[LiAm84]

Interesting to listen to Stan Getz and Paul Gonsalves playing side by side in these two medleys.
Both super smooth players but with their own distinctive styles - Getz coming from Lester Young and Gonsalves from the Hawkins/Byas/Webster school.

These are taken from the Verve jam session album "Sittin' in" also featuring Coleman Hawkins & Dizzy Gillespie. The whole album is well worth listening to and both Getz and Gonsalves shine throughout.

 

[JayeLID]

Gonsalves always has been underrated/underappreciated.

Its interesting, though....I don't consider Getz's style to be what I'd call "smooth", myself...

 

[mrpeebee]

Interesting comparison Liam!

Very different sounds in my ears. Can't listen too long to SG, but you can wake me up any time for PG!

 

[Watsonp143]

Paul Gonsalves is like no one else. He is in his own world and category.

 

[dexdex]

Interesting comparison Liam!

Very different sounds in my ears. Can't listen too long to SG, but you can wake me up any time for PG!

Pretty much my case too. Getz has this particular feature: he pleases our mothers.

 

[twowheels]

Gonsalves always has been underrated/underappreciated.

Its interesting, though....I don't consider Getz's style to be what I'd call "smooth", myself...

Agree that Gonsalves deserves more recognition, I prefer his tone to the two of them.

 

[Oric Muso]

Gonsalves's tone changed a lot. I guess he played on reeds too long and they went a bit soft - or maybe he just used whatever reeds were to hand?

Zoot Sims is another smooth player. You could mistake some his his stuff for Getz.

 

[mrpeebee]

Gonsalves's tone changed a lot. I guess he played on reeds too long and they went a bit soft - or maybe he just used whatever reeds were to hand?

Paul actually played a 'hard' setup (an Otto Link Tone Master to n° 10, which was about 0.115" in that time, with Rico n° 3 reeds) and always had to work for his sound, so I don't think he had a too soft reed in this recording. There is a video on YT with Don Byas with the Duke Ellington band trying to play Paul's setup (horn/mouthpiece/reed) during a live concert and he really struggles to get a decent sound out of it. The setup looked way to hard for him, while he was known to play a bigger tip Berg Larsen in that time.

 

[LiAm84]

Paul actually played a 'hard' setup (an Otto Link Tone Master to n° 10, which was about 0.115" in that time, with Rico n° 3 reeds) and always had to work for his sound, so I don't think he had a too soft reed in this recording. There is a video on YT with Don Byas with the Duke Ellington band trying to play Paul's setup (horn/mouthpiece/reed) during a live concert and he really struggles to get a decent sound out of it. The setup looked way to hard for him, while he was known to play a bigger tip Berg Larsen in that time.

In this youtube video Mojo is working on Paul Gonsalves' actual mouthpiece. He said it was in very bad shape so perhaps that is why Don Byas couldn't play it so well?

 

[mrpeebee]

In this youtube video Mojo is working on Paul Gonsalves' actual mouthpiece. He said it was in very bad shape so perhaps that is why Don Byas couldn't play it so well?

I guess Paul had more mouthpieces, so the question is if the Mojo repair mouthpiece is the same one Paul and Don played during that concert and if it was at that time already in such a bad state. Having said that, Paul was able to get a decent sound out of it.

Here is the Duke/Don Byas clip (Don starts after 1:55):

Archie Shepp also had some issues playing that setup during the same concert (check just after 2:00), but less issues than Don:

 

[mrpeebee]

Here is how Paul sounds in (I think) the same concert (just after 38:20):

 

[alexd]

I guess Paul had more mouthpieces, so the question is if the Mojo repair mouthpiece is the same one Paul and Don played during that concert and if it was at that time already in such a bad state. Having said that, Paul was able to get a decent sound out of it.

I'm fairly certain Paul played just that one mouthpiece for decades. You can see the state of it in some videos from late in his career with Duke. Although yeah, I suppose he may have had others - would have to be a similar vintage Link though, not seen a single photo of him on tenor using anything else.

One thing I've often puzzled over - his sound does change mid-late sixties and to my ears it is definitely linked to a change in horn, or at the least neck (as seen in videos). His sound then changes back when in the early 70s you see him on his VI again.

The Sittin' In session is wonderful - one of those "love to be a fly on the wall" sessions. In the liner notes, Getz says how "gassed" they all were at Paul's ballad playing and how it shows him to be a "very great tenor".

 

[mrpeebee]

I'm fairly certain Paul played just that one mouthpiece for decades. You can see the state of it in some videos from late in his career with Duke. Although yeah, I suppose he may have had others - would have to be a similar vintage Link though, not seen a single photo of him on tenor using anything else.

That's true, I also have only seen him only on that old Tone Master. The fact that the Mojo piece shows a lot of wear also points to it being his main piece, but you can't be sure (I have a huge vintage Link collection myself, but always play on the same one during gigs).

According to below page Paul changed horns in the mid 60's (from a 1936 Balanced Action to a Mark VI):
https://www.nicolastrefeil.com/tenor-sax-player-s-setup (search with CTRL F for 'Paul' to find him quickly)

 

[Oric Muso]

Paul actually played a 'hard' setup (an Otto Link Tone Master to n° 10, which was about 0.115" in that time, with Rico n° 3 reeds) and always had to work for his sound, so I don't think he had a too soft reed in this recording.

Thanks for the mouthpiece info - interesting. I wasn't talking about that sound on that recording. I've got some of his solo albums and the sound can be very different. I'll try and find some examples.

 

[mrpeebee]

Thanks for the mouthpiece info - interesting. I wasn't talking about that sound on that recording. I've got some of his solo albums and the sound can be very different. I'll try and find some examples.

I think Paul's addiction to alcohol and narcotics could have something to do with that!

 

[Trav1s]

Thanks for the compare/contrast thread. Gonsalves is new to me... but I am rather new to the who sax thing so please forgive my ignorance.

 

[Oric Muso]

I haven't had much time to find the tracks I was thinking of, (but had a fun time to listening to some Gonsalves).
Here's one where he has a harder tone - maybe it's because he's pushing it a bit more, rather than anything to do with the reed?

Here's another.

 

[mrpeebee]

I haven't had much time to find the tracks I was thinking of, (but had a fun time to listening to some Gonsalves).
Here's one where he has a harder tone - maybe it's because he's pushing it a bit more, rather than anything to do with the reed?

Here's another.

Those are Paul at his best.

You will also like the album 'Salt & Pepper' he did together with Sonny Stitt:
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...-amp-Sonny-Stitt-(Salt-amp-Pepper-album-1963)

 

[Oric Muso]

Yeah, I've got that one too. Great stuff.

 

[LiAm84]

One thing I've often puzzled over - his sound does change mid-late sixties and to my ears it is definitely linked to a change in horn, or at the least neck (as seen in videos). His sound then changes back when in the early 70s you see him on his VI again.

Here's Paul Gonsalves on the different horn/neck set-up you mention. I'm not sure what the model is?