This article serves as the show notes for this week’s podcast interview with Greg Banaszak. Greg Banaszak is a rare breed of saxophonist indeed. First off, let’s start with his status as, literally, one of the most esteemed classical saxophonists walking the planet at this time. The New York Times refers to him as “A Saxophone Tour [read more…]
This article is part two if a two-part interview series with Matt Stohrer on what it is that makes a saxophone a true “pro” model. If you haven’t done so already, check out part I to get the full scoop. DO: In your opinion, what makes a saxophone truly a “pro” horn as opposed to [read more…]
This article is part one of a two-part interview series with Matt Stohrer on what it is that makes a saxophone a true “pro” model. With his relentless passion for all things saxophone, Matt Stohrer is a fountainhead of in-depth knowledge when it comes to the repairing, selling, and trading of saxophones. After servicing [read more…]
This is a guest post from saxophonist and educator David Erato of DavidErato.com. You’ve taken lessons for a few years or more. You have basic knowledge of music theory and proficiency on your horn. It may be time to share your knowledge with others. But to what degree? Will teaching be your main source of [read more…]
This is a guest post by Mark Catoe of http://markcatoe.tumblr.com. 1. Politics kept the saxophone out of the orchestra. When Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone, his shop made all the parts for all his instruments (including woodwinds and brass). The other instrument makers in town really didn’t like this, because they had been assembling interchangeable [read more…]
I remember taking my younger nephew to a musical exhibit on one of our most memorable family vacations. It was called Amazing Music Studio and it gave attendees the opportunity to pick an instrument of interest and learn, over the course of a few hours, the basics of that instrument. Rather than just pressing buttons [read more…]
This is a guest interview by Todd S. Feldman of RS Berkeley Musical Instruments. Vintage instrument expert, accomplished multi-reed player, masterful improviser, and Chase Music & Cadence recording artist Bob Ackerman epitomizes the term “musician’s musician.” As a saxophonist under the tutelage of world-class teachers including the legendary Joe Allard, Bob’s early career found him [read more…]
This article is the first part of a series on challenging saxophone intervals. To see the other articles which comprise this series to date, please click here. In our first installment of this series, we established the importance of practicing transitioning between notes that are difficult to move between. Since last time we covered half [read more…]
Who says that all sax players with world-class jazz chops must restrict themselves to the Blue Notes and Village Vanguards of the world? Not Jay Collins. A product of Portland, Oregon’s surprisingly vibrant jazz scene in the late 80’s and early 90’s, Jay’s footing in the jazz world is more than solid. It’s not just [read more…]
So it’s over and done with, our very first sweepstakes here at Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever.! Out of hundreds of entries, one lucky winner was chosen at random for the groovy prize of a $50 gift certificate to The Woodwind Brasswind – one of the world’s formost online retailers of all things wind instrument-related! And [read more…]
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