baritone sax

[Big Beat Steve]

Mats Gustafsson was mentioned *after* Lars Gullin and none of us are upset

No, why? He came along AFTER Gullin, didn't he?

[danasgoodstuff]

James Carter plays Bari (and Bass!) sax effectively on his Django tribute, Chasin' the Gypsy.

[Steve Reynolds]

Mats Gustafsson was mentioned *after* Lars Gullin and none of us are upset

No, why? He came along AFTER Gullin, didn't he?

So he is automatically less important? And/or less of a baritone saxophonist?

[Leeway]

Tim Berne is better known for his alto, but he has played and recorded with the bari too, usually in tandem with the alto.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbpJDwP38Us

[Big Beat Steve]

Mats Gustafsson was mentioned *after* Lars Gullin and none of us are upset

No, why? He came along AFTER Gullin, didn't he?

So he is automatically less important? And/or less of a baritone saxophonist?

My .... who says he is less important? Do you actually, really expect EVERYBODY here to rattle off the same who's who of baritone saxists of close to 100 years of jazz all alike?

Each and everybody names his personal favorites of the styles of jazz he prefers and listens to most intently, not more, not less.

There may be lots of deserving musicians who are off the radar to some but it is not always the same musicians that are off the radar (luckily ...).

Remember the recommendations that the thread starter asked for always boil down to very personal matters and judgments. It is not (or should not be) about finger wagging of "you MUST listen to this (or that) one or else you are nowhere ..." It is only the SUM of all recommendations that fleshes out the picture.

Besides, how many smiles does one have to put up to show the tone of a message?

So PLEASE, relax, OK? ... ;)

Edited October 28, 2014 by Big Beat Steve

[l p]

kenny rogers

http://www.discogs.com/artist/754750-Kenny-Rodgers?type=Credits&subtype=Instruments-Performance

[JSngry]

You know who was a helluva bari player (and tenor player also)?

Mario Rivera.

And some more love for Charles Tyler, never enough love for Charles Tyler.

I'll tell you who's a fine player but who I just don't have the personal use for is that Gary Smuylan guy, for starters. I just don't have the personal use for a lot of "today's" players, no matter what ilk of which they might be. Starting to dig basson more, except at the bottom end of a section, not sure a bassoon gets it done, can't see Doc Kupka on a basson. But otherwise.

Dale Fielder, that's another guy who makes "a lot" of records, and I'm like, ok, and so?

So, I recommend that you do not listen to Gary Smuylan and Dale Fielder, separately or togetherly. Why? Because I don't think you should, simple as that.

Or Lars Gullin, either, for that matter, it'll get you nowhere except right back there. If that's where you want to be, then you're already there! I'll take a Mulligan, and then with pen in hand more than with horn in mouth.

Now Charles Davis, yes, listen to Charles Davis, he will grow your hair and improve you ability to have the sex life.

I thought fathead kicked ass on bari until I heard hog.

Play a Warne Marsh record at half-speed, ok, that ends it all. Or any tenor player. Or hand your favorite foo-foo alotists a bari and show them that yes, there is manhood in Bb, deal with it.

I liked Bruce Johnstone with Maynard, when I was a kid, hey sounded like Jug. Ok, "sounded" like Jug. But heart in right place, credit allowed for.

Ok, who else has played bari, let's get them named.

But young Ronnie Cuber, geesus, that guy was nails. He got older and remained excellent, but not as dangerously so.

[danasgoodstuff]

and that dude who played bari for Motown (which they used more often than tenor, IIRC) - he rocked!

[Larry Kart]

Or Lars Gullin, either, for that matter, it'll get you nowhere except right back there. If that's where you want to be, then you're already there! I'll take a Mulligan, and then with pen in hand more than with horn in mouth.

Or hand your favorite foo-foo alotists a bari and show them that yes, there is manhood in Bb, deal with it.

About the altoists, I was listening the other day to Bud Shank on bari on "New Groove" and "Slippery When Wet." On bari all the foo-foo is gone, though Bud's alto work on those dates is also far less foo-foo-ish than it was a few years before, and without the IMO artificial, edgy hotness of latter-day Shank, where it kind of sounds like he's trying to be Phil Woods.. Also, there's a track or two on alto there (e.g. "The Awakening") where I'd bet that Bud had listened some in passing to Ornette's two Contemporary albums, especially the first one.

About Gullin, I don't know what you mean by "it'll get you nowhere except right back there." That Gullin has no notable musical offspring? If so, so what? Where he was was gorgeous.

[JSngry]

Gorgeous in the stand there and look at it and say, my isn't that gorgeous sense, yeah, sure. But not in the sense of a gorgeous shrimp chile relleno.

Enough pettifoolery, let's get back to naming all people who have played baritone sax, as well as some who still do!

[king ubu]

I guess I need a new signature: "Now Charles Davis, yes, listen to Charles Davis, he will grow your hair and improve you ability to have the sex life."

And hellyeah for Gullin! :tup

Was just shooting a quick post whilst at work and had to mention Chaloff most of all ... though I've not connected with "Boston Blow Up" nearly as much as with "Blue Serge", which is a big favourite of mine. Definitely has a lot to do with the rhythm section: Sonny Clark and Philly Joe are favourites, and Leroy Vinnegar is indeed jazz' great walker and brings ounzes of good feeling wherever he treads.

[JSngry]

Charles Davis, man, that cat had pitch that was about as flat in tune as you can get and still be in tune. And he kinda huffed his phrases, but very distinctly so.

Charles Davis on bari, now there was a voice, ok? I dig his tenor playing too, but on bari, one note, and ok, that's Charles Davis. No that "might be" Charles Davis, ya' know?

I'm reaching for the comb just writing this. Play me some Hog and I will need a haircut!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Have fun with this: http://jazzbarisax.com/baritone-saxophonists/

I listen to a lot of bari sax. Nick Brignola, Pepper Adams and Gary Smulyan make it onto my CD player often. Leo Parker's two Blue Notes are very nice. Ronnie Cuber, Serge Chaloff, Claire Daly, Lars Gullen, Cecil Payne, James Carter and Geryy Mulligan all get some air time too.

But Mats Gustafsson? Nope. Not for me at all. Stuff like this just isn't very enjoyable for me:

Edited October 28, 2014 by Kevin Bresnahan

[king ubu]

Charles Davis, man, that cat had pitch that was about as flat in tune as you can get and still be in tune. And he kinda huffed his phrases, but very distinctly so.

Charles Davis on bari, now there was a voice, ok? I dig his tenor playing too, but on bari, one note, and ok, that's Charles Davis. No that "might be" Charles Davis, ya' know?

I'm reaching for the comb just writing this. Play me some Hog and I will need a haircut!

Thanks for elaborating! I don't really know his playing all that well yet ... any particular recommendations? Time to dig up that last Mobley rekkid again, I think ... what else?

[JSngry]

That THING band sounds pretty damn good to me, but I find that I enjoy that type of expression more either playing it or hearing it live than I do just sitting here staring at a monitor or staring into space listening to a record player. It's like, there's no such thing as partial absorption of this type of energy, it either goes right into you or else it goes right around you, it's not an energy that will entertain the notion of partial engagement.

Jack Washington, hello!

[JSngry]

Charles Davis, man, that cat had pitch that was about as flat in tune as you can get and still be in tune. And he kinda huffed his phrases, but very distinctly so.

Charles Davis on bari, now there was a voice, ok? I dig his tenor playing too, but on bari, one note, and ok, that's Charles Davis. No that "might be" Charles Davis, ya' know?

I'm reaching for the comb just writing this. Play me some Hog and I will need a haircut!

Thanks for elaborating! I don't really know his playing all that well yet ... any particular recommendations? Time to dig up that last Mobley rekkid again, I think ... what else?

Joe's recs of the KD Time & Jaro (did he hit both of those?) & Steve Lacy Candid are spot-on, and for later work, try Super 80 on Nilva. The Mobley album is great, imo, butnot in the manner of GREAT, if you know what I mean, more like, oh look mommy, that man is pissing on the wall, and it's ok baby, that man is a genius who's just had a hard time, but mommy, it' still piss, yes baby, it is, but it is GOD'S piss, gee mommy are you drunk, don't ask baby, lust keep walking, mommy's got to see this man over here, I'll be right back, mommy, are you having a hard time too, yes baby, Mommy's having a hard time, everybody has hard times, and when we do, we piss on walls sometimes sometimes we get out of room. So if you have an aversion to seeing geniuses piss on walls because they're peoples who are out of rooms, hey, this will NOT be the record for you, ok?. Me, I love it for the blood, which is kinda like piss when it comes out like this.

You can also get him on a lot of early Ra things, and Elvin's Illumination! the cat was never "high profile" for whatever reasons, but he was there, and he could play.

[Joe]

Charles Davis, man, that cat had pitch that was about as flat in tune as you can get and still be in tune. And he kinda huffed his phrases, but very distinctly so.

Charles Davis on bari, now there was a voice, ok? I dig his tenor playing too, but on bari, one note, and ok, that's Charles Davis. No that "might be" Charles Davis, ya' know?

I'm reaching for the comb just writing this. Play me some Hog and I will need a haircut!

Thanks for elaborating! I don't really know his playing all that well yet ... any particular recommendations? Time to dig up that last Mobley rekkid again, I think ... what else?

Joe's recs of the KD Time & Jaro (did he hit both of those?) & Steve Lacy Candid are spot-on, and for later work, try Super 80 on Nilva. The Mobley album is great, imo, butnot in the manner of GREAT, if you know what I mean, more like, oh look mommy, that man is pissing on the wall, and it's ok baby, that man is a genius who's just had a hard time, but mommy, it' still piss, yes baby, it is, but it is GOD'S piss, gee mommy are you drunk, don't ask baby, lust keep walking, mommy's got to see this man over here, I'll be right back, mommy, are you having a hard time too, yes baby, Mommy's having a hard time, everybody has hard times, and when we do, we piss on walls sometimes sometimes we get out of room. So if you have an aversion to seeing geniuses piss on walls because they're peoples who are out of rooms, hey, this will NOT be the record for you, ok?. Me, I love it for the blood, which is kinda like piss when it comes out like this.

You can also get him on a lot of early Ra things, and Elvin's Illumination! the cat was never "high profile" for whatever reasons, but he was there, and he could play.

I forgot the Jaro date, somehow. And the Nilva, which I've never seen or heard. Got to remedy that.

http://www.charlesdavis.biz/recordings.html

[B. Clugston]

Charles Davis, man, that cat had pitch that was about as flat in tune as you can get and still be in tune. And he kinda huffed his phrases, but very distinctly so.

Charles Davis on bari, now there was a voice, ok? I dig his tenor playing too, but on bari, one note, and ok, that's Charles Davis. No that "might be" Charles Davis, ya' know?

I'm reaching for the comb just writing this. Play me some Hog and I will need a haircut!

Thanks for elaborating! I don't really know his playing all that well yet ... any particular recommendations? Time to dig up that last Mobley rekkid again, I think ... what else?

Joe's recs of the KD Time & Jaro (did he hit both of those?) & Steve Lacy Candid are spot-on, and for later work, try Super 80 on Nilva. The Mobley album is great, imo, butnot in the manner of GREAT, if you know what I mean, more like, oh look mommy, that man is pissing on the wall, and it's ok baby, that man is a genius who's just had a hard time, but mommy, it' still piss, yes baby, it is, but it is GOD'S piss, gee mommy are you drunk, don't ask baby, lust keep walking, mommy's got to see this man over here, I'll be right back, mommy, are you having a hard time too, yes baby, Mommy's having a hard time, everybody has hard times, and when we do, we piss on walls sometimes sometimes we get out of room. So if you have an aversion to seeing geniuses piss on walls because they're peoples who are out of rooms, hey, this will NOT be the record for you, ok?. Me, I love it for the blood, which is kinda like piss when it comes out like this.

You can also get him on a lot of early Ra things, and Elvin's Illumination! the cat was never "high profile" for whatever reasons, but he was there, and he could play.

Davis is great with Abdullah Ibrahim's Ekaya band, too.

[Steve Reynolds]

Have fun with this: http://jazzbarisax.com/baritone-saxophonists/

I listen to a lot of bari sax. Nick Brignola, Pepper Adams and Gary Smulyan make it onto my CD player often. Leo Parker's two Blue Notes are very nice. Ronnie Cuber, Serge Chaloff, Claire Daly, Lars Gullen, Cecil Payne, James Carter and Geryy Mulligan all get some air time too.

But Mats Gustafsson? Nope. Not for me at all. Stuff like this just isn't very enjoyable for me:

Glad you posted this clip.

For me, this is as good as modern free improvisation/skronk gets - the addition of the *great* Barry Guy is a very unusual yet successful addition to the trio.

[Larry Kart]

Charles Davis, man, that cat had pitch that was about as flat in tune as you can get and still be in tune. And he kinda huffed his phrases, but very distinctly so.

Charles Davis on bari, now there was a voice, ok? I dig his tenor playing too, but on bari, one note, and ok, that's Charles Davis. No that "might be" Charles Davis, ya' know?

I'm reaching for the comb just writing this. Play me some Hog and I will need a haircut!

I spent some time with Davis in NYC a few years ago -- was there with a then (for a brief time) girlfriend whose cousin was Davis' wife. Terrific guy -- we all went to a Spanish restaurant in the Village, and did he ever do some damage to an order of paella. Then we went to Smalls to catch IIRC Warren Vache.

Davis' "Blue Gardenia" (2003), with Cedar Walton, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth, is a gem.

[Joe]

Davis also made a fine date with Julian Priester for Jazzland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67a9VODYdtc

To call this collection of talent "interesting" strikes as something of an understatement.

[king ubu]

Charles Davis, man, that cat had pitch that was about as flat in tune as you can get and still be in tune. And he kinda huffed his phrases, but very distinctly so.

Charles Davis on bari, now there was a voice, ok? I dig his tenor playing too, but on bari, one note, and ok, that's Charles Davis. No that "might be" Charles Davis, ya' know?

I'm reaching for the comb just writing this. Play me some Hog and I will need a haircut!

Thanks for elaborating! I don't really know his playing all that well yet ... any particular recommendations? Time to dig up that last Mobley rekkid again, I think ... what else?

Joe's recs of the KD Time & Jaro (did he hit both of those?) & Steve Lacy Candid are spot-on, and for later work, try Super 80 on Nilva. The Mobley album is great, imo, butnot in the manner of GREAT, if you know what I mean, more like, oh look mommy, that man is pissing on the wall, and it's ok baby, that man is a genius who's just had a hard time, but mommy, it' still piss, yes baby, it is, but it is GOD'S piss, gee mommy are you drunk, don't ask baby, lust keep walking, mommy's got to see this man over here, I'll be right back, mommy, are you having a hard time too, yes baby, Mommy's having a hard time, everybody has hard times, and when we do, we piss on walls sometimes sometimes we get out of room. So if you have an aversion to seeing geniuses piss on walls because they're peoples who are out of rooms, hey, this will NOT be the record for you, ok?. Me, I love it for the blood, which is kinda like piss when it comes out like this.

You can also get him on a lot of early Ra things, and Elvin's Illumination! the cat was never "high profile" for whatever reasons, but he was there, and he could play.

I forgot the Jaro date, somehow. And the Nilva, which I've never seen or heard. Got to remedy that.

http://www.charlesdavis.biz/recordings.html

Okay, definitely got to listen with my ears attuned! Thanks much guys!

And yeah, with Ibrahim I've heard him, I mean I really did hear him on at least one of those albums - how could I forget? But I never seem to have hooked up on the same level with his early stuff ... but then the KDs are fairly recent arrivals and haven't really been explored to any extent yet - and the Lacy Candid, while having been part of this household for a dozen years, hasn't really clicked so far. Maybe this is the moment ... will dig up and play one of the KDs right now as I sail off into night

[Larry Kart]

Gil Melle. He sure sounded like no other bari player. And he also is the man who brought Rudy Van Gelder and Alfred Lion together:

[paul secor]

Harry Carney was mentioned in the opening post and I'll mention him again. Baritone didn't get any better.

[Leeway]

Have fun with this: http://jazzbarisax.com/baritone-saxophonists/

I listen to a lot of bari sax. Nick Brignola, Pepper Adams and Gary Smulyan make it onto my CD player often. Leo Parker's two Blue Notes are very nice. Ronnie Cuber, Serge Chaloff, Claire Daly, Lars Gullen, Cecil Payne, James Carter and Geryy Mulligan all get some air time too.

But Mats Gustafsson? Nope. Not for me at all. Stuff like this just isn't very enjoyable for me:

Glad you posted this clip.

For me, this is as good as modern free improvisation/skronk gets - the addition of the *great* Barry Guy is a very unusual yet successful addition to the trio.

The funny thing too is that Mats is a big fan of Lars Gullin. Check out "Torturing the Saxophone" and the Swedish Azz albums. And not just on record. When I saw Swedish Azz in Philly, Mats talked about Lars. Personally, I love Mats bari playing; it's like a bayonet charge.