extend the life of your reeds, I would highly recommend checking out the ReedJuvinate because if you follow the instructions, you will see that your reeds will last longer. If you want your reeds to last longer as well as play to your preference, purchasing a ReedGeek in combination with the ReedJuvinate is one of the best options for getting the playability and consistency out of your reeds.

Please comment with your reed methods as well as experiences using the ReedJuvinate.

Company Webiste

http://ReedJuvinate.com/

How to use ReedJuvinate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU5G45GC-ts

The post ReedJuvinate: Another option to extending your reed longevity? appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Bravo Reeds

Introduction

With the various limitations that traditional cane reeds present to saxophonists such as warping, consistency, and longevity; there are more and more manufacturers coming to the market with synthetic alternatives to address these issues. I have tried various synthetic reeds from Legere, Bari, Fiberreed, Forestone, Fibracell, and although I still prefer traditional cane, I am noticing improvements in design, sound quality and consistency with synthetic reeds.

I was recently contacted by Bravo Reeds and was asked to test play there synthetic reeds for alto saxophone. These reeds are also available for tenor, baritone, soprano and bass clarinet.

Product Info

Bravo Reeds were designed in California and made in Taiwan. These synthetic reeds come in traditional cane reed strengths: (2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4,). The Bravo Reeds were designed to meet the expectations and demands of professional saxophonist as well as beginners. Thru over a decade of research and development as well as trial and error, Bravo Reeds has introduced a reed that feels, plays, and performs as well as cane. Thru this process, Bravo has been able to guarantee consistency from reed to reed as well as ensure a non-toxic manufacturing process for workers and musicians. While many synthetic reeds are priced much higher than traditional cane, Bravo Reeds are priced competitively to cane so students and musicians can enjoy the benefits and not have to deal with traditional cane problems.

Research

Musicians at all levels have tolerated the inconsistencies inherent in cane for many years. If you were lucky enough to find one or two reeds out of the box that played well, you would consider that a great box of reeds. Reed players have searched endlessly for the “perfect” reed, one that is durable, consistent, and responsive. Up until now, the industry has offered cane or synthetic options with each category presenting its own problems.

A solution to the problems faced with traditional cane is a synthetic reed. Manufacturers have been searching for the right combination of plastic epoxy, composites, coverings, and filaments for over fifty years. The problems are threefold: first, there are the structural issues of mouth feel, responsiveness, and resonance; second, there’s the question of the safety of the materials used; and third, there’s price. Good synthetic reeds cost a lot more than cane, making it hard for musicians to justify even trying them out. This is why Bravo Reeds was invented.

Overall Thoughts

I tried various strengths of the Bravo Reeds and found that the 2 and the 21/2 worked best for me. I found the Bravo reeds to overall feel comfortable and not too stiff but at the same time the Bravo reeds did not feel as comfortable as traditional cane. These reeds were responsive and took very little air to make a sound. I found the overall sound quality I was able to achieve had many characteristics of traditional cane but at the same time, I found that while playing chromatically, the sound quality varied from low to mid to high. I do believe with more and more time using the Bravo Reeds, I could obtain a similar sound as I find when playing traditional cane but I still believe like many other synthetic reeds, there is more research and work to be done before synthetic reeds match or surpass traditional cane.

I would like to thank Bravo reeds for sending me their alto reeds to test play. I will say the Bravo reeds offer one of the best values for players looking to switch or try synthetic reeds. I have included the Bravo reeds website if you would like to find out more information.

Website

http://www.bravoreeds.net/

Video Discussing Bravo Reeds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xc10BvqEIg

The post Bravo Reeds: “Is this the synthetic reed you have been looking for?” appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

KB Sax Handcrafted Saxophone Necks

Introduction

I visited Kim Bock’s shop a few years ago to try out various vintage Selmer and TM custom saxophones as well as gain a better understanding of his repair work since more and more players were going to Kim to have their saxophones overhauled and setup. Recently, Kim has introduced his own line of saxophone necks which of all the saxophone accessories on the market today, (mouthpieces, ligatures, reeds, neck-straps, screws, etc.) there are only a few saxophone neck manufacturers such as: Oleg, Gloger, Paraschos, Warburton, DaCarbo, and Tino Schuct. Since I have not experimented much with saxophone necks, (mainly saxophones, mouthpieces, reeds, neckstraps and ligatures) I was interested in finding out more information about these necks. Kim was nice enough to send me the Redwood and Canyon brass neck which I will be providing a product overview as well as my overall thoughts on each neck.

Product Overview

Kim designed the KB saxophone necks around the resonance, tonal color, and flexibility of the legendary and highly sought after Selmer Super Balanced Action and the early Mark VI saxophones. Each one of Kim Bock’s necks are 100% handcrafted in his shop and are custom fit to a large selection of vintage and modern saxophones. Kim developed and perfected his necks with the feedback from many professional saxophonists from around the world throughout a 1 ½ year prototype period. Thru-ought this process, Kim recognized the saxophone neck as having the greatest impact on the instruments performance over any other part of the horn. The neck is where most of the sound color, intonation, tonal feel and flexibility are created. Kim has found that by using one of his KB handcrafted saxophone necks, the player will notice a better performance on both modern and vintage horns.

Neck Making Process

The KB saxophone necks are unique to the standard neck making process. How a traditional saxophone neck is made is by “forming a metal sheet around a mandrel to create a conical tube. The tube is then bent over a form to give it the specific shape of a saxophone neck. Some parts of the metal are stretched much more than others during this process which results in a neck with varying wall thickness.” The KB sax necks are made by first stamping out the two halves/sides of the neck and then silver soldering them together to create the neck tube. This results in a neck tube with a much more uniform wall thickness throughout. Kim believes this is part of the reason why his necks sound and feel so resonant compared to other necks on the market. By making each neck by hand, Kim is able to maintain tolerances of +/- 0.002” (thousands of an inch) throughout production which ensures a much higher level of consistency in quality and sound.

Neck Models

Currently Kim offers two models which are the Redwood and Canyon. The Redwood model does come in copper as well as hand hammered copper while the Canyon model is currently offered in just brass. Below is a description of each model.

Redwood

“The brass Redwood is the most focused of our necks with a dark and round core sound. Your air is channeled into a tight yet robust tone-feel that makes the horn feel quick and compact in the lower range while maintaining the strong and present core sound without changing character as you move through the palm keys and up throughout the altissimo range. It has a hint more resistance than the Redwood copper variations but also stays incredibly centered and round when you really push it.While it is quite focused it maintains great tonal flexibility and a deep complexity to the sound.”

Redwood Copper

“The copper Redwood has a wider, warmer and slightly more free blowing character than its brass equivalent. The sound is a little less mid-tone concentrated and the frequency spread is a more pronounced, punctuated with more highs and lows.It is a softer alloy, so it is more susceptible to damage. Assembling your horn by first putting the mouthpiece on the neck followed by putting the neck on the horn will help prevent neck pull-down. This model has toured the world with pro players and has sustained no damage when cared for responsibly.”

Redwood Hand Hammered Copper

“Hand hammering our copper neck serves two purposes: Firstly, this work hardens the copper, making it less prone to pull-down damage compared to the copper neck. In fact, the hand hammered copper is as strong as brass. Secondly, it gives the neck a unique set of sound characteristics. The tone is more focused than the regular copper neck. While it has an added brightness, it still maintains the flexible yet solid core tone of the Redwood family.”

Canyon

“The Canyon is inspired by the free blowing, full spectrum sound of Selmer’s early Mark VI. It features a wide and slightly spread sound with a deeply resonant tone feel. It is fast responding, has a rich tonal color with that certain “sizzle” or brilliance in the higher frequencies that sprays out in a way that sparkles when you lean into it.”

Review

Before you receive a KB saxophone neck, Kim will ship you tenon receiver measuring gauges. With these gauges, you will measure you model saxophone and provide Kim these measurements so he can make sure that when he sends you a neck, it properly fits your saxophone. In addition to using the tenon receiver measuring gauges, you could also contact your local repairman to get the measurements as well. When I received the KB Redwood neck, I noticed no blemishes or inconsistencies thru-ought and the neck reminded me of a SBA style neck. When I began play testing the KB Redwood neck against a Lupifaro tenor neck, I noticed Kim’s description of the Redwood model is exactly what I found as well. The KB Redwood neck was more focused and bit darker than the Lupifaro neck. I found The Redwood neck to play consistent thru-ought the entire range of the saxophone from soft to loud and also found it very easy to articulate. I did find this neck had a bit more resistance or back-pressure than the Lupifaro neck but this is a characteristic many players who typically play vintage Selmer’s are looking for these days. Compared to the Redwood neck, the Canyon neck embodied the same characteristics as the Redwood but the Canyon neck was more free blowing and was inspired by the characteristics found in the early Mark VI’s. I found the extreme ranges of the horn were big and spread compared to the Redwood that was more focused.

Conclusion

The KB Redwood and Canyon saxophone neck was well constructed and reminded me of the feel and sound I find when playing an SBA or Mark VI. I have not experimented much with various necks due to the limited availability as well as finding a neck that properly fits my saxophone but after play testing one of Kim’s necks, I have now come to realize that experimenting with various necks can have a greater impact on the way the saxophone sounds and feels then I thought. I want to thank Kim for sending me his Redwood and Canyon model necks to test play. Since Kim’s handcrafted necks are $1,180+, I highly recommend going to KB saxophone services website to find out more about the 7 day trial period to see if you notice the difference. I hope this review was beneficial and I would appreciate it if you would leave any comments or questions.

Website

http://www.kbsax.com/kbsax-necks.html

KB Saxophone Neck YouTube Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOqEO75DuUs

The post KB Sax Necks. “Is your neck on your side?” appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Biography

The gifted, versatile saxophonist/clarinetist/composer John Ellis occupies an imaginary (and extremely imaginative) space directly between the celebratory, welcoming spirit of New Orleans and the edgy, frantic streets of New York City. Both as the leader of his own eclectic projects and as an in-demand sideman for a mind-boggling number and variety of artists, Ellis expresses a keen intellect and easy virtuosity while maintaining a mischievous gleam in his eye and never letting tongue stray far from cheek. That combination is best showcased in Ellis’ eccentric combo Double-Wide, which recently released its third album, Charm, on Ellis’ own Parade Light Records. Ellis also leads his own quintet of A-list players, whose most recent release was the 2012 Criss Cross release It’s You I Like featuring songs by singer-songwriter Elliott Smith and legendary kids’ TV host Mr. Rogers. An ambitious composer as well as an agile musician, Ellis in recent years has composed three large-scale narrative pieces commissioned by The Jazz Gallery in collaboration with playwright Andy Bragen  (“Dreamscapes”, “The Ice Siren”, and “MOBRO”). The second place winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition in 2002, Ellis has also established himself as one of New York’s premier tenor saxophonists, working with artists as diverse as John Patitucci, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Miguel Zenón, Darcy James Argue, Charlie Hunter, and Sting. His discography lists more than 100 album credits as a sideman, with more than a dozen released in 2014 alone. Ellis grew up in rural North Carolina and pursued his love of music to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and later to New Orleans, where he studied with jazz family patriarch Ellis Marsalis. Ellis released his debut album, The Language of Love, in 1996 and a year later relocated to New York City. Despite the move, the title of his 2005 album One Foot in the Swamp captures his continuing ties to the Bayou, which shines through in the southern-accented, gospel-tinged funk grooves of his music. Ellis has released nine albums as a leader, three of those featuring his urban carnival band Double-Wide.

Interview

ZS: What interested you in picking up the saxophone?

JE: I grew up in rural North Carolina, and we had the opportunity to start school band in 6^th grade.  There was a little presentation for kids where they showed us the instruments, and I loved the saxophone, but they told us it was the most expensive, so I ruled that out right away.  I ended up playing clarinet for a year and then switching to the oboe in 7^th grade.  I didn’t really know what an oboe was, but I knew no one else in the band played it.  I first played tenor saxophone in 9^th grade when I joined the high school marching band, because you couldn’t march with an oboe.  They let me borrow a school horn that was really busted up, but it was a lot of fun. The older I got, the more I was looking for an escape route from my small town, and I managed to get into the North Carolina School of the Arts as an oboe major in 10^th grade.  Around that time I was becoming very interested in jazz, and for my junior year I somehow convinced them to let me switch to the saxophone and still stay in the school. I didn’t see much future for myself as a jazz oboist, and playing in the orchestra wasn’t really something that appealed to me at the time.

ZS: What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the saxophonist you are today?

JE:  Without a doubt my most important saxophone mentor was James Houlik, who was my teacher at The North Carolina School of the Arts from 1990 to 1993.  He was the one who was brave enough to take the risk on me that allowed me to stay in the school. As a teacher, he had an extraordinary knack for finding pieces for his students that were just out of reach and then he would develop technical exercises based on the music.  So learning technique was never for its own sake.  I was also essentially a saxophone beginner when I started with him, but I had studied music fairly seriously on other instruments, so it was an unusual situation that allowed me to progress very quickly.

Although his primary focus was classical saxophone, and more specifically on helping to develop the repertoire for the classical tenor, he was very open to the idea that I wanted to play jazz.  His main concern was that I played the saxophone well and didn’t use genre or style choices as an excuse to avoid the highest standards of instrumental excellence.

In 1993, I moved to New Orleans to try to learn more about jazz. Ellis Marsalis and Harold Battiste had just recently started a program at UNO, and many of my NCSA friends who were just a little older had already headed down there to try to learn from them.  The teaching approach of Harold and Ellis was very apprenticeship oriented, and I consider them both among the greatest teacher/mentors I ever had.  Soon I was playing in Ellis’ band, and I did my first road gigs with his quartet when I was 18.  I left the school after just one year, as I had lots of performing opportunities around the city, and I was learning more from those experiences at that time.  I finished up my formal studies from 1997-1999 at The New School, just after I moved to NYC.  There were many great teachers there, but my main mentors were George Garzone, who was my primary saxophone teacher during those years, and Robert Sadin, who inspired me to write more ambitious and involved pieces (such as MOBRO and The Ice Siren) and to approach studying and composing “classical” music with fearlessness, imagination, and as a process of discovery – more like an improviser.

ZS: What did you do to find and develop your sound?

JE: This could really be seen as two different and important questions.  The first involves honesty and style – the “your” sound part.   How do you develop a voice or personal style? How do you learn language?  The second question is more basic, but also connected to the first: How does one develop a good sound? What are ways to work on tone production?  Probably the tendency is to talk too much about the first question and not work hard enough on facing the second, so I’ll give one answer to this second question and leave the first for another time.

When I was studying with Mr Houlik, he introduced me to the concept of practicing the overtone series, and to the book “Top Tones for the Saxophone” by Sigurd Rascher.  I wasn’t able to play in the altissimo register at all, which was very frustrating.  I discovered that I could focus on the first three partials (so from the lowest Bb that would be: Bb one octave above, F a 5^th above that, and Bb two octaves above) and just try to perfect them without worrying about playing higher.  I spent about a year when I was in high school playing the following overtone exercise for at least 45 minutes every day:

1) Long tones with the tongue on low Bb.  Play the fundamental (low Bb) many times in a row and hold the note for as long as possible.  Breathe deeply and slowly (I like to imagine the breath starting from the bottom of my feet). Focus on making the note beginning as clear as possible as it’s very easy for this note to bark out and be out of control.  Sometimes it’s useful to set a number, almost like reps in weightlifting  – ‘I’m going to play the low Bb 15 times in a row’, for example

2) Play the first three partials (or whichever ones you can play) without the tongue and try to make the note beginning as clear as possible and exactly where you intend it – this is partly an exercise in being honest with yourself.  Did the note start where I meant for it to?  Did it start later?  Be focused on the clearest possible note beginning without the tongue, but hold out the notes for as long as possible.  Don’t allow yourself to descend into that hiccupping, short-breath, rapid-fire, beat-your head-against-the-wall approach that so many of us fall into when working on overtones.

3) Once you’re feeling good about clear note beginnings with no tongue, add long tones with extreme crescendo and decrescendo.  So, still with no tongue, start the note from the quietest possible dynamic and then smoothly and over the longest possible amount of time, increase the volume.  So you will be at your loudest when the note ends (and when you have the least air).  Then reverse it, so start the note (again with no tongue) at your loudest possible dynamic and slowly and smoothly decrescendo over the longest possible amount of time.

This will help with tonal imagination, intonation, breath support, tongue position and vocalization, uniform tone color, dynamic control, etc.  It also will help you play in the altissimo, but think about the high notes as a less important secondary byproduct of developing a more profound overall connection to the saxophone.

ZS: What practice routine or exercise have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical ability especially pertaining to rhythm?

JE: My thinking on rhythm starts from a couple assumptions.  One is that rhythm has a point of view – this essentially means that we orient ourselves by pulse or weight and that influences how we perceive the rhythm around us. The simplest way to demonstrate this is with the basic 2 against 3 polyrhythm.  Clap 3 in your hands for every 2 that you stomp with your feet.  Then count out loud to 3 over and over in sync with your hands.  Without changing your clapping or stomping, count to 2 (or 4) in sync with your feet.  Go back and forth from the 2 side to the 3 side without changing what your hands or feet are doing.  If you can orient yourself to experiencing the 2 from the 3 side and the 3 from the 2 side, you’ll see what I mean about point of view.  This pertains to polyrhythms but also to just playing in 4 – it’s a very different experience to orient yourself to the upbeats (2 and 4) v.s. half notes or quarter notes or whole notes.  Often notation can lead us to a limited view of pulse options, much more limited than if we’re just figuring things out by ear.  The more options you have with pulse the more rhythmically interactive you can be with the musicians you’re playing with.  Another possibly obvious assumption is that rhythm is the most important of the three elements of music.  Strangely it’s often the one given the least amount of focus in institutionalized jazz education, at least when I was in school.  Mostly rhythm is talked about in generalities – you’re rushing, you’re dragging, you have bad time, you have good time.  Or even worse, as mystical innate qualities that you’re born with and can’t change – “you either have it or you don’t.”  In my own practice I look for ways to work on rhythm that involve keeping track of ‘this’ against ‘that’, as saxophonists can only play one note at a time and don’t easily get the feeling of playing two or three simultaneous rhythmic interactive parts.  I do a lot of hands plus feet plus singing (or playing) exercises, often focused on isolating triplets against bell patterns and things like that.  I look for rhythmic problems that have clear right and wrong solutions, that are more like juggling or dancing.  Then I practice tunes incorporating the rhythmic things I’m working on, where I can play any pitches I want to but I have to play specific rhythms and keep track of the form.  This can start to separate your relationship to a song from the vocabulary you’ve memorized – the rhythm starts to lead rather than the pitches, and it’s very liberating. If anyone wants to hear more specifics about this, feel free to reach out to me directly.

ZS: Many aspiring musicians are always looking for advice when navigating thru the music business. Is there any piece of advice you can offer to aspiring students or even your peers that you believe will help them succeed and stay positive in this business?

JE: Truthfully, I hate the music business.  But I love music. My suggestion is don’t think of a life in music as a business.  I think you have to be smart, you have to be strategic, you have to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of, you have to search for some way to sustain yourself (and these are real and difficult issues) but you don’t want to let the pursuit of money and business-type thinking rule you.  It will destroy your art.  I was attracted to this life because I felt it more as a calling and a chance to be a life-long learner. Every time I have some disappointment the first thing I ask myself is how can I improve, how can I get better.  If you can maintain your child-like love for music in the midst of the chaos and general unfairness of the changing music business you will have deep and lasting musical relationships and you will find others who are creative and relentlessly pursuing beauty.  The collapse of recorded music as a potential revenue stream has definitely thrown all of our lives into disarray, but even more than ever we should be striving to make exactly the music we want to make.  The sad truth is that the records we’re making probably won’t sell no matter what they are, so let’s make sure they’re as honest and timeless as possible, that we can look back on them in 200 years and say, “that’s the best and most honest work we could possibly have done at that time.”

ZS: Who do you find yourself listening to these days?

JE:  Lots, here’s a few off the top of my head: Kenny Dorham “Quiet Kenny” “Jerome Kern Showboat”, Anderson .Paak “Malibu”, Jimmy Giuffre, “New York Concerts”, James Booker “Junco Partner” Albert Ayler “Love Cry” Eddie Harris, “The In Sound”

ZS: What’s the next musical frontier for you?

JE: Good question.  I still mostly make my living playing and recording with other people, but I love making my own records, and I’m always trying to perform more as a leader. 2016 marks my 20^th year recording my own records, and I just recorded my 10^th record as a leader at the end of March. This one is a piece called “The Ice Siren”, and I wrote it way back in 2009.  A commission from The Jazz Gallery, it was created in collaboration with playwright Andy Bragen, and it’s an hour-long narrative work featuring string quartet, tuba, percussion, guitar, vibes, and two vocalists.  I started my own record label in 2014 called Parade Light Records, and this will be my third release on that label.  My most recent release, “Charm”, came out last September, and it features my New Orleans oriented group called Double-Wide. I’ll also be touring Japan with a trio featuring Kendrick Scott and Yasushi Nakamura in June.  As I sideman, I’m playing fairly often in the bands of Kendrick Scott, Helen Sung, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Darcy James Argue, Alan Ferber, and many others.

ZS: What’s your current setup?

JE:

Setup

Saxophone

Soprano: Yamaha 675

Alto: N/A

Tenor: Selmer Mark VI 1963

Baritone: N/A

Neck

KB Redwood brass

Mouthpiece

Soprano: Aizen SO 7

Alto: N/A

Tenor: old Morgan 8L refaced by Adam Niewood

Baritone: N/A

Reed

Soprano: Marca 3

Alto:  N/A

Tenor: Rigotti 3.5 medium

Baritone: N/A

Ligature

Soprano: Francois Louis Pure Brass Ligature

Alto:  N/A

Tenor: Abelet Bubinga Ligature

Baritone: N/A

Case

Manning Custom Cases

Repair-shop

KB Saxophone Services and JL Woodwind Repair

Links

John Ellis YouTube

https://youtu.be/QjVjNNwUSF4

John Ellis Website

http://www.johnaxsonellis.com/

The post Tenor Titan John Ellis Discusses Sound, Rhythm, and the Music Business appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever..

Sax Dakota Straight Tenor and Alto Saxophone

Introduction

Over the past few years at NAMM, I have seen many saxophonists test play the Sax Dakota Straight tenor and alto saxophone. Due to their popularity at the show, I never had a chance to sit down and test play both saxophones. Recently Peter LaPlaca, owner of SaxDakota, sent me his straight tenor and alto saxophone so I could gain a better understanding of what these horns had to offer. I will be reviewing these saxophones on the following criteria: Appearance, Build Quality, Tone & Response, Action, Intonation, and my overall thoughts & recommendations.

SDTS-1022

SDAS-1020

Appearance

The Sax Dakota straight tenor and alto saxophone come in a finish called Gray Onyx. When I first saw these saxophones, the body had a finish that reminded me of the Cannonball Raven model and the keys had a matte silver finish which I thought was similar to the Keilwerth SX90R Vintage model saxophone. The black mother of pearl complimented the body and key finish nicely as well as the hand engraved floral design on the neck and bell.

Build Quality

The build quality overall was good. Some of the features of the Sax Dakota straight tenor and alto saxophone are: Pisoni custom pro series pads and resonators, a brass alloy that is made up of 78% copper content, stainless steel rods to minimize travel time, and lock down posts that secure the long rods which prevents them from wobbling and moving out of alignment. While test playing the straight tenor and alto, I saw little to no play between each key and the key heights were comfortable from low Bb to high F#. A feature that I typically see on various bari saxophones and I thought was unique was the 3 part strap system on the tenor and 2 part strap system on the alto. I found this very important when adjusting my neck strap to find a comfortable position when playing both saxophones.

Tone & Response

Both the tenor and alto were quite free blowing and had very little resistance. I found the sound to be much more spread than focused with a timbre that was neither too bright nor too dark. I have read some reviews in the past that describe the sound as nasally which I would agree with but I believe this is due to the bell being straight and further away from you. I found that it took more time to adjust to where the sound was coming from initially but, the overall timbre and complexity of the sound I would recommend comparing to your current setup to hear the overall difference.

Action

The action felt fine. I found the spring tension to be even through-out and not stiff. It felt just like playing a traditional tenor or alto saxophone. I personally would have a few keys built up with cork or epoxy for more comfort and ease.

Intonation

I found the intonation to play well through-out but did need to invest more time when playing up in the palm keys and into the altissimo.

Overall Thoughts & Recommendations

I had a great time test playing the Sax Dakota straight tenor and alto saxophone. I found both the tenor and alto played well and the setup felt comfortable. I would recommend anyone who is interested in the Sax Dakota straight tenor or alto to test play one against your current alto or tenor because although ergonomically it would be easy to get used to, sonically, you are going to have to decide whether you like the sound or not. I see the straight tenor and alto as a saxophone that would let you stand out from the crowd because there are not many players at the moment touring with them and they are truly unique. From a transportation standpoint, you would have to check both saxophones and could not place them in the overhead bin. My recommendation would be to have a custom case made because the standard case that comes with the tenor and alto is very nice but I do not believe will hold up very well from a lot of domestic and international travel. All in all, I would like to thank Pete for sending me the Sax Dakota straight tenor and alto saxophone to test play and hope to hear from those who have played them.

YouTube Links

Kenny Garrett playing a straight alto saxophone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjBUNyFKkJI

Charles McNeal playing both Sax Dakota straight tenor and alto saxphone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IOLKFPqrw

SaxDakota Website

http://www.saxdakota.com/products.html

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Introduction

I have been playing on an old Slant link for quite some time and have tried various manufacturers versions of an old slant link or early Babbitt mouthpiece to find one that played the same or better than mine. With Theo Wanne’s  various mouthpiece models to meet every player’s needs, I was excited to see that he decided to introduce his version of two of the most sought after mouthpieces on the market today; the Meyer Bro’s New York and the Otto Link Slant Signature. I will be reviewing Theo Wanne’s Slant Sig mouthpiece and comparing it to my original Slant Link mouthpiece. I will be providing a product overview and reviewing Theo’s Slant Sig mouthpiece based on its sound, intonation, quality and my overall thoughts.

Product Overview

While developing Theo’s Slant Sig mouthpiece, Theo utilized and incorporated the “best design principles form the first slant signatures models in the early 1950’s through the early Babbitt models in the 1970’s.” Theo’s Slant Sig mouthpiece features a large chamber and roll-over baffle with perfect side and tip rails, and utilizes Harry Hartmann’s Fiberrod material which sounds and looks like vintage hard rubber but does not discolor or smell like hard rubber when exposed to heat and the sun. The Theo Wanne Slant Sig currently comes in a 7* and 8 tip opening.

Sound

Compared to my original slant link, the Theo Wanne Slant Sig mouthpiece I found to lean towards the darker side and play incredibly clean. From low Bb to high F# this mouthpiece projected well and was quite free blowing through-out the entire range and even into the altissimo. Compared to my Slant Link which I found contained more edge and timbre to the sound, the Theo Wanne Slant Sig had a well-balanced sound through-out and where it lacked a bit in edge in my opinion, it made up for in the clarity of each note which I did not find as easy to achieve on my vintage slant link.

Intonation

The Theo Wanne Slant Sig took very little time to adjust to and the intonation was great while working thru various overtone series.

Quality

I found the Fiberrod material to respond and feel just like hard rubber. The table, side and tip rails were clean and even. I did not see any marks or imperfections on this mouthpiece.

Overall Thoughts

I was overall impressed with the characteristics the Theo Wanne Slant Sig had to offer. Compared to my vintage slant link, I found the Theo Wanne Slant Sig played a bit darker, contained more clarity in the sound, was quite free blowing, and had a bit less edge when pushed. Although the 7* tip opening felt fine, I would like to try a 7 tip opening if it is offered in the future. The Theo Wanne Slant Sig is currently priced at $325 which is a far more cost effective option to a vintage slant link. I overall still prefer my Otto Link Slant Signature mouthpiece but do see this mouthpiece as a viable back up mouthpiece for me. I want to thank Bryan Vance at Theo Wanne for sending me the Theo Wanne Slant Sig to test play and would recommend adding the Theo Wanne Slant Sig mouthpiece to your list of hard rubber mouthpieces to try out.

Link

http://store.theowanne.com/products/slant-sig-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece

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Forestone’s Hinoki Reeds and Mouthpiece Patches

Introduction

Forestone continues to research, develop, and improve upon their existing product line. Recently, Forestone introduced a new synthetic reed called “Hinoki”. The Forestone “Hinoki”reed is a jazz cut hybrid that unlike the black bamboo model, comes in an ivory color that more resembles traditional cane. Forestone was nice enough to send me a Medium and Medium Hard strength for both alto and tenor to play test. In addition to reviewing the “Hinoki” reed, I will also be reviewing Forestone’s saxophone mouthpiece patches.

Forestone’s Hinoki Reed

Product Overview

According to Forestone, this reed has an even richer tonal color and response compared to their traditional series. Similar to the traditional, un-filed, and black bamboo series, the Forestone Hinoki reeds are durable and unaffected by the influences of temperature, humidity and dehydration.

Overall Thoughts

I have tried the Forestone traditional, un-filed, and black bamboo reeds in the hopes of finding a cut and strength that I prefer over traditional cane reeds. The Hinoki reed compared to the other three cuts, I found to play more similar to a traditional jazz cut cane reed. I do believe that a MediumSoft or Soft would had better suited me compared to the Medium which I felt was a bit resistant and the Medium Hard which was simply too hard from what I am used to playing. I found that the overall sound was full through-out the entire range of horn. From my experience, I found the upper register and lower register to have the same sonic characteristics as traditional cane but I still find the mid-range is missing some of the tonal colors compared to traditional cane. I do believe the Hinoki reed is a move in the right direction and an improvement from the other cuts. I still believe that synthetic reeds have not surpassed traditional cane sonically as well as feel but other players beg to differ. I understand that many players use and enjoy synthetic reeds and I do see the benefits as well as will use synthetic reeds to practice. I will continue to search for a synthetic reed that I enjoy playing on as much as cane and the Hinoki is on my list to continue to play test and try different reed strengths. My recommendation is when trying a synthetic reed, you have to play on it for a couple of days to get used to it so be patient.

Forestone Saxophone Mouthpiece Patches

Product Overview

One of the newest accessories that Forestone has added to its product line is their saxophone mouthpiece patches. Forestone saxophone mouthpiece patches are self-adhesive with no glue residues after usage. These mouthpiece patches use a different type of material that is easy to remove and has a more natural feel than rubber.

Overall Thoughts

I believe it’s important to use a mouthpiece patch on every mouthpiece to avoid teeth marks which will help increase the longevity of your mouthpiece and help avoid future repairs. I have used the Vandoren, Runyon, and D’Addario mouthpiece patches. I find the Forestone mouthpiece patch is very similar to these other mouthpiece patches. The Forestone mouthpiece patch is easy to remove and can be transferred to another mouthpiece easily.

Conclusion

After having tried Forestone’s various reeds, saxophones, and accessories, I can confidently say that the new Hinoki reed and saxophone mouthpiece patches are another great addition to the Forestone line of products. The Forestone team is constantly working to not just introduce new products but also work to revamp existing products to make them even better. I highly recommend checking out Forestone’s line of products and please let me know what you think.

Company Website

http://www.forestone-japan.com/index.php/forestone-hinoki-tenor.html

YouTube Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrEGJw1jt8s

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