Tenor Saxophone Poll

[DrJ]

Hawk, the grandaddy. Even Lester, great as he was, honed his distinctive sound as a foil to the Hawkins sound. What Hawkins did was staggering.

Still, like many here, I don't listen to Hawk as much as many of the others listed. So in the category of great tenor artists that I never tire of listening to, wanted to put in a plug for Ben Webster - one of the most imminently accessible yet truly great musicians there ever was - Lucky Thompson (my sentimental favorite for this poll), and Stan Getz, who few seem to mention in such competitions but who created a way heavenly sound.

[Soul Stream]

Gene Ammons.

[marcoliv]

Hi!

easy poll for me, Dexter got my vote

besides the fact that he is a greatest musician, we should remember how good he was acting on a movie

peace

Marcus Oliveira

[Eric]

Went with Trane - a no-brainer for me. I happen to be on vacation and brought Live at the VV - Complete with me. Amazing - still so fresh sounding. For me, Coltrane had the passion and drive like no other - plus I love his tone.

Eric

[EKE BBB]

HAWK.

And very close to him, PREZ and TRANE.

[Rooster_Ties]

By the way, I really appreciate Joe Henderson's name even being included in this poll.

I realize he's not going to be a big vote-getter, and I couldn't even vote for him (nor has anyone else), but I do absolutely consider him to be in the same ball-park with all the great tenor players. He may not be the "objective best" tenor-player ever, but I suspect he will always be my personal favorite tenor player.

[Bright Moments]

hawk. for sure! B-)

[mmilovan]

It’s Pres for me that fits in all categories mentioned in thread starter. It is simply amazing how many people he influenced, and not only they were saxophonists (the list includes everyone from Bird, Trane, Konitz, Sonny, Dex, Ammons, Getz, Zoot Cohn to Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter and (before while ago I figured that) Eddie Harris, but (even more often) guitarists (Christian, Kessel, Jim Hall and others), trumpet players (Miles), trombonists (J. J. Johnson), vocalists (Billie, Sylvia Syms) and so on... All of them admitted Pres as his main influence. The wonderful one came from Charlie Christian - as told to Jerry Jerome – the interviewer asked Jerry something like this: “... and... and... was Charlie influenced by Bird... by Armstrong... did he say something... whom... whom that was...., and Jerome shortly answered “Lester Young”.

Lester is not one of most influential musicians of all time, but probably one of them greatest and, what is the most important – not widely recognized as such (probably only in musicians circles, general audience rarely heard about him). He perfectly fits into thread categories, and he is mine favourite, too. He had some special “aura” around him, don’t know what it is. Kind of musical magic.

[cannonball-addict]

Gotta go with the Trane....

[dsgtrane]

Trane

[Alon Marcus]

Not to be too difficult, but where's Bird?  I know, I know, start my own poll  B)

Make that an alto sax poll, I'll vote for Bird anyway ...

Bird played tenor in Earl Hines' band in 1944. I wonder what he sounded like.

[Big Wheel]

I dunno what he sounded like then but you can hear for yourself what he sounded like about a decade later on this here Miles Davis record.

[danasgoodstuff]

I think Ayler shoulda been on this pole, don't know that I woulda voted for him but he was the most Albertian tenor ever...

[king ubu]

I think Ayler shoulda been on this pole, don't know that I woulda voted for him but he was the most Albertian tenor ever...

Uncle Albert?

ubu B-)

[tooter]

I voted for Stan Getz just to buck the trend - didn't like to think of him not getting any votes in that company so made sure of at least one. But I had company anyway.

[BruceH]

No Tina Brooks?

[EKE BBB]

No Tina Brooks?

No Hank Mobley?