[VeipaCray]

EDDIE HARRIS should be on that list.

 

[major_works]

Trane is THE MAN... he got my vote and would no matter who else was on the list. Yet, I love many of the fine tenormen listed. Others not mentioned:

Albert Ayler
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Archie Shepp
Pharaoh Sanders
Joe McPhee

 

[tru blu]

Just came across the popular Horace Silver track "Song For My Father," and it reminded me that not one head-fier has put in a good word for Joe Henderson (1937-2001), a fantastic player whose prowess actually rivals Wayne Shorter's. (Both owed a debt to John Coltrane.) Joe's solos tended to be less elliptical than Shorter's, more surgically insistent, so his stuff could be perceived as more accessible even when he played with adventurous folks like Andrew Hill (Point Of Departure), Pete La Roca (Basra) and Larry Young (Unity). (Henderson also wrote some great tunes: "Recorda Me," "Inner Urge," "Shade Of Jade," "Isotope," "Blues in F (In & Out)" and "Mode For Joe.")

Then he went to work for Blood, Sweat and Tears when jazz was on the ropes in the '70s, but made a major comeback in the '80s and 90's, starting with State Of The Tenor, Vols 1 & 2, amazing albums that helped relaunch the Blue Note label. Of course, these days the people who know Henderson at all tend to know the Verve tribute records he made in the '90s: Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn and So Near, So Far (Musings for Miles). My personal faves from his last decade are The Standard Joe and An Evening With Joe Henderson, a live trio with Charlie Haden on bass. For what it's worth…

 

[tru blu]

Me again, this time with bad news: Johnny Griffin, the "Little Giant," passed away yesterday in France, where he'd lived for decades. He was 80. Couldn't find a clip of him with Thelonious Monk, but this one's a fine glimpse of Griffin at the Village Vanguard.

YouTube - Johnny Griffin solo

R.I.P.

 

[episiarch]

Stan Getz edged to the top for me, but he, Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins form a really close three-most-favorite in my book.

 

[ciphercomplete]

I voted Shorter although for me it is really a tie between Coltrane and Shorter for top honors. But seeing as I have heard most to the players listed in this thread I agree with what most people have posted. I really don't have a true favorite. I'm more album driven.

My more contemporary favorites are Micheal Brecker and Ravi Coltrane.

 

[wuwhere]

I have to go with 'Trane. He played with Miles Davis on his album Kind Of Blue. From what I read, this recording was performed on the fly.

 

[kugino]

coltrane...mostly because i love "giant steps"...but getz gets a half-vote from me.

 

[clarke68]

I voted for Henderson, just so he wouldn't go without any votes (someone should do the same for Byas and especially Prez).

I don't really have a favorite, if I did it would probably be whoever I'm listening to right now. There is so much diversity in tone & approach to the instrument, I can't say that I like, for example, Archie Shepp any less than Pharoah Sanders (or David Murray or Peter Brötzmann or Michael Brecker or Dewey Redman or ...) when any of those guys has given my chills at one time or another.

 

[tjkurita]

It's a really tough decision between Prez and Coltrane.

I think it depends on what I am listening to at the time. If I am listening to Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio, then it's Lester Young. But if I am listening to Coltrane at the Vanguard in 1961, then it's Coltrane.

It's a tough one. Of course if I'm listening to The Hawk by himself, then it's the Hawk all the way...

 

[DavidMahler]

Yeah I'm really surprised about Prez......generally he is considered the greatest saxophonist in the history of the genre.......

 

[tru blu]

Two thumbs up, clarke68, first for putting Joe Henderson on the board, and second for namechecking Dewey Redman. Don't know how I overlooked him earlier; truly unique player. Anyone who cares should check out Dewey on Old and New Dreams (I prefer the one recorded for Black Saint) or In London.

 

[DavidMahler]

my favorite performance by Dewey is the record with Keith Jarrett - The Survivor's Suite.....amazing......and Keith takes an awesome soprano solo.

 

[tru blu]

Oooooooo! right on, right on, DMahler. Not crazy about all the Jarrett quartets, but that record's the bomb.

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tru blu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dewey Redman...truly unique player. Anyone who cares should check out Dewey on Old and New Dreams (I prefer the one recorded for Black Saint) or In London.

Serious!

I've only heard Old & New Dreams' ECM eponymous recording...someday I'll catch up with the Black Saint one. Quick tip...you can download two tracks from Playing on Destination-Out right now!

I love In London as well...other favorite Redman recordings are The Struggle Continues (just back in print as of a year or two ago) and on Matt Wilson's As Wave Follows Wave.


Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMaher Yeah I'm really surprised about Prez......generally he is considered the greatest saxophonist in the history of the genre.......

He's sort of tied with Sonny Rollins as "The Greatest Tenor Player in the World Before John Coltrane Came Along". Glad to see someone saw fit to give him at least one vote.