Many saxophone players (and horn players in general) have a complicated relationship with harmony. This can be for a whole spectrum of reasons ranging from a) the feeling that you struggle to stay on top of it, and essentially leave it up to whoever’s playing the chords to take care of it while you try [read more…]
If you’ve ever wanted that gritty, bluesy snarl that cuts through a band mix, you’re in the right place. “Growling” is simply adding a vocal sound while you play so the reed’s vibration interferes with your voice—creating that raspy texture. Do it right and you get color, power, and attitude on command. There are two [read more…]
This begins as a simple exercise in practicing 2-octave major scales in all 12 keys, ascending and descending, at increasing speeds. General Idea Start from low Bb, and play each scale in 2 octaves up and down, repeating the bottom note before moving up a half step to the next scale. Instead of speeding up [read more…]
Introduction Since seeing Jay at NAMM 2025 just a few months ago, Jay and his team were nice enough to send me BetterSax Classic saxophones, BetterSax Burnin’ and Classic mouthpieces, and BetterSax Jazz Reeds for tenor and alto saxophone to further play test. I will be sharing a product overview, my thoughts, and sound clips. [read more…]
Introduction Proper reed selection is very important because the reed affects almost every aspect of saxophone performance especially tone, intonation, response, range, embouchure formation and endurance. There are many brands of reeds being produced from cane grown in various regions of the world. Since there are so many reed brands to choose from, it is [read more…]
Introduction I remember seeing Tim play at Jamey Aebersold’s jazz camp when I was in high school, and have been following his playing ever since. Luckily, I was recently able to see Tim play at Jazz Chez Hanny in San Francisco and Tim was nice enough to meet with me to further share his story [read more…]
First, the Usual NAMM Mea Culpa… Ok, so perhaps the title of this article obscures the fact that this is yet another, incredibly belated report from the ancient history that is NAMM 2025. What seems to be the pattern for BSWE each January after NAMM is that there is just so much to share from [read more…]
Miguel Zenón is not just a saxophonist—he’s a musical storyteller, a visionary artist who has spent his career blending the rich traditions of his Puerto Rican heritage with the spirit of jazz. A Grammy Award winner, Zenón has redefined modern jazz, infusing it with deep cultural narratives and technical mastery that have captivated audiences worldwide. [read more…]
Secondary dominants play a crucial role in harmony theory, especially in jazz improvisation. They add richness and excitement to diatonic progressions, while expanding the possibilities of cadential harmony. To explore this important concept effectively in the context of jazz improvisation, I have designed a series of chord progressions. Each progression incorporates all secondary dominants, offering [read more…]
House music is one of the most exciting and sax-friendly genres of electronic music. Unlike other styles such as techno or trance, house music is characterized by its infectious 4/4 beat, soulful vibes and deep grooves. The chord structures are usually simple and repetitive, almost always in minor keys, there is a lot of open [read more…]
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