Jazz has been played on nearly any instrument one can name – anything – and everything – from accordion to zither. But, perhaps the predominant instrument is one invented/developed by a Belgian instrument maker, Adolphe Sax and patented almost 170 years ago in 1846. It was originally designed for orchestras, concert bands and marching bands, but today it defines – and is defined by – Jazz.
And that instrument is, of course, the saxophone.
The early days of Jazz at the beginning of the 20th century saw little of the sax, though they existed and were played. Sidney Bechet (soprano) is probably the best know of the early sax men.
Nearly all agree that we owe the almost overwhelming presence of the tenor sax to the Hawk – Coleman Hawkins. I think it fair to say that his style and skills influence all current tenor players.
Hawkins was active from the late ‘20s into the ‘60s, one of the few Jazz musicians from the pre-swing era that comfortably moved, with style and grace, into the bebop era. Indeed, it can be argued that he helped birth bebop.
The tenor is not the only sax that is regularly heard in Jazz. The alto is nearly as popular, followed by the soprano a distant third. A search the Manieri collection at the Anacortes Library will bring up over two hundred references to ‘Sax’; over twenty for ‘Baritone Sax’ – and even one for ‘Bass Sax’. While recordings do exist, I found no references to other types of Saxophones in the library collection. The others range from the 12 inch Sopranissimo to the 7 foot Subcontra Bass.
Here’s a short video of the latter being played: