[mrpeebee]

Sil is not that much mentioned here on the forum, so here some music of him I just came across on the Tube:

TRACKLIST
01- Danny Boy 00:10
02- A Whiter Shade of Pale 04:13
03- At Last 07:48
04- Birthday Party 10:24
05- Please Send Me Someone To Love 12:31
06- Call Me 14:49
07- Dues Day 17:34
08- Fall Out 19:51
09- I Can't Get Started 22:31
10- I'll Walk Alone 25:22
11- It's The Talk Of The Town 27:55
12- My Foolish Heart 30:36
13- My Mother's Eyes 33:18
14- Prisoner of Love 36:02
15- Ruby 38:51
16- Stardust 42:18
17- Summertime 45:45
18- Sweet Slumber 48:24
19- Autumn Leaves 51:07
20- Slow Walk 53:28

Enjoy!

 

[1saxman]

Thanks! One of the original 'Texas Tenors' with King Curtis, Clifford Scott and others. We all had to play 'Danny Boy' in the early '60s - nowhere near how he did, but who could? What a sound! I know from album covers he played a Berg steel. 'Slow Walk' was basically his version of 'Honky Tonk'. Anytime I play Honky Tonk, parts of Sil's 'Slow Walk' just automatically slip in. I believe it had been 50 years since I last heard it. See if you can find his 'Tipping In' and Flying Home' cuts too.

 

[John Laughter]

One of the absolute top tenor players in the world. Still listen to his songs. Thanks for posting!

Our party band was rehearsing at the Top Hat Club in Va Bch back in the day. I noticed a man changing records on the jukebox near the stage. He asked if he could play a record to check the volume level on the jukebox so we took a lunch break. He played a one of the new Top 40 hits of the day then a second record started to play with a lady singing "Danny Danny Danny" then a sax started to play. Wow!! I had never heard any sax sound like that. I had only been playing a couple of years.

I bought the 45 and played it for my high school band director. I asked how the player got such a sound in the low register. He showed me how to subtone thanks to that record.

Met Mr. Austin when he was playing an acoustic gig with a piano player at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta. A gentleman dressed in a tux and willing to tell me about his history, his two saxes and m/p. He also owned a large car wash in College Park. He did very well in retirement. So many excellent recordings.

 

[mrpeebee]

Thanks! One of the original 'Texas Tenors' with King Curtis, Clifford Scott and others. We all had to play 'Danny Boy' in the early '60s - nowhere near how he did, but who could? What a sound! I know from album covers he played a Berg steel. 'Slow Walk' was basically his version of 'Honky Tonk'. Anytime I play Honky Tonk, parts of Sil's 'Slow Walk' just automatically slip in. I believe it had been 50 years since I last heard it. See if you can find his 'Tipping In' and Flying Home' cuts too.

Don't forget the 'real' original Texas Tenors Herschel Evans, Arnett Cobb and Illinois Jacquet (Budd Johnson and Buddy Tate are also often mentioned with them). The R&R guys you mention are the second or third generation followers.

In Sil's 'Flying Home' you can hear the big influence of Arnett Cobb in his playing, who was one of his prime inspirations. I also love his 'Stardust' version in above posted album (no. 16).

One of the absolute top tenor players in the world. Still listen to his songs. Thanks for posting!

Our party band was rehearsing at the Top Hat Club in Va Bch back in the day. I noticed a man changing records on the jukebox near the stage. He asked if he could play a record to check the volume level on the jukebox so we took a lunch break. He played a one of the new Top 40 hits of the day then a second record started to play with a lady singing "Danny Danny Danny" then a sax started to play. Wow!! I had never heard any sax sound like that. I had only been playing a couple of years.

I bought the 45 and played it for my high school band director. I asked how the player got such a sound in the low register. He showed me how to subtone thanks to that record.

Met Mr. Austin when he was playing an acoustic gig with a piano player at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta. A gentleman dressed in a tux and willing to tell me about his history, his two saxes and m/p. He also owned a large car wash in College Park. He did very well in retirement. So many excellent recordings.

Thanks for sharing that John.

I've also met Mr. Austin during a R&R master class in Amsterdam back in 1984 (together with Boots Randolph and Lee Allen). Sil told during that master class that he played an 8* Otto Link, but he didn't sound as edgy in 1984 as in his older recordings (probably on the Berg), but still very good. He was also dressed very well during this R&R master class and showed all kind of saxophone technics and came across as very friendly and a real gentlemen. Same was the case with Boots Randoph. That was not the case with Lee Allen, who didn't show up for his part of master class (later heart he was stranded in an Amsterdam cafe!). But Lee showed up later that evening for the real concert part of the event and made all up for that!

 

[John Laughter]

I don't recall what m/p Sil was playing but I asked about it and he said that when he lived in NY that there was a man who worked on the inside of m/p's and he paid him a visit. He said that many players went to this person to have their m/p's tweaked back in the day. He had two Selmer VI's and had to have them relacquered at one point due to the tarnish from spit, moisture and age. He wanted his saxes to look real nice on stage.

During our conversation he stated several times that he enjoyed "playing for the people" and "playing what people like to hear".

I've also met Mr. Austin during a R&R master class in Amsterdam back in 1984 (together with Boots Randolph and Lee Allen).

That had to be an excellent experience!