I Asked Top Saxophone Players How They Got So Good
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- Опубліковано 20 лют 2023
- #bettersax #saxophone #saxophonists
Jay Metcalf shares conversations with top saxophonists such as Vincent Herring, Bob Reynolds, Eric Alexander, and Ben Wendel on how they got so good on the saxophone.
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Seeing Michael Brecker live was amazing, his playing was so intense I was surprised the sax didn't explode.
Stan Getz put it best when he said, “You can read all the textbooks and listen to all the records, but you have to play with musicians that are better than you.”
Pat Metheny said the same thing.
This is the yang of the yin of going out to see great artists play. To improve, you have to play in live situations with players who are better than you. That is a lot different to just being by youself in the shed or going through lessons with the best teachers you might find. Live playing is the yin and yang of making it across the line. If you're not Charlie Parker, you also might have to handle that cymbal hitting the floor more than once. Keep going.
Thanks man I’m gonna remember this phrase bro
I just bought my Better Alto Sax last month and I’ve been practicing every weekday. I am loving the journey! 46 years old and starting a new instrument is challenging but not impossible. I am consuming any and all Sax content possible. Great job Jay!
Great to hear!
I've been playing for 60 years and earning my living for 53 years and I still practice .... But not so much to get better although that is a result.
But mostly because I still enjoy it and if I gig 5 nights I'll go that 6th night and sit in somewhere
Play a lot is my biggest tip regardless of where or how you do it
I’ve been playing the sax since September 2021 and there are times where I think I’m never going to get better or I’m not going to reach the heights of my heroes.
But I always try to remind myself that it takes time to get better and that it’s a marathon, not a race. Thanks for this great video with these legendary cats!
I’ve been playing the sax since 1978 and there are times where I think I’m never going to get better or I’m not going to reach the heights of my heroes.
Hal Galper told me it takes 5 years of practice BEFORE you attempt improvising!
@@Osnosis i don't think that's a helpful advise, improvising should be attempted at day 1 when you learned your first 2 notes, it should be attempted heavily when you learned your first scale, it should be viewed as a playful thing instead of a daunting task
Not to rain on anyone's parade but a marathon is a race. If you don't want it to be a race, don't think marathon either.
How are u doing now
Eric Alexander's 21 Major Key Explorations book is amazing. Really helped me develop as a sax player.
In general, this channel is an essential resource for me.
Jeez! Where were interviews like this 40 years ago?! Very inspiring, so many thanks Jay for connecting with such generous players. Cheers! 👍
As a young musician, especially studying in college or university, it should be an absolute priority for those students to go and see live jazz. So much, that it should be required. So much can be learned by seeing these giants play, like Vincent said, you'll learn good things and bad!
If you are on a budget but still interested in listening to some great jazz, a number of music schools have relationships with local venues where you can listen to some talented young players for next to nothing. It's worth checking the music school websites for these "partner" locations.
In Boston, I go to Wally's to listen to Berklee cats like Kirill Poudavoff, among others, for only the price of a ride on the MBTA and one drink (doesn't need to be alcohol), and of course, some tips for the band. What a great deal!
The information in this video is so valuable- all of these reference points from the ones actually applying the techniques being discussed. Easily one of my favorite videos on the platform- thanks Jay.
I was privileged to hear Vincent Herring and Eric Alexander perform at this year at Tucson's Jazz Festival. They were phenomenal!
I was able to catch Bob Reynolds live last year. There is no device that can recreate the sound or measure the energy emanating from that man. Streaming music is an amazing thing, but watching him live was truly incredible.
James Carter is far better than him.Not easy to copy him.
THAT LAST BAND
CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS
HAS GOT IT GOING ON 🎉
Just started playing sax a month ago and I gotta say it's so fun.i have been playing guitar for 20 years. I play in my car with the tonal energy app for a few hours a day. I love it. Even playing long notes I could do for ages. It's crazy how learning new things can get you so excited to practise .hoping to be able to incorporate it into my band shows for the summer. 3 months left to get some songs down. Game on
Great video, Jay. I went to a Jools Holland gig in 1995, loved the horn section so much and went out the next day to buy a sax. Came away with a vintage tenor which, to my eternal shame, I barely touched until I started watching players like you on UA-cam. Now, I want to play every day.
So true. Vincent Herring & Eric Alexander live in a small venue was about the strongest musical emotion I can remember of. I can’t even exactly describe why, but definitely a unique experience for me.
Well captured. They are all to some degree emphasizing "feel it."
Joshua Redman Trío in Chile, May 20th, tickets ready 👌
You nailed it Jay. You learn so much by playing. It's why I love your studio. I get help on the tunes we are playing and then go out and do it! I think I am actually a music and live show lover and a sax player second! Great video!!!
Thanks Rob!
It is always a pleasure to watch your videos
This is totally true! Going into live concerts it just connects you straight away with what you love, seeing other musicians playing and also being part of the concert is really a revealing experience about your inner self. I remember being at the concert of Chick Corea in Valencia with his incredible trio ( Christian McBride and Brian Blade ) just a year before he passed away and that is something I will never forget, the same with Brad Mehldau a really enormous influence on me rather I’m a saxophone player.
Thank you for this video and remind us the importance of not only being locked practicing but sharing with other musicians and creating magic.
Great video Jay, as usual! There's some chemistry that happens in the brain when seeing people play live. Likewise, when playing with other people. Not long ago, I was struggling with an overtone and my teacher was like, "lemme play that" just by listening her play, I was able to produce the same sound. I think as humans, we need that connection.
Great video! I am originally from Chicago, but I remember (in the late 60's) what a thrill it was to go to New York and have so many opportunities to hear incredible live music. -- I just heard that Ben Wendel is coming to Bucharest in May!
Get tickets and say hello from me.
I love your videos so much !!!! Ty 👍
It's really beautiful information
Thank you so much ❤️
Vincent Herring! Awesome!!
Hey Jay - maybe your next business expansion could be offering jazz tours!
haha
You speak truth, my friend! Great pearls of wisdom from these guys. (And you too!) This is a great video!
Thank you Becky!
Really insightful, fundamentally.
I'm going to see Brad Mehldau live next month! Twice! Super stoked!
Thanks!
Gret to see having so much fun playing.
Man, what a trip. A visit to NYC for the live music venues and musical arts history would be a buzz. Thanks for the video, Jay.
Thank you Kirk!
this was a great video
Another amazing video Jay - Awesome! The only thing I can add is Amen! Thanks again!
Although I live in NZ I've seen live Gerry Mulligan, Scott Hamilton, Jan Garbarek, Joshua Redman and Sonny Rollins, but the most amazing one was when I saw Archie Shepp sitting through the afternoon and evening sets at the Meridian in NYC, in the early 90's, we spoke and shook hands after the gig....I am a big fan of his, he gave me his phone number and said do call by if you're in the area...... as an amateur alto player, I never did.....big mistake, big regret!
Parabéns pelos seus vídeos. Vc é muito bom. Meu filho é aprendiz de sax e nós acompanhamos seus vídeos. Caso resolva vir para o Brasil dê um alô!
Why not share experiences?
I have been playing trumpet until 1965. Than I had to stop, for my work included a lot of travel, hotels, etc.
In 2019, than I was 75 years, I bought myself a saxophone (Alt).
From my trumpet time and later I can hum a lot of melodies, so after some time I was able to play various melodies. However, every time when I want to play a melody it firstly has to pop in my mind and than I also have to find out the key to be playing in.
When I played trompet I had a little book with titles and a short peace of music bar.
No I figured out an other system. I have the melodies names on a piece of paper or the music in my phone with the title as wel as the first music letters, very handy, so I found out, as follows:
Tenderly - Ben Webster (G A- c B---G A- c B--- G- Es D--- C D- F E---)
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong (D- Fis G-- G d-- e-- e d-- c-- c B-- A- A G---)
My story is kinda close. Ex trumpet French Horn player in school. I always loved the sound of the bari, so I bought one.
I bang out old tunes on a keyboard and then use the same method with the notes as you do.
I attended a gig where Vincent Herring played tenor sax!!! He was a revelation on tenor. Wonder why he doesn’t play it (more) often. I have never heard of him playing tenor before or since.
Talk about weird timing. You got me looking around for sax performances nearby. Turns out Joshua Redman is playing nearby in a month. Tickets bought. Thanks! :)
awesome!
2:34 Hello Washington!
The Honeydrops - very cool!!
The first great tenor player I remember hearing live was Bob Rockwell, who played in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band in the ‘70s. He came to Alaska with, get this, Rufus Reid - bass, Victor Lewis - drums and a pianist named Art Resnick - awesome band! I was SO mesmerized by the sound that came out of his horn! I’d been listening to the greats on record for 2-3 years by then, but hearing it live was life-changing. I don’t know where Mr Rockwell is these days but I’d like him to know I’m eternally grateful.
PS-After hearing Bob Rockwell play his metal Otto Link 7 I ordered one from The Sax Shop the next day. It was the last one they thought they’d ever have in stock, but it turns out that was when Otto Link moved their facility from New York to Florida (or the other way around - whatever). I still have that piece 40+ years later!
Very cool Bob Rockwell is a good friend of mine and has already been in a couple of videos on the channel. He lives in Copenhagen. ua-cam.com/video/puApTzibuHM/v-deo.html
@@bettersax WOW, that is really fantastic to hear! Would you please ask him if he remembers that Alaska trip (1980?) and pass along my thanks and greetings?
That quartet came and did a clinic at one of our Univ of Alaska Fairbanks Jazz Band rehearsals and completely blew me away. They also sat in at the bar where my Jazz combo (very first steady gig) played weekends. Now THAT was a terrifying/magical experience! I’d love to hear Bob play again.
@@bettersax I just noticed that Mr Rockwell played in the Lewis/Jones Orchestra with Gregory Herbert, another of my all time favorite tenor players. If you haven’t heard him play on Chet Baker’s ‘Once Upon a Summertime’ record you’re in for a treat! What incredible talent Mr Lewis and Jones attracted. The list of saxes in that band reads like a who’s who.
Speaking of listening experiences: although I never quite made it happen myself, many other musicians have told me what an inspiring experience it was to hear that band play at the Village Vanguard on Monday nights all those years.
Where can I find the full Redman's video? Thanks for the content
hope you interview Gerald Albright ♥️
Hey Jay, If possible could you put together a list of good Jazz spots in New York?
The fact he got Vincent Herring is insane
Vincent Herring is def my favorite player right now
Oh its so interesting to see famous people next to each other!
Exquisite video Jay, truly a feast for the soul.
Thanks Tim!
I feel like maybe on some level, it’s a toss up as times are changing, as in, there’s no specific way that works for everyone.. However, listening, and working through the dirty, uncomfortable stuff patiently is across the board a good thing. Everyone has different back grounds and natural abilities, influences and we all learn a little different. But being passionate, driven, disciplined and inspired is pretty much what anyone needs for sure!
do these apply to electronic wind instruments.?
Hey BetterSax, I couldn't help but notice the book blurred out in the background at 0:05. Is that Yusef Lateef's Repository of Scales and Melodic Patterns? How would you recommend approaching this book? There is a ton of content and I'm not sure where to start with it, or how to make use of it in my own playing.
Yes, that's the book. I'm going to talk about it in an upcoming video at some point. Typically, I find patterns books to be best for practicing technique and learning how to get around the instrument fluidly. When it comes to material for your own playing, the best source is to borrow content from your favorite players. Vocabulary can only be learned through the ears.
Great shout out to the other members of the band! I’ve got little kids, so going out to hear live music doesn’t happen as often as I’d like-but it’s always a treat when it happens.
Any live music will do. I can try to take away as much as I can from any genre.
Practice and experience.
Where you stay in italy?
After watching clips of live performances
I realized there's several types, of saxophones 😅
The principle of aggressive patience needs to be applied. Race against the clock every day. Optimize every day for maximum practice time. Make sure your routines in life are as efficient as possible. Waste as little time as possible. Do this every day consistently for 5+ years and you'll be great.
"That one thing"... I thought for sure it was going to be long tones. 😁
they all do those too. 😂
Brecker Brecker Brecker
I know he is not Jazz player, but check out Karsten Belt
Steve Kortyka!
Good catch!
Do you live in Austria because u said its a 4 hour drive from your place
To milan
Not so easy if you live a long way from any great venues. Hearing your heroes is a "once in every few years" possibility. How do you hear live music if there isn't much opportunity??
Live shows are getting pretty expensive these days in NYC. It’s a little disheartening.
Hi
Hello there
That's the best trio Redman could come up with? 🙃
I’m playing sax for a long time but can someone explain me how fast jazz soloing works. I can play the melody theme but then the theme stops the band plays on and on I hear the bass like a fast train dum dum dum dum dum dum playing 30 short notes in 10 sec. How do these sax players know what to do ? How do they know what notes to play ?Did they memorized all the chords in front ? The music goes that fast I cannot hear an understandable line or connection.
me living in a country where less than two jam session takes place per week: 👁👁
✌🏾🎶🎵🎷
I'm more of an R & B fan, rather than the free form jazz, "jumble of notes.". Liked the California Honeydrops the best in this video.
Title should be "Performing musicians explain the importance of going to live shows.
Most of us just can't afford it and find it is only found in few urban areas. So it seems a bit elitist to place so much emphasis on this aspect of the process. I was lucky enough to grow up in Oakland, CA. In the late 50s and 60s. We had Brubeck playing in our basket ball arena. We could get on a bus to SF and Broadway was the Black Hawk and the Jazz Workshop and even if we did not have the price of admission we could stand outside and listen to the greats for free. All strip joints now. It is very hard for most players to get the opportunity to see live talent anymore, and even if willing to drive 100 miles, the cost to get in is out of reach. I think playing to good tracks that are designed allow solo space on the recording is the next best thing. At the least you can play with players of the level that allow you to feel inside that pocket we know is the force of creative potential. This shit came from poor folk, so let's not restrict their perspective of what is expected in order to get it. There are many roads now available that have to compensate for those good old days. Same with thinking a Mark VI or an old SBA is the only horn your going to achieve your goal with. Bird would have been Bird on Yamaha and you know it.
appreciate your perspective, yes, live concerts in NYC are too expensive, but just about every club does a student discount. The idea is to get people to go out to concerts to support the music. Jazz musicians are still poor folk... It is a sacrifice to put so much time and work into an artform and get paid so little in exchange.
Why do nearly all Saxplayers play so fast? EG Chris Potter, Bob Reynolds,etc. They do have extremely good skills. But does it sound even good? I am not sure.
You know, if you are a student of the music, you likely as not, don’t have the 100 -200 bucks to spend for Josh Redmond, and Robert Glasper, etc.
Meanwhile, you, the student, go play somewhere and get paid so little. I know it’s not about the money, but the landlord, the insurance people and the grocery and your kids know it’s about the money.
Probably by sitting all day and watching music vlogs and idolize other great players while they suck
All of these players are doing very conventional codified jazz. Let's hear what they would do with non-tempered scales in free time.
Seriously...they're good, but none of this music is what I like to hear on sax. Gliding up and down a bunch of scales and rapid playing notes all over the place in a seemingly random fashion...meh. None of them can match the energy or play style of Leo P., Michael Wilbur, or Wenzel Mcgowen.