Not enough Sax

[Randy]

Have been with Johnny’s program for a couple weeks now and love to check in to see what and who is new. It is always great to find a really good player that is willing to share and mentor their success and ideas of improvement. The site is quite a bargain and I hope we continue to see more topics as time goes. As for myself I have been playing about 10 years, I am 57. It was that or a Harley, so here I am. I started off taking some lessons with university grad students, MSU has a great Jazz program here in my area. I have traveled to do the Jamey Abersold program in Kentucky (on improvisation) and what ever else I had time to do. The Jazz thing is very cool but I had a hard time developing and putting it together. I have no music theory in my background, its like trying to learn a new remote control for your TV. So I simplified my quest and headed to the blues format. Well it struck a cord with me and not only found music I love and I had fun expressing my ideas as a player too. I have a band and our popularity is growing, we are really having fun with it. (everyone loves a sax player in a band). I am here because I know I am just at the tip of what I can learn and become. Improve is not a problem for me its controlling my space and developing a larger vocabulary which always seems far shorter than I want. Some of my favs are Johnny Ferreira, Jr. Walker, Sax Gordon, Boots Randolph and Ben Webster, Michael Brecker, Pete Thomas and 100 more that I listen too. Old or new there is and endless supply of inspiration. The Blues are just a damn good time.

[john]

Thanks for that Randy, and I also share a love for those players as well. Gordon Beadle, AKA Sax Gordon is a personal friend who I toured with extensively in past years and I recommend any fan of blues-rock based music check him out, he’s one of the best, not just today and now but ever!

Yes the blues and rock approach, theory etc is simpler than jazz but don’t kid yourself, just because it is so, that doesn’t mean anyone can sound good playing it, not even some great jazz players.

[Author]

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