Saxophone Forum


by straightj23
(103 posts)
18 years ago

Big Band Discussion

I want to know your thoughts about big band music and big band style saxophone. I want to know your favorite songs, solos on saxophone, bands, etc. This discussion can be about vintage big band stuff or modern big band stuff. Thank you for your input.

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  1. by veenerslider
    (1 post)

    18 years ago

    Re: Big Band Discussion

    Count Basie's 1936 recording of "Lady Be Good" featuring Lester Young on saxaphone has to be on everyone's "all time lists". To be sure, this number really swings, at a time ehen by comparison, most of the white bands on the scene were still behind the times in playing their "hotel ballroom" type of music. This is only my humble opinion...Thanks for reading.

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  2. by Geronimo
    (12 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Big Band Discussion

    ok well the greatest big band in the world right now has got to be "Gordon Goodwins Big Phat Band". these guys really know how to belt out a tune. saxes are lead by the great Eric Marienthal, with some solos taken by Gordon himself. For anyone interested in big band, the gordon goodwin band is a MUST. -geronimo

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  3. by Bariboy
    (18 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Big Band Discussion

    the BPB is awesome. i'm a huge fan. my friend tried to get me something for christmas but he couldn't think of anything. so he emailed Gordon and asked him to call me. HE DID. it was awesome. he gave me some tips about jazz saxophone. then my director went to the Midwest Music Clinic and got me Gordon's autograph. i'm not lying about any of this. yeah, BPB is the best in the world now. best wishes, Bariboy

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    1. by golferguy675
      (600 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: Big Band Discussion

      The Gordon Goodwin Band has some of the tightest individual sections in the world. Hunting Wabbits is a good showcase of how perfect the saxes are together in that band. The entire section sounds like one horn. One thing I think I would like better is if the lead alto played out more, and took a little more initiative to set the style. I think the lead trumpet's a bully. Hehe, just my opinion. In my opinion I think the best band out there right now is the Village Vanguard Band. Just because the band that they followed, and what they stand for. Something I really like about that band is that there aren't players in there that just read music. All of them are world class improvisers. Quite a few of the players(Rich Perry, Dick Oatts, Scott Wendholt to name a few) have groups on their own, and make their own CDs in addition to touring with the band. Pick up some Oatts CDs. Talking about the Vanguard band reminds me of a great CD I bought: Chris Potter: Live at the Village Vanguard. The band doesn't actually play, it's just Potter's group, but this disc will absolutely blow your mind.

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      1. by johnsonfromwisconsin
        (767 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: Big Band Discussion

        I do like BigBand/Swing music quite a bit. I'm just not so much into the later evolutions of jazz: Bebop, Fusion, etc. My favorite number is Sing! Sing! Sing!

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        1. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Big Band Discussion

          One of my favorites too. Of those great bands of the past, Duke Ellington has to be my favorite. Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Count Basie are all great. I loved the first CD "Guitar Slinger" by the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and the Dirty Boogie CD was pretty good. They do a GREAT remake of Sing Sing Sing on one of the later CD's!

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      2. by jamterry
        (573 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: Big Band Discussion

        The best big band that I saw live was Buddy Rich. I have never seen anyone in my life that had the speed power combination that Buddy did. The whole band was really tight and Buddy was unbelievable on drums. I asked Buddy if they would play the theme from West Side Story, and he said "I'll think about it". Low and behold they opened with it. A memorable experience :)

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        1. by mroland153
          (13 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Big Band Discussion

          I think one of the best recent big band experiences I have had was a couple years ago I got to hear the Airmen of Note play. Anyone else's thought's on them?

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          1. by EL Seano
            (255 posts)

            18 years ago

            Re: Big Band Discussion

            Nothing beats the Mingus Big Band, In my opinion (aside from Count Basie, Duke, Etc.). Sean

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            1. by blackfrancis
              (396 posts)

              18 years ago

              Re: Big Band Discussion

              I dig Basie, Duke (saw them back in '69), Rich (check out Menza on channel 1 suite), Don Ellis, Setzer, Ted Heath, Kenny Clarke- Francy Boland, there are just too many good ones. I recently caught the Big Phat Band on the radio- they knocked me out. As did the Airmen of Note- great players. All this good music out there should inspire us to go forth and play some of our own!

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            2. by syrasax
              (75 posts)

              18 years ago

              Re: Big Band Discussion

              I was in St. Louis for a conference last June and after dinner I asked the concierge at my hotel for a good jazz club and she pointed me to a place called BB's Jazz Blues&Soups. I stopped in around 9:15 to hear the last tune of the first set of their house band, an awesome big band, full trumpets, saxes, bones etc. I waited to hear the next set after their break and the first tune featured a trumpet player whose sound I recognized. BB's is small place and the band was tucked into a small space in the back and I couldn't make out the trumper player until he came out to lead the band on the next tune . . . just Maynard Ferguson sittin' in with the house band! My 2cents . . . the house band at BB's was awesome.

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            3. by Mactenor
              (102 posts)

              18 years ago

              Re: Big Band Discussion

              Stan Kenton in his "Balboa Bash" period. "Intermission Riff" with tenor solo by Vido Musso "Elegy for Alto" featuring the great Lee Konitz and all of the other great sax players that were with Kenton over the years.... Artie Pepper Lenny Niehaus Jimmy Giuffre Bill Holman Bob Gioga Bud Shank many, many others Best Regards Mactenor

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