[MaloS]

Hey, jazz/fusion lovers here, point me to some quality albums, I am looking for sax lead, but love to hear other instruments in play too (trumpet/piano/bass/guitar/percussion

).
I am already familiar with:
John Coltrane
Branford Marsalis
Brian Blade Fellowship (Afinidad/Perceptual)
Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra (majority of lead is reed)
Charles Mingus (Dancers, Mingus x5, Ah Um are on my list of favorites)

I am a fan of the more aggressive sound, forward and clear rather than softer laid back tones. Especially sax going entirely solo is absolutely amazing to hear once in a while (couple of months back I saw a performance of a modern reincarnation of the Bird's sound, and the horn players each took amazing solos with the other players taking a break).

And we all know this is head-fi, so great mastering is much appreciated these days, although my ESW9 is very forgiving so bad recordings don't cause much trouble either.

Thanks folks!

 

[pdennis]

Michel Portal - "Birdwatcher". Leader plays bass clarinet with quite a sax-like tone. Acoustic music, but rhythmically and tonally aggressive.

Yosvany Terry - "Metamorphosis". Crazy, crazy Latin jazz. Extremely rhythmically sophisticated. Leader plays alto.

Stanton Moore - "Flyin' the Koop". Yeah I know I recommended this a week or two ago in the funk thread, but it's an old favorite. Jazz funk fusion, spare and dynamic. Skerik on tenor and Karl Denson on alto and flute. Huh!

 

[stewtheking]

Check out Soweto Kinch, he's an interesting player, and obviously Courtney Pine. If you ever have an opportunity to go see Pine live, then don't miss it.

 

[Sordel]

John Zorn's stuff is pretty specialist and doesn't play to all jazz fans (it's not straightforward Bebop for a start), but you have got to hear Masada's 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 7 or Live at Tonic 2001. Configuration (if you don't know) is alto sax, trumpet, double bass & drums, and Zorn keeps the aggression levels high without going over the top (too often!)

 

[pdennis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sordel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Configuration (if you don't know) is alto sax, trumpet, double bass & drums, and Zorn keeps the aggression levels high without going over the top (too often!)

...unless you count Electric Masada. Nucking futz.

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

John Handy - Live at the Monterrey Jazz Festival 1965
It's quite agressive, free and special. It's not an "audiophile" recording, but music is good.

If sax is what you're looking for, and you don't prefer tenor over alto or baritone, then you must listen to Charlie Parker. Also Cannonball Adderley, Gene Ammons, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Art Pepper... I wouldn't say any of them is "laid back", though all them have their tender moments.

Rgrds

 

[VeipaCray]

How can you have a sax thread without these guys?

Sonny Rollins
Eddie Harris

 

[MaloS]

Well I did mention Parker implicitly =] (aka Bird)..

Totally forgot about Cannonball and Rollins though...

Thanks a bunch guys, keep 'em up, I am going on a shopping spree.

 

[pdennis]

Somehow from the OP I was thinking about more modern music (despite Coltrane). But going back a ways we have some more indispensables:

Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Plays up to three saxes at once! Sounds kind of gimmicky, and well, I guess it sort of is, but it works better than you might think, and he doesn't do it all the time. Really exciting player all around. Jeez I don't feel like I'm doing a good enough job selling this guy, a little help please?

Eric Dolphy, "Out To Lunch". Dolphy was a technically amazing player, but he's too "out" for some people.

 

[Chrispy]

Balkan Beat Box.

Haven't heard much of their stuff, but what I have heard is awesome.

3 saxophones, 2 turntabalists. MCs. What more could you want.

(Don't really think they are jazz though)

 

[tru blu]

David Murray, leading trio, quartet, octet and Cuban-inflected big band.

The Hill

Morning Song

Ming

Now Is Another Time


Also, you might wanna try the World Saxophone Quartet's Revue.

 

[steviebee]

x2 for Kirk & Dolphy....wonderful stuff.

Plus Ornette
Plus Pharoah Sanders

And anyone remember ROVA -all sax band back aways? Tho they could still be going for all I know

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaloS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well I did mention Parker implicitly =] (aka Bird).. Totally forgot about Cannonball and Rollins though... Thanks a bunch guys, keep 'em up, I am going on a shopping spree.

Oh I missed you were mentioning Bird in your OP. Let us know how you like those, there're a lot more to investigate

Rgrds

 

[musicmind]

"aggressive sound, forward and clear"....some players off the top of my head who fit that tonal description in my book are Jackie Mclean (alto), Cannonball Adderley (alto), Sonny Stitt (alto and tenor) , Phil Woods (alto), Dexter Gordon (tenor) and Johnny Griffin (tenor).

Here is an album I would strongly recommend :


Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt : For Musicians Only
Amazon.com: For Musicians Only: Stan Getz with Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Stitt: Music

 

[Spyro]

To the OP:

Brian Blade "Fellowship"....great stuff. If you like that type of sound...check out:

Chris Potter ("Gratitude") One of the greatest sax cd's ever made.
Bob Mintzer (basically anything he touches...he is a present-day Coltrane)
Joshua Redman (anything)