What is Sonny holding?

[Hardbopjazz]

This isn't a tenor or alto. Could it be a soprano sax? 

 

[jazzbo]

Most likely, yes.

With Ron Carter, Al Foster and. . .McCoy Tyner ?

Edited December 14, 2020 by jazzbo

[JSngry]

Milestone Jazzstars. 

[jlhoots]

41 minutes ago, jazzbo said:

Most likely, yes.

With Ron Carter, Al Foster and. . .McCoy Tyner ?

Sure - a curved soprano.

[HutchFan]

I associate curved soprano saxophones with Bob Wilber.  He's the only musician I know who regularly played that type of soprano. 

Wilber claimed that it was easier to keep the curved soprano in tune.  No idea if that's true or not.

 

[Rooster_Ties]

Semi-serious question (really!) — which is more rare...

1) curved sopranos? or...

2 (collectively speaking, meaning both of these together, combined) straight altos and straight tenors?

[Chuck Nessa]

2 hours ago, HutchFan said:

I associate curved soprano saxophones with Bob Wilber.  He's the only musician I know who regularly played that type of soprano. 

Wilber claimed that it was easier to keep the curved soprano in tune.  No idea if that's true or not.

 

Roscoe Mitchell played a curved soprano into the 1980s. He can be seen playing one on the cover of "L-R-G / The Maze / S II Examples".

[HutchFan]

25 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Roscoe Mitchell played a curved soprano into the 1980s. He can be seen playing one on the cover of "L-R-G / The Maze / S II Examples".

Ah!  Didn't think of Roscoe. 

Quite a pair, those two.   

[Chuck Nessa]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

Ah!  Didn't think of Roscoe. 

Quite a pair, those two.   

Roscoe preferred them and abandoned the instrument when parts became difficult.

[clifford_thornton]

Oliver Lake seems to be in that camp as well, although for the most part when I've seen him in recent years he's stuck to the alto.

[bertrand]

Gary Bartz also plays a curved soprano.

[king ubu]

a sammich?

[mikeweil]

A local saxist I played with also plays a curved soprano.

Edited December 15, 2020 by mikeweil

[jazzbo]

I swear I remember seeing Taj Mahal and he played one. . . but I can't find any confirmation online. He did have a band member who played one.

[Hardbopjazz]

Is Gerry Mulligan playing a curved soprano. 
 

[Gheorghe]

Great to see this great photo of the Milestone Jazzstars. 

Their album was one of the highlights of my highschool time since it came out then and was very much discussed.