The Best of Saxophone Jazz Music

A great collection of the best saxophone jazz music.

Introduction

The saxophone is one of the most popular instruments in jazz music, and for good reason — it has a unique sound that can add a lot of depth and feeling to a performance. While there are many different types of saxophones out there, the two most commonly used in jazz are the alto and tenor saxophones.

If you’re new to jazz saxophone, or just looking for some great music to listen to, here are 10 of the best albums featuring some of the greatest saxophonists in the genre.

The pioneers

Charlie Parker and John Coltrane are considered the pioneers of saxophone jazz music. They both have made huge contributions to the genre and have inspired other saxophonists to follow in their footsteps. Let’s take a look at some of their best work.

Coleman Hawkins

Coleman Hawkins was born in 1904 in Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States. He was a big, imposing man with a broad smile and a twinkle in his eye. Hawkins began playing the saxophone when he was just seven years old and by the age of eighteen he was already playing professionally.

Hawkins made his first recordings in 1924 with the Fengler Brothers Band and he quickly developed a reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative young saxophonists on the scene. In 1925 he joined Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra, which was one of the hottest bands in New York at the time.

Hawkins stayed with Henderson for six years, during which time he made some of his most famous recordings, including “The Stampede” (1928), “Wrappin’ It Up” (1929) and “Hotter Than That” (1930). These recordings showcase Hawkins’ mastery of the saxophone as well as his ability to swing hard with the best of them.

In 1934 Hawkins left Henderson to pursue a solo career and over the next few years he became one of the most popular bandleaders and recording artists in America. Some of his more famous recordings from this period include “Body and Soul” (1939), “Blue Nebula” (1941) and “Bean Stalkin'” (1945).

Coleman Hawkins continued to perform and record until his death in 1969. He was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995 and he is widely considered to be one of the greatest saxophonists in jazz history.

Lester Young

Lester Young was one of the first important soloists to emerge in jazz, and he became one of the most influential stylists of the early and mid-20th century. He broke away from the constraints of the swing era’s big bands, fashioning a more linear, freer approach that expressed his lyrical personality. Young’s approach influenced such musicians as Charlie Parker, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon and many others.

Ben Webster

Ben Webster (February 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He is considered one of the three most important “swing tenors” along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. Known affectionately as “The Brute” or “The Frog”, he had a tough, raspy, and brutal tone on stomps (fast tempo tunes), yet on ballads he played with warmth and sentiment. He was strongly influenced by Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and Duke Ellington. While with the Duke Ellington orchestra he redefined the sound of the tenor saxophone in jazz. His years with Ellington produced some of his best work including “Cotton Tail”and “All Too Soon”. Webster’s other well-known recordings include ” Panama”, “In a Mellotone”, evacuate=”Evacuate”, and “See You Later Alligator”. In addition to his membership in various prominent bands throughout 1937-1964 (such as those of Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson), Webster also led his own recording sessions sporadically from 1936 to 1962.

The modernists

The art of the saxophone in jazz has seen various stages of development since the early 20th century. In the hands of Coleman Hawkins and Chu Berry, the saxophone became an important jazz instrument. In the 1940s and 1950s, Different schools of thought emerged in the jazz saxophone community.

Charlie Parker

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 29, 1920, alto saxophonist Charlie Parker was one of the most influential figures in jazz history. Parker was a master of improvisation, a virtuoso who exerted an unprecedented level of influence over the course of just a few years. His career began in the 1930s in Jay McShann’s band and reached new heights after he moved to New York City in 1943 and started playing with Dizzy Gillespie. The two men helped develop the style known as bebop, which changed jazz forever. Parker continued to innovate throughout his short life—he died at age 34—leaving behind a legacy that includes some of the most enduring standards in jazz, such as “Now’s the Time,” “Confirmation” and “Sandu.”

John Coltrane

John Coltrane was one of the most influential saxophonists in jazz history. His unique style helped to redefine the genre and his influence can still be felt today. Coltrane was born in North Carolina in 1926 and started playing the saxophone when he was just 13 years old. He soon developed a love for jazz and began playing with some of the most famous jazz musicians of the time, including Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk.

Coltrane’s playing style was marked by its deep sense of spirituality and its focus on improvisation. He often played lengthy solos that explored all corners of the saxophone’s range. His signature sound was a product of his mastery of jazz harmony and his ability to create complex melodic lines. Coltrane’s influence can be heard in the playing of many modern saxophonists, including Branford Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, and Joshua Redman.

Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins is one of the most important saxophone players in jazz history. He helped to define the sound of bebop in the 1940s and 1950s and was a major force in the development of hard bop and modal jazz in the 1950s and 1960s. He has also been a lifelong innovator, constantly pushing the boundaries of jazz with his exploration of new sonic possibilities on the saxophone.

Rollins was born in New York City in 1930 and began playing the saxophone at an early age. He quickly developed into a talented musician and by the age of 18 was already gigging regularly with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins, and Art Blakey. He made his recording debut as a leader in 1955, with his album Saxophone Colossus, which is now considered a classic of the genre.

In the following years, Rollins continued to release groundbreaking albums and establish himself as one of the most important voices in jazz. Some of his most acclaimed works include The Freedom Suite (1958), Our Man In Jazz (1962), East Broadway Rundown (1966), and TheStan Getz Quartets (1972). He has also been a prolific collaborator, recording with such legends as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, and Chick Corea.

Today, at 88 years old, Sonny Rollins is still active as a performer and educator, touring regularly and maintaining an active teaching schedule. He remains one of the most respected and influential figures in jazz music today.

The contemporary scene

Joshua Redman

Tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman is one of the most acclaimed and popular jazz musicians of his generation. He burst onto the scene in the early 1990s with a string of highly acclaimed albums that showcased his prodigious talents as both a performer and composer. Over the course of his career, he has continued to evolve as an artist, incorporating elements of funk, hip hop, and classical music into his saxophone playing. He has also collaborated with some of the biggest names in jazz, including pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade.

Redman was born in Berkeley, California, in 1969. His father, saxophonist Dewey Redman, was a major influence on his musical development. Joshua began playing saxophone when he was ten years old and later studied at Harvard University and Berkeley’s prestigious Mills College. After graduation, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in music.

Redman quickly established himself as a leading voice in the city’s vibrant jazz scene. His debut album, “Timeless Tales (For Changing Times),” was released in 1992 to critical acclaim. The album featured Redman’s original compositions as well as interpretations of songs by Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker. It also showcased his mastery of different styles of jazz, from bebop to more experimental improvisational forms.

Redman continued to release highly acclaimed albums throughout the 1990s, including “Freedom in the Groove” (1996) and “Beyond” (2000). He also collaborated with some of the biggest names in the jazz world, including pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade. In recent years, Redman has expanded his musical palette even further by incorporating elements of funk, hip hop, and classical music into his saxophone playing. He has also ventured into film scoring, collaborating with director Spike Lee on the score for the film “Inside Man” (2006).

Redman is currently a member of the supergroup SFJAZZ Collective, which also includes such luminaries as trumpeter Dave Douglas and pianist McCoy Tyner. He continues to wow audiences with his virtuosic saxophone playing and innovative approach to improvisation.

David Sanborn

David Sanborn is an American saxophonist. He was born in Tampa, Florida in 1945 and began playing the saxophone when he was just eight years old. His first recordings were made with Paul Butterfield’s band in the late 1960s, and he has since gone on to play with some of the biggest names in jazz, rock and pop music. He has released more than 20 solo albums and has won six Grammy Awards.

Kenny G

Kenny G is a hugely successful smooth jazz saxophonist who has enjoyed a career spanning four decades. He has released over a dozen studio albums and sold over 75 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time.

A gifted musician, Kenny G began playing the saxophone at the age of six and by the age of seventeen he was already performing professionally. He first came to prominence as a member of Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra in the early 1970s, before going on to enjoy a successful solo career.

Kenny G’s style of music is often referred to as “smooth jazz” or “contemporary jazz” and he is credited with popularizing this genre of music. He has collaborated with a number of other artists over the years, including Whitney Houston, Michael Bolton, and Celine Dion.

In recent years Kenny G has continued to tour and perform around the world, delighting audiences with his cascade of melodies and smooth sound.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our guide to the best of saxophone jazz music. We include a wide variety of artists and styles in our list, so there’s something for everyone. From Kenny G to John Coltrane, we think you’ll agree that these are some of the greatest saxophonists of all time.