The saxophone has become an iconic instrument in the jazz world, with many legendary musicians shaping the sound of the genre with their playing styles. Here are some of the top legendary jazz saxophonists, and the saxophones they played.
1. Charlie Parker. Known as the "Bird", Charlie Parker is considered one of the greatest jazz saxophonists of all time. He played the alto saxophone, primarily a Conn 6M and later a King Super 20.
2. John Coltrane. John Coltrane is another saxophonist who revolutionized the jazz genre with his unique sound and improvisational style. He played the tenor saxophone, primarily a Selmer Mark VI and later a Selmer Super Balanced Action.
3. Sonny Rollins. Sonny Rollins is known for his powerful tone and impressive technique on the saxophone. He played the tenor saxophone, primarily a Selmer Mark VI and later a Selmer Reference 54.
4. Lester Young. Lester Young, also known as "Prez", was a prominent saxophonist in the swing era and is known for his smooth and relaxed playing style. He played the tenor saxophone, primarily a Conn 10M.
5. Coleman Hawkins. Coleman Hawkins is considered the father of the tenor saxophone and is known for his innovative playing style. He played the tenor saxophone, primarily a Conn 10M and later a Selmer Balanced Action.
6. Stan Getz. Stan Getz was known for his warm and lyrical tone on the saxophone, particularly on the tenor saxophone. He played a Selmer Mark VI.
7. Wayne Shorter. Wayne Shorter is known for his complex and innovative compositions as well as his unique playing style on the saxophone. He played the tenor saxophone, primarily a Selmer Mark VI.
8. Joe Henderson. Joe Henderson was known for his versatility on the saxophone, playing both the tenor and the alto saxophone. He played a Selmer Mark VI.
9. Cannonball Adderley. Cannonball Adderley was known for his soulful and bluesy playing style on the saxophone, particularly on the alto saxophone. He played a Selmer Mark VI.
10. Dexter Gordon. Dexter Gordon was known for his big and bold sound on the tenor saxophone. He played a Selmer Mark VI.
In conclusion, these legendary saxophonists have left a lasting impact on the jazz genre with their unique playing styles and innovative techniques. They have also played some of the most iconic saxophone models in the industry, with Selmer and Conn being the most popular brands.
8 comments
Coleman Hawkins’s career started in the 1920s, before Selmer made the Balanced Action or Super Action. He spent quite a while in France in the ‘30s, so he probably played a Selmer Radio Improved for part of that time. Lester Young played a New Wonder 2 for many years; it’s in Rutgers’s Jazz Institute in Newark now. He played a 10M for a while. There are plenty of pictures of him with it. But he replaced it in his last few years with a Conn Transitional, which you can see in late ‘50s video clips. And there are pics of him playing a Dolnet, presumably on a late French gig. Bird’s Super 20 is in the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. When you see it there, you’ll see a sterling bell, but you won’t see the words Silver-Sonic anywhere on it, because King wasn’t calling them that yet. And with Bird, the question is more, what sax didn’t he play? He was famous for hocking his horns and scrounging up whatever he could to make the gig. I’ve seen a pic of him playing a Holton Rudy Wiedoeft, and nobody plays those. The Massey Hall show was a pretty big deal, and he showed up with a Grafton.
A few issues here: Coltrane played a Selmer SBA for most of his career, and only played a Selmer Mark VI at the end, so you’ve got it backwards. Lester Young played a Conn New Wonder, not a 10M. Coleman Hawkins played a Selmer Mark VI for the last decades of his life, not a Selmer SBA.
People saying Cannonball played a King Super 20 are right but in his last years he played a Mark VI just as many from that time period switched to the Famous Mark VI.
People saying Cannonball played a King Super 20 are right but in his last years he played a Mark VI just as many from that time period switched to the Famous Mark VI.
I would dispute some of these.Bird and Cannonball both played King Silversonics
Both Bird and Cannonball at the end of their careers played King Super 20 Silversonic altos. I’ve seen pics of Bird playing Conn 6Ms and pre Balanced Action and Mark 6 Selmers. I’ve never seen a pic of Bird playing a Mark 6. Bird’s Silversonic is in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.
You’re wrong about Cannonball. He played King Super20’s.
Cannonball played a King Silversonic