Halfway through the writing of this post, I learned that Jean-Marie Londeix had passed away at the age of ninety-two. I was deep into two resources which I regard as saxophone encyclopedias; trustworthy tomes that I find myself drawn back to again and again. The first is Londeix’s 2003 version of A Comprehensive Guide to […]
Intonation
Pump Up The Jam
And now…drum roll please…some tips from my GREATEST STUDENTS! I’m talking la crème de la crème, a small pool of high achievers who consistently amazed me with their exceptional abilities. Their skills were so good, so consistently solid, I was left slightly in awe. Now, none of these students were practice maniacs. Far from it. […]
Good Vibrations
Generally speaking, I agree with Leonardo da Vinci that, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” But sometimes a note just needs a little something-something, that je ne said quoi to highlight its function in the musical line. Love it or loathe it, vibrato is often the tool for the job. Interested Student: “What is vibrato?” Teacher […]
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
Ballpoint pens: essential or obsolete? In the olden days they were everywhere: at the dentist’s office, the automobile repair shop, heck, they even had a box at the reception desk of your hotel. Yes—je suis désolé—my travelling style is more Holiday Inn than George V. (Perhaps, instead of pens, they provide their worthy patrons with […]