Today's JAZZ playlist

The Barry Harris Trio
Magnificent!

Recorded (RCA Studios, New York City) 1969
Released (Prestige LP) 1970
Remastered (OJC/Prestige CD) 1999

Barry Harris (piano)
Ron Carter (bass)
Leroy Williams (drums)

R-7743985-1447875100-4257.jpeg.jpg
 
Yes, I played for just over two years in my 20s and was pretty good. Not solo performance quality but I could have played in an amateur band (3rd or 4th chair). I have a bead on a used Yamaha Sax for a very good price that's recently been completely reconditioned. I may invest in that in the near future.

Well, if you've had lessons on the fundamentals and played before, then you know what to practice, and how to practice, and that's half the battle right there -- the other half being the actual practicing. ;) Well, that's actually a lot more than half, but tons of practicing is of limited benefit to someone who doesn't know what or how to practice. ;)

The Yamaha horns are quite good; there are lots of them out there because there were lots of them sold, and that's because they're solid, reliable horns, and they're easily fixed if they ever have a problem, which is not that often.

I find the Xaphoon easier than the Sax because it has very few holes compared to keys on a Sax, and it's very similar in fingering to a Soprano Recorder that I played for years as a kid and never forgot.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that, like a recorder, to be able to play all the accidentals, you have to play some with holes partially covered, and it's not easy to do this with good intonation.

I've also experimented with Alto reeds on the Xaphoon. They work, you just have to make sure you have them perfectly aligned in the ligature as they barely cover the mouthpiece reed opening. They give it a sweeter tone. But you can't get the Xaphoon to "growl" very well with an Alto reed. However, the lower registers are sweeter (if that's your preference), so it's a trade-off. The Xaphoon will growl quite well on a tune like "Yakity Sax" if you push it with the traditional Tenor reed. It's an amazing little instrument. I'm quite pleased and surprised. Almost to the point of being blown away.

For its size and its price, it's a pretty remarkable instrument. It also has a unique timbre, sort of somewhere between a soprano sax and the low end of a B flat clarinet.
 
The Barry Harris Trio
Magnificent!

Recorded (RCA Studios, New York City) 1969
Released (Prestige LP) 1970
Remastered (OJC/Prestige CD) 1999

Barry Harris (piano)
Ron Carter (bass)
Leroy Williams (drums)

R-7743985-1447875100-4257.jpeg.jpg

Barry's playing on this is so great. That version of "These Foolish Things" is really something. The song "Sun Dance" used to be his sign-off tune before he started playing "Nascimento". And what's the first tune on the second side again? It's so great. "Just Open Your Heart".
 
More work today with the Xaphoon (the pocket Sax). I'm repeatedly amazed at how easy it is to play and how big the sound is for such a little instrument.

I ordered a synthetic reed from Amazon and it's amazing. The Xaphoon takes a TENOR Sax Reed and I like the 1.5 stiffness. Back when I dabbled in Alto Sax, there were no synthetic reeds. It's nice having a reed that needs no soaking, withstands a lot of abuse, won't split, chip, splinter or tear, and lasts an extremely long time. It's so nice just being able to grab the instrument and immediately PLAY without having to fuss with the reed.

Early synthetic reeds were just plastic, but the new ones are aerospace composite compounds and perform at very high levels without fail. Unlike cane (wood) reeds, they have no bell curve of sweet play. They sound great from the moment you start blowing to the time when they finally need to be replaced. No issues with changes in humidity and/or barometric pressure. To clean them you just rinse them under hot water, and they are good as new. You can't do that with cane. Technology can be a wonderful thing. Yes, they cost 10 times as much as cane reeds, but they last 10 times as long with no hiccups or other issues like break in and bell curve sweetness. Plus you have no "duds". Goofing with cane reeds was the biggest bugaboo I had with playing Sax.

This one's for @jgannon - Sinatra's "My Way" on the Xaphoon. A big warehouse is perfect for natural reverb. I guess that's why most of us play in the bathroom. :)



Play it again, Sam! ;)

And yeah, trying to find a good reed! I remember that as played a little clarinet and tenor!

I'm looking forward to YOUR YouTube videos on the Xaphoon, Billy! :thumbsup:
 
Well, if you've had lessons on the fundamentals and played before, then you know what to practice, and how to practice, and that's half the battle right there -- the other half being the actual practicing. ;) Well, that's actually a lot more than half, but tons of practicing is of limited benefit to someone who doesn't know what or how to practice. ;)

The Yamaha horns are quite good; there are lots of them out there because there were lots of them sold, and that's because they're solid, reliable horns, and they're easily fixed if they ever have a problem, which is not that often.



I may be wrong, but my understanding is that, like a recorder, to be able to play all the accidentals, you have to play some with holes partially covered, and it's not easy to do this with good intonation.



For its size and its price, it's a pretty remarkable instrument. It also has a unique timbre, sort of somewhere between a soprano sax and the low end of a B flat clarinet.

I like Yamaha instruments. I have one of their acoustic guitars (1975 manufacture) and it's spectacular. I had a Yamaha horn in my 20s. It's a decent horn for the money and I may jump at it.

You are correct. It fingers like a Recorder - MORE OR LESS - THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.. I'm quite used to partially covering the holes so it was a natural for me, but many accidentals can be played by altering the fingering, not partial cover. I don't think it's difficult at all, but again, I played Recorder for 10 years as a kid. There is no "OCTAVE" hole as with a recorder. The back hole is for a continuation of the scale, not an octave jump.

My manufactured Xaphoon (resin) is keyed in C. The Bamboo versions can be B-Flat and one or two others and the accidentals may be more partial covers.

The only two partial cover notes on the resin C scale model are the C-Sharp (D-Flat) and the G-Sharp (A-Flat). The rest are acquired by fingering and not partial cover.

Yes, for $50, it's quite a bargain indeed.
 

Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – John Handy Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Shafi Hadi Bass, Composed By – Charles Mingus Drums – Dannie Richmond Piano – Horace Parlan Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin Trombone – Jimmy Knepper (tracks: A1, B1 to B4), Willie Dennis (tracks: A2 to A5)

A1 Better Git It In Your Soul 0:00 A2 Goodbye Pork Pie Hat 7:18 A3 Boogie Stop Shuffle 12:59 A4 Self-Portrait In Three Colors 17:56 A5 Open Letter To Duke 21:02 B1 Bird Calls 26:50 B2 Fables Of Faubus 33:04 B3 Pussy Cat Dues 41:15 B4 Jelly Roll 50:25
 

Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – John Handy Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Shafi Hadi Bass, Composed By – Charles Mingus Drums – Dannie Richmond Piano – Horace Parlan Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin Trombone – Jimmy Knepper (tracks: A1, B1 to B4), Willie Dennis (tracks: A2 to A5)

A1 Better Git It In Your Soul 0:00 A2 Goodbye Pork Pie Hat 7:18 A3 Boogie Stop Shuffle 12:59 A4 Self-Portrait In Three Colors 17:56 A5 Open Letter To Duke 21:02 B1 Bird Calls 26:50 B2 Fables Of Faubus 33:04 B3 Pussy Cat Dues 41:15 B4 Jelly Roll 50:25


You know, I came to this album late. What grabbed me one day, was listening in the car to the radio and on came "Self-Portrait In Three Colors". Well, let's just say, that it didn't take me long to get a copy of this. One of the great LPs of Jazz. Mingus was a great composer. Charlie Parker encouraged him to compose.
 
I like Yamaha instruments. I have one of their acoustic guitars (1975 manufacture) and it's spectacular. I had a Yamaha horn in my 20s. It's a decent horn for the money and I may jump at it.

You are correct. It fingers like a Recorder - MORE OR LESS - THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.. I'm quite used to partially covering the holes so it was a natural for me, but many accidentals can be played by altering the fingering, not partial cover. I don't think it's difficult at all, but again, I played Recorder for 10 years as a kid. There is no "OCTAVE" hole as with a recorder. The back hole is for a continuation of the scale, not an octave jump.

My manufactured Xaphoon (resin) is keyed in C. The Bamboo versions can be B-Flat and one or two others and the accidentals may be more partial covers.

The only two partial cover notes on the resin C scale model are the C-Sharp (D-Flat) and the G-Sharp (A-Flat). The rest are acquired by fingering and not partial cover.

Yes, for $50, it's quite a bargain indeed.

If you played the recorder for 10 years then obviously you've got a serious leg up on it. I would say that the timbre of the xaphoon seems warmer and fuller and very possibly also louder than a recorder. Many years ago I heard a classical concert by Michala Petrie on recorder; she was just absolutely amazing and could play a recorder like I never imagined possible, but after nearly two hours I did get a little "recordered out". In certain ways, the timbre tends to be more piercing, compared to reed instruments.
 
If you played the recorder for 10 years then obviously you've got a serious leg up on it. I would say that the timbre of the xaphoon seems warmer and fuller and very possibly also louder than a recorder. Many years ago I heard a classical concert by Michala Petrie on recorder; she was just absolutely amazing and could play a recorder like I never imagined possible, but after nearly two hours I did get a little "recordered out". In certain ways, the timbre tends to be more piercing, compared to reed instruments.

Oh for sure. To my ear a huge difference in the instruments. It's a whistle VS a reed. I much prefer the Xaphoon. WAY louder. WAY more interesting. WAY more control from the mouthpiece (reed) than the whistle of a recorder that is either making a whistle or not. No control there. It's an off and on sound on a recorder. With the Xaphoon, it's a malliable sound source.

The coolest thing about the Xaphoon is you can take it with you anywhere. Like it's advertised, it's a pocket sax. At times in the lower registers, I hear Sax for sure. At times it's a Clarinet. I have already traveled with it and will continue. Now, I'm not going to play it at 10 PM in a hotel room because I've got manners. But at a campsite, at a park, in the car (not when driving of course) or when hiking and taking a break, it's the best.
 
You know, I came to this album late. What grabbed me one day, was listening in the car to the radio and on came "Self-Portrait In Three Colors". Well, let's just say, that it didn't take me long to get a copy of this. One of the great LPs of Jazz. Mingus was a great composer. Charlie Parker encouraged him to compose.
Yes same here in coming late to this Mingus album...always something new to re-discover with repeated playing and listening...
 
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