Introduction JodyJazz has continued to expand upon it’s line of saxophone mouthpieces over the years and most recently has introduced a new model called the SUPER JET. Today, I will be discussing the SUPER JET as well as the new JodyJazz POWER RING ligature. I will be reviewing the SUPER JET alto metal mouthpiece based [read more…]
Introduction Morgan mouthpieces have been around for over 30+ years and have been quite sough after as a viable alternative to the highly desirable and expensive vintage Meyer and Otto Link hard rubber mouthpieces. I have heard great things about the Morgan line of mouthpieces from many saxophone students, professionals, and teachers who say they [read more…]
The music of Johann Sebastian Bach has long been admired by jazz musicians. John Lewis, Jacques Loussier, Ethan Iverson and many more have all interpreted his music in some way. This may be because there is so much structure and logic that can be applied to the way we improvise. Many know that the baroque [read more…]
Introduction I have seen various saxophonists playing on Phil-Tone mouthpieces as well as vintage mouthpieces refaced by Phil Engelman for sale on eBay and Craiglists but have never had the chance to test play Phil’s various mouthpieces for myself until now. I will be test playing four different Phil-Tone tenor mouthpieces (2 metal & 2 [read more…]
Introduction While attending the 2017 NAMM Show (2017 Saxophone Gear Roundup), I had a chance to briefly test play the new D’Addario Select Jazz tenor mouthpiece 7M tip opening. A few weeks after NAMM, Kristen Mckeon, Product Specialist at D’Addario, was nice enough to send me a 7M (.105) tip opening to further review. [read more…]
We live in an increasingly visual world. A world of billboards, smart phones, computer screens, FaceTime, Instagram, Google ads, Facebook photos, Photoshop. But how about this – jazz music is all about listening. It’s all about sound. It’s an aural tradition. Jazz musicians say this all the time for good reason – because it’s true! [read more…]
Introduction This marks my 6th year attending NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) and the show keeps getting bigger and better every year. Similar to the 2016 NAMM Show (2016 NAMM Show Saxophone Gear Roundup), the 2017 NAMM show was yet another year filled with more exhibitors showcasing new and updated products including: saxophones, necks, ligatures, [read more…]
Stuck for ideas of what to play over that ii-V7? Give the octatonic (eight note) Diminished Scale a whirl. It’s a self contained, colorful, almost automatic source of melodic and harmonic tension and release that the masters have mastered since its inception. Within this symmetric, octatonic galaxy resides every available dominant tension (with the exception [read more…]
Introduction Seamus Blake is one of my favorite saxophonists on the scene today and continues to move jazz in a forward direction appealing to a wide range of audiences. During my senior year of college, I had the opportunity to meet Seamus Blake and attend his masterclass where he discussed sound, practicing in all 12 [read more…]
Anyone can play fast and accurately. There is no magic to it, just practising in a correct and constructive way. Most students nowadays fall into what I like to call a computer game mentality when they practice. They play a passage/lick/exercise wrong and/or sloppy a few times, and when they play it right once or [read more…]
Sign up for our no-fluff newsletter for highly-effective concepts and techniques to supercharge your playing!
