Introduction After test playing the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 at the 2015 NAMM show, Pete was nice enough to send me one to try out for a few days and gain a better understanding of what this horn has to offer. I will be reviewing the Sax Dakota SDT-XR-92 tenor saxophone based on the following criteria: [read more…]
Getting a full, resonant, singing, “fat” sound is the aim of many a saxophonist. For some it means a continuous quest for the right setup. And without a doubt, equipment plays a significant part. Certain horn, neck, mouthpiece and reed combinations help optimize resonance. But no matter what your equipment is, you can always fatten [read more…]
Biography Lucas Pino, multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader has been hailed as one of the most sought-after saxophone voices of his generation on the scene today. Pino has been called a “high wire act of musical textures and technique…” (Carmel DeSoto, jazzpolice.com) and been described as having “huge range, controlled ferocity, fleet notes and articulate expression” (Geoff Chapman, [read more…]
Introduction After having a chance to compare the Claude Lakey Compass ligature to my current setup (Marc Jean ligature) at the 2015 NAMM Show, I asked John Morrison, president of Claude Lakey, if I could spend some more time test-playing this ligature to see how it compares to other ligatures I have played in the [read more…]
Background There has been a lot of buzz around jazz saxophonist Krzysztof Urbanski. Krzysztof has participated in many jazz festivals, concerts, and competitions where he has consistently been awarded 1st place for his musical ability. Most recently Krzysztof became a Julius Keilwerth artist after placing 1st in the 2013 Saxophone Idol International Competition in Chicago, [read more…]
In my time teaching private saxophone lessons, I’ve needed a way to show my students how much control they have over the saxophone, as well as ways to manipulate their airstream to get the sound they want. I have developed this approach to give my students the ability to fix their own problems be it [read more…]
I purchased the ReedGeek last year after its creator, Mauro, showed me some basic tips how to improve a reed that was not responding to my satisfaction. This year, Mauro showed me the new ReedGeek which is called the ReedGeek “Universal” G3 which has a titatinum-cermicoat so you do not have to polish or sharpen this ReedGeek over time.
Throughout 2014, I saw more and more players using this SAXWORKS Ligature, and the overall response has been great. This year, I was able to meet with its creator, Joel Harrison. This lig, like the Compass by Claude Lakey, is designed to fit most common saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces.
As was the case with the 2014 NAMM show, (in case you’re new to the term,”NAMM” stands for North American Music Merchandisers), the 2015 NAMM show was yet another year filled with some great new products ranging from saxophones to mouthpieces to ligatures, and more.
Introduction Justin Robinson was born in Manhattan and first began playing saxophone at the age of 13. Justin attended the High School of Music and Arts (LaGuardia High School) in New York and cited his major influences were Charlie Parker and Jackie McLean. Throughout his career thus far, Justin has performed with artists such as [read more…]
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