So you want to play bass saxophone?

I’ll admit that I had no idea what I was walking into when I decoded I’d by a bass sax and learn to be proficient. Seriously, how hard could it be? The truth is that the bass is a saxophone but it’s also some very different. It is a resistance trainer, lung expander, wallet reducer, finger stretcher, backing breaking hulk of a horn and it’s quite fun to play.

Firstly I am referring specifically to my bass a 1923 Conn stencil keyed to High Eb. The old Conn and Buescher basses are the long wrap type. This means the upper portion of the horn doesn’t curl back on itself as much as baritone does making the main body tube considerably longer than the french wrap preferred by Selmer. French wrapped basses are more compact and more baritone like in their tone and timbre. Is any one type of bass better than another? Some say the long or American wrap has a bigger more booming voice whereas the French wrap blends into sections better and is easier to transport. I can’t speak the blend as I feel any horn can be made to blend but in terms of transportation I would have to agree.

Gard baritone gig bag (left) next to bass saxophone (right) rolling case

From the start the first thing you and everyone will notice is that the horn is big. It’s not just big it’s heavy. Weight is around 20lbs without the case and nearly 40lbs with the case. My low-A Yamaha baritone clocks in at 14lbs so it’s a big leap in weight. This larger size and weight stresses everything related to the horn: cases, neck straps, thumb hooks, horn stands, and lastly your body. Let’s take a look at these elevents marked for bass destruction.

First up is the case. Considering the age of my horn [1923] it’s no wonder it is not in it’s not in it’s original case. That case likely fell apart long ago under the weight of the horn, the elements and poor maintenance. Thankfully my horn came to me nestled snugly in the wheeled case seen in this post.This is the same case that Steve Goodson used to sells on his site. It’s made by a company in China, I believe JinYin. It’s pretty expensive, $1200, for a case but it does do a great job at shrinking the bass to size to fit in my Min Cooper. Yes, I can fit a bass in my Cooper. I could easily fit the remainder of the sax family in as well as long as I stack them. With that in mind be prepared to buy a new case if you are still using the old coffin style or vintage shaped case.

Once out of the case and together you will need a method of holding the horn to you. I initially tried using the Neotech harnesses I use on baritone. those didn’t work as they didn’t have enough height adjustment to bring the mouthpiece to my mouth. On my bass the mouthpiece location ends up being about 6 inches lower than the baritone. The playing position places the mouthpiece at about half way down the horn verses at the top of the horn for baritone. This means any sax harness would need to have a great deal of vertical adjustment. Most harness don’t have this. have to return to using the tried and true neck strap. Neck straps have issues all their own separate to the pains in the neck they cause. A cheaper strap will usually have a nylon hook instead of a plastic coated metal hook. While this is great for protecting the finish it just isn’t strong enough to hold the bass. There is nothing worse than to have a horn go crashing to the ground because of a bad or broken nylon clasp.

In examining my horn I saw that sometime in the past 93 years the thumb hook had been repaired, perhaps more than once based on slightly different solder colors. I suspect that it took a hit to the thumb rest perhaps during a fall. The weight of this horn amplifies small hits. It’s the classic equation of force = mass * acceleration. A heavy sax dropping, sliding, or falling onto a surface is going to cause damage to something. That something is going to be the sax or the surface it hit.

As you might expect once you find a way to hang the horn from your person you will find that your body will develop some ache and pains. Good core support if vital if you want to play it suspended from your body. If you don’t then a good stand becomes the second most important purchase after your case. There are playing stands with wheels that allow you to position the horn for tooting while mounter firmly in the stand. There are also stands  which are similar to baritone stands but have a much larger bell “U” to accommodate the larger bell of the bass. Saxrax has become the de facto bass stand for many players on the internet.

Lastly, being a bass sax player requires a change in mindset. Depending on the type of music you play you may not have the lead line. If you are the bass of the group then you have to play like the bass of the group. Low notes alone are only part of the bass equation. You have to become a rhythm instrument as well as a wind one. This requires rhythmic playing  and where a drummer is involved a connection to them. The bass and drums feed and compliment each other.  The bass provides the foundation of the chords while also complimenting the drum rhythms. This takes time and practice. There are several great bass sax players on Youtube who exemplify this rhythmic and chordal duality. Bert Brandsma of the Dixieland Crackerjacks is the first that comes to mind. The second is Joe Rushton who played with Red Nichols and the Five pennies.

Mouthpiece Clearance | Sale

I’ve decided I’d part with a few pieces as I can’t fit anymore on my mouthpiece stand. If you’re interested email me for more info. I figured my readers should get first crack.

Vintage no-name Geo Bundy/ Woodwind Company mouthpiece

 

Lebayle Ebony Wood Jazz  #8 | Baritone

Rico Royal Graftonite B5 | Baritone

Bari woodwind 9* | Tenor

Selmer S-80 C* | Soprano

Meyer G-Series | Alto

Selmer S-80 F | Baritone

Woodwind Company | Baritone

RPC High baffle .110B | Baritone

Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra

Inspired by a post on another fantastic sax blog I decided to go on the hunt for some Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra information. I knew they were on a permanent hiatus but I wanted to know what has happened since. I have been a fan of theirs for the last 25+ years but hadn’t kept up with the group. I was vaguely remember when group member Ann Stamm Merrell passed away from breast cancer back in 1999 but not much more about the group since then. On a hunch I decided to go internet dumpster diving.

A basic trip to their old website netted me information about the  Fukushima nuclear disaster and unrelated information. Clearly the domain now belonged to another group. At some point the NWSO decided to abandon the website and as it seems public performances. Instead of wallowing in the nostalgia of bygone days I decided to dive deep and follow the bread crumbs.

Listing from Pinedalewyoming.com archive

After scanning the Archive.org site and skimming through page after page of the classic NuclearWhales.com website I found some old gig listings. The last gig documented on the site was for a March 13, 2004 gig in Pinedale Wyoming. I could not find a review of the performance sadly. If this was their last gig then a benefit gig is a great way to end a long run.

After hitting a dead end I decided to follow the musicians:

  • Kristen Strom – She’s still gigging with her group (The Kristen Strom Quintet), recording, and teaching.
  • Dale Mills – He runs his teaching studio and performs with a group called “Hot Club Pacific” 
  • Don Stevens – Founder of NWSO (can’t find any links to him)
  • Kelley Hart Jenkins – ???
  • Kevin J. Stewart – Currently with the San Francisco Saxophone Quartet and teaching at Dominican University in San Rafael.
  • Art Springs – Currently working as a Home Inspector
  • Ann Stamm Merrell*Deceased* Until her death was a well regarded quilt artists

In the end I hope a reunion album could be done and fill the contra-bass saxophone hole that fills my heart. *If late 90’s styled websites is too cringe-worthy  you may not want to follow this link.*

Link to Archive.org

If you have any more information on the members of the group please let me know. I’d like to keep this page updated.

MB&BS now has a bass

I have recently purchased another instrument for inclusion on the site, a bass saxophone. It is a Holton labeled Conn stencil. Some dates suggest 1926 as the year of manufacture but I’m not certain. The finish is a black enamel paint of unknown age.

I first saw this horn back in 2008  on eBay when it was purchased by a regular on the website Saxontheweb.org. I don’t remember how much it was exactly when it sold but i remember wishing I had the money for such a fun looking horn. It wasn’t until early September 2014 that I spotted it again. I know which person bought it back in ’08 and i assume the fellow I bought it from got it from him. Either way I can trace its last few years pretty accurately and now it is in my hands and is a welcome addition to the family.

The horn survived shipping well, aside from leaks and maybe some tweaking from the 5 days in the back of a UPS trailer. These images are from the auction. When I get the horn back from the shop I’ll take new ones. I am quite tempted to strip the horn and have it silver plated. In all likelihood this horn was bare brass originally but a silver plate would really set this girl off.

The neck is not original as you might have notice but it plays in tune and the ergonomics of the tenor styled bend makes playing with a harness much easier. A huge bonus is the case. Normally this case is between $599 and $1200 by itself. I got a great deal. Look forward to hearing more bass around this place!

Sigurd Rascher | Father of a School of saxophone tone and fundamentals

When I first started playing saxophone I had no idea what a classical saxophone should sound like. My saxophone tone exposure was limited to George Coleman, Branford Marsalis, Kenny G, and the various Reggae and Ska saxophone players. I hadn’t really heard the clear, crisp, and distinctly sax tone that classical players were using. It wasn’t until I got to high school that I would first hear a truly classical saxophone tone. This was in the time when the internet was just starting and there wasn’t a YouTube. My private lesson teacher played for our entire saxophone section a recording of Fredrick Hemke or was it Marcel Mule playing the Concertina de Camera? I remember distinctly that my tone was nothing like theirs and I wanted to learn more.

Throughout high school I would spend 2 to 3 hours a day practicing my tone. Seriously, I would practice during my lunch break and then after school before marching band and concert band. at the time I played 80% alto and I loved it. I was very proud of my tone by the time I was a senior. I landed an alto position in the county band and was happy to perform with my peer’s across the county. The one thing that stuck out was the player in the 1st chair. I heard his tone as being sweet and rather dark. I remember asking him about his tone and he said his lesson teacher preferred the Rascher type alto tone. That conversation set me on a course to learn more about Rascher and his remarkable tone.

Now that reference material is so easily located I am excited to share the kind of material I wish was available at the time I was learning tone, overtones, and articulation. Rascher and his daughter deliver these lesson in a clear and easily demonstrated manor.  This is a good time to mention Top-Tones for the Saxophone: Four-Octave Range by Sigurd Rasher. This book changed my playing immensely.

Saxophone Basics by Sigurd Rasher (Covers tone, breathing, embouchure, articulation, overtones, posture, vibrato) :

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Carlama Orkestar – Balkan saxophone band from the Netherlands w/ Bass Saxophone

I understand if you may have never seen or heard of this saxophone group if you live in the United States but that has to change at some time and that time is now. This dynamic group has at it’s core a driving rhythm section composed of Henk Spies on bass saxophone and Sebastian Demydczuk on drums. The music comes from the Serbian/Baltic tradition and is a lively and energetic exposition on life and living. You can’t help but want to move when you listen to it.

I was less than familiar with this genre of music as I studied western European and American music. It reminds me of Klezmer or festival music. Regardless of your experience or understanding of the music the raw emotion and playfulness of it comes through clearly. The characteristic ornamental style of playing is in full display with trills, appoggiatura, mordents, and glissandos littering the phrases. Just listening reminds the musician that clean and clear articulation, both finger and tongue,  is a fundamental to the delivery of this style of music.

My initial attraction was without a doubt the bass saxophone holding down the rhythm section. Henk’s vintage Conn looking bass really burps out those bass tones. His tone ranges from tuba like to raunchy sax. More important to his execution of the bass line than his tone is his time. He is rhythmically tied to the percussion and together they form a solid percussive base for the others to play against. The more one listens the more the relationship between bass and drums becomes clear. They feed each other and play off of each other. I am loosely remininded of 1920’s style ragtime bass saxophone.

TAKE AWAY: This group is fun, different, and worth the price of admission or a CD.

The Band:
Akos Laki – Tenor saxophone
“Soso” Sandor Lakatos –  Alto saxophone
Stanislav Mitrovic – Alto saxophone, vocals
Henk Spies –  bass saxophone
Sebastian Demydczuk – drums

The Carlama Orkestar Website

 

Bari Star Synthetic Reeds

 Bari Star Baritone ReedFirm, punchy, and has edge; Bari woodwinds has created their best reed to date in the Bari Star line. If your musical situation requires volume, edge, and longevity then this reed should be on your short list.

I’ve been a huge proponent to synthetic reeds since I first played one back in 2001. It was a bright and punchy but a bit unrefined. Eventually I returned to the time honored cane reed for my playing. At this time I was in a Ska band that enjoyed very minor success and toured a little around the region. Like many other wind players touring from dive bar to the next you learn that beer and booze can have a disastrous effect natural cane reeds.  It can shorten their lives and if you have enough booze you can chip or break them on accident. This can lead to the problem of trying to find more reeds on the way to the next venue, on a Sunday when the music stores are closed. Sometimes you ask the sax player in the opening band if he has a spare reed you can swap him for a cold brew, this hardly worked as baritones were few and far between in Ska bands at the time. Though now they’ve made a bit of comeback thanks to groups like Streetlight Manifesto and Ska Cubano.

Enough history now on to the goods:

Tone: This reed is much warmer than the original Bari Synthetic reed. It is closer in tone to a Brancher Jazz cane reed than to other synthetics. It is not as classicaly smooth as a Forestone or as natural cane sounding as a Legere.

Strength Grade Scale: S [soft] – H [hard]

Relative vs Stated Hardness:  I find this reed to be about a 1/2 step softer than the hardness scale suggests the soft – medium should be and I find Hard to be a little 1/4 step harder than they suggested.

Finish: The surface which touches the lips has slight machine marks which are smooth but noticeable. The left and right sides of the reed can be a touch sharp as the angle is only slightly rounded off. I suspect that a few passes with 1000 grit sand paper to round the rails of the reed will fix that with minimal change to performance.

Shape: This reed fits my RPC .110 High Baffle mouthpiece well and with very slight overhang on each side.

Tonal Edge: This mouthpiece has about half of the edge from the standard Bari woodwinds reed.

Performance change while playing: I find that the Medium and Medium Hard did soften after about 1.5 hours of steady playing.  Not enough to want to change out reeds but there was a slight performance difference. I suspect it is due to warmth and the reed returned to normal after it cooled a bit.

Price: $ – Cheap as domestics brews on ladies night. So cheap you can buy 4 or more for the price of 1 box of Vandoren bari reeds.

TAKE AWAY: I recommend that all baritone players take a spin on an appropriate Bari Star reed. These are a suitable fit for times when I prize a bit more volume over a perfect tone. When I need more control and more depth, like in a Big Band, I still prefer the Légère.

Buy them on Amazon, they’re cheap and may become your favorite

Thoughts on Chinese Bass Saxophones

When I say bass saxophone and jazz what comes to mind? I wouldn’t be surprised if “Tiger Rag” and Adrian Rollini came to mind or if your a hair younger then perhaps Colin Stetson. The fact that this much neglected member of the saxophone family is making a comeback in its own way is something to be excited about. While bass saxes didn’t go extinct between the 20’s and today they did become more scarce and more expensive. The recent proliferation of Chinese made bass saxes has brought them in to price range where the pro-amature/amature+ can afford.

In talking with a couple of Chinese baritone and bass sax owners about the horns quality it would seem that the larger the horn the greater the tolerances can be. Which for bigger saxes means that it is possible to get a well playing horn that is worth the investment. A chinese made bass can be had under 5k if you shop well, this is less than 1/3rd of what a new Selmer or Keilwerth bass will set you back. Let’s also consider that bass sax gigs are likely to be few and far between.

Here are a couple songs,  the first is played by Uwe Ladwig on a vintage American made bass sax. The 2nd video is a modern Chinese made horn. The 3rd is a classical use of a Selmer Series II bass and it’s spectacularly rich classical tone.


RPC High Baffle Baritone Mouthpiece – 110B

Img prop. of RPC Mouthpices

Like most saxophone players I’ve tried dozens of mouthpieces over the years. I’ve played most brands out there and many vintage ones. These include: Beechler, Otto Link, Jody Jazz, Runyon, Lebayle, Francois Louis, Meyer, Vandoren, Hite, Selmer, Guy Hawkins, Dukoff, Woodwind Company, Refault, Brilhart, and Berg Larsen just to name a few. In this time a few piece have stuck with me over the years but have never quite performed the way I wanted them to. After the honeymoon period ended there was always a reason why a mouthpiece would fall out of favor; mouth-feel, tone too bright, tone too dark, reed unfriendly, too much pressure, too free blowing, rapid heat loss, too much condensation settled between songs, or mouthpiece has to use a special ligature.

This changed when I started playing the Vandoren V16 – B9, it is such a great piece that I feel every baritone player should spend time with it. But it too had issues in not being bright enough for my changing sound concept. That’s when I began the search for a high baffled mouthpiece with cut and punch while also having depth and effortless control at all volume levels. I tried a few different piece at a local music store but didn’t quite hit the nail on the head.  But that’s a topic for a different day. I then decided that I wanted a brand new, hand crafted, boutique mouthpiece made for me with the qualities that I was seeking. That lead me to Ron at saxmpc.com.

DISCLAIMER/REMINDER: As a general rule, the sound you get from any mouthpiece is dependent on a number of factors. These include the players physiology, the horn, the reed chosen, the mouthpiece and most importantly the players sound concept. The sound concept is the internal tone each player hears in their head. If you prefer a darker tone then no matter what your body will find a way to darken the tone. Consider how Don Menza can sound like Webster, Coltrane, and Hawkins just by hearing the sound in his head. His well practiced body then makes changes to give him the desired tone.

Construction: The material is a traditional hard rubber with his initials carved into the side along with the tip opening information. The finish is satin and very smooth both inside and outside. The rails were even in width and the tip opening was even across its width. The high and long shelf baffle terminated in a steep though not sharp slope into the chamber of the mouthpiece.

Mouth feel: The piece has a slim mouth feel and is suited to most any size mouth. I prefer a bit larger a mouth feel as I feel like it opens my airways a bit more. By adding 1 – 1mm thick rubber mouthpiece pad to the beak it was near perfect. This also has the benefit of protecting the piece from tooth scratching.

Reed friendliness: I think this is one of the places where this mouthpiece is really interesting. The type, cut, and strength of the has an immediate and strong change in the timbre of the tune. A bright reed seems to reinforce the higher harmonics the mouthpiece favors. If you place a darker reed you can achieve a more modest and full tone. The reed strength was also a welcome change. Ron’s pieces are made to be played on a harder reed than many people use for such open pieces. The recommended strength is in the Rico Jazz Select 3S to  Rico 3.5 range. I was able to play the piece comfortable on reeds up to a Jazz Select 4H with only a little extra effort.

Sound: This piece has a high baffle. There is no hiding it but to my surprise the baffle did not immediately result in an ultra bright tone. Instead the high baffle reinforced some basic elements of the tone but allowed the tone to be molded by the musician. In general I enjoy playing on Legere reeds as they tend to give a darker tone than the other synthetic reeds on the market. When they are applied to this piece they pull the tone a bit darker and sub-tones feel like a warm woolen blanket but when pushed the tone goes bright and aggressive. Even at higher volumes the tone is full and doesn’t break.

Ligature:  Ron ships all mouthpiece with ligatures and caps. Vandoren are you listening? The included is a brass 2 screw traditional ligature. It fits perfectly and does it’s job very well. I prefer Rovner type ligatures so I added a spare tenor ligature and it fits well. The piece is close to the size of a hard rubber tenor mouthpiece so some more expensive ligatures may fit. .

TAKE AWAY:  In the end this is one of the most versatile mouthpieces I’ve even owned. It previously served me in my big band and jazz combo. I could blend with the section or fire off a auditorium filling Ronnie Cuber style tone with the same piece. If you are sitting on the fence waiting for one of these to hit Ebay I’d suggest you just go to Ron’s site and order it. There’s a good reason his pieces don’t go to the auction block as often as Wanne’s, Jody’s, Meyer’s and Link’s. When I can afford it I’ll be getting his .105B or .110B Tenor piece as well it’s a monster of a player from what I’ve heard.

FUZZY: Three Retrospects for bass-saxophone and electronics – No. 1

Blending the uncommon with the absurd this piece by Jeanette Balland is a blend of the acoustic and the electronic. It is the combination of age old metal work with modern electronics. What is delivered with this combination is an exciting and expressive piece modern composition.

It seems that modern bass saxophone playing has been dominated in part by either the 20’s era jazz or free jazz musical genres. This piece falls into the latter category offering an amazing selection of Bass sax tones and timbres.

FUZZY Works for organ, saxophone and electronics
Jeanette Balland, e.a.

Menne Smallenbroek – Baritone Artist Q&A

Following my review of the European Saxophone Ensemble album a few weeks back I got an email from the Menne Smallenbroek the baritone/bass player for the group. He asked if I’d like to hear the next project he was working on. Because I have a hard time saying no I accepted and proceeded to listen to what I can only describe as a blend of spoken word and articulately sweet baritone saxophone. The harsh language and subject matter of the speech from the HBO special “American Pimp and Prostitutes” juxtaposed against his refined sound and contrapuntal rhythms adds tension to the piece. It is as though there are 2 melodies being played against and over top one another.

image of Menne Smallenbroek from his facebook page

I must admit, I was hooked from his first note. His tone is sweetly classical and has just the right amount of edge for the compositions. It’s a fine line that he dances on very well. Too much Brignola/Adams and the baritone dominates the music on the other hand if there is too much Mulligan/Dako then the baritone is sonically lost in the mix. If this song is just a hint at what is coming down the pipe then we are all in for a treat.

After watching the video, attached below, I wanted to know more about Menne so I sent him a few questions to help us get to know him better.  This exchange in May of 2014.Check out his Facbook page for updates. Menne Smallenbroek

ModernBariSax: When did you start playing?

Menne Smallenbroek: I started playing alto saxophone at the age of 9. Kind of an accident actually. As a kid I really wanted to play the drums but my parents never were a big fan of having drums at home. On an open day to try out instruments I got to try the saxophone and immediately knew this was the right instrument for me.

MBS: Have you always played baritone?

MS: I started out (like most kids who start playing the saxophone) on a alto sax. After a few years I got the opportunity to play the baritone sax in an saxophone ensemble. Since that moment I started focussing more and more on the baritone sax until the moment I decided I just wanted to play the baritone sax. As a kid unfortunately I didn’t had my own baritone sax to study on so I drove the baritone sax of the ensemble back home on the back of my bicycle. Carefully balancing it so I didn’t hit any parked cars on my way. Amazingly it never went wrong. As soon as I started my studies in Amsterdam I bought my own baritone. From that moment on the baritone sax started to take up more and more study time until I decided to solely focus on the baritone. For the last 4 years I haven’t touched my alto and honestly never regretted my decision.

MBS: Where did you study and with whom?

MS: I started my studies in Amersfoort, the Netherlands at Scholen in de Kunst with Jaap Dijkhuizen. In 2007 I started a preliminary study in classical saxophone with Henk van Twillert at the Conservatorium of Amsterdam. In 2008 I moved to Porto, Portugal to start my bachelors at the ESMAE (Escola Superior de Música, Artes e Espectáculo) with Henk van Twillert, Fernando Ramos and Gilberto Bernardes. I continued in Porto to do my masters degree and I am currently finishing my Portuguese adventure.

MBS: What groups have you played with?

MS: I’m very privileged to have played and traveled with several unique ensembles during my studies. In 2010 till 2011 I concluded two successful European tours with the European Saxophone Ensemble playing the 1st Baritone and in the 2nd tour the bass sax. A great project joining saxophonists from all over Europe and having composers write original compositions and work with the ensemble

From 2009 till 2013 I have played with Vento do Norte. A saxophone ensemble from Portugal and did tours in Venezuela, the Caribbean, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands.

MBS: What or who has inspired your personal concept of how a baritone should sound?

MS: I guess many famous baritone saxophonists like Gerry Mulligan, Henk van Twillert, Pepper Adams, Claude Delangle, Dana Colley and many more have influenced my sound but I wouldn’t be able to say I have a singular concept on what the sound of the baritone should be. Every composition I play and ensembles or groups I play with demands a different approach to the concept of sound, timbre, articulation etc. I try to be as flexible as possible so that I’m able to shift fast between different concepts and styles. For example being a part of a saxophone ensemble you need to have a very broad sound and very clear articulation. When playing solo I have much more freedom to choose any concept of sound that fits to my opinion best to the specific style of music. For example in PIMPIN’ by Jacob TV I think more on a Jazzy sound but with a very classical approach to articulation.

MBS: What is your horn setup?

MS: I play on a Yamaha YBS-62, a Paraschos wooden neck, Selmer D mouthpiece (refaced so the tip is a bit more open) and play on Legere plastic reeds. On the Bari sax the Legere reeds work exceptionally well. The synthetic material adds a bit more high frequencies to the sound while maintaining the raw edges in the low registers.

MBS: What musicians do you find yourself listening to now?

MS: I always have been listening to a very wide range of musical genres. In my early teens I started with punk and metal but at the same time I was skipping classes so I could hear the 9th of Dvorak. I guess I was a somewhat peculiar kid 🙂 Over the years this changed a lot. I would have months of listening to the greats of avant-garde jazz and then change to speed gypsy from Romania and Servia. The last year though I have enjoyed very much listening to guys like Nik Bartsch’s Ronin, Dawn of Midi, Andreas Stahel and Don Li. Thanks to some very good friends in Portugal I listen a lot to José Afonso, Chico Buarque and late pianist Bernardo Sassetti. Keeping in mind this is for a Baritone Saxophone blog I should tell something about great Baritone tunes as well, Helmut Brandt, the Flat Earth Society, Jonah Parzen-Johnson, Céline Bonacina, David Mott and Colin Stetson are some of my all time favorites.

~END~

For Us, The Living – Andrew Hadro (2014)

Andrew Hadro has given the baritone saxophone community a great resource in his website jazzbarisax.com and now he’s sharing his art with us. This album of music by living American composers is his first as a solo artist and I hope won’t be his last.

The baritone sax has a sound which is nearly infinitely malleable by the musician playing it. From a reedy buzz reminiscent of a cello to the  lush round tone of bass trombone and every degree of spectrum in between. Andrew Hadro’s tone is quintessential baritone. It features a rich core with plenty of reediness to help define its woodwind nature and to help the tone carry. His tone is unique yet the discerning ear can hear subtle  hints of players who inspired him. I hear a bit of Smulyan is his tone.

One important aspect of this album which sets it apart from main stream is that it isn’t filled with the tried and true standards revisited. Instead, Hadro chose to play modern compositions by living composers. For this reviewer it is a welcome break from the songs that I’ve grown up hearing in as many tempos, arrangements, and time signatures as there are stars in the sky. . As a jazz lover, Hadro is expanding our musical horizons and exposing us to the talent of composers we may not have heard of yet.

One of the prominent features of this album aside from great composition choices is the sensitivity each player has towards the music, the other band members, and the shared musical entity they are creating together. If you look at the piece “Give” by Julian Shore, who also co-produced the album, and you will hear delicate dance between the four instruments. The piece is filled with subtle movements and space between phrases.

My only complaint about the album is the panning of the solo voice. I much prefer that the solo instrument be dead center. In general I listen to an album 4 to 6 times in as many ways as possible. From quitely comtemplating after a long day to a quick drive to the grocery store, I listen with one or both ears at a time. In listening it feels like the bari is ever so slightly off center in the mix. It’s not a big deal and a little nitpicky but it’s the only thing I could find to pick at on this album and even then it’s hardly noticeable.

TAKE AWAY: This album deserves every penny you pay for it and more. It is a fine display of modern jazz compositions and impressive playing by all the musicians on the album. Buy it and then another to gift.

Baritone Altissimo – Fingering Chart

It’s funny that my most view post was about playing altissimo on the baritone. I wouldn’t have guessed that it was so important so so many people. So much so that the post in question is rank #2 after a Youtube video when searching for  “bari sax altissimo “. With that in mind I set out to find another finger chart that was specific to the baritone.

I recommend practicing these slowly with a tuner. Let me repeat this: WITH A TUNER. The tuner will show you just how far you are from the desired note without being amazed that you even hit them. It’s either in tune or it’s not. There is very little which stands out like out of tune altissimo.

I also recommend that before playing any of these notes you need to have a firm sense in your mind on what the note should sound like. Take a moment, to visualize your embouchure, fingerings, and finally hear the note before you take the breath. The act of pre-hearing and pre-playing the note in your mind will help to solidify and instill confidence in that note. You will be more likely to be in tune and more likely to hit the intended note when you want it.

This brings up the question of which fingering do I pick? I recommend picking a fingering based on 2 criteria: how well does it play in tune, how easily does this fingering transition in the next one.

Once you are able to hit these individual notes the next step is to take it from being a parlor trick to a valuable tool in your musical toolbox. How do we do this? With slow and deliberate scale practice. Place the metronome on 60bpm and play whole notes up and down the scale. Eventually as you master the new octave you move to halves, quarters, and finally eights.

Altissimor Fingering chart for Baritone Saxophone
http://www.ericdannewitz.com/

Baritone Saxophone Facing Lengths

Since I have my Theo Wanne Glass mouthpiece gauge in millimeter x 2 I figured I could measure a few facing lengths  using a 0.04 (0.0015″) feeler gauge. I will measure mouthpieces as they come in and update this post along the way. I have noted with two measurements where each rail is different. Dates are given to differentiate between models purchased at different times. These dates are not manufacture dates as that is unknown, but instead is a purchase date.

Baritone Mouthpiece:

MouthpieceFacing length in mm
Vintage ImperialL[32.0mm] R[30.0mm]
Rico Graftonite B5 2012L&R [25.0mm]
Yamaha 5CL[25mm] R[24.5mm]
Vandoren V16 B9 2012L&R[33.0mm]
Jody Jazz DV 8L&R [27.0mm]
Fred Lebayle AT 7L[26.0mm] R[22.5mm]
Fred Lebayle Jazz Wood 8L[26.0mm] R[25.5mm]
Vandoren V16 B9 2014L&R[33.2mm]
Yanagisawa Metal 7L&R[26.0mm]
Rico Metalite B9 2013L&R[30.0mm]
Rico Graftonite B3 2013L[25mm] R[26.0mm]

UPDATED: 05/14/2014

Mouthpiece Sound Samples

Normally I don’t post sound samples of my mouthpieces. First, I feel that there are too many variables that drastically affect the sound that making an accurate comparison is difficult. Second, I think invariably the players skills are judged just as much as the mouthpiece. This can jade some listeners. Lastly, the recording equipment can color the tone and deceive the listener.

For proof of the first point read my review of the V16 mouthpiece and listen to two titans of the bari sax play the same mouthpiece but otherwise different setups. It’s night and day difference between their tones. Vandoren V16 mouthpiece review

All those points aside, I did get a request to share some of a recent charity gig I did while playing my YBS-61, Vandoren V16 B9, and Rico Select jazz unfiled 2.5 reeds. I listened back to the recording and was pleasantly surprised at how the tiny mic element picked up the bari very clearly but due to it’s size attenuated the lows pretty heavily. I don’t know the brand of the recorder but I think it turned out alright.

Here’s the link to the file: MBS Soundcloud