Best Alto players...EVER

14615 Views 80 Replies 56 Participants Last post by skippy, Dec 11, 2008

jstin4all

Discussion Starter · Jul 17, 2007

Rank your top four alto players...(classical guys are welcome too)

Be sure to put them in order, 1 being the greatest...4 being the next to next next to greatest. Since this is subjective, I'm asking you to consider technique, impact on their genre, contribution to the literature...not to mention who you like listening to. We're looking for the total package...not just kudos to people who deserve kudos.

And since I'm opening up this poll, I'll start...

1) Adderley
2) Parker
3) Woods
4) Stitt

1 - 20 of 81 Posts

Raphyel

· #2 · Jul 17, 2007

richie cole
Ralph Moore
James Moody
Paquitoo is a monster as well

I agree that Cannonball is in the top, but I put Parker above him just out of mentor mentee ideals. Cannonball used to follow Parker around to hear him play and steal licks and stuff.

Jonathan C.

· #3 · Jul 17, 2007

1)Trane
2)Parker
3)Adderly

Raphyel

· #4 · Jul 17, 2007

Trane was not one of the best alto players.

Budget Explosion

· #5 · Jul 17, 2007

Carbs, tsk, tsk...you could only name two alto players.

If Parker and Adderley are your fave alto players, you should buy a King Super 20 alto.

hakukani

· #6 · Jul 17, 2007

Raphyel said:
Trane was not one of the best alto players.

Neither is Moody, by that definition.

Jonathan C.

· #7 · Jul 17, 2007

Art_Salt said:
Carbs, tsk, tsk...you could only name two alto players.

If Parker and Adderley are your fave alto players, you should buy a King Super 20 alto.

I wish I could afford one otherwise I would.

Trane did start off playing alto, in the Army jazz band. I think it was Army. I believe he inlisted a day -week before or after the first atomic bomb was dropped. Besides that I am mostly a Tenor player.

Tim Price

· #8 · Jul 17, 2007

Lets cut to the chase....

CHARLIE MARIANO....still going strong in his 80's and someone Cannonball sighted as a master player. ( Check my SaxJournal article on Mariano ALMOST 19 Years ago Etc - )
Listen to Mingus " Black Saint and Sinner Lady " to hear Mariano in 60's era then listen to anything he's done NOW. AMAZING PLAYER....and not retro.

silvin

· #9 · Jul 17, 2007

I would say:

- Adderley
- Desmond

tjontheroad

· #10 · Jul 17, 2007

Charlie Parker
Oliver Nelson
Earl Bostic
Paul Desmond

There's no order to this. How could I???

kryz

· #11 · Jul 17, 2007

Imho Trane sounds awesome on alto. i got a CD with a few pieces from that army band. KoKo and Ornithology are awesome. Theres also a live concert with Trane and Hodges on that CD - ver nice.

http://www.amazon.com/First-Giant-S...6077212?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1184707679&sr=8-2

So my four (hard decision!)

Bird, Cannonball, Woods, Donaldson

I'm not too familiar with Hodges and Bostic, but I guess I should

Chris

jmm1713

· #12 · Jul 17, 2007

1.Cannonball

2.Woods

3.Herring

4. Desmond

JL

· #13 · Jul 17, 2007

Tim Price said:
Lets cut to the chase....
CHARLIE MARIANO....
Listen to Mingus " Black Saint and Sinner Lady " to hear Mariano in 60's era then listen to anything he's done NOW. AMAZING PLAYER....and not retro.

Oh man, that's one of my favorite recordings, and yeah Charlie Mariano Kills on that one!

Hey, why are there 2 of these threads? I answered in the other thread. Bird fills all 4 of the best ever slots for me, but sure, guys like Cannonball, Charlie Mariano, Art Pepper, Jackie McClean were all great players.

RootyTootoot

· #14 · Jul 17, 2007

1. Johnny Hodges
2. Charlie Parker
3. Ornette Coleman
4. Art Pepper

Sebastian

· #15 · Jul 17, 2007

For those of you who have never heard Gene Ammons' album "The Big Sound" you will hear Trane blowing one of the meanest alto solos you've ever heard. I don't remember the name of the cut but it's a blues.

I'll be the first to add Konitz and Dolphy.

greyteque

· #16 · Jul 18, 2007

Bunky Green
Eric Dolphy
David Binney
Art Pepper

jmathesonjr

· #17 · Jul 18, 2007

1. Parker
2. Woods
3. Hodges
4. Royal

58tenor

· #18 · Jul 18, 2007

Maceo

saxymanzach

· #19 · Jul 18, 2007

1. Charlie Parker
2. Art Pepper or Paul Desmond or Phil Woods (I cant decide)
3. Jackie McLean
4. Johnny Hodges
5. Cannonball

Augman

· #20 · Jul 18, 2007

1. desmond
2. parker
3. adderely

1 - 20 of 81 Posts

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