[ConnorTsax]

Hello Saxverse!

I'm going to be upfront with you guys... I LOVE the dark jazz sound.

Having said that, I'd love some recommendations for some tenor artists who really embody that. I'd like to start branching out to newer or less well-known tenor players to throw into my playlist(s).

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

What is a "dark" sound? Explain better what you are looking for. Terms like "Dark" and "Bright" and "Focused" are all subjective.

 

[PoorButSaxy]

ConnorTsax, you could post some examples, that way we could more easily understand what you mean by "dark".

Without any examples given, I'd say Warne Marsh has one of the darkest tenor sounds I know of.

 

[Sigmund451]

Mark Turner

 

[ConnorTsax]

Sorry about some of the confusion by my question! Re-reading it, I realize that I should have been more specific!

I'm thinking about players with sounds akin to Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Wayne Shorter, Stan Getz, Zane Musa, and Hank Mobley

Thank you!

 

[Saxaholic]

ConnorTsax, you could post some examples, that way we could more easily understand what you mean by "dark".

Without any examples given, I'd say Warne Marsh has one of the darkest tenor sounds I know of.

+1. Add some Warne Marsh to your playlists...incredibly unique sound. I love the stuff he did with Art Pepper on "The Way it Was" and theres a full album of them as well "Warne Marsh with Art Pepper."

- Saxaholic

 

[toughtenor]

Sorry about some of the confusion by my question! Re-reading it, I realize that I should have been more specific!

I'm thinking about players with sounds akin to Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Wayne Shorter, Stan Getz, Zane Musa, and Hank Mobley

Thank you!

IMHO the players you have mentioned have quite a wide range of "darkness" but they all have a nice enough "classic jazz" sound. Soundwise I'd say Joe Henderson and Rich Perry would be considered "dark"sounding too. ( as well as players of hip , harmonically advanced stuff, but that is something different then pure sound) . personally , soundwise, I love Gene Ammons a lot. Also check out Sonny Rollins 's sound on his 50"s albums. Tivon Pennicott has a great sound too that could be called dark

 

[chknbon]

Check out Lew Del Gatto's Katewalk cd. Also Mark Shim fits the bill.

 

[1saxman]

Some current guys have gone so 'dark' that there is absolutely no life in the sound whatever. No sizzle. It is very unappealing to me and I am crazy about all of the 'greats' including Getz, Desmond, Prez, etc. Their sounds were not dead AT ALL. Yes, they had a deep core to it but over that was the typical reed 'sizzle' that gives it that 'singing' sound. Getz once said his goal was to eliminate the reed in his sound but I'm very glad he was never successful. Dead is not good.

 

[Roger Nordling]

Mark Turner

I just heard him on YouTube where he plays the Ted klum Florida piece and his sound was full! Plenty of lows but also mids and highs. Maybe he is darker on his main piece?

 

[mrpeebee]

Paul Gonsalves, Jimmy Forrest, Coleman Hawkins, Arnett Cobb, Joe Thomas, Don Byas, Ike Quebec, Bud Freeman.

Players with (for me) a darker core sound, but they also can get some edge when they want.