steeves@galaxy.DEC (Ravin' n Skankin') (05/08/84)
I am interested in purchasing tenor saxophone recordings that are (relatively) slow and (absolutely) pretty. I know that certain sax players are noted for this (Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins) but I need more specific suggestions. I want to avoid buying albums that are heavy on the contributions of sidemen (ie. the Lester Young/Teddy Wilson sessions) and concentrate on small combos with the accent on the sax. I would appreciate any suggestions - artists or albums or specific cuts - that you could offer. Attention flamers about classical's white elitism: We're talking about Black Music here - so put up or shut up. (preferably the later)
ron@brl-vgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (05/10/84)
SCOTT HAMILTON. Concord Records. Does a nice mix of both slow and sweet and fairly update (but not squawky) Tenorsax pieces. Albus include one called Skyscrapers with Cornet player Warren Vache and Tenorshoes. -Ron
ron@brl-vgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (05/10/84)
By the way that should have been upbeat not update tenor sax pieces in the review of Scott Hamilton -Ron
lincoln@eosp1.UUCP (Dick Lincoln) (05/11/84)
> I am interested in purchasing tenor saxophone recordings that are > (relatively) slow and (absolutely) pretty...... I want to ...... > concentrate on small combos with the accent on the sax. I would > appreciate any suggestions - artists or albums or specific cuts - > that you could offer. One of the best album of "pretty" tenor saxophone ever produced was the album titled "FOCUS" featuring Stan Getz, with full orchestra conducted and arrangements by Eddie Sauter of the Benny Goodman and later the Sauter & Finnegan band fame. This album was produced in the late 50's or early '60s - sorry I don't remember the label - and contains some of the most hauntingly beautiful jazz tenor melodic playing, both written and improvised, and lush but exquisitely appropriate background arrangements you will ever hear. The "tunes" are all originals by either Getz or Sauter; most are "ballads" but there are a couple of "middle tempo" cuts. I'm afraid it was mastered only in "mono" - it came out just before stereo took off. I lent my only copy out years ago and it never came back. I have no idea if the album is still in "print" anywhere, but it's well worth searching for in the "rare" record stores. I hadn't thought of the album in years, but now thanks to you that I have, I'm about to dash out and do that very thing.
wjhe@hlexa.UUCP (Bill Hery) (05/16/84)
Dick Linclon recommended Stan Getz FOCUS lp. Let me second the recommendation--it is a beautiful, lyrical lp. I'd also like to answer some of Dick's questions and correct some of his recollections. It was recorded for Verve records in the early sixties and was available in stereo. I don't know if it has been reissued yet, but many of the old Verve lps are being reissued for release here; if not, it might be available as a Japanese import. Try J&R Music's Jazz Emporium on Park Row in NYC, or Tower records on Broadway and W. 4th. The people who work there (particularly at J&R) are usually very helpful. Rather than a full orchestra, it had Getz on tenor, a string section (two string quartets, as I recall), and a drummer (brushes only). The string section was entirely written, and Getz part was purely improvised on top of the strings. All pieces were written by Sauter. Sauter and Getz also got together for the score for the movie Mickey One (mid-sixties) with less interesting results Bill Hery