Overlooked Saxophonists

[JSngry]

Yeah, right?

Quite apart from that, though, I do recommend these interviews of his: http://melmartin.com/html_pages/interviews.html

Some examples:

 

• Benny Carter
• Benny Golson
• Benny Powell
• Billy Pierce
• Bobby Watson
• Charles McPherson
• Frank Foster
• James Moody
• Joe Henderson
• Johnny Griffin
• Lee Konitz 10 Step Method
• Mel Martin (SJ)
• Mel Martin Interview w/ The Novato Advance 9/26/01
• New Mel Martin Interview w/ Novato Advance 7/7/04
• Mel Martin (Bell)
• Rufus Reid
• Stan Getz
• Steve Lacy
• Wayne Shorter
• Paul Desmond interviews Bird

[clifford_thornton]

has Kalaparusha been mentioned?

I can still hear his tenor sound wafting through the 14th St.-Union Square subway terminal. Nice guy. Had some really rough times.

[Balladeer]

 Bud Freeman (USA)

 Hans Koller, Guy Lafitte, Arne Domnerus (Europe)

 

[Big Beat Steve]

 Bud Freeman (USA)

 Hans Koller, Guy Lafitte, Arne Domnerus (Europe)

 

I agree about Bud Freeman (and what ought to have been his stature in the U.S.,  AFAICS ;)).

But the European ones you mention did receive their fair share of recognition and admiration in the jazz circles of quite a few EUROPEAN countries with a thriving jazz audience, which is just about what you could reasonably expect for a major European jazzman around that time. LASTING jazz stardom in the U.S. at that time (not much later on among collectors) would have been out of reach for most Europeans anyway. (Yes I know about Lars Gullin and his impact on the U.S. scene for a while in the 50s, but what was his LASTING status, I wonder?)

Edited August 29, 2015 by Big Beat Steve

[Joe]

On a more mainstream tip: Jerry Dodgion. Beautiful tone, very versatile player.

 

[johnblitweiler]

has Kalaparusha been mentioned?

I can still hear his tenor sound wafting through the 14th St.-Union Square subway terminal. Nice guy. Had some really rough times.

"Humility in the Light of the Creator" (this is the correct title) is an especially beautiful song as he plays it. Rather than listen to it on Youtube, hear the whole album.

[Balladeer]

 Bud Freeman (USA)

 Hans Koller, Guy Lafitte, Arne Domnerus (Europe)

 

I agree about Bud Freeman (and what ought to have been his stature in the U.S.,  AFAICS ;)).

But the European ones you mention did receive their fair share of recognition and admiration in the jazz circles of quite a few EUROPEAN countries with a thriving jazz audience, which is just about what you could reasonably expect for a major European jazzman around that time. LASTING jazz stardom in the U.S. at that time (not much later on among collectors) would have been out of reach for most Europeans anyway. (Yes I know about Lars Gullin and his impact on the U.S. scene for a while in the 50s, but what was his LASTING status, I wonder?)

Maybe, but I suspect those European saxophonists got some amount of recognition mostly in their home countries.But beyond their borders?

Another candidate from Europe who is rather unknown: Anders Lindskog, excellent tenorist with a fascinating tone.

Listen to his "Fine together" and "Cry me a river", still available - wonderful music!

[Chuck Nessa]

Guy Lafitte should be much better known in the States. At one point I attempted a Lafitte/Eddie Johnson date but....

[clifford_thornton]

Thanks for the reminder. That would've been something to hear.

[Peter Friedman]

I recall hearing the very good Swedish tenor player Nisse Sandstorm at a club in New York in a small group led by Red Mitchell.

Another good Swedish tenor player is Bernt Rosengren.

 

[Big Beat Steve]

I recall hearing the very good Swedish tenor player Nisse Sandstorm at a club in New York in a small group led by Red Mitchell.

SandSTRÖM!

He wasn't quite that tempestuous ...

[danasgoodstuff]

I recall hearing the very good Swedish tenor player Nisse Sandstorm at a club in New York in a small group led by Red Mitchell.

SandSTRÖM!

He wasn't quite that tempestuous ...

I can feel a photoshopped album cover coming on...

[Don Brown]

Wardell Gray

Angelo Tompros

Teddy Edwards

Frank Socolow

[John Tapscott]

Probably mentioned somewhere above

Jesper Thilo

 

 

[jeffcrom]

On 8/1/2015 at 5:23 PM, Niko said:

tried to google John Pierce earlier today and didn't get far, but apparently there's a prominent clarinet mouthpiece bearing his name, the best clarinet mouthpiece for playing Dixieland some argue - so that appears to check...

I know this isn't the main topic of this thread, but -

I've been looking for a John Pierce clarinet mouthpiece for about two years now. Since they are no longer made, they don't often show up, and when they do, they tend to be very expensive. A few weeks ago I searched again, and found one for under $100 (that's on the low end of what a professional quality mouthpiece costs), and snatched it up. I really love it - it has a great sound and lots of volume. I'd say that it's designed for playing jazz in general, not dixieland per se.

[fasstrack]

On 8/29/2015 at 2:34 PM, Joe said:

On a more mainstream tip: Jerry Dodgion. Beautiful tone, very versatile player.

 

Beautiful!

[walt]

Haven't checked to see if he's been mentioned, but, if not.....

 

Steve Potts.

[mrjazzman]

On 8/9/2015 at 6:47 PM, danasgoodstuff said:

Sonny Criss - not totally overlooked, but not fully appreciated either, IMHO.

Sonny Criss overlooked? Are you kidding me

[mrjazzman]

I haven't read everything here. So, if he hasn't been mentioned, here we go. A few years ago I discovered Frank Haynes on a Grant Green set titled "Reaching Out". He's also very good on "Osmosis" by Kenny Dorham, "The Complete One And Two Feet In The Gutter Sessions"  by Dave Bailey, "Les McCann Ltd In New York" by Les McCann. He also worked with Gerald Wilson and Randy Weston........

[paul secor]

I may have missed their names, but Hilton Jefferson and Paul Plummer certainly deserve mention if they haven't received it already.

[Dan Gould]

On 8/31/2015 at 8:25 PM, Chuck Nessa said:

Guy Lafitte should be much better known in the States. At one point I attempted a Lafitte/Eddie Johnson date but....

Just heard two of his Black & Blue dates and a hearty  . Shouldn't have slept on him so long.

[Larry Kart]

13 hours ago, paul secor said:

I may have missed their names, but Hilton Jefferson and Paul Plummer certainly deserve mention if they haven't received it already.

Plummer, post-George Russell, got better and better until he had to stop playing because off dental problems. He's excellent on this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Detroit-Opium-Paul-Plummer-Enyard/dp/B007TNE980/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1476114157&sr=1-5&keywords=ron+enyard

And there at least two more later on with him under Enyard's name.

Plummer and his wife willed $1.9 milliion to the Indiana University jazz program:

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news-archive/21932.html

 

[Scott Dolan]

Daniel Carter and Fredrik Kronkvist.

Two completely differ players and styles, but both criminally overlook, IMO. 

[paul secor]

I don't think his name has been mentioned but, even if it has, it deserves to be mentioned again - Marchel Ivery - a very wonderful tenor sax player.

[Scott Dolan]

Would Ira Sullivan count as being overlooked?