Video feature on Gary Smulyan
Check out this excellent featurette on baritone saxophonist, Gary Smulyan:
Check out this excellent featurette on baritone saxophonist, Gary Smulyan:
Thanks once again to Adrian Barnett, we have posted a new Ronnie Cuber transcription to the transcription page! This one is on the classic jazz standard “Four” from a more recent album of Ronnie’s titled …”Ronnie”. Nice demonstration of blowing over a common tune. Check it out!
I’ve long admired the work of the ProShop that is part of Music Medic, run by Curt Altarac. They are always doing interesting, fun and creative projects. They have a great series of repair articles, offer great repair tools and supplies for professional and DIY repairmen, provide incredible insight into the major overhaul of an original Adolph Sax saxophone, and are always releasing innovative new products – and some wacky ones like the keyless overtone sax.
Having met Curt and a lot of his team at various saxophone events around the country, I can personally attest to their passion and knowledge about the saxophone. In Georgia recently I geeked out with a fellow saxophonist about the intricacies of building sax necks and how they have changed over the decades.
Another thing I love about Music Medic is that Curt is a baritone saxophonist himself, so the big horn does not get neglected the same way it might in other situations. The most recent news on this front is that Music Medic’s ProShop is now offering custom made necks for Conn 12M baritone saxophones!
Check them out!
The neck is important on any saxophone, but from my experience the neck on 12M’s makes a huge difference, and an under-performing neck can ruin an otherwise good horn, especially intonation wise. So I am happy to see a new option. I hope to get my hands on one or two of these to test out in the future, and I will be sure to post an update or demonstration if I do.
If you get a chance to try them out, let us know how they are!
-Andrew Hadro
Curator, JazzBariSax.com
A reader and fellow baritone saxophonist, Larry Dickson, recently sent us a copy of his new album, “Second Springtime”. Larry seems to have a vast knowledge of the baritone saxophone and its various practitioners and it shows through the varied song selection on the album. There is everything from original music, to a Pepper Adams composition, some Ellington, and even a beautiful ballad that you may have heard Mulligan and co perform on the album “What Is There to Say?”.
Definitely worth a listen from all fans of the baritone saxophone. Its available on Larry’s CD Baby page.
Jonah has really developed a unique style of music with solo baritone saxophone and digital effects and/or pedals. Check out this video, includes playing and interviewing.
Congratulations to Gary Smulyan and all of the other baritone saxophonists listed in this year’s Downbeat Readers Poll!