Who is your favorite tenor player?

[clifton]

I wanted to launch a discussion about the tenor saxophone in jazz. I was originally thinking of starting a poll on the "greatest" tenor player, but I figured: a)John Coltrane would probably prevail, and b)it's a bit presumptuous to say that any one of these giants is greater than the others. So, it'll be your favorite instead. For the record, mine is Coleman Hawkins. His innovation is so grand in scope and conception, he had nobody to influence him, really. He was sui generis. His sound was majestic, his harmonic sense was daring, and he was a wonderful ballad player. Most impressively, he kept growing, helping to pioneer bebop, and absorbing the innovations of Rollins and Coltrane into his own style. He was superb in his encounters with Monk and Rollins, and he remains one of the giants of jazz.

[clifton]

Serious irony: My finger slipped and I wound up voting for Henderson instead of Hawk. Oh well. I still want to see what you think.

[Pharaohrock]

Well, I intended to vote for Joe and I got Joe.

[clifton]

This one was really hard to set up. There are so many great tenor players in jazz history. I chose these by trying to be objective about influence. My personal top ten would have Sonny Stitt, Illinois Jacquet, and Zoot Sims instead of Shorter, Henderson and Other, but there's no denying that Wayne and Joe are great anyway, and important influences on today's players as well. Some other all-time greats IMHO are Chu Berry, Lucky Thompson, Warne Marsh, Hank Mobley, Dewey Redman, Von Freeman, and John Gilmore. Gilmore, Freeman, and Thompson are probably the most underrated, along with Don Byas and Clifford Jordan. And Harold Land and Ira Sullivan and Teddy Edwards and Gene Ammons and...let's just say there are a hell of a lot of great tenor players.

[jimcanoa]

No way, the answer is clear!!!

How can we compare joe henderson with trane??!!! I mean, it's like comparing wynton kelly with bill evans or bird with sonny stitt...

There's no tenor player troughout the whole history of jazz who comes a little bit close to Trane...
Coleman Hawkins is great, and he is so melodic and so great, but... I mean, trane is trane! Kind of Blue, Giant Steps, Blue Train, A Love Supreme, Ascension... In every single cd there's an innovation... He doesn't stay static...

Trane rules!!!

In fact, I would have to choose him over bird... It would be hard... But I would.

[Pharaohrock]

I love Trane as much as anyone, and believe me- consider him a much more important MUSICIAN than Joe Henderson. But I have problems with anointing Trane as the greatest Tenor only because he often doesn't sound like a "Tenor" to me, playing more in an "Alto" range.....I love Joe because of the depth and richness of his sound; he is in fact, synonymous with a "Tenor" to me. This is where I can also understand someone choosing Coleman Hawkins- now that's a true tenor sound if there ever was one...I'm just biased towards the modern cats.

[Pharaohrock]

Hey folks- not to be a dick but there's no point voting "other" if you don't tell us who that "other" is. You just appear to be contrary and like you don't like the choices otherwise.

[jimcanoa]

Even though I understand you, I yet cannot conceive you choosing trane over joe. As a personal taste I would understand it. Maybe the sound of joe matches better with you. But I have to negate the fact that Joe is -maybe you referred to this word- "technically" better than Trane. Trane, however, has demonstrated a perfect domain of his instrument, he is, with no doubt, an amazing virtuoso of the tenor. If you add all that to him being a simply gigantic musician, you obtain a marvel, which he is. Trane's only fault is dying too soon.

I know this is a personal choice and I definitely respect yours, but I find Joe very very far away from Trane.

Plus, Trane was the first tenor player who mastered the technique of the double embouchure, which that by itself gives him a lot of credit about being the best tenor player.

Anyhow, the title of the poll is the "favourite" tenor player; so if your favourite is Joe, great... but overall I find Trane simply better than Joe -as a tenor player AND as a musician-.

[Pharaohrock]

Right, it's a personal favorite....I'm glad you can see this from my point of view. I like Joe's sound a lot, and if I played Tenor, that's what I would want to base my pure "sound" from. Just like if I played Alto, I would want to base my pure "sound" from Kenny Garrett.

Trane and Bird better musicians? No doubt. Stylistically more appealing to me personally than those just mentioned though?
Not necessarily.

[clifton]

Re Joe Hen vs. Trane: That's why it should be "favorite" instead
of "best". BTW the album "Monk's Music" offers an excellent
opportunity to compare Hawk and Trane. As much as I dig
Coltrane, Hawkins really gets inside Thelonious' tunes on this one.
On "Epistrophy", here how he opens his solo by restating the melody, gradually altering and riffing it over 16 bars, then exploding on the first bridge. Or on "Well You Needn't" how Hawk subtly plays with note values and durations. And his ballad playing on Ruby My Dear" is glorious. "Monk's Music" features Hawkins the seeker, the eternal modernist, and it's a big reason why Hawk's my personal favorite. Soon I want to take a fresh look at Sonny Stitt, who, as a tenor player, I believe to be one of the greatest and most influential.

[ppjazz]

Anyone remember tenorman, Richie Kamuca?

[clifton]

I remember Kamuca, a very good Prez-influenced player from California, played with Woody Herman and Terry Gibbs. He was also a fine bebop alto man. I once saw him live with a Roy Eldridge group in the early 1970's. His sound had gotten fuller and he played strong bop tenor.

[ppjazz]

You apparently saw him not too long before he died in the 1977. I think he first came into prominence via his gig with the Stan Kenton big band from 1952-1954, then Woody Herman in 1954-1956.

I recently found out that his best recorded work was done very close to his death in '77 for the Concord Jazz label ("Richie" and "Drop Me Off In Harlem"). I've been looking for them and would love to hear again one of my favorite tenor players who deserved wider recognition yet was overshadowed by Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn during the "Four Brothers" period.

[clifton]

Ultimately, Coleman Hawkins is still the man. It's interesting how Hawk's huge sound, harmonic awareness, and forward looking attitude seem to have a renewed impact on some of today's younger players, James Carter in particular. I think younger players are checking out Warne Marsh as well, most notably Mark Turner and Rick Margitza.

[bombastic]

Coltranes impact on music, not just jazz, is remarkable. I would place him in one of the greatest musicians of all time category. Trane was a phenomenal musician, and there are not many that can compare to him. the fact that he was only interested in furthering music, and a humble human being from what i understand, makes his work that much more honorable.:cool:

[Finger Poppin']

Coltrane is GOD!:o :o :o :o

[AfricaBrass]

Any guesses on who I voted for?

:D

[John Tapscott]

I voted for my personal favorite in "Other" - Hank Mobley. He may not as important to the jazz story or tenor saxophone evolution as the others , but when I want to listen to a tenor player that really lifts my spirits, it's Hank I put on. That's not to speak negatively of the others, though. I greatly enjoy them all (well, maybe not all of Trane, but most of it).

[Brownian Movement]

Hawk could and did play comfortably with Trane and Monk, J.J. Johnson, Red Garland, Fats Navarro, and Miles Davis, and he could also play with Pee Wee Russell, Buck Clayton, Benny Carter, Red Allen and Roy Eldridge. He belonged everywhere. None were greater, IMO.

[vibes]

I placed a vote for "other" as well. The first three names that came to mind were Booker Ervin, Stanley Turrentine and Gato Barbieri. Radically different styles, but I listen to them all the time. I find that all have very distinct sounds. In the Turrentine vein, Fred Jackson and Harold Vick are also very good (I love that fat Texas or soul sound or whatever you call it :rolleyes: ) . For the more "out" tenor playes, Archie Shepp comes to mind.

Coltrane's influence in music and on tenor players is very obvious, and while I have and enjoy many of Coltrane's albums, I've never liked his sound as much as other players.

[AfricaBrass]

Originally posted by John Tapscott
I voted for my personal favorite in "Other" - Hank Mobley. He may not as important to the jazz story or tenor saxophone evolution as the others , but when I want to listen to a tenor player that really lifts my spirits, it's Hank I put on.

I wish Hank Mobley would get more credit too. I listen to him all the time and he lifts me up. I am so grateful that so much of his work is in print.

[BeRiGaN]

I voted for Hawkins....the first, and the best.....
JSngry made an interesting point on the other board about him being kind of close to the vest so to speak, with his emotions, at least on the tender side...he said it better than I could, plus he plays sax as well..hate to put you on the spot bud, (You could just copy and paste what you said on the BN!);) but can you expound(SP?) on that thought?



Expound? Did I just make up a word?
I know I could have said Expand...Oh sure, I could look up the word, but my dictionary has other stuff on it:rolleyes:
I guess you could call it "avoision"

[Pete Souders]

Still has got to be the "bean" - Coleman Hawkins, for several reasons -
(1) Look what the scene was when he started, and what he built from it - with no real predecessors, until Louis Armstrong arrived.
(2) Never been a sound, or tone, anything really quite like his.
(3) Continued to grow/change for most of his life/career.

also in top 10 or 12: Dexter Gordon / John Coltrane /
Gene Ammons / Sonny Stitt / Arnett Cobb
Hank Mobley / Wardell Grey / Lucky Thompsen
Ben Webster / Sonny Rollins / Don Byas

[BeRiGaN]

Wardell Grey spam! Just saw the Proper box set is $16.79 at cduniverse.com !:eek:

[reg]

i've got to say Hank Mobley overall. i seem to play his albums much more than any one else. but it kind of depends how i'm feeling, Dexter Gordan and Stanley Turrentine work just as well for me depending on what mood i'm in :)

[tipitina]

I voted for other: Mr. T.

The sound of his horn will make me forget any problems I'm having that day. He should be illegal in some states.

[Rooster_Ties]

I know Trane has been more of an influence overall, but I've gotta say I'm squarely in the Joe Henderson camp on this one.

Also, remember, the poll was for "favorite", not "best". I've probably got 75% of all of Joe Henderson's recorded output (including his dates as a sideman). But I have fewer than a dozen Coltrane CD's (with him as a leader). Go figure...

It's not that I'm in any way dissing Trane. I have nothing but respect for him, and his work - all of it, even the later periods. It's just that Joe speaks to me more than Trane ever has.

[jazzypaul]

I had to vote for Wayne. Joe speaks to me. Mobley REALLY speaks to me. But when it comes down to it, not only does Wayne write the most interesting tunes, but I also dig his tone, what he's saying on the horn. He put together great groups to feature his music, and if I put together a list of favorite musical moments, Wayne would probably be somehow connected to at least 75% of them.

[Alexander]

I wanted to vote for Stan Getz, I really did. But I didn't, because as much as I love him and his sound, there was another tenor player who influenced Stan's sound. I'm speaking, of course, of Lester Young. And that's who I voted for. Pres is not only one of my all time favorite tenor players (those Basie discs! Those Billie Holiday discs! That session with Nat Cole and Buddy Rich!), but he influenced my favorite tenors players: Getz, Sims, Cohn, Kamuca, Henderson...when you get right down to it, you've got to get back to Pres.

This is not to say that I don't love Bean and the school he started (Rollins, Coltrane), but my personal preference is for the Cool...


And yes, I am white.

And I do listen to Paul Desmond. Sue me.

[jazzypaul]

Whoever Other is, he is burnin up this poll...

[JSngry]

I'm not voting - I have no one "favorite". Too much beauty and soul in the tenor legacy to pick just one.

But I will say this - SOMEBODY besides Clifton needs to talk about Warne, and at length, or else I'm going to, and that'll be a burden this thread doesn't need! ;) Now THERE'S a baaaaaad mutherphukkah!

And nobody digs Lockjaw? What kind of a hang for a tenor geek is THIS? :D :D :D

Anybody dig the last few generations of AACM tenorists? Edward Wilkerson, "Light" Henry Huff, Douglas Ewart (more than just a tenorist, I know...), David Boykin, the grand old man, Fred Anderson? Now THERE'S some tenor players in need of a greater hearing!

If you play tenor and don't fuck around with it, you are my friend. If you master it, you are my hero.

[J Larsen]

Hey Mr. Sangrey - Did you get my PM at organissimo? Am I being electronically avoided?? :confused: ;)

[JSngry]

Originally posted by J Larsen
Hey Mr. Sangrey - Did you get my PM at organissimo? Am I being electronically avoided?? :confused: ;)

My bad - got the first 2, missed the 3rd until reading this. I'll be iin touch ASAP. Sorry.

[JSngry]

JL, Message sent through the medium which it was recieved. ;)

[JohnS]

C'mon guys, what about David Murray or Ken Vandermark.

[jazzypaul]

I love me some Ken Vandermark, Fred Anderson, Warne Marsh and Lockjaw, but this forum is about FAVORITE tenor player, not tenor player second on the list (Fred) or fifth on the all time list (Sonny Rollins) or honorable mention on the list (Ken Vandermark). So, I picked Wayne, because Wayne is the shit, for me anyway.

[Jim Dye]

Hard to pick a favorite, but today, i'll vote for Fred.

Tomorrow, it may be different!

[desertblues]

Originally posted by ppjazz
Anyone remember tenorman, Richie Kamuca?


Yeah, I remember Richie Kamuca! I first got into his playing on the "At The Blackhawk" sessions w/ Shelly Manne. Great tenor man.:cool:

[jazzypaul]

Kamuca is one of the great unsung/undersung tenormen of the last 50 years. He was a killer. I love his playing.

[Harold_Z]

I'm with Jim Sangrey on this. Favorite is a concept that doesn't work for me when it comes to musicians (or food for that matter)!

[BruceH]

My favorite is Tina Brooks. Of course, that's right now. It changes from day to day, or minute to minute. Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, and Benny Golson are also right up there.

[king ubu]

Kamuca
Bill Perkins
Warne Marsh
Brew Moore

Wayne Shorter? (love his recent quartet!)

Booker Ervin
Stanley Turrentine
Lockjaw
how about Yusef Lateef?
Shafi Hadi
Hank Mobley
Tina Brooks

Hawk
Ben
Illinois Jacquet

Sam Rivers
John Gilmore

and of course the obvious ones:
Trane
Rollins
Henderson

I don't think these are ALL my favorites, possibly I forgot some great ones... So no voting...

ubu

[brownie]

I voted for Lester Young. Could have voted for Coltrane, Hawkins and two or three others like Booker Ervin, Warne Marsh and Hank Mobley. But deep down I know that my favorite tenor player is Zoot Sims.
Even the really great ones (Prez, Trane, Hawk) had some offdays. Zoot Sims always delivered. He was swinging all the way and all the time and when he was great which happened pretty often, there was no more enjoyable jazz around.

[king ubu]

Zoot always delivered, right. But somehow I always seem to prefer Al Cohn when they're playing together. My favorite of this tenor-team is the one on Chessmates. What's it called? The Blue Note CD which adds Phil Woods on half the tracks is nice, too.

brownie: any recommendations for Sims? I got the Chess CD with the nice Keepnews-track-omissions-despite-there-being-enough-time. I got the Jazz in Paris, I got Jutta Hipp with Sims, I got the Evidence CD of Cohn/Sims and the Vogue masters (which I like a lot). I will somewhen acquire the Gershwin disc on Pablo. What else?

ubu

[brownie]

Ubu, won't dispute Cohn over Zoot. They go together and I love them both.
As for Zoot Sims, I think all the albums he recorded for Pablo are exceptionals. The ones I drool about are:

- ZS and the Gershwin Brothers,
- Warm Tenor,
- Blues for Two (Zoot and Joe Pass)
- If I'm Lucky,
- Suddenly It's Spring, the latter two with Jimmy Rowles, a magic combination,
- The Swinger

and there are some more.

I also enjoy the two Dawn albums (out on CD reissues):

- Modern Art of ZS,
- ZS Goes to Jazzville.

The now deceased label 32 also issued a 'Live in Philly' CD that was magnificient.

And as I already said, there is no bad Zoot Sims. Pick any one and enjoy.

[king ubu]

Thanks, brownie! Won't dispute either, there always seem to be enough disputes anyway. Just my humble opinion...
I will try to track down the 32jazz issue.
Did you get the Dawn CDs from freshsound online? I have never ordered with them, do you know their service?
If I buy them here in a store they're up to 25 EUR which seems pretty much...

ubu

[kh1958]

I can only come up with my, say, 11 favorite tenors.

Coleman Hawkins,
Lester Young,
Ben Webster,
John Coltrane,
Wayne Shorter,
Stan Getz,
Booker Ervin,
George Adams,
Roland Kirk,
David Murray,
Sonny Rollins.

[ralphie_boy]

It's next to impossible to pick one, that's for sure. Amongst my favorites are:

Tina Brooks
Hank Mobley
Ike Quebec
Sam Rivers
Stanley Turrentine
Sonny Stitt
Albert Ayler
Archie Shepp
Lester Young

[ADR]

Joe Henderson and Tina Brooks are my favorites.

ADR

[clifton]

As the originator of this poll, I must confess it was a real bear to set up. There are so many master tenor players that it was inevitable that I'd omit many deserving musicians. I player tenor professionally about 20 years ago but a spinal/neurological disorder caused me to give it up. I can't even finger the horn properly. (All my posts here are one-finger typing). But enough about me. Many posts back I made my argument for Hawk being the greatest tenor player. Even today, the scope of his innovations remains under-appreciated. Check out "Monk's Music" and "Sonny Meets Hawk" to hear how Hawkins could enter someone else's turf and proceed to master it. For Zoot fans (I'm one, but hell, I like damn near everybody), my choice is "Easy As Pie", which is Al Cohn and Zoot Live At The Left Bank. Great Al Cohn, too, underrated master that he was. Seems like Mobley is highly regarded, too. Is it just me, or did Mobley's particular combination of firm but warm tone and solid swing influence Tina Brooks and Junior Cook? And while I champion Warne Marsh, I've got to get in a good word for Dewey Redman. You don't always think of him as one of the great tenors, maybe because his work as a sideman is stronger than his work as a leader, but Dewey is an original, and a giant. His work with Ornette and Old And New Dreams is brilliant, IMHO.

[king ubu]

Yes, Dewey Redman!

Saw him live at a club in december with Rita Marcotulli, John Betsch (the bass player escapes me). Was a great evening, Redman being in good shape and enjoying himself and his band.

And his recordings with Keith Jarrett's american quartet (as opposed to the european with Garbarek) deserve to be mentioned, too.

Bernt Rosengren would be another one to bring up.

ubu

[kh1958]

I've seen Dewey Redman twice. Once in an informal jam context, playing bebop standards.

The one time with his band was pretty inexplicable. He was sounding great, but both sets he played that night were in the 30-40 minute range. It was pretty disappointing.

[JamesJazz]

Well, there are so many fine tenor men...and many have been mentioned here.
Hawk is amazing, to be sure. He played cello as his first instrument, and kept that warm sound when he moved over to tenor. John Chilton's excellent bio ("Sound Of The Hawk") really tells his story.

James Carter has a wealth of jazz history knowledge. He does love Hawkins but I believe Don Byas has had a significant impact upon his playing too. And James plays several of Byas's obscure ballads.

Joe Henderson used to play at the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit in the late 1950s. He sounded like Pres, so I've been told, and gave Sonny Stitt a run for his money one night.

[liamw]

Reading through these posts, I think you all have mentioned just about everybody who's ever held a tenor saxophone. So let me add to the list the name Bob Cooper. Since I started out by listening to West Coast stuff in the late 50s (my tastes soon widened & I think, deepened), Cooper has been a favorite. He seems to have disappeared for most of the 70s & 80s, but came back with what Gary Giddins called a "reinvigorated" style toward the end of his life. Made one disc under his own name & a couple of live dates, with Pete Christleib and Conte Candoli. A fine musician with a bigger, warmer sound than other West Coast types, and with as much Don Byas as Lester Young in his approach. Very much underrated, IMO.

I voted for Ben Webster in the poll, though.

[Brian the Hornman]

I have to admit, it was a hard choice, but I had to go with Hank Mobley as my favorite.

[kenny weir]

Jimmy Forrest :cool:

[clifton]

It's time to really talk about Sonny Stitt. He was a great alto player, true, but on tenor, Stitt was even greater, completely original, and very influential. Stitt's mastery of his instrument, his powerful swing, and his knowledge of chords enabled him to invent a fluid, highly personal sound and approach to bop tenor. Both Coltrane and Henderson acknowledged Stitt as an influence. His 1949 sessions with Bud Powell established Sonny's basic approach, the warm but lean sound, the take-no-prisoners swing. Yes, Stitt made some mediocre records, but consider his sessions with Dizzy and Rollins. "The Eternal Triangle" is a model of bop tenor. There's a lot of excellent Stitt, but I think I most prefer his early 1970's albums: "Tune Up", "Constellation" and "12!" belong in any serious jazz collection. And when I saw Stitt live, he was amazing. One night in Philadelphia in 1974, Ella Fitzgerald sat in with Sonny. She would scat, he would burn, and I was in jazz heaven. I'm not making this up, it was wonderful. Sonny Stitt was one of the very greatest, and I think we need to remember that.

[Cali]

I'm really amazed at how little Ammons is mentioned.:confused:

[Pete Souders]

re Sonny Stitt
the Roost box set is absolutely great (got in the past yr)
after getting a Roost record (Feelin's - w organ trio) as one of the first jazz records I ever bought, I sort of stayed away from the Roost material for a while, mostly because no personnel was ever listed on the album covers. Then later the stuff was out of print, and never re-released by any other labels. But anyhow - WHAT A MISTAKE !!! Almost all of the rest of the stuff is absolutely top notch.
Also, in addtion to the ones Clifton mentioned, I really like 'Sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio' on Verve. Yeah Stitt could really really burn, and he just swung so hard.

[clifton]

Let me echo the sentiment regarding Ammons. Jug was one of the founders of Chicago tenor, huge sound, aggressive swing, I'm talking John Gilmore, Johnny Griffin, Ira Sullivan, Von Freeman, Eddie Harris, Clifford Jordan, and their spiritual father, Sonny Stitt. Vonski rules.

[murfjazz]

Favorite??? Trane[overall,before 1965] Sonny and Joe[tone],Shorter[composer,by far],Getz and Mobley[pure beauty]

[RogerFarbey]

Well it may be a cliche but his playing on 'A Love Supreme' is supreme. Doesn't mean I don't like Hawk, Getz, Gordon, Rollins, Mobley or Shorter though!

[mmilovan]

My "avatar" says to whom I vote.

One of the most important musicians of the century.

Little recognized true giant.

He died young, and his recording legacy is unsuitable to "polished ear listeners" of hi-fi.

(His reissued works are something worth spending every cent).

He influenced so much tenor players and other instrumentalist (trumpet, guitar, trombone players, as well).


He melts my soul.

[EKE BBB]

Coleman Hawkins: for being the real father of tenor sax!

Doesn´t mean I don´t like Pres, Trane, Ben Webster, Stan Getz or Sonny Rollins.

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by ppjazz
Anyone remember tenorman, Richie Kamuca?

I remember Richie well. He played at the Lighthouse for several years. His wife cocktailed there, her name was Joan, or Joanie. They had a little girl who used to walk her dog down the Strand in Manhattan Beach, and Hermosa Beach, a huge well trained protection dog, so they didn't have to worry about her.

Richie had his own language, he bop talked to the point that it sounded like a foreign one!

He was quite a talent, and like most of the musicians at the Lighthouse, he loved his craft. He was fun to listen to.

I miss the Lighthouse and the great musicians that frequented it, from the regulars, like Frank Rosolino, to Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and on and on.

I started going there when I was 15, and was among a few teenagers that John Levine welcomed there. We were never asked to make room for paying customers, and were always treated grandly by he and his people, and by the musicians themselves. Frank Rosolino was a favorite of mine! He was really special.

Many memories from there!

I am with you on Richie Kamuca, what ever happened to him???

Bye, Sandi from Hermosa Beach

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by bombastic
Coltranes impact on music, not just jazz, is remarkable. I would place him in one of the greatest musicians of all time category. Trane was a phenomenal musician, and there are not many that can compare to him. the fact that he was only interested in furthering music, and a humble human being from what i understand, makes his work that much more honorable.:cool:

Hello! I remember John Coltrane very well. I absolutely loved to go and see him play at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. He was in Miles Davis's band, and to go and hear them play in the middle of the day with no one else in the place but the owner, and bartender was quite an experience. They liked to go there to work on their sets before going up to Hollywood where they were playing. I was a teenager at the time, and I was on crutches, and used a wheelchair part of the time, as I had bone infection in my foot, so I couldn't go to school part of the time, so I would go to the Lighthous and be able to really enjoy myself.

John Coltrane was really a gentle man! What a decent man he was, and the talent was as great! He had a sadness to him that could be heartbreaking at times. He loved to go out and eat his dinner and watch the sun go down, and would tell me how lucky I was to live there and see such a beautiful sight everyday. He said he had the river when I asked him if he didn't have any water where he lived, he said "Just a dirty river!" I told him that I bet it was pretty at night with lights shinning on it, and he agreed that it was.

I heard later that he would stand on the bridge at night and play just all by himself! How sad to hear that.

I also had some interesting things happen with Charlie Parker, another really sad story, and a funny one with Dizzy Gillespie. Great unbelievable experiences!

Bye,
Sandi form Hermosa Beach

[D.D.]

Joe McPhee

[LeMo]

John Coltrane. Really, who else?

[Pete Souders]

LeMo -
"Who else?"
What a totally flip and annoying way to state your preference for a favorite! So I'll ask some questions.
What day is it?
What kind of mood am I in today?
Who do I feel like listening to today?
On what criteria would you base a judgement of who is your favorite?
Does everybody else have the same aesthetic and artistic values?
Who else my fucking ass - where do I start?
(I do love Coltrane, don't get me wrong, and he probably is the champion - but no, I can't really say he is my favorite, and to say 'who else' kind of puts the other person - the reader - me or anyone else, in the position of agreeing or disagreeing)

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Pete Souders
LeMo -
"Who else?"
What a totally flip and annoying way to state your preference for a favorite! So I'll ask some questions.
What day is it?
What kind of mood am I in today?
Who do I feel like listening to today?
On what criteria would you base a judgement of who is your favorite?
Does everybody else have the same aesthetic and artistic values?
Who else my fucking ass - where do I start?
(I do love Coltrane, don't get me wrong, and he probably is the champion - but no, I can't really say he is my favorite, and to say 'who else' kind of puts the other person - the reader - me or anyone else, in the position of agreeing or disagreeing)

Well, we have our favorites, and John Coltrane was really a favorite for me! I really enjoyed Richie Kamuka, Cooper, and for sure Charlie Parker, who could just mesmorize, especially when you were able to see him up close, and in person, I also liked Zoot Sims, Lester Young and so many others, but it was John Coltrane that I was able to see the most, and that is probably why I like and know him the best. No one has to agree, just a personal choice! Personal for all kinds of reasons, his style, his choice of songs, my likes and dislikes. His music suited my moods.

Sandi

[LeMo]

Hey Pete, got a cold shower, it will calm you down. Maybe.
It seems to me that you're not in your right mind.
End of the comment.

[Pete Souders]

LeMo -
Well I will admit maybe I was in a bad mood.
I just interpreted your statement as "Who else (could possibly be considered)". Actually my favorite varies from time to time.
Here are some of my favorites, any one who could be 'the' favorite at a given time. Coleman Hawkins. Sonny Rollins.
Gene Ammons. Arnett Cobb. Ben Webster. Dexter Gordon. Sonny Stitt. Hank Mobley. Illinois Jacquet. and yes John Coltrane.
Lucky Thompsen. Don Byas. Lester Young. Wayne Shorter.
Wardell Gray. Harold Land. David "Fathead" Newman. Eddie Harris. Zoot Sims. Benny Golson. They are my favorites.
(that's 'Who Else'). Not to beat a dead horse, but I just feel that to state a name and then blithely say 'who else' tends to marginalize the massive accomplishments of all these other giants. Like I kind of read into that 'who could POSSIBLY disagree' - although I guess that's not what was meant.
- Pete

[EKE BBB]

Did anybody mention Chu Berry?

Short life, marvellous playing!

[Pete Souders]

yeah, him too - Chu Berry
also Joe Henderson, forgot to mention him.
Stan Getz. Tom Archia. Johnny Griffin. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis.
Paul Gonsalves. Frank Foster. Eric Alexander. Buddy Tate.
Frank Wess. Junior Cook. Stanley Turrentine. Jimmy Forrest.
Ike Quebec. Bootsie Barnes. Larry McKenna. Buck Hill.
Herschel Evans. Tommy Darnell.

[Cali]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer
but it was John Coltrane that I was able to see the most, and that is probably why I like and know him the best.Sandi Lucky you!

[peter rh]

Good to see Paul Gonsalves get a mention recently(Pete S) but
still little or no mention of Tubby Hayes or Bud Freeman.
:(

[clifton]

I've been listening to a lot of Eddie Harris lately, another one of the great, hard charging Chaicago tenors.

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Cali
Lucky you!

Hi Cali!
Knew I was lucky, just didn't realize how much so until I had moved away, and could no longer even get jazz on the radio, much less see everyone in person, and meet lots of the legends to be.
With the internet, and eBay I am finally able to start replacing some of my missing records. Not all of them but a few, and getting some I have always wanted, and thought I would never see again, it's all great, and CD's help too. Who would have dreamed that the old cuts would be rereleased. It has brougt jazz back somewhat, don't you think?
I find I get too nostalgic at times with everyone not here anymore. It gets to me when I read about them on the web, and here in this bulletin board. Too sad! Glad their music is still with us!

[EKE BBB]

Curious: 90 votes.....and only 4 for Coleman Hawkins

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[John L]

I voted for Lester Young, who is my favorite jazz musician, full stop.

If I could vote twice, I might put in a word for Gene Ammons.

[peter rh]

John L - If I could vote twice I'd vote for Lester each time!
Apologies to Bud Freeman ;)

[mmilovan]

JohnL, Peter rh,

hence we voted for the same artist, we can organize our poll with "Vote as much as you wish" function embeded.;)

[peter rh]

Milan - that's fine but we don't really need a poll!
Only one person ever go to win ;)

[mmilovan]

The poll would be for objectivity sake reasons :)

[rhinozoot]

Would not be suprised if a whole lot of the other were for zoot sims

[GiantSteps]

Hello guys,
When I saw the poll first time I was happy coz I thought that I can vote for all the guys there but when I discovered that I should choose one Tenor player I was really confused to choose between all of them especially Jahn Coltrane - Sonny Rollins - Wayne Shorter - Joe Henderson - and Lester Young but finaly I voted for Sonny Rollins :angel

[GiantSteps]

I forfot to say that it was a great poll with great names :D

[synic]

Eric Alexander.

[Thomas_H]

I voted for Sonny Rollins, because his sound appeals to me more than Trane's
However, I love Trane's sound almost as much, and I think it is almost inarguable that Trane is the Jazz Tenor player who has contributed the most to modern music(which is what my true passion is).
I'm sure Hawk was as much or almost as much an influence as Trane, but I think his heyday was a generation before Coltrane's.
So as hard as it was to make a decision, I chose Sonny Rollins, because, I've found that his style just really hits the spot for me, but everyone else on the list (and others, including Sonny Stitt) are favorites.

[rhinozoot]

For whatever it is worth, and I would treat it seriously, oscar peterson stated,that many of the new so called john coltrane new approach,had been done years before by lester young.

2 great horns

perhaps the later one influenced by the other

[victor]

you should put all of the above as a choice...thats who my favorites are:)

[milestones]

JOHN COLTRANE

[NewJazz4Mike]

Huh! With a name like New Jazz 4 Mike... you know I got to vote for a 'newer' player. My favorites in order (for today) are Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis. Yeah, yeah... I know all the noise about innovation. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, I turn to a sound that I like. Today's sound played with today's amazing techniques and smarts. I've been listening to Brecker for around 30 years, through some somewhat embarassing 'fusion' years we kind of grew into jazz together. His fire and passion and amazing technique finally started getting channeled right over the past decade with his acoustic, straight ahead jazz side. Its harder than ever today to have a new sound and style (all the good ones may be taken already), but Brecker has as unique a sound as any sax player who ever played, he has technique to match any of them, and he plays in the sound of today - he's a contemporary jazz artist in a good sense, and he's as influential as can be these days. I happen to hear tons of innovation in his sound as well, but he necessarily incorporates lots of influences - Trane probably most prominently. Call me crazy if you want to, but when I think 'goosebumps' level tenor sax, I don't reach for Coltrane, Rollins, or Henderson, et al... I reach for Brecker.

[Katzman]

I voted for 'Bean', because he was the first and he kept inovating right up to, through and beyond Bop. He was also such a cool character, handing out cards that invited anyone to come and see if they could cut him, forgivable arrogance. But what a hard choice it was, Leaster is the one that brings me closest to tears, and some of Sonny Rollins is just pure elation.

What is Sonny Rollins like now, I have tickets to see him at the end of this month and don't know what to expect, am I destined to see saxophone colossis (sp) or what? I wish Like Sandi I had seen all these guys back in the day, would have loved to have seen Trane, because I suspect he was even more phenomenal live than on his recordings. I dream of Mintons in 48.

[PDEE]

Where the " F " are
Tubby Hayes
Don Rendell
Ronnie Scott
Danny Moss

Got to keep the Red White and Blue Flame Burnin'

Hey Mezz Mezzrow or Pee Wee Russell on tnr.. Sublime.. in a Monty Python context.

I do have a friend who every time I play Mexican Green to him ( Hey Pollsters who plays that?) sez it conjours up images of Benny Hill...........:D

and of course

http://www.jazzsite.co.uk/wja/images/Kathy-stobart.jpg

[Seba]

I voted Wayne Shorter. I like his work as a Jazz Messenger with Blakey, but especially his work in the 2nd Miles Davis Quintet and his Blue Note releases as a leader appeal very much to me. One often forgets how Shorter (probably even far more than Coltrane) helped "developping" post-bop (modal) jazz. And furthermore, he is one the best jazz composers ever of sure.

[Jazz Raconteur]

Interesting to hear folks talking about Richie Kamuca. He was a part of a great session in the 50s entitled West Coast Jazz In Hi-Fi. It's available on CD and is as good of west coast cool ever got in a larger ensemble setting. Also features Bill Holman and Vince Guaraldi. I also have a Concord album of his where he does all Bird tunes. Excellent as well.
As far as the best tenor ever, Dexter Gordon gets my nod.
His playing seemed to come so naturally, whereas many of the others seem to be so deliberate in their execution. I don't think the others hold up to Dex when it comes to conveying emotion either. It's amazing how much emotion he could imbue into a phrase and no one was better with ballads. He didn't need to use complex techniques to make something cook, yet he would push the limit just enough to let you know that he could go there. I also like how there was a little bit of all the greats in his playing. Another aspect of Dex's playing that made him great was his sense of humor. He was so clever with the occasional honk or quote that it makes you shake your head and laugh.
Dex had it all!

[The Touch]

I wanted to launch a discussion about the tenor saxophone in jazz. I was originally thinking of starting a poll on the "greatest" tenor player, but I figured: a)John Coltrane would probably prevail, and b)it's a bit presumptuous to say that any one of these giants is greater than the others. So, it'll be your favorite instead. For the record, mine is Coleman Hawkins. His innovation is so grand in scope and conception, he had nobody to influence him, really. He was sui generis. His sound was majestic, his harmonic sense was daring, and he was a wonderful ballad player. Most impressively, he kept growing, helping to pioneer bebop, and absorbing the innovations of Rollins and Coltrane into his own style. He was superb in his encounters with Monk and Rollins, and he remains one of the giants of jazz.

I think my "favourite" changes week to week! I like 'Trane; but sometimes I prefer Shorter, Henderson, Clifford Jordan, Rollins and about 2 dozen others!

[EKE BBB]

I wanted to launch a discussion about the tenor saxophone in jazz. I was originally thinking of starting a poll on the "greatest" tenor player, but I figured: a)John Coltrane would probably prevail, and b)it's a bit presumptuous to say that any one of these giants is greater than the others. So, it'll be your favorite instead. For the record, mine is Coleman Hawkins. His innovation is so grand in scope and conception, he had nobody to influence him, really. He was sui generis. His sound was majestic, his harmonic sense was daring, and he was a wonderful ballad player. Most impressively, he kept growing, helping to pioneer bebop, and absorbing the innovations of Rollins and Coltrane into his own style. He was superb in his encounters with Monk and Rollins, and he remains one of the giants of jazz.

clifton:

I´m afraid Hawk keeps on being underrated these days... 8 votes out of 122 so far. :(

Mine, yours, Pete Souders´ ... and who else? ;)

[PiousBionicus]

This was possibly one of the hardest questions to answer! I narrowed it down to Pres and Hawk, and in the end I went for Pres just because of my love of Count Basie. I have more Basie albums with Pres on than I do Lester albums.

[Donny]

Best, how can you choose?.

Zoot, Stitt, Dexter, Getz, Henderson, Rollins, Coltrane, Hayes, Moody, Webster, Hawkins, Young, Byas, Henderson, Mobley, Marsh..... the list goes on, they all added something individual to jazz tenor. All of these are probably recognisable for many jazz fans within the first bar or so, how many of the more recent guys, a lot of whom I really admire, can you say that about.

[victor]

you cant go wrong with any of these giants

[orroonie]

Pres. was always my favorite, but after spending a weekend digging all of my Sonny Rollins albums recently and remembering all the live shows I have ever seen of him, not only is he know my favorite tenor man but I believe the greatest jazz improviser of all time on any instrument.

[Omer]

What about Charles Lloyd?
I don't think he is the best, but he certainly deservse mentioning.
And also Roland kirk should be on that list. both of them were innovators, very influencial and did great things also on other instruments like the flute.

[tt69]

Tina Brooks!

[chris may]

I've only just joined this Board, so please excuse me for resuscitating an historic thread. I like the thread starter's distinction between 'greatest' and 'favourite'. But I can't honestly name one overall 'favouritist'; I go through phases, rotating through a shortlist, and here it is....

John Coltrane
Charles Lloyd
Stan Getz
Wayne Shorter
Jan Garbarek

[Grub]

Bleeding Gums Murphy was a much underrated player but was a cornerstone of the Springfield underground jazz scene until an untimely demise.

[chris may]

And don't forget Bloody Nose Alkaloid, still massively influential on the emergent Bolivian scene.

[jazzworks3]

Bleeding Gums Murphy was a much underrated player but was a cornerstone of the Springfield underground jazz scene until an untimely demise.

The bidding was fierce but I managed to buy Bleeding Gum's dentures at e-bay. Cost a fortune but considering he only ever had one set made I'm sure that they will increase in value. Just wish someone had cleaned them first.

Top tenor?
Whoever the mood takes you. Some days it's Trane others it's Pres or Getz.
Bob Berg was always a favourite from the newer ranks...so tragic.
The current ones?...check out Tommy Smith who took over from Berg in Joe Locke's 4 Walls of Freedom band. Phew!

[Simon Rigby]

Not being funny and fogive me if I;m wrong, but aren't they all dead? Not suggesting thats a problem just thought you could reword it as Favourite dead Tenor Player. I went other with a toss up between Lovano, Brecker and Tommy Smith.

Cheers

Simon Rigby

[EKE BBB]

Not being funny and fogive me if I;m wrong, but aren't they all dead? Not suggesting thats a problem just thought you could reword it as Favourite dead Tenor Player. I went other with a toss up between Lovano, Brecker and Tommy Smith.

Cheers

Simon Rigby

Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter are alive and kickin´ ;)

[Simon Rigby]

Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter are alive and kickin´ ;)

eeek .. to true .. sorry.

simon

[Saundra Hummer]

Kamuca
Bill Perkins
Warne Marsh
Brew Moore

Wayne Shorter? (love his recent quartet!)

Booker Ervin
Stanley Turrentine
Lockjaw
how about Yusef Lateef?
Shafi Hadi
Hank Mobley
Tina Brooks

Hawk
Ben
Illinois Jacquet

Sam Rivers
John Gilmore

and of course the obvious ones:
Trane
Rollins
Henderson

I don't think these are ALL my favorites, possibly I forgot some great ones... So no voting...

ubu
Fun checking this thread out one more time and seeing how everyone enjoys these great men of jazz, oh and was there one girl?

[Brucey]

I know a lot of non Brits will never have heard of him, but if you can find the time, dig out the late Tubby Hayes. He was superb, and who knows where he would be now, if he hadn't died so young.

Brucey

[jeansteinmann]

Possibly as an alternative to thinking about who to vote for in the UK election tomorrow I was thinking about this very subject on the bus home today. In no particularlar order my 10 (I can't pick just one) would be:

John Gilmore
Wayne Shorter
John Coltrane
Yusef Lateef
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Joe Lovano
Sonny Rollins
Evan Parker
Tony Coe
Joe Henderson

I still do not know to vote for tomorrow but somehow I feel much better!

[burning dog]

Coltrane had a greater influence on Jazz history as well as leading one of the great bands, and at one time I would have voted for him as my favourite, but I would go for Rollins despite his recent stuff being not as good. He had a good run '54 to 65' with some fair stuff a bit later.

[Marcello]

Top tenor?
Whoever the mood takes you. Some days it's Trane others it's Pres or Getz.
Bob Berg was always a favourite from the newer ranks...so tragic.
The current ones?...check out Tommy Smith who took over from Berg in Joe Locke's 4 Walls of Freedom band. Phew!

Well said; on both subjects

If you look closely at my avatar, that is a photo of the 4 Walls band with Tommy Smith ( who else ) in the kilt.

[Munch]

Going for the alive and kicking.
Tommy Smith deserves all the accolades getting thrown his way.
He, in my opinion, has emerged as a leading tenorman and the equal to most on todays scene.

Maybe I am biased though, he lives in my neck of the woods and I go to see him again on May 14th when he appears in a quartet setting.
I won't be 'kilt' attired though!

I will still heave in another mention for Tony Malaby though.

[Steve Reynolds]

current players:

Evan Parker
Paul Dunmall
Ellery Eskelin
Peter Brotzman
Fred Anderson
Mats Gustafsson
Joe Maneri
Ivo Perelman
Roscoe Mitchell
David Murray
Joe Lovano (despite many recent so-so dates) - live he can be tremendous in the right company - saw him once with Dresser and Hemingway and he was on fire


Love Rollins & Shorter - but despite the decent more recent Shorter recordings, neither are making music that ranks with their older recordings

and if the *great* Charles Brackeen ever resurfaces, the world of music will be blessed....

[bosstenor87]

being a tenor player myself, i would like to provide some imput...

as far as SOUND goes...

Getz. Hands down, Stan holds the sound that even Trane was quoting to saying that he would kill to have. Every time I listen to this master play i am soothed by his rich tenor voice that his horn produces.

as far as VERSATILITY goes...

DEX. Wow, this guys can take a tune you thought you new backwords and forwards and simply play it with so much feeling and inflection that you could have swore it was a completely new one! If you ever have a chance to listen to his takes of classics like Doxy, Tenor Madness, and even Blue Bossa you will be amazed at how well he plays these heads and the harmonic structure at which he really finds during his blowing. Every note he plays seems to have attitude.

those are probobly my favorite two with my vote going to dex. however i would like to comment on some of the other wonderful players forementioned...

gene ammons. truley THE boss tenor. great place for tenor players to start transcribing.

sonny stitt. what a great saxaphonist. i enjoy his work the most when he teams up with jazz giants DIZ and ROLLINS in SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET album on the verve label.

trane. every tenorman has a special place in his heart for this GIANT player. his larger than life playing with the miles davis quintet and groundbreaking quartet of his own are must haves for any jazz listener.

Eric Alexander and Jousha Redman remain my favorite players of today.

[Steve Reynolds]

fwiw - I love all of the above that I listed - but after listening to Evan Parker's "The Two Seasons" last night (my record of the year from 2000) - for the fisrt time in a while - there really might be him and then everyone else

music that is beyond description - yet it really stands out as his "jazz" music - and if you don't think so - listen and listen to Mark Sanders roar behind the kit - sure it is free improvistion - but at it's core is Coltrane channeled through a new and invented technique - the most personal tenor sound in all of music that is still very much grown from the tradition - and the executional mastery is certainly on a different level than any other saxophonist I have ever listened to.


like nothing in this world


Standing on a Whale Fishing for Minnows

[clifton]

Wow. . . I started this thread in 2002, two-and-a-half years ago, and people are still checking it out. I'm genuinely humbled, seeing this one still rolling. It's sad that Hawk has gotten so little support. I'm glad top-shelf younger players like Tommy Smith (I've heard him, and I have "The Sound Of Love") are getting some mention, but please, if you haven't checked out the great Coleman Hawkins, you owe it to yourself to hear him.

Postscript: I splurged and bought "SF Jazz Collective Inaugural Season" and Joshua Redman is magnificent, as good as anyone I've heard, and I do mean anyone. He has matured into one of the giants.

[Steve Reynolds]

well Clifton - my all-time favorites might be this:

1) Evan Parker
2) John Coltrane
3) Ben Webster
4) Paul Dunmall
5) Paul Gonsalves
6) Coleman Hawkins
7) Mats Gustafsson
8) Sonny Rollins
9) Joe Henderson
10) Peter Brotzmann

hard to pick between Trane & Parker - but I go with the man who plays today

[jazzofonik]

Sonny (Rollins) remains my official fave, but I caught Waybe Escoffrey a few nights back (as part of Ben Riley's monk legacy Project) and I think he'll develop intoa great tenor player. Redman is exceptional also, as is Chris Potter

[clifton]

Here's another thing. This poll is so old that, at the time I set it up, you could only list a maximum of ten choices in a poll. (I had submitted a separate poll on living tenor players, with a ballot that included Shorter, Potter, Brecker, Lovano, Joshua Redman, and James Carter.) There has been a surge of great younger players, and I've become aware of great European tenor players such as Evan Parker and Carlo Actis Dato, so if I submitted such a poll now, it would inevitably reflect non-American musicians, as well as Americans I was forced to leave out, such as Jacquet, Stitt, Mobley, and perhaps Tony Malaby, to name a few. And in good conscience, could I really leave out Von Freeman, Dewey Redman and Pharoah Sanders? FWIW, my Top Ten:
1)Coleman Hawkins
2)Lester Young
3)Dexter Gordon
4)Von Freeman
5)John Coltrane
6)Sonny Rollins
7)Ben Webster
8)Sonny Stitt
9)Illinois Jacquet
10)(tie)Stan Getz
Zoot Sims (Yeah it's cheating but I can't leave Zoot out).
Most Underrated: Lucky Thompson, Al Cohn, Teddy Edwards, Dick Wilson, Dewey Redman, Willis Jackson. And keep in mind, it's just my opinion.

[sonnyside]

I suspect Gray is not on the radar today because of his early death, and the fact that he had roots in both the swing and bebop streams, and stayed close to his Prez roots. Of all the Pres influenced tenors, I think he came closest to capturing the essence of Pres, while maintaining his own voice.

If he is known at all today, it is because of his association with Dexter Gordon (The Chase).

I do know that he was very highly regarded by his peers.

The Proper Box set is a veritable treasure trove of Gray's recordings. Like Pres, he had the gift of making solos that are memorable little gems.

[gabegabrielsky]

What about Bill Perkins?

[Saundra Hummer]

What about Bill Perkins?

Not only was Bill Perkins a terrific sax man, ballads being his specialty, he was a truly nice man. I don't think there was anyone nicer in the music scene when I was around. He was loved by all who knew him, and he and Richie Kamuka were in so thick, Richie learning from Bill how to slow it down, as Richie was up tempo, hard bop, and so swinging, it was hard to even imagine him playing a ballad like Bill.

Yep he's up there in my favorites list for more than just his music. Miss him, miss both of them. So much fun to see them play together.

[gabegabrielsky]

Not only was Bill Perkins a terrific sax man, ballads being his specialty, he was a truly nice man. I don't think there was anyone nicer in the music scene when I was around. He was loved by all who knew him, and he and Richie Kamuka were in so thick, Richie learning from Bill how to slow it down, as Richie was up tempo, hard bop, and so swinging, it was hard to even imagine him playing a ballad like Bill.

Yep he's up there in my favorites list for more than just his music. Miss him, miss both of them. So much fun to see them play together.

As you describe it they sound like a west coast version of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. Perk made such a splash with Kenton, but my favorite solo of his was Misty Morning that he did with Woody Herman. I believe it's out on a Mosaic set but for some reason, even though some of the Herman Capitol recordings have been released, that isn't available on a individual CD.

Also, of course the Grand Encounter album, where he sounded so much like Prez.

Also Perkins was a real role model, demonstrating that you didn't have to be self destructive to be a brilliant musician, though I think he was always torn between trying to earn a living as a musician and his clear talents as an electrical engineer.

[Saundra Hummer]

As you describe it they sound like a west coast version of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. Perk made such a splash with Kenton, but my favorite solo of his was Misty Morning that he did with Woody Herman. I believe it's out on a Mosaic set but for some reason, even though some of the Herman Capitol recordings have been released, that isn't available on a individual CD.

Also, of course the Grand Encounter album, where he sounded so much like Prez.

Also Perkins was a real role model, demonstrating that you didn't have to be self destructive to be a brilliant musician, though I think he was always torn between trying to earn a living as a musician and his clear talents as an electrical engineer.

We used to go to the tiny little library on the old pier, several yards from the front door of the Lighthouse. That started when I left my purse and coat on my bench on the back wall and walked to the library and he ran after me with it thinking I had forgotten it and my purse, but I knew no one would take them, that wouldnt' have happened, and so since it was too warm to wear my coat, and I would be carrying books, I just left everything. He ended up carrying it all for me, going in the library wth me and was looking at the books and was amazed at the fantastic selection for such a tiny place.

He was just an interesting man, and he was so into his family as well, always talking about them, besides his music.

Zoot, well he was there a lot of the time as well and, was forever just popping in and sitting in. The laughter and smiles and all of the funny greetings would start the minute he walked in the back door, whenever they would spot him. The guys were alway really happy to see him and more than happy to share the stage. Talk about swing, it was just terrific. When he would show up you couldn't have asked for a better session. The same with Red Norvo, the consumate musician, he would bring out the same emotions and reactions, not a sax man, but just the best. I always tried to be there when he was on the bill..

[dickschofield]

Anyone remember tenorman, Richie Kamuca?

oh yes a fine player,with Shelly manne live at blackhawk vol1-5 and great lp with bill perkins- Tenors head on

[Shade of Blue]

oh yes a fine player,with Shelly manne live at blackhawk vol1-5 and great lp with bill perkins- Tenors head on


Hm....you're about 9 months behind, bud.

Take a wild guess who my favorite tenor is.

[jazzofonik]

Hm....you're about 9 months behind, bud.

Take a wild guess who my favorite tenor is.

Tenor being but one of his many instruments :-)

[senorblues]

Joe Henderson really get's it for me above all others

[Shade of Blue]

Tenor being but one of his many instruments :-)

Naturally. ;)

My top 19 tenor saxophonists in some kind of vague order (subject to change at the slightest whim):
- Rahsaan Roland Kirk
- Sonny Stitt
- Johnny Griffin
- Gene Ammons
- Illinois Jacquet
- Sonny Rollins
- John Coltrane
- Yusef Lateef
- Dexter Gordon
- Stanley Turrentine
- Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis
- Eddie Harris
- Booker Ervin
- Harold Land
- Joshue Redman
- George Barrow
- Hank Mobley
- Joe Henderson
- Don Byas
- James Carter

[Jakeweiser]

ah, threads being reborn. Soon someone will post on the 'best guitarist' thread and the circle will be complete.

I believe I voted other when I voted because, well my favorite is not always locked on one person. But if I had a top 5 Tenor players today, as of right now, but not to put them in order I would have

Joe Henderson
Joe Lovano
Mark Turner
Trane
and round it out with a more then healthy serving of Wayne Shorter

[J_Deighton]

Not voting in the stupid poll because all my favorites are in the other catagory.
So um, Von Freeman, Charles Lloyd, Jim Pepper, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Hafez Modirzadeh, Dewey Redman and Michael Blake.

[Jimmy James]

Joe Henderson
Joe Lovano
Mark Turner
Trane
and round it out with a more then healthy serving of Wayne Shorter

Dude do you read my mind or something???

[NewJazz4Mike]

Michael Brecker
Branford Marsalis
Sonny Rollins
John Coltrane
Chris Potter
Joe Lovano
Charles Lloyd
Wayne Shorter
James Carter
Joe Henderson

[NewJazz4Mike]

Honorable mentions, or TDWR (tenors deserving wider recognition):

Craig Handy
Jimmy Greene
Ted Nash
Michael Blake
George Garzone
Wayne Escoffery
Mark Shim
Tony Malaby
Vincent Herring

[Jakeweiser]

Dude do you read my mind or something???

I do, yes I have strange Tenor saxophonist mind reading powers :)

I was not surprised to see Mark Turner's name on the list, but not Joe Lovano seemed unfortunate. That being said you probably could create an endless poll of muthabeepers on Tenor to cause the board to crash

[bariblaster]

Michael Brecker
Branford Marsalis
Sonny Rollins
John Coltrane
Chris Potter
Joe Lovano
Charles Lloyd
Wayne Shorter
James Carter
Joe Henderson

'nuff said.

[Vito]

Hank Mobley. :cool:

[REManic]

I voted for J.Coltrane.

[Campus Five]

Lester Young

Honorable Mention:
Georgie Auld
Illinois Jacquet
Vido Musso
Herschel Evans
Buddy Tate
Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster (as though they need it)'

[Yutaka Tanaka]

the tenor saxists who seems not to be mentioned.
Ernie Watts
Sam Rivers
Azar Lawrence
Frank Lowe
Brandon Fields:)

[canadajazz]

Their is no other tenor quite like Trane.

[misstraceynolan]

Hey - canadajazz, love your Avatar!

There are so many great, great tenor players, but ulitmately, if I'm gonna keep it simple, for me, it's always Trane and Dexter first.

[jazzfingers19]

My 5 favorite Sax players
Chris Cheek
John Coltrane
Mark Turner
I have been listening to Seamus Blake alot.
Joe Henderson
Wayne Shorter

Lovano is great on some Paul Motian stuff I have...he has a real nice tone.

[the magnificent goldberg]

Mine are

Fred Jackson
Willis Jackson
David Newman
Gene Ammons
Stanley Turrentine
Conrad Lester
Frank Haynes
Houston Person
Teddy Edwards
Illinois Jacquet
Rusty Bryant
Don Wilkerson
Wilton Felder
Arnett Cobb
Curtis Amy
Plas Johnson
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Clifford Scott
Tommy McCook
Eddie Chamblee
Buddy Tate
Clarence Wheeler
Harold Vick
Lynn Hope
Wild Bill Moore
King Curtis
Sonny Stitt
Red Holloway

That'll do for now.

I like tenor players...

MG

[Jazz Purist]

Honorable mentions, or TDWR (tenors deserving wider recognition):


Vincent Herring

umm.... Herring is an Alto Saxophonist.

Ben Webster
Coleman Hawkins
Lester Young
John Coltrane
Dexter Gordon
Sonny Rollins
Branford Marsalis
Joshua Redman
Gene Ammons
Ike Quebec
Sil Austin

Among soooo many others....

[Fran]

Jon Walton W/ BG and Shaw's Orchestras

[soshigaya2]

So who's not been mentioned ? How about Ralph LaLama. JR Monterose,Walt Weiskopf, Barney Wilen (surely he's been mentioned somewhere), Richie Kamuca.

[Prattinator999]

I still gotta say Coltrane, he's just an incredible technician and improviser. His phrasing is just perfect. I do agree that he is a bit of an altoist on a tenor sax, but he has established a certain personal style from that. There is no real "wrong" in jazz, only innovation. That's what Trane was. He stepped everything up. He blew everones minds with his chops, and then he outsmarted everyone theoretically, and out phrased everyone with his unearthly sense of rhythm and phrasing. I don't think anyone can really imitate Trane. Maybe his technique, or even his theory, or his feeling, maybe, but noone can really make me think that they are John Coltrane unless they are John Coltrane. I could be wrong, but I haven't heard anyone yet who can.

[Organic]

I went with the safe bet of Coltrane. Not only was the man a great musician, but he was also a spiritual force in the world of jazz that remains unrivaled.

[flip rebop]

...the self-taught Brit, Andy Sheppard, who's been good enough to be featured with Gil and Carla and George Russell. He's a fave of mine in those contexts and also on his own stuff with Steve Lodder usually nearby.

I also have soft spots for Harold Land and Junior Cook, but venerated Wayne with the Messengers and Trane up to about A Love Supreme. Al and Zoot at the Half Note circa 1960-63 were as much fun to watch as monkeys in the zoo, especially Zoot flipping empties down into the pit below the bandstand where barman Sonny Canterino would do remarkable, often diving catches to avoid breakage. THAT was a scene, with Papa Frank, Sister Rose and the immortal firebug, Al The Waiter. You had to be there.

[papsrus]

Voted for Coltrane. He blew my mind when I first heard him. Got me into jazz in a big way. Now I listen to many of the others mentioned here as well. Still learning, but I like this kind of poll. Great source for further listening.

[aquabenz]

I voted for other because there are so many modern tenor guys who really push the envelope so far. It depends on what type of jazz or improv they are playing. In straighter/written formats I'm big into players like Michael Blake and Chris Potter. In avant-garde and free music I absolutely love Dave Rempis's playing both on his own and with Vandermark 5. In total free improv, nobody tops the technique of Paul Dunmall (whose Solo Tenor disc on DUNS is utterly astounding) and fellow Brit Simon Picard (check them both out on Dunmall's Octet discs and Utoma Trio). Another great player from the NYC scene to check out is Tony Malaby. His playing dances the line between free and composed material and he plays in a zillion different groups. Very adaptable and extremely talented. So essentially it's too hard for me to decide on one. I definitely agree with everyone about Coltrane, Shorter, and Henderson, but I think that our contemporaries are building on their genius in ways unimaginably great.

[Mr.Kenyatta]

No doubt on how great Trane and Rollins and the other choices are, but my top two favorites are Hank Mobley, who, along with some other people, believe is highly underrated. Not only do I like him for his relaxed long lines, but also for his compositions. His tunes have the hard bop edge and a certain feel that I like. My second favorite is Benny Golson. I also like him for both his playing and compositions, he's my favorite writer. Tina Brooks gets my respect as well.

[Fender Rhodes Freak]

I like Wayne Shorter best of all, especially for his phrasing.

[jazzofonik]

I like Wayne Shorter best of all, especially for his phrasing.
I'm not ready to push Sonny (Rollins) off the throne just yet, but my appreciation of Shorter is definitley growing -pardon the pun.

[Vito]

For me, it's pretty much a tie between Johnny Griffin and Richie Kamuca.

[HutchFan]

Vito, you resurrected an old thread. Nice. I'll play.

Here's where I'm at today...

Among the GIANTS of the past, I'd go with Coleman Hawkins, first and foremost. But I could never survive on my desert island without:
- Paul Gonsalves
- Lockjaw Davis
- Coltrane
- Dexter
- Stan Getz

Among the players out there still kicking, my favorites are:
- David Liebman (vastly underappreciated, imho -- even among jazz fans)
- Branford Marsalis
- Tony Malaby

[Prezfan]

As you can easily tell from my screen name, my vote goes to Lester Young. Besides his wonderful tone, Lester was somebody who was a master of using space. What he didn't play could be just as effective as the notes he played. He also knew when to use a lot of notes and when to use few notes. Most times you get a player who always uses a lot of notes in their solos, or somebody who uses few notes. Lester used a nice balance of the two. I think his solo played to Billie Holiday on 'The Sound of Jazz' is the most beautiful one chorus solo I've ever heard.

For honorable mention, I must say the tenor player who I have really gotten into lately is Gene Ammons. So much good stuff out there by Gene and his battles with Sonny Stitt are always top notch.

[PaintersWay]

I like Wayne Shorter best of all, especially for his phrasing.

D'oh! I missed Wayne in looking for Coltrane and Henderson...

[Charlie F.]

Hard for me to decide between Joe Henderson, Stan Getz and Michael Brecker, but I also really like Chris Potter.

[thedwork]

Glen Reilly.

[randalljazz]

zoot! ~pimp:

didn't see any respect for charlie ventura anywhere back there...:shrug: