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The Definitive NAMM 2015 Saxophone Roundup – Part 2
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...
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The Definitive NAMM 2015 Saxophone Roundup – Part 3
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...
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Rising Sax Star Krzysztof Urbanski on Scales, Sound, and the State of Jazz...
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...
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Claude Lakey Seeks to Break New Ground with “Compass” Ligature
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...
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Why You Too Should Be Buzzing About Sax Star, Lucas Pino
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...
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Test Drive Results for Sax Dakota’s Latest Tenor
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...
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Silverstein’s Space-Age Ligatures and Saxophone Sanitizers…Real Deal or Hype?
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...
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Technique, Tone, Music Business, and More from Saxophone Master, Josh Quinlan
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...
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Jazz Heavyweight Marcus Strickland on the Hardest Saxophone to Play, and More
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...
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Bari Sax Master Jason Marshall on What Most Players Don’t Do, and More
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...
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NAMM 2016 Saxophone Gear Roundup
Introduction This marks my 5th 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...
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Stephan Kammerer Mouthpieces
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...
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Can the ReedGeek “Klangbogen” Bore & Reed Stabilizer Instantly Improve Your...
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...
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ReedJuvinate: Another option to extending your reed longevity?
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...
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Bravo Reeds: “Is this the synthetic reed you have been looking for?”
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...
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KB Sax Necks. “Is your neck on your side?”
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...
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Tenor Titan John Ellis Discusses Sound, Rhythm, and the Music Business
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...
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Sax Dakota Straight Tenor and Alto Saxophone “Standing Out From The Crowd”
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...
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Theo Wanne Slant Sig “The Missing Link?”
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...
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Forestone’s Newest Products to hit the market
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...
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