Saxophone

Illinois Central Jazz Train No Time Like the Past The Jazz train had their debut October 18th in the ICC Performing Arts Center at 7:30pm. The ensemble consisted of 17 members and each instrument part was covered. The band played 12 stellar tunes with a few flashbacks to the Count Basie band. The tunes were No Time Like the Present and Full Time. This ensemble had three pieces which, showcased each wind section. My two favorite pieces were In a Brazilian Bone Tone and Marvin gets meaner. To…

There are certain circles within the music world that hold firm to the belief that this art form is of the purest and most abstract, and should remain so, while others think music should remain open to as many people as possible. Within the context of the 21st century, the later positon has become increasingly important to adopt, not only for the continued success of this art form, but to inspire and motivate positive change in the world. The current project under consideration, titled Divided…

music is written by putting the expression on the paper, rather than leaving it up for interpretation. Miller also changed the way Jazz music is written by changing the set-up of the orchestra. He changed it so the clarinets would have the melody, saxophones had the harmony, and then the brass was added for countermelodies. He also inspired many musicians by his drive for his desires and will never allow “no” for an answer. Glenn Miller lived an interesting life, was different from the other…

In 1974, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters performed live in Germany. Pianist Herbie Hancock was accompanied by Bennie Maupin on saxophone, Paul Jackson on electric bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summer on percussion. The group performed a total of 5 songs including “Palm Grease”, “Sly”, “Butterfly”, “Spank A Lee”, and “Chameleon”. The second track performed in the concert is “Sly” and runs for ten minutes. The song begins with saxophonist Bennie Maupin playing while the rest of the group…

very slow, and the dynamics were mezzo-forte, meaning moderately loud. Performed in D minor, with an alto saxophone solo towards the beginning of the piece, this piece was magnificent, and was definitely a great opener for the concert. The student who performed the alto saxophone solo did an exquisite job. My grandmother and I, and the rest of the audience, was blown away by the alto saxophone solo, as well as by the entire orchestra as a…

other notable musicians in the way he held his saxophone but through his various ways of phrasing while playing. Instead of driving it forward and playing on the beat, similar to the influential tenor saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins, Young held it back bringing a more relaxed feeling to it. American jazz vocalist and songwriter, Billie Holiday, recognized Young’s great talent and therefore nicknamed him “The Prez”, the president of the tenor saxophone. Lester Young released his first recording “Oh,…

Jazz Concert Report The performance I had attended for this report was the Winter Jazz Concert. At the concert they played six musical selections, five of which were original compositions, making them far more difficult. In this report, I will be discussing the pieces I heard that night at the performance. As a side note, though I have gone to the concert, my memories of every detail in the pieces are a bit hazy since I was not able to recored the performance. For this reason I will be using…

Saxophonist Odean Pope delighted the audience with fabulous arrangements of acknowledged tunes with his expansive Saxophone Choir. The sparkling harmonic sequences led to soulful approaches and the balance between the improvised and the arranged was awesome. They kicked in with “To the Roach”, a piece dedicated to the drummer Max Roach, and proceeded with bubbling sax improvisations on “Coltrane Time”, Pope’s ballad “Cis” and an Afro-Latin piece packed with baritone fills whose title I couldn’t…

played the alto saxophone. Unlike my bandmates, I did not know how to read music then. I played by ear, and whatever scale, jazz run, or chromatic I heard, I could play it back just like that. I played at numerous of black history programs and different events at school. My favorite saxophonist was Kenneth Williams, and I told myself that I want to play with him. Who knew that my dream would come true. As I pushed through the metal doors of Greenville High School carrying my saxophone in my…

consisted of: a piano, a bass, drums, a guitar, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, and one baritone saxophone. This makes a total of 17 musicians plus one for Professor Paul McKee who was the conductor. The student ensemble was very large and was arrange/modeled after a…