[baritonesaxophone]

Hey All,
As you guessed it, this is another thread on sax players, but not just any sax players... we're talking bari players people! So, here's the format for the posts:

Favorite Player: Gerry Mulligan

Their Setup:
Sax(es): Conn Tranny
Mouthpiece(s): Gale Hollywood, Charles Bay remake with Gale mold
Reed(s): ?

Why you like them: He is just an inspiration to listen to and his sound has so much depth and is so unique. He sounds like no other player you've ever heard and ever will hear again.

 

[dexdex]

Favorite Player: Nick Brignola

His Setups: NB gives the impression that the hardware doesn't really matter for him.
Sax(es): Yamaha, Keilwerth
Mouthpiece(s): ?
Reed(s): ?

Why I like him:
1. Tone: he achieves a tone which can be from very smooth to square and earthy like a baritone
2. Ease: he makes you forget the size or clumsyness of the horn; he uses a huge range, and his altissimo sounds totally natural, unconstrained. His style is incredibly fluid.
3. Music: great be-bop influenced musicality, with those typical diminished turnaround phrases he plays both on heads and his solos. His signature.
4. Ballads: one of the biggest challenge on the big horn; NB maybe is the only one who can "sing" a ballad like the greatest tenors do. Amazing.
5. I just love his playing. We miss you !

 

[BarrySachs]

Joe Temperley

Conn Chu & Conn 12M
Otto Link STM
Rico Jazz Select

If you haven't heard him live you haven't really heard that sound. Like Ben Webster on baritone.

 

[Metalflake]

Toss-up for me between Nick Brignola and Pepper Adams.

As far as contemporary players go, I have to say Roger Rosenberg - I find his big, grumbly sound is the one I'm trying to emulate most often.

 

[jerumulliganrules]

Guess it depends on the mood I'm in at the time. If I'm introspective, it's time for Gerry. His solos seemed glued to the middle register, but he was never dull and the tone drew you closer to the speakers. I have a transcription book of his work and it's more complicated than one would think. If I want to get blown away by technique, then it's Nick. Sometimes it's just time for some playfulness and I get out that '70s Maynard stuff featuring Bruce Johnstone!

For me, the greatest display of different bari techniques was on Nick Brignola's album "Burn Brigade." That featured Cecil Payne and Ronnie Cuber. The "Baritone Madness" album with Pepper Adams was a lick-fest between similarly-minded titans.

It's really picking nits with all of the aforementioned, but that's the proverbial IMHO reply....

 

[maddenma]

Favorite Player: Nick Brignola

His Setups: NB gives the impression that the hardware doesn't really matter for him.
Sax(es): Yamaha, Keilwerth
Mouthpiece(s): ?
Reed(s): ?

Why I like him:
1. Tone: he achieves a tone which can be from very smooth to square and earthy like a baritone
2. Ease: he makes you forget the size or clumsyness of the horn; he uses a huge range, and his altissimo sounds totally natural, unconstrained. His style is incredibly fluid.
3. Music: great be-bop influenced musicality, with those typical diminished turnaround phrases he plays both on heads and his solos. His signature.
4. Ballads: one of the biggest challenge on the big horn; NB maybe is the only one who can "sing" a ballad like the greatest tenors do. Amazing.
5. I just love his playing. We miss you !

+1. Seems like he usually played a Strathon from the late 60's on, though I'm pretty sure I saw a YouTube video with him using a Berg for a Big Band. Can't say about the reeds.

 

[marton]

Gerry Mulligan I like, Ronnie Cuber ditto, but Morphine's Dana Colley is probably my favourite.

 

[Super Action Man]

Gary smulyan. I'm seeing him live In two days .
I hink he plays a STM link, but I don't know for sure. I think plays a low Bb bari of so e sort.

... that was sort of a non helpful post, sorry.

 

[nachoman]

Gerry Mulligan I like, Ronnie Cuber ditto, but Morphine's Dana Colley is probably my favourite.

Conn 12M
Berg Larsen
La Voz Reeds
Dana Colley's interesting in that a lot of what he plays seems to owe more to blues/rock guitar than sax.... which is exactly what was required of him in Morphine. Can't imagine many sax players being able to pull off that type of approach without over complicating or losing the precise rhythmic drive....
Current personal fave....James Carter for his blend of earthy, blues-y R&B and explosive freakouts..... researching Hamiett Bluett for similar reasons......

 

[baritonesaxophone]

+1. Seems like he usually played a Strathon from the late 60's on, though I'm pretty sure I saw a YouTube video with him using a Berg for a Big Band. Can't say about the reeds.

Just to clear this up:
Nick played on a Keilwerth black laquered bari made personally for him
He played on a Strathon most of the time but also used a lawton here and there, not so sure about the berg you saw.
and he played on BARI/Bundy fibercell reeds most of the time. He only used plastic reeds.

 

[BarrySachs]

Gary smulyan. I'm seeing him live In two days .
I hink he plays a STM link, but I don't know for sure. I think plays a low Bb bari of so e sort.

... that was sort of a non helpful post, sorry.

Yeah, Gary plays a Link STM on a Conn 12M. When you see him, tell him to get his arse back to New York for the pancake party at Ralph's.
Also, try not to laugh when you see him play because he looks just like Rick Moranis.

 

[marton]

Conn 12M
Berg Larsen
La Voz Reeds
Dana Colley's interesting in that a lot of what he plays seems to owe more to blues/rock guitar than sax.... which is exactly what was required of him in Morphine. Can't imagine many sax players being able to pull off that type of approach without over complicating or losing the precise rhythmic drive....
Current personal fave....James Carter for his blend of earthy, blues-y R&B and explosive freakouts..... researching Hamiett Bluett for similar reasons......

Re Dana Colley; yeah I'd agree with that. Blues inspired.....and his approach was perfect for that slide bass and spare drumming. It sounded languid, and dangerous at the same time, delicious sound. I occasionally go through periods where I listen to Morphine for weeks. I think he played a Buescher.

 

[rhysonsax]

Re Dana Colley; yeah I'd agree with that. Blues inspired.....and his approach was perfect for that slide bass and spare drumming. It sounded languid, and dangerous at the same time, delicious sound. I occasionally go through periods where I listen to Morphine for weeks. I think he played a Buescher.

I had heard he played a Buescher, but the interview with him in Saxophone Jornal Vol. 24 #6 (July/August 2000) said:

Dana uses a Selmer MkVI tenor with a Berg Larson [sic] mouthpiece. "100 over S, something", he said. "I'm not sure what numbers, but the tenor and bari mouthpieces I use are Bergs and they're pretty wide open. The baritone is a Conn with rolled tone holes and the lady on the bell. And my bass sax is a Buescher that I picked up from Emilio at Rayburns. I use a Bari baritone mouthpiece on the bass. I play La Voz medium hard on all three saxes."

Rhys

 

[jetmech]

I'll go with Serge Chaloff since I am related to him. Unfortuanately I didn't even know that til recently and never really had any connection to him. I do remember his father, Jules Chaloff well. I happen to have the plaque from the Chaloff School of music posted in my kitchen. It's the brass plaque that was in the brick on the front of the building I presume. Jules was a concert pianist. never saw the man without a bow tie on. Ever.

 

[maddenma]

Just to clear this up:
Nick played on a Keilwerth black laquered bari made personally for him
He played on a Strathon most of the time but also used a lawton here and there, not so sure about the berg you saw.
and he played on BARI/Bundy fibercell reeds most of the time. He only used plastic reeds.

That could have been a Lawton. I just remember it wasn't a Strathon, and it caught my attention if not my long-term memory.

 

[Brendan]

Ronnie Cuber ! :mrgreen:

 

[mike713]

Harry Carney!

 

[LateNiteSax]

Yeah, Gary plays a Link STM on a Conn 12M. When you see him, tell him to get his arse back to New York for the pancake party at Ralph's.
Also, try not to laugh when you see him play because he looks just like Rick Moranis.

I studied with Gary for a while when I got out of school. It amazing how much I learned from him in 6 lessons. I complained to him about not being able to play fast, and he said its ok, play your stuff slow, but play it absolutely RIGHT, and it will naturally get fast over time. He was right.

My friend Vinnie Penella, who I knew in Binghamton NY and currently lives in Boston, grew up with Gary, and told me stories about going over to Gary's house only to find him watching cartoons on TV with the sound turned off while simultaneously transcribing Phil Woods solos!

 

[mrzel]

Favorite Player: +1 Ronnie cuber

Their Setup:
Sax(es): Mark VI Low A
Mouthpiece(s): Francois Louis
Reed(s): Rico Orange Box

Why you like them: Rhythm and timing, the man has it in spades. His tone is brighter than my own taste but it seems like it suits just about everything he does. From Gadd gang and George Benson to the ill-fated and difficult to appreciate album Passion Fruit the man is prolific and a fantastic player.

After Cuber is Dan Oestreicher. I really like his work with Trombone Shorty. Funky and fun.

2nd Favorite Player: Dan Oestreicher

Their Setup:
Sax(es): Conn 12m (?)
Mouthpiece(s): Ted Klum London Baritone Mpc
Reed(s): ?

Don't forget Mike Terry!

 

[Sebastian]

After Cuber is Dan Oestreicher. I really like his work with Trombone Shorty. Funky and fun.

2nd Favorite Player: Dan Oestreicher

Their Setup:
Sax(es): Conn 12m (?)
Mouthpiece(s): Ted Klum London Baritone Mpc
Reed(s): ?

I believe Dan was playing a later Chu style baritone. He ended up getting a .125" opening.