Singing and Sax playing?

[yana sax]

i was just wondering off the top of my head if there are any artists who play and sing with the sax in their hands in one song?
thanks alot,
oli.

[Chris S]

The only person that I can think of that does something like that is Dewey Redman, but he does BOTH at the SAME time. He's the father of Joshua Redman, whom I hope you've heard of. I can't recall any of the recordings that he's done this on off the top of my head, as I haven't listened to any avant- garde or free jazz in quite a while. There was a recording of Cecil Taylor/Dewey Redman/Elvin Jones (RIP) that was made a few years ago that I think Dwey does this on. It should be available through amazon or maybe at half.com

Chris S

[Bill Mecca]

Maybe the question needs to be re-worded, heck I sing and play on the same song all the time. The way I read the question, and I must be reading it incorrectly.

I handle vocals on tunes like Prove it All night, Badlands, Tender Years, Spooky, the Fever, Talk to me, etc. and play tenor on all of them as well. Not a bit deal, now if I tried to sing while playing.. well that would be a growl. :wink:

[Chris S]

Well, the way that Dewey does it sounds different to me, it's not growling, but more like he's singing counterpoint with himself. Sometimes he'll play just a pedal Bb on tenor and then sing through his horn above it, and it's not gowling, it's not something that affets the pitch of the horn neccesarily, like an effect. Other times, he'll be singing something and playing something completely different. I don't know if anyone is familiar with Dewey Redman or not, he's the only guy that I've heard do this where it's not a growl. And as I said, I know the question was meant as someone who sings as well as plays, not someone who sings AND plays... maybe my response wasn't worded so well.... :wink:

[Morry]

In more of the pop arena, Curtis Stigers sings and plays on his first 2 CDs.

[juinen]

candy dulfer plays sax on her cd's and sings as well

[Flatted 5th]

if your meaning is like Bill says; their are alot of Sax players who sing, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson comes to mind..... if your talking about singing through the sax while playing, Eddie Harris is another example of that, especially off "The Electrifying Eddie Harris" album where he plays an earlier form of the amplified sax that was called the "veritone saxophone".

[Morry]

Oh, I forgot...Sam Butera, right?

[Saxophrass1968]

Tex Beneke also used to sing and play sax on the same recordings on certain songs.

[batbone]

Ronnie Laws is one that comes to mind; tenor and saprano plus vocals. I think that you would enjoy him.

[baribri]

Doesn't anybody here know who Louis Jordan was? If you don't, you should really look him up on Google and further your saxophone education. He was one of the first singing great jazz players/entertainers and Sam Butera is a disciple and it did him very well. The cat's old films (some of the first music videos and they didn't know it back then in the 1940's) are an education in entertaining and how to rock the place with a solo.

[amg]

Right on! I try and outrage my friends (who tend to think that "pop" or "rock and roll" started with some character called Elvis Priestley or something) by stating that in my opinion the Premier Pop Performer EVER was Louis Jordan. He just had MORE hits, MORE talent, MORE rockin' good times, AND more to say .... Listen to his stuff, folks (it's easy to get now in cheap multi-cd sets). It's impressive how well it stands up, dozens of numbers just as sharp as the day they were laid down, funny and swinging (and great party music). 60 years young (and a wonderful portrait of the whole rich tapestry of life in the African-American world of the time).

BB King brought out an excellent cd of Louis Jordan numbers a couple of years ago -- ; a great example of how to update an old pop style with respect -- features Fathead Newman and Hank Crawford on tenor and alto. (I've got to say BB sounds a bit more authentic than Louis singing the blues, LJ made them sound a bit like another novelty turn.)

So if your girl is Reet Petite and Gone, get down to that Saturday Night Fish Fry and Choo Choo Ch'Boogie and Let The Good Times Roll; and if the po-lice comes along say There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens; and Early In The Morning you can say you Sure Had A Wonderful Time Last Night.

(And when your friends gather round the bed and say, Mm-hmm, don't he look natural -- Jack, you're dead.)

Yeah.

[baribri]

Well Said!!!!
Brian

[Sassaphone]

Van Morrison used to do it when he was a kid. Not sure if he still does though.

[bass]

Lou Donaldson and James Moody also sang on recordings. I heard Lou do some down-home blues and James sing the lyric written for his "Moody's Mood for Love" solo.

[affuman2]

Doesn't anybody here know who Louis Jordan was? If you don't, you should really look him up on Google and further your saxophone education. He was one of the first singing great jazz players/entertainers and Sam Butera is a disciple and it did him very well. The cat's old films (some of the first music videos and they didn't know it back then in the 1940's) are an education in entertaining and how to rock the place with a solo.

Baribri is right, and for those of you who haven't heard of Louis Jordan...do you remember the Tom and Jerry cartoon where Tom is playing upright bass and singing, "Is you is or is you ain't my baby?" If I'm not mistaken, that's Louis Jordan on the soundtrack. Jordan was defintely "da man" back in his day!

Check out this link for specific info:

http://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/jazz%20n'%20tom_and_jerry.htm

[rleitch]

Although Louis Jordan is great too, for my money the premier old school singer sax player is Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. He has the odd distinction, in my view, of being at the top of the "most underrated" list in three categories: blues based alto sax player; blues singer; and big band leader/arranger.

If you're interested, there are a number of other threads in which Vinson is discussed by SOTWers. Sadly, there are no videos of Mr. Cleanhead on Youtube at this point.

Rory

ps. I read somewhere that Jr.Parker's vocals on Shotgun were an accident--that the singer didn't show up or something. Is this true?

[brassnaked]

Mindy Abair

[rodelliot]

I hate to say this...I mean, I really hate to say this, but...ummm...errrr....Barbara Mandrell does it!:shock:

Man, I hated saying that.

[rodelliot]

Ahhh, now one I don't mind mentioning is Karl Denson. He does some decent vocal work along with some excellent sax work.