Looking for music with great Saxophone (1 Viewer)

[JordanS]

Hello friends,

I am interested in your feedback regarding some of your favorite music with the saxophone involved.

Some of my favorites are:

'Your Latest Trick' by Dire Straits
'Us and Them' by Pink Floyd

I mostly listen to classic rock, however, I just would love to get some awesome saxophone included music.

Thanks,

Jordan S.

 

[John Kotches]

Steely Dan had a few good saxophonists take their turn with the band.

My favorites:
Pete Christlieb wailing away on both FM and Deacon Blues
Wayne Shorter soaring on Aja

In addition, check out the Rolling Stones' Waiting on a Friend, where the great tenorist Sonny Rollins adds his distinctive sound to this track.

While certainly not in the big time rock and roll category, Phil Woods' Alto sax is featured on Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are.

These are five good ones to start off the list with, which I'm sure will grow over time!

Regards,

 

[Mike Broadman]

The best saxophone music is found in jazz.

But if you mean sax used in rock music, Springstein often featured some very energetic sax players.

The early years of King Crimson features Ian McDonald then Mel Collins on sax. Specifically, the albums In the Court of the Crimson King, In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard, and Islands.

Jethro Tull's A Passion Play includes Ian Anderson on sax. Quirky but very enjoyable.

NP: Mark Knopfler, Sailing to Philadelphia

 

[Philip Hamm]

I'd recommend the following Jazz albums:

John Coltrane : "Blue Train"
Miles Davis : "Kind Of Blue"
Julian "Cannonball" Adderly: "Somethin' Else"
Sonny Rollins: "Saxophone Collossus"

These are some of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded (Some would say some of the best albums ever recorded in any genre).

 

[Justin Doring]

I'll throw in a few excellent film scores featuring the saxophone into the mix:

Taxi Driver by Bernard Herrmann

Body Heat by John Barry (Joel McNeely/London Symphony)

The Russia House by Jerry Goldsmith

Sneakers by James Horner

NP: Suzanne Vega's "World Before Columbus"

 

[Rick Deschaine]

Jordan,

If your willing to really go out on a limb and do a little experimenting, I recommend Antiphone Blues by Arne Domnerus. He is a Swedish saxophonist. This CD features him and an organist named Gustaf Sjokvist. The music was recorded in a church and a cathedral in Sweden and is sonically wonderful.

This CD is one of the most haunting, ethereal, and beautiful things I've heard in quite awhile. It's on SACD but the disc is hybrid and will play on any CD player. You might even be able to find a redbook version that's cheaper.

And of course if you want to stick to rock, don't forget Foreigner's - Urgent on the LP 4 which features Jr. Walker on saxophone. That's one smokin' solo!

But you probably already knew that.

Later, Rick

 

[John Tillman]

A recent release/purchase was some good ol' funk in the 'Essential Sly & The Family Stone'.

I Wanna take you HIGHER, (da dada) HIGHER....

Different, but great stuff.

 

[Bill Prince]

Just about anything by Branford Marsallis.

 

[Keith E]

A couple of early 60's albums by Elvis Presley have some great sax. Look for the classic Elvis is Back ! or Pot Luck with Elvis albums.

 

[Jeremiah]

I just heard these songs today.

Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
Shotgun - Jr. Walker and the All-Stars
On The Dark Side - Eddie and the Cruisers(I think there was a Sax on it but other songs by John Cafferty should have some)

 

[Jeffrey Noel]

Kenny G!

 

[Rachael B]

If you want rock with sax I'd recommend:

Edgar Winter and The White Trash, RECYCLED, LIVE, and S/T

Climax Blues Band, REAL TO REEL ...but don't expect sax on every cut. Some of their other numerous albums may have more sax?

You couldn't go wrong with Tower Of Power, Blood, Sweat & Tears, David SanBorn might appeal to you?

I ought to be able to think of a few more but my mind has gone blank, momentarily....

 

[Rachael B]

...one more Marc Benno's AMBUSH...vinyl only. Hall Street Jive & Jive Fade Jive would make your day. He perfected the Austin,Texas, blue-eyed R & B sound but never became a really big star. He deserved more fame, me thinks...

 

[Karl_Luph]

Rachael B, didn't Mark Benno do an album with Leon Russell back in the 70's? Leon's a very good musician and only surrounds himself with excellent musicians. Bobby Keys also used to do alot of sax work with him among others. Just listening to any of the great swing bands will give you some excellent sax work too!

 

[Rachael B]

Karl, Marc Benno and Leon made two albums together. They constituted the group Asylum Chior. They made the S/T album and 2. Come to think of it, Leon's STOP ALL THAT JAZZ belongs on this list. Marc Benno made 4 A & M albums between '69 and one last one in the 80's. The two best ones by far are AMBUSH and the 80's one LOST IN AUSTIN. His MINNOWS album is pretty good. His first S/T'd album is the weak sister. I've heard that he made some indie albums down thar in Austin but I've never been able to track one down. I listened to some cuts that must have come from indie albums on Napster a few years back. I'll listen to stuff on such sites but I never ever hit record. I just don't want low-rez music.

I pretty sure that LOST IN AUSTIN and MINNOWS are stille available on Nipponese CD. I've never seen the other two on CD. I own 4 copies of AMBUSH on vinyl and I'm always looking for an even better copy. IMO, it's one of the great "lost" albums.

The first Asylum Chior album is very psyhedelic and I think it dates '68. The second one is very Leon sounding. I wish they'd played together longer which would make Marc more accessible in the present day. Best wishes!

P.S. - BTW, Leon arranged all or most of Gary Lewis And The Playboys songs. I quess he needed the $...?

 

[Richard Gilmore]

Anything by Stanley Turrentine...my favorite Jazz 'phonist.

 

[Walt O]

Since what makes a particular sax performance "great" is a matter of personal opinion, you are liable to get many different responses. Although I played sax in high school and enjoy jazz in general, the only jazz cd I actually own is "Alternating Currents" by Spyro Gyra: kind of a rock/jazz sound from the late 80s. I love it, you might not.

Walt O

 

[Doug_B]

Have to second the vote for the Aja album. Great album with a great title track.

Other Classic Rock sax off the top of my head:

Stones - Live with Me (Let it Bleed)
Stones - Can't You Hear Me Knocking (Sticky Fingers)
Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Wish You Were Here)
Supertramp - Logical Song and others (Breakfast in America)
Traffic - Glad and Freedom Rider (John Barleycorn Must Die)
Little Feat - Mercenary Territory (Waiting for Columbus; the aforementioned Tower of Power played with them on this live album)

Jazz/Progressive Jazz/Whatever:

Spyro Gyra - Everything (expanding on Walt's input)- Sax is the lead instrument of their work, with a lively ensemble of other instruments. If you're starting from scratch, try either of their classic albums Morning Dance or Catching the Sun.

Doug

 

[James D S]

If you want amazing sax playing, you owe it to yourself to check out Rhino's Yardbird Suite. If you want sax, look no further than Bird. It's a 2-disc set chock full of legendary bebop - with Bird accompanied by Dizzy, Miles, and a host of other greats. Check out "Condemnation," "Salt Peanuts," "Ornithology," "Groovin's High," "Dizzy Atmosphere," ... Aw hell, check them all out.

To add to Philip's Trane recommendation, also check out Giant Steps. Here John Coltrane is fresh out of Miles's quintet and some of the tracks on this record are amazing. A personal fave is "Spiral" (though I'm sure Paul Chambers's bass has a lot to do with my enjoyment). You, of course, couldn't go wrong with his opus A Love Supreme, either. Impulse has a very nice special edition with a bonus disc featuring some rare live cuts and alternates.

 

[Stephen Dodds]

I'll throw in Ornette Coleman via Free Jazz or Change of the Century.


Steve