Guest Chaney Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 I've just received (but haven't yet listened to) Sonny Simmons "Solo: Out Into The Andromeda" and Anthony Braxton "Solo (NYC) 2002" - both on parallactic. I've been listening to and enjoying IMMENSELY Gianni Gebbia's "Arcana Major / Sonic Tarots Session" on Rastascan. I'm wondering if you folks can offer any recommendations as to other solo sax offerings? - or ANY solo works, if you like. Any favorites? Thanks! Quote
kulu se mama Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 i really like "the solo album" by sonny rollins on milestone. 2 cuts both about 28 minutes in length (or 1 side of an lp each). Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Beyond Braxton and Lacy (more solo recordings than I can digest and be coherent)my favorites remain Evan Parker's Monoceros (direct to disc lp) and the "live" solo portions of Roscoe's Nonaah on my label. Don't know if the Parker is on cd and to my shame, Roscoe's is not. In another thread I sang the praises of RM's Sound Songs, and repeat that recommendation here. I'm sure I'll think of others later......... Quote
Joe Christmas Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Haven't heard the Monoceros disc Chuck mentioned, though it consistently gets the praises. His more recent LINES BURNT IN LIGHT is quite enjoyable, as is SIX OF ONE. Both are readily available. I am loopy about Joe McPhee's AS SERIOUS AS YOUR LIFE. FOR ALTO is a common favorite of Braxton's, but if you can find a copy of WESLEYAN (12 ALTOSOLOS), jump! Quote
Late Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Monoceros is out on disc, through the Chronoscope label. Damn, that's your favorite Chuck? I certainly like it, but ... whooee. Some of the most intense saxophone playing ever, I'd say. Ear-shredding and transcendental all at the same time. Not for the timid, and even for the adventurous I'd say that it requires the utmost attention to "hear" what Parker's going after. To illuminate: it can fuck a person up. I haven't heard McPhee's As Serious as Your Life, but I'm a big fan of Tenor & Fallen Angels. This was my entry into McPhee's musical world, and I've been continually rewarded ever since. I personally think there should be a listening mandate when it comes to checking out the unaccompanied saxophone: Coleman Hawkins' recording of his self-penned "Picasso." This, I believe, is where the "solo" saxophone begins. Recorded when Charlie Parker was still a teenager, I'd say that this is some of the most essential music in the saxophone canon. Hawk's solo is just gorgeous, and, at least for me, truly beyond description. The best sounding version that I know of is on the two-disc The Jazz Scene, which Verve put some time ago. Pour a glass of red, dim the lights, sit back, and put that puppy on repeat. Changes, with no changes-playing instrument behind him, come pouring out of the tenor's bell. Quote
EKE BBB Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Yeah, "Picasso", made for Norman Granz on 1948 (or was it 1949?) was a turning point. One of my favorite solo sax ever! Before this recording, Hawk made a previous attempt called "Hawk´s variations, part 1&2". You can find it in the Ocium release "The Hollywood sessions". Recording date is discussed: 1945 or 1947. Quote
Gary Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 (edited) i agree with the previous recommendations for these two by Joe McPhee , I bought Tenor a few months ago & instantly wanted more. You may also want to give Furniture music by Ken Vandermark a go also - its inspired by the works of Mcphee & Evan Parker. Edited November 14, 2003 by Gary Quote
mikeweil Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Billy Pierce did two nice saxophone solos on his 1991 Sunnyside CD "One for Chuck", "Solar" and "I'm getting sentimenatl over you". Quote
mikeweil Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Forgot there is a Lucky Thompson solo on his Candid CD, where he switches back and forth between tenor and soprano. Quote
king ubu Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 SAM RIVERS - PORTRAIT (FMP, rec 1995) He plays some flute and piano, too, and uses his voice to bridge the "gaps" when he changes his instrument. great, great, great, great! ubu Quote
DrJ Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Braxton FOR ALTO Not a full recording of solo sax, but I have always loved Eric Dolphy's solo flight on "Tenderly" (from the Prestige recording FAR CRY). Quote
Gary Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Ive been on the verge of buying 'For Alto' for the last couple of months now . it looks like its worth taking the plunge. Theres a big gap in the 'BRAX' section of my collection thats beckoning me to fill it - For Alto sounds like a good place to start. Quote
.:.impossible Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 I was going to make the same recommendations that Joe Christmas and Late made. Joe McPhee .:. Tenor & Fallen Angels Joe McPhee .:. As Serious As Your Life Evan Parker .:. Lines Burnt In Light These are amazing. Quote
Aggie87 Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Steve Lacy - "Sands" on Tzadik - Interesting disc, it's Lacy just sitting at home playing. He's also got a live solo set on HatHut called "Clinkers" from '77 that is pretty good! Quote
king ubu Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Lacy will play here in two weeks. Solo. Will go there if I can! ubu Quote
ralphie_boy Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Ive been on the verge of buying 'For Alto' for the last couple of months now . it looks like its worth taking the plunge. Theres a big gap in the 'BRAX' section of my collection thats beckoning me to fill it - For Alto sounds like a good place to start. Some of it's very intense, but definitely worth checking out. Quote
J.A.W. Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 An additional recommendation: Evan Parker - Chicago Solo - Okka 12017 Quote
Late Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 (edited) Here are three — actually my favorite, in order — solo Lacy recommendations: Remains; 1991: hatART Actuality; 1995: Cavity Search; recorded live at The Old Church, Portland, Oregon Clinkers; 1979: hatOLOGY (This is the original vinyl cover; I only have the compact disc.) I like Braxton's For Alto, but it's actually not a disc I return to with any frequency. While the recording does pay its fair share of dividends, it also seems to require a fair amount, and sometimes large amount, of patience on the listener's behalf. While not solo saxophone, though one of my favorite solo recitals ever, and one that I always recommend to fans of "free improvisation" music, is Peter Kowald's Was Da Ist on FMP. Amazing. Edited November 14, 2003 by Late Quote
king ubu Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 No one has the Rivers or (I hardly dare thinking this!) no one LIKES it? ubu Quote
J.A.W. Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 (edited) No one has the Rivers or (I hardly dare thinking this!) no one LIKES it? ubu I'm a Rivers fan, but vocalizing gives me the creeps, so... A few months ago I tried to get rid of Urs Leimgruber's hatOLOGY CD No Try No Fail because of Joëlle Léandre's (admittedly short) vocalizing on one track, but fortunately Tony ("Chaney") talked me into keeping it, since the rest of album is great. Her vocalizing still turns my stomach, though... Edited November 14, 2003 by J.A.W. Quote
king ubu Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Hans, it's just segments of say 10 seconds, which he hums (or whatever you may call this, but "sing" would certainly be an exaggeration) while changing instruments. Nothing to worry about! And it's a great album in my opinion. ubu Quote
Guest Chaney Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Maybe Rivers should have stuck a kazoo in his mouth while changing instruments? B) Thanks for the recommendations everyone. Keep 'em coming! I'm taking notes! Quote
J.A.W. Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Maybe Rivers should have stuck a kazoo in his mouth while changing instruments? B) Did you ever hear bluesman Tampa Red's late 1930s Bluebird recordings where he's "kazoo-ing" so abundantly? I did, and I almost lost the will to live... Quote
Guest Chaney Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Did you ever hear bluesman Tampa Red's late 1930s Bluebird recordings where he's "kazoo-ing" so abundantly? I did, and I almost lost the will to live... Can't say that I've had the... ( ) pleasure. Quote
Adam Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 While not solo saxophone, though one of my favorite solo recitals ever, and one that I always recommend to fans of "free improvisation" music, is Peter Kowald's Was Da Ist on FMP. Amazing. I also love this Kowald CD. As long as we are taking a tangent into solo bass, I also like Eberhard Weber's "Pendulum" on ECM. Quote
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