Kindly suggest some listening for beginners

[nagukush]

Hi Family !

Just wanted to request for some recommendations on what and to which players should I listen to, as an absolute beginner to the Alto Saxophone. It will be great if you can kindly suggest a few artist's and their songs etc...

Thanks a lot !
Have a wonderful day !
Regards and Care to everybody !
Kush

[shotgun]

Off the top of my head — Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond, Maceo Parker. But don't limit yourself to these guys, or to saxophonists in general. Listen to everything but listen as an alto player.

[nagukush]

Off the top of my head — Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond, Maceo Parker. But don't limit yourself to these guys, or to saxophonists in general. Listen to everything but listen as an alto player.

Hi there !

Thanks for caring and for the advice :)

Warmest Regards
Kush

[Spongebob Saxpants]

If you're into modern, big-band jazz, then check out Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. Their music is very easy to listen to, and the musicians are great.

[Brian The Hornman]

I'm curious as to what kind of music you are interested in. If jazz is your thing, then here are some recordings that I can suggest:

Miles Davis-Kind of Blue: Miles Davis is a trumpet player but there is some great sax playing on this record, arguably the most influential/famous jazz recording ever made

Charlie Parker-anything, I would look for his 3-disc set from Verve records to get a sampling of his playing. "Bird" is arguably the most influential alto saxophonist in the history of jazz.

Art Blakey-Live at Birdland (both volumes): A killer set by a killer and very influential jazz group, not to mention killer playing by all of the members including Lou Donaldson on alto saxophone

Cannonball Adderley-One of my favorites, he plays alto on Kind of Blue as well as some other Miles recordings and has a number of his own recordings as well, I would recommend Somethin' Else and Things Are Getting Better

Kenny Garrett-A master of the alto saxophone who began recording in the 80's and is still hip on the scene today, I would recommend Songbook and African Exchange Student but I personally like all of his recordings

This list so far is all jazz and only alto saxophonists. If you wanted to hear some tenor playing (jazz) I would recommend checking out John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Lester Young, Dexter Gordon and Wayne Shorter to name a select few. If you are interested in getting into legit ("classical") saxophone playing I don't have a large library of this music but I would look into finding any of the old recordings by Marcel Mule or Sigurd Rascher or else any recordings by Arno Bornkamp, Jamal Rossi or Eugene Rousseau, again to name a select few. Hope this helps, and I hope you are enjoying your adventures with the saxophone so far!

[LisaC]

The guy who inspired me for life was Grover Washington, Jr...a boyfriend in jr. high bought me the Winelight album. To date myself a bit here, I taped it over onto a cassette from the LP (smile), and I would take it into the bathroom, drop the lid down on the hopper, sit there with my feet propped up on the bathtub, and play along for hours until one of my family banged on the door and insisted that I give up my "studio!"

[bluesaxgirl]

Going a bit off topic, I just think these are essential, I hope you find it informative since this is all about starting to play the sax: I started on these books and they have proved to excel me in my sax playing. These are must haves: (IMHO :))
Standard of Excellence Book 1 (red):
I like this book when I'm learning a new instrument because they have common tunes that everyone knows, and you will also know when you are playing a wrong note (for example, I started on sax and tried to pick up clarinet, started to play a common song, it really didn't sound right, and then I realized I was using the sax fingering for B instead of clarinet B.)
Rubank's Elementary Method (They also have the Intermediate and Advanced method, these are great books and teach not only the notes and rhythms, but tecnique. I never used it for sax, but I am aware there is one, but I use it for clarinet and it's very fast paced.
When you get to knowing all the fingerings of notes and can play them well, go on to:
Salviani-Iasilli
It's some basic sight reading using practical keys...really just a lot of patterns...

The Universal Method is the best book ever. Basically how I learned to play sax. My lessons teacher MADE me buy this book. I don't regret it.

When you get there (you can buy it now just for kicks :D), get Ferling's 48 Famous Studies. That's a book that you will ALWAYS be working on...

Wow, I never write a long post like this. You're a nice guy. I don't mind doing it. :)

Have fun practicing when you get your sax!
--BSG

[nagukush]

Hi Friends !:)

Thanks so much for caring and for the kind replies - I guess I'll print out this thread and start collecting the songs...

Thanks again friends !
Have a Wonderful day !
Kush

[nagukush]

Going a bit off topic, I just think these are essential, I hope you find it informative since this is all about starting to play the sax: I started on these books and they have proved to excel me in my sax playing. These are must haves: (IMHO :))
Standard of Excellence Book 1 (red):
I like this book when I'm learning a new instrument because they have common tunes that everyone knows, and you will also know when you are playing a wrong note (for example, I started on sax and tried to pick up clarinet, started to play a common song, it really didn't sound right, and then I realized I was using the sax fingering for B instead of clarinet B.)
Rubank's Elementary Method (They also have the Intermediate and Advanced method, these are great books and teach not only the notes and rhythms, but tecnique. I never used it for sax, but I am aware there is one, but I use it for clarinet and it's very fast paced.
When you get to knowing all the fingerings of notes and can play them well, go on to:
Salviani-Iasilli
It's some basic sight reading using practical keys...really just a lot of patterns...

The Universal Method is the best book ever. Basically how I learned to play sax. My lessons teacher MADE me buy this book. I don't regret it.

When you get there (you can buy it now just for kicks :D), get Ferling's 48 Famous Studies. That's a book that you will ALWAYS be working on...

Wow, I never write a long post like this. You're a nice guy. I don't mind doing it. :)

Have fun practicing when you get your sax!
--BSG

Hi Friend ! :)

I hope all is well !

Thanks for caring so much and for the kind advice and suggestions, regarding the books - I really wish and hope to buy and study from them in future. I cant really afford them right now (as I'm saving for the sax), but I'll sure get them someday... I guess I'll be needing them badly, specially because I'm alone here without a teacher and anybody to guide me... (hey but I have all you wonderful Friends to guide and care for me - I really feel blessed because of all you wonderful people - honestly no butterings intended :)

Thanks again for the kind words about me and for all the care & affection :)
Take lots of Care and Have a Beautiful day !
Keep smiling always :)
Warmest Regards and Love
Kush

[Coolie]

Hi Kush,

in addition to the valuable tips above I would like to recommend this video
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=LH4Ckd_KwwM
Katja Endemann is a German alto player who lives and works/studies in New York. The song in the video is nice and slow and you can concentrate on the tone, which is fine IMO.

Enjoy!

Uli

[nagukush]

Hi Kush,

in addition to the valuable tips above I would like to recommend this video
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=LH4Ckd_KwwM
Katja Endemann is a German alto player who lives and works/studies in New York. The song in the video is nice and slow and you can concentrate on the tone, which is fine IMO.

Enjoy!

Uli

Hi there Friend !

I hope all is well !

Thanks for caring and for the link. I'll have a look and try my best to grasp the Idea. Thanks again so much for the reply :)

Have a beautiful day !
Kush

[zacworld]

Off the top of my head — Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond, Maceo Parker. But don't limit yourself to these guys, or to saxophonists in general. Listen to everything but listen as an alto player.

By all means a great list. I'd like to add one more to it - Phil Woods. If I had to just pick one album of his to recommend, I'd pick "Live at the showboat" (if you can find it get it!).

[themacintrasher]

Ornette Coleman :)