Attend any jazz workshop these days, including workshops focussed on ‘trad’ or ‘traditional’ jazz, and you’re likely to find yourself in the company of many tenor and alto sax players.
The saxophone is clearly a popular jazz instrument. However, its role in 'trad' style jazz is not often talked about. I suspect this is because it’s often difficult to hear what the sax is playing when it’s accompanied by the other traditional horns associated with this kind of music, the trumpet, trombone and clarinet, and thus difficult to draw any conclusions about what kind of musical 'line' the sax could or should be playing in this style of music.
For instance, what is the sax actually playing in this recording?
The saxophone is clearly a popular jazz instrument. However, its role in 'trad' style jazz is not often talked about. I suspect this is because it’s often difficult to hear what the sax is playing when it’s accompanied by the other traditional horns associated with this kind of music, the trumpet, trombone and clarinet, and thus difficult to draw any conclusions about what kind of musical 'line' the sax could or should be playing in this style of music.
For instance, what is the sax actually playing in this recording?
If you can hear a sax in there, good luck to you! What you’re actually hearing here is a ‘conventional’ three horn line-up of trumpet, trombone and clarinet in the 'front row' (sorry, there's no sax). It’s remarkably easy to hear the distinctive voices of the three horns that are present, as each has its own easily distinguishable timbre and spread in the audio spectrum. These horns seem to occupy different 'places' in the overall sound.
OK, so enough with the trickery. Here’s the opening of a track where there really is a saxophone in the mix – as it happens, played by one of the all-time greats of the instrument.
OK, so enough with the trickery. Here’s the opening of a track where there really is a saxophone in the mix – as it happens, played by one of the all-time greats of the instrument.
If you’re like me, it may take you a few listens before you begin to hear the sax (played by Coleman Hawkins). I find it difficult at times to distinguish the sax from the clarinet, which is not playing particularly high in its register. I suspect if I was an tenor sax novice trying to figure out what lines to be playing in a group improvisation, I might not get a lot of help from listening to an example like this.
OK, here’s another challenging example for you. This time the challenge is heightened by the vintage of the recording (1929). Once again, we’ve got an all-time saxophone great combining with a trumpet, trombone and clarinet. Can you hear the sax?
OK, here’s another challenging example for you. This time the challenge is heightened by the vintage of the recording (1929). Once again, we’ve got an all-time saxophone great combining with a trumpet, trombone and clarinet. Can you hear the sax?
I have found that on repeated listenings I can start to hear how the sax (Bud Freeman) often ‘answers’ the ‘call’ of Red Nichols’ trumpet as the melody is stated. I can also hear that the sax is doubling the trumpet’s part in some phrases of the melody, though whether it’s playing the same note an octave away, or just a harmonically-related note, I’m afraid I’m not a good enough musician to judge.
A later (1942) recording of the same tune by a different group also features a four horn line up. Here you can probably hear that the sax (and possibly the clarinet too) are playing a similar line to the trumpet in parts of the melody, which has the effect of ‘thickening’ the melody. In this rendition, though, there is none of the ‘call’ and ‘response’ involving saxophone we could hear in Example 3.
A later (1942) recording of the same tune by a different group also features a four horn line up. Here you can probably hear that the sax (and possibly the clarinet too) are playing a similar line to the trumpet in parts of the melody, which has the effect of ‘thickening’ the melody. In this rendition, though, there is none of the ‘call’ and ‘response’ involving saxophone we could hear in Example 3.
Finally, here’s a contemporary trad jazz group that manages to include a tenor sax with the other three ‘conventional’ horns. The tune this time is a ten bar blues. I find picking out the sax in the first ten bars rather difficult, but second time through the form I can hear the sax more clearly. How about you?
If you’ve made it this far, you deserve a reward! Here are all five tracks complete with sax solos (where there is one).
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