Greatest Saxophone Player of All Time?
I saw a poll on Sax on the web at today about who the greatest sax player ever is. Here are their results:
| Charlie Parker | 48 | 27.75% |
| Ornette Coleman | 0 | 0% |
| John Coltrane | 38 | 21.97% |
| Brecker | 18 | 10.40% |
| Mule and Rascher | 10 | 5.78% |
| Branford Marsalis | 3 | 1.73% |
| Lester Young | 11 | 6.36% |
| Plas Johnson | 1 | 0.58% |
| Cannonball Adderley | 14 | 8.09% |
So Charlie Parker and John Coltrane get the top two spots. Makes sense. The other players on the list certainly sound great as well. Who do you think should also rank in the top tiers?
A few more contenders I would add to the list of possibilities would be-
Coleman Hawkins
Stanley Turrentine
King Curtis
Joe Henderson
Dexter Gordon
Paul Desmond
Hank Mobley
Eddie Harris
Wayne Shorter
Sonny Rollins
It’s somewhat a question of taste. Charlie Parker and John Coltrane were pioneers of bebop though.
Another question might be who you think the greatest living saxophone player is.
Bob May Said,
August 30, 2008 @ 7:11 am
I really don’t think Brecker was better than Lester Young. That’s absurd. Brecker was a great sax player, but Lester Young had a much stronger influence and was equally, if not more innovative.
And what about Hawk and Rollins ? People are ignoring history.
Mike Cortina Said,
September 7, 2008 @ 10:03 am
Nothing ( no-one)is “absolute”. To say,”this is the best” is to say,”this is my favourite”.
It is a matter of taste and there are many colors from wich to choose.
Thinking & playing fast does not necessarily make you better. ¿ Brain over Heart or Heart over Brain?
I admire M.Brecker and his virtuous dynamics, but then …soulful playing fills my heart…Stan Getz, Archie Shep (check this guy`s embochure & blowing it is so opposed to what`s considered “standard”.
Well, bottom line: I can`t say who`s the best.
Maybe if I took something from each of my favorite sax players i`d come up with my own Frankenstein saxmunster….Ummm…
laudell jackson Said,
September 9, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
what about kenny?
David Thystrup Said,
November 8, 2008 @ 1:32 am
I really don’t know. I dont think, that you can compare these, and tell who is the best. The only thing that matters, is what you like. Charlie Parker had insane improvisation and insane tempos. John Coltrane, who could be my favourite together with Parker, has a lot of feeling in his tone, which is nicely centered. I am not saying, that Parker didn’t had feeling in his tone, but Coltrane just had a bit more, and the other way around with the fast tempo and Parker. These little things makes the difference, i think.
Sonny Rollins should be ranked high at this list. He has something special, especially in his rytmical flow. And yes, where are the great names as Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster and such?
It’s a matter of personal flavour, but i think, that Coltrane and Parker were/are the best. The greatest living could be Rollins, especially if you look at some of the things he made for several years ago.
Just as a last comment, i think that Johnny Hodges is a giant in Big Band-playing. He’s alto sax is perfect for Duke Ellington, and a lot of the things he made by himself is heavily underrated.
D Said,
November 17, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
Stan Getz “The Sound” is easily the best. Of Getz, John Coltrane said “We’d all sound like that . . . if we could.”
Joey Cordless Said,
November 23, 2008 @ 5:10 am
I gotta say, I’m with D Said, Stan Gets is in my opion the greatest! especially the Jobim stuff. Its really very difficult to single out a particular player, alot has to do with personal taste, because lets face it, Coltrane, Parker Brekker are all brilliant in their own right. I really like obscure artists like Buddy Wells, anyone heard of him?
Steve Said,
December 27, 2008 @ 6:44 am
I would have to agree with the majority of you in saying that Coltrane (’Giant Steps’ and ‘My Favourite Things’), Getz (’The Girl from Impanena’) and Parker (’Donna Lee’) were and still are the greatest influences in the Jazz music genre.
Another name to mention would be Cannonball Adderley. If anyone has heard the recordings from the album ‘Something Else,’ the rythmic depth to his playing and broad scope of dynamics (along with Miles Davis’ playing) create some real musical treats such as ‘One for Daddy-O’ and ‘Autumn Leaves.’