The 20 Greatest Saxophonists of All Time

L.A. Weekly ^ | 2/14 | Gary Fukushima, Andy Hermann

[nickcarraway]

I'd put Hawkins at #1.

[Beowulf9]

Art Pepper should be on that list.

[dfwgator]

[drewh]

me likes some Coltrane...

[Fungi]

“Parker is surely our Mozart, the single greatest musical mind in American history.” Not quite. Music is subjective and “greatness” is in the eye of the beholder.

[bigbob]

so they throw in a shout-out to him, but a list with out King Curtis on it isn’t a list.

[Fresh Wind]

The list is meaningless without Kenny G. /s

[DeFault User]

I’m a Philistine, but I prefer those who were part of big selling acts, such as Sam Butera with Louis Prima and Richie Cannata with Billy Joel.

[dfwgator]

Pat Metheny on Kenny G
http://www.jazzoasis.com/methenyonkennyg.htm

[cotton1706]

No Frankie Trumbauer?

[mkmensinger]

I think I’d put Paul Desmond somewhere on that list. I agree with Parker at #1. I have a couple of his old records.

[rlmorel]

I’m with you...

1.) Coleman Hawkins

2.) Ben Webster

3.) John Coltrane

4.) Gerry Mulligan

5.) Stan Getz

6.) Lester Young

Note I don’t think my listing is “the greatest” except to me. These are guys whose sound I love. I am just not a big Charlie Parker fan, his sound doesn’t generally grab me.

LOL, I can hear two notes of Ben Webster or Coleman Hawkins and identify them immediately! Ben Webster has the most unique phrasing (to me)

[Fiddlstix]

How About Al Cohn?

[rlmorel]

My absolute favorite is “Ballads”.

[teletech]

Paul Desmond missing too.

[Fresh Wind]

ROFL!

[Dick Bachert]

Paul Desmond!

[dfwgator]

I Agree With Pat Metheny
Richard Thompson

I agree with Pat Metheny
Kenny’s talents are too teeny
He deserves the crap he’s going to get
‘Overdubbed himself on Louis
What a musical chop suey
Raised his head above the parapet

Now Louis Armstrong was the king
He practically invented swing
Hero of the twentieth century
‘Did duets with many a fella
“Fatha” Hines, Bing, Hoagy, Ella
Strange he never thought of Kenny G

A meeting of great minds, how nice
Like Einstein and Sporty Spice
Digitally fused in an abortion
Oh, Kenny fans will doubtless rave
While Satchmo turns inside his grave
Soprano man’s bit off more than his portion

Brainless pentatonic riffs
Display our Kenny’s arcane gifts
But we don’t care, his charms are so beguiling
He does play sharp, but let’s be fair
He has such lovely crinkly hair
We hardly notice, we’re too busy smiling

How does he hold those notes so long?
He must be a genius. Wrong!
He just has the mindlessness to do it
He makes Britney sound like scat
If this is jazz I’ll eat my hat
An idle threat, I’ll never have to chew it

So next time you’re in a rendezvous
And Kenny’s sound comes wafting through
Don’t just wince, eliminate the cause
Rip the tape right off the muzak
Pull the plug, or steal a fuse, Jack
The whole room will drown you in applause

Yes, Kenny G has gone too far
The gloves are off, it’s time to spar
Grab your hunting rifle, strap your colt on
It’s open season on our Ken
Yet I await the moment when
We lay off him and start on Michael Bolton

Oh, I agree with Pat Metheny
Kenny’s talents are too teeny

[KC Burke]

Surely not at the top of any list, but when I think of saxophone I do think of Scott Hamilton, a great stylist.

[lee martell]

Believe it or not, David Bowie should be on that list too.
Bowie’s stage presence was so bizarre during the Glam-Rock (Ziggy Stardust, Jean Genie) and Disco-Rock (Young Americans, Modern Love) phases, that many tend to overlook his contributions via sax. David was also a sax player for Jimi Hendrix.