Solo Saxophone

[medjuck]

1 hour ago, rostasi said:

Not sure of the correctness of this...

For Alto is a jazz double-LP by composer/multi-reedist Anthony Braxton, recorded in 1969 and released on Delmark Records in 1971.^[1][2] Braxton performs the pieces on this album entirely on alto saxophone, with no additional musicians, instrumentation or overdubbing. Although other jazz musicians, such as Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, and Eric Dolphy, had recorded unaccompanied saxophone solos,^[3] For Alto  was the first jazz album composed solely of solo saxophone music.^[4]

^{But it references this book as having said that:}

I saw Braxton give a solo concert in Toronto. Can't remember what date but late '60s or early '70s.

[clifford_thornton]

I believe it to be correct, at least in the improvised music idiom. Lacy's solo LPs/recitals were directly inspired by Braxton, as I understand it. Parker, McPhee, Mitchell, Abe, Hemphill, Lake, Brown... all of those came later.

The Hawkins soli were released on shellac 10"s and I'd call those EPs at most, not albums. The Hawkins on Asch is essential material, IMO.

[Chuck Nessa]

Solo performance was encouraged from the earliest days of the AACM. Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors and Roscoe Mitchell recorded solos for my label in 1968. Braxton took the ball and ran with it in the next year.

[mhatta]

Come to think of it, Charlie Parker's first 'recording' was a solo saxophone - could it be a Hawk influence?  Anyway he plays "Body & Soul"...

 

[mikeweil]

Something different, from baroque to Branford Marsalis:

[T.D.]

These Takagi boxes have been marked down to more reasonable levels at DG:

I got the first one (at higher price) some time ago and enjoy/recommend it. Passed (and continue to) on the second (mostly duets) because the 3d disc of 3 is solo bass.