I think it's a bit of both. There was more of an expected sound for jazz in the 30s, (and/or swing). Read about Lester Young, there was quite an outcry when a tenor player dared to not try and emulate Coleman Hawkins. The noteable exception to this homogeneity was Ellington, whose saxophone section sound was very much shaped by the tones and styles personalities in the section - and Ellington wrote his charts taking into account the quirks of each player. But most of the more run of the mill dance bands conformed to an accepted sound.

It's also possible in some cases that the recording medium limitations made everything sound a bit the same.

Oh yes, another exception would be Glenn Miller - watch the movie and see Jimmy Stewart's excellent portrayal of Miller's striving for a unique sound. Of course it was basically the same old sax sound with a clarinet lead.

And another one - Andy Kirk, a great Kansas City band, sometimes had a trumpet leading the saxophone section.

 

It's also possible in some cases that the recording medium limitations made everything sound a bit the same.

I think that's a big part of it.

 

I think there are some serious variations in saxophone section sounds if you acclimate your ears to the older style. Basie's sax section sounded very different from Ellington's (Marshall Royal vs. Johnny Hodges), and Woody Herman's section sounded different from either of those. As Pete said, recording technology probably has a lot to do with it, too-- I know I have a tendency to think all older music sounds the same if I've been listening to nothing but current recordings for a while, and I think it has a lot to do with the sound of the era's technology.

 

I think there are some serious variations in saxophone section sounds if you acclimate your ears to the older style. Basie's sax section sounded very different from Ellington's (Marshall Royal vs. Johnny Hodges), and Woody Herman's section sounded different from either of those.

Yeah, and if you listen to some of the last recordings of Woody Herman's "thundering herd," you'll hear some very cutting and exciting sax solos.

 

Surely it's a lot to do with:
1 - Closed tip ebonite mouthpieces with
2 - Hard reeds
3 - Working hard to play sweet and together rather than loud and individual
4 - the particular attack and dynamics and technique preferred at the time (eg more scoops, trills)

Nobody's mentioned Artie Shaw's sax section - wonderful sound, I think.

 

They often played louder than you might think. I think it has more to do with recording technology, too.

 

Try some Bob Mintzer, Gordon Goodwin, Yoshiko Takahashi, or Maria Schneider.

 

One of my favourite sax sections of all time:
Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion (alto saxophone); Eddie Daniels, Joe Farrell (tenor saxophone); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone)
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band

But we digress. Perhaps one reason the sax sections on that recording sound similar to you is simply a thang called "style". I would say that there was an assumed style in many of the band sections of the time. Also, the selection of what's on that CD might give a limited view, and I like Pete's speculation that the recording techniques might have evened things out a bit.

 

The Elgart's sax sections were quite different. Like them or not you knew whose band it was in about 2 seconds.

 

Check out this saxophone section. There is a big soli after the tenor solos.

 

Check out this saxophone section. There is a big soli after the tenor solos.

Nice stuff, Andy. Was the "kid" on fourth sax new to the band? Seems like he's substantially brighter than the what I hear of the rest of the section and he's trying much too hard.

I'd still hang to listen to the band.

Thanks.

 

Check out Tubby. Paired down here and great! Links to BB stuff on Youtube.

It amazes me Hayes never acheived more fame. He is among the best saxmen ever.