The DEATH of the Pop SAX SOLO

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Break through to a new level with YOUR sax playing with this free masterclass👉🏻 www.getyoursaxtogether.com/masterclass👈🏻

[@EricTorreborre]

Certainly some of these solos made me love the saxophone when I was younger. I hope that they will come back to make new generations fall in love as well

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@KL-oq4li]

They will. It’s inevitable.

[@EphemeralProductions]

I always loved sax solos in 1980s pop music. It gave them a warm, jazzy , lush and professional sound to the music. Sometimes it gave it a lot of energy to the song. Always loved it

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@bullbaylissMusic]

Simply put, your ability on the saxophone is off the charts - every time you do a solo from the different decades, it totally blows me away, outstanding

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thank you so much! 🙏

[@bullbaylissMusic]

@@GetYourSaxTogether your welcome. Your a GOD amongst saxophonists.

[@kdmossman]

This is a masterpiece of an episode, Jamie! Thank you. Such a great analysis. And yet -- the glorious pop sax solo lives on for those of us who play in 80s cover bands! The audience sure seems to appreciate it.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks!

[@steveamthoroldamericanwith5978]

Jamie You inspire me, you sure can play that sax, thank you once again!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks so much 🙏

[@mikemeskel]

There is definitely selection bias here, but as a middle school band director I’ve been seeing more kids digging on groups like Too Many Zooz, Moon Hooch, and Lucky Chops. And not just the “band nerds,” but some of the normies are starting to show an interest. I would love for this to catch on beyond my weird local bubble and bring wind instruments (especially sax), back into pop music.

[@rongibbs390]

I’m not sure Leo P did the instrument any favours in his Proms appearance.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

👍

[@shirleyfrancis4515]

My favourites range from Little Richard's Long Tall Sally and Tutti Frutti. King Curtis I Was Made to Love Her and Heard It through the Grapevine, Bill Doggett Honky Tonk parts 1 and 2. All those tenor sax solos on the genre doo wop tunes, all the jazz greats, blues. 50s r&b suchvas Annie Had A Baby, The Twist (Hank Ballard). Those decades were when the tenors ruled the roosts.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Great tunes 🙏

[@EphemeralProductions]

Euge Groove was another saxophonist that I loved. He did the solo for seasons change. One of my fave 80s solos!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

👍

[@FrankG-]

Did you ever heard Stan Getz in Small World of Huey Lewis and the news? It is in part 2, they cut the record in two and left the best part out. One of my favourites!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

😮

[@bmcguire06]

Dude, you crushed duplicating every players style, except Kirk’s Solo on I will always love you. That guy’s sound is just so unique, I always know it’s him! This was a great video, as a wedding band player I play all of these songs, and while I am “allowed” to play my own solos, these songs are so iconic that nothing I can come up with is even close!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks!

[@russellguyver7746]

Great video. Love the 80's sax solo. Its those solos that inspired me to start playing the sax. As you say in recent years they have been very rare but one of my favourites is the late great Clarence Clemons solo on Lady GaGa's 'Edge of Glory'.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks!

[@maroobi9539]

Great eulogy. Loved reading the comments with more sax solos to check out.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SharpElevenMusic]

Great video Jamie! You're spot on, also with stating that games are now the pop-culture that influences younger kids to pick up the sax. I'd add to that the producers FKJ & Masego, who work mainly with live sampling including sax. I've had quite some younger student come to me and tell me they want to be able to play like that. Them, and the like of Grace Kelly, Leo P.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Hey man! Thanks for watching. Good points. Love your vids too!

[@_mickmccarthy]

Sax solos are alive and well in the genre of synthwave! A sort of genre inspired by music of the 80s (and especially the tv/movie soundtracks of the time). Tim Cappello himself regularly plays with a synthwave group called Gunship. I started learning the sax after hearing a track called Vampires by The Midnight (well, that and needing to be able to play the solos from Hall & Oates' Maneater and Quarterflash's Harden My Heart, thankfully included in your 80s sax solo video!) There's a pair of synthwave sax videos here on KZbin totalling 6 hours of listening! Of course it's not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but at least the sax solos continuing to thrive to this day (even if it's not in chart topping pop/rock anymore)!

[@LarryKatz53]

Just listened to Vampires. The sax solo is very good. Thanks for the referral!

[@_mickmccarthy]

@@LarryKatz53 Crystalline is another great one for a sax solo, and Crockett's Revenge is just as cheesy as it sounds!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[@adriancriscuolo8797]

Te agradezco como representaste a la nueva camada de músicos(si se los puede llamar así), no se si será así, pero me parece que existe una orden mundial que los jóvenes no piensen, no estudien, no sientan en su cuerpo-alma, la maravillosa vibración del sonido, en tiempo, respetando los compases y que cada uno toque en el mismo tono. Un Fuerte Abrazo y realizaste una contundente reflexión.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@zabellesax]

Wow Jamie your playing is awesome such energy and passion.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thank you kindly!

[@ketong71]

The early 1990s were really something. It was peak Kenny G. His Live and "Breathless" albums hit both Jazz and Pop Charts. "Don't Make Me Wait for Love" with Michael Bolton and "By The Time This Night Is Over" were awesome. Also in the early '90s, you have the sax on one end of the Pop Spectrum with Curtis Stigers' "I Wonder Why", and Black Machine's "How Gee" on the other. Then, as you mentioned, they all disappeared. I still think the sax solo is slowly coming back, but not much on the airwaves. You'll see them mostly on social media. Leo P. comes to mind.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks for the comment

[@pavelpatsenkov]

Very interesting video, Mr Anderson, thank you. It's sad, but it is true.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks

[@bryandickerson5365]

Nice! I hope you do a video on the early rock sax masters like King Curtis, Junior Walker, David Alvin and “Fathead” Newman! Also surprised you didn’t include David Sanborn, the KING of ‘70s/‘80s pop sax solos and you gotta give credit to Leo Pelegrino for his modern combo of dance and groove!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

So many players! Just some examples of a few

[@bryandickerson5365]

@@GetYourSaxTogether I know! But ya gotta admit that Sanborn was in a league of his own for at least a decade or more of the golden era and I hope you find time to dig into this topic in more detail in the future. Also - you really nailed the examples you transcribed!

[@adriandunn7816]

Wes on Will you, WOW!! Now that's emotion spit through a piece of metal 🎷

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@INUSADAWUDA-LIVE]

Great content as always!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks so much!

[@medicussapiens]

Thanks, one of your finest videos. But there is no reason to despair: Lucky Chops, Leo P. and Grace Kelly show a new direction of popular sax playing.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@KaySax67]

...and now the revival!!! The sax is back!!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@maxhoecker]

Man, I love seeing you play those solos! 👏🏼

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks!

[@donl9571]

Something else happened in pop music around 2015. Melodies took a back seat starting then at least on the top 40.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

👍

[@billygoatkidd1]

Please do the 90s sax solo compilation! It doesn't matter if it is shorter than the others. You can start with I Will Always Love You and I Love Your Smile (Shanice).

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@davidsmusic]

what a great video. thanks so much to make and share such a great content dear Jamie!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks!

[@markgomez2043]

How about “Phil Woods” sax solo on Billy Joel’s hit…..Love You Just The Way You Are! Amazing

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Couldn't fit all the examples in! So many

[@markgomez2043]

Your playing was amazing Jamie! Glad that you put this together. Great job! :)

[@Usefulmusic]

What a superb documentary! Really.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks! 🙏

[@Marcosls2015]

Super well done Jamie…a necessary video! Lisa Simpson took it over in the 90s, and passed it to the sax sound in any DAW, and bye bye… hopefully the future will conjure a magnanimous come back….I always hope!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Let's hope!

[@davidsmookler9730]

Always an education!! Thanks Jamie!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

You're welcome!

[@poullamhauge5863]

The guitar solos are also gone😢

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Good point

[@andyrandall8913]

The joy of music is that evolves and moves in new directions all the time. Would you not say that contemporary DJ Sax players have now taken up the baton? Lovely Laura, Jimmy Sax, Sandy Sax, Ellie Sax, Yarden, etc give me lots of inspiration in today’s music scene.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Fair point Andy!

[@Rawson1956]

These things made me want to play the sax, but I never tried to ay any of them. 1 not good enough. 2 not what comes out of my horn. Still love hearing someone pull them out of a sax.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Keep at it

[@emmaswanwick4908]

Jamie found a sax solo for you from 2020 (well remastered from 2009) ob the Halloween album unarmed track Dr stein it's a more poppy rock song and has a great sax solo and licks through it. Worth a listen

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Cool thanks!

[@Paulou62]

Love your solos, yo're an amazing sax player I look up to!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks so much! 🙏

[@XBRDriver]

Wow! didn't know that Mike Brecker did the Solo with Dire Straits. Again learned something! Thanks Jaime!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

You're welcome

[@marciertrombiere2565]

Please! Create more solos after 90's!!!!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@wilfig]

A synthwave band called The Midnight has a very tasty saxophonist, belting out 80's style alto solos. You should check them out. Awesome sounding band!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks for the recommendation!

[@emmaswanwick4908]

Aah yours and my fav waiting for a star to fall just the best ××

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@pand0rium235]

the lovely Laura pops into mind...

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@ileu]

Hi Jamie, thanks for all your enthusiastic presentation. Where can I get transcription of all this pop sax solos for a tenor? best, Ueli

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

kzbin.info/aero/PLBRGEAheQrpm1s-xrU4E-uCh3C0Q-Jfzf Link to PDFs in the video description

[@manny3854]

Last Friday Night solo (Kenny G) is pretty awesome!

[@rockandrollsax]

Lenny Pickett actually played the solo with Kenny on the roof.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@barryfriedman3263]

Is that you at :53? I think I remember that period of your career.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Ha!! If only!

[@aron.gortman]

Man I was just listening to your transcription of Bobby Keys on Brown Sugar. It was dope. But I can't flutter tongue or growl without reflux covering my throat :(

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@thomascohen9924]

Thank you! BTW, you left out Grover Washington's "Just the Two of Us."

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Couldn't fit everything in!

[@SAMMYSAXMUSIC]

Yes the days of the glorious 8 bars of pop-sax-solo are out the door but IMHO it's partially replaced most prevalently in dance music with the like of Ehlring, Bakermat, etc. and if you like this vibe check out my releases as well. Love your video's Jamie!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Respect for the self promotion!

[@saxophonydominikengel3724]

Wow, playing Careless Whisper with a High F# key on tenor isn't as comfortable to play as on Alto, but without the High F# key it is really tough!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@brucemacdonald876]

One small exception is Steely Dan who - 24 years ago next week - released Two Against Nature which features Chris Potter prominently. However, you are right that the sax break as we knew it is brown bread.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

👍

[@thevideocommenter3061]

The dinosaur analogy was great!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@MeccaVideoPro]

Yes as a boomer sax player playing in cover bands and trying to add newer music to the setlist I just wind up cramming a sax Solo in wherever I can. I also play solo and just take some of the newer songs that actually have a melody and try to do them as an instrumental. The audiences love saxophone but bands see you as just another mouth to feed

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton]

I've not heard a guitar solo on a pop record for a long time either.....

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Fair point!

[@RichardWong]

Can’t even find guitar solos or real drums on most modern music these days either. Depressing for musicians.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

😔

[@earlpaulson7164]

Excellent eulogy. I would only add a little Clarence Carter.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Too many to mention. Did you mean Clarence Clemons?

[@earlpaulson7164]

You're so right. Clarence Clemons. , the Big Man in the E-Street Band. I had a senior moment. I must have been thinking about a hilarious Clarence Carter song called Stroking that my Linda would always sing at Karaoke. .@@GetYourSaxTogether

[@bobblues1158]

Great! MAGA Fest 24 had a lot of Sax players. Interesting connection. But the sax is still if not more popular than ever if you look at the enormous out put cheap horns. There is a huge amateur market. It Is kind of like in the early 1900´s when the C melody was so popular because homes with pianos( and there were many. And I am speaking of the USA)were the entertainment center of the family and one could easily play the sheet music in C on a C melody.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

👍

[@michaeldavis9954]

Well… as someone who, when I was young, never loved what “Top 40 radio” had to offer anyway, I don’t mind. The most interesting music and musical experiences were and still are elsewhere.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@robstevens9590]

R.I.P. -- I guess we have to believe in the resurrection!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@mpbraendle9621]

80ies pop is 80ies, but the genre has changed and diversified. Young saxophonists such as Terrace Martin or Kamasi Washington play and write music for rap and hip-hop. Although having his roots in jazz, Kamasi plays more on rock/pop festivals than on Jazz festivals.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@Louisejames23]

You can equate the death of anything not pop with the rise of “corporate radio”, where everything is playlisted and formulaic. Same as the DJ’s, really! That was when I started listening to stations like Jazz fm, not strictly “pure jazz” but loads of sax! 🎷 😊

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@marklangsax1168]

True story. Unfortunately. Pop production in the last 2 decades is based on getting radio airplay because that's where the money is. That means very simple, catchy repetitive tunes which will become airplay hits. Most popular hits are under 3 minutes: no time for a solo break..😢. On the other hand, over the last 25 years the sax has established itself as THE live instrument in dance music. Sax solos in pop styles haven't gone away, they've just adapted...

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks for the comment 👍

[@travlak]

Epic Sax Guy is representative of the modern equivalent of a pop saxophone solo: greater emphasis on dancing, and repetitive rhythm figures instead of lyrical vocal quality.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

It's different for sure

[@ZiglioUK]

Bruno Mars to the rescue of brass and woodwind!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🤣

[@squash457]

Bring it back! Bring it back, Bring it back....to the masked singer chant... I'm referring to...."Should of had a sax solo 2020's" 😂

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@MikeSmith-go8wk]

Erm, house music started in Manchester I think you'll find.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks

[@FrilansPhille]

Eurovisions Sunstroke project & Olia tira - Run away. No one can disown the infamous meme of "Gandalf 10 hour sax guy" 🤣🤣

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

😮

[@AndreasHeutschi]

«Contemporary music» - Wonderfull Solo in Lenny Kravitz - TK421 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKKxi6t7gsaFqLssi=Mm428TL80S5eOegp&t=107

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏

[@WorkinSteamin]

I like the story that Robbie Williams and his musical director Guy Chambers had a big fall out when Chambers suggested including a sax solo in an arrangement for a new song - later than 80s though. And Robbie went on to sing standards with big band!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

😮

[@drjazz7278]

I think that very bright hyper poppy 80s high pitched sound got a bit overexposed and ubiquitous. The smokey gorgeousness a la The Style Council's "You're The Best Thing" .... let's have some of that again

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

👍

[@saxx001]

We went to Smooth Jazz

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

😮

[@cheknfaks]

Then call me a grave robber Dr. Frankenstein digging back up the sax to bring alive again just bcuz I am putting back in songs again.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🙏🤣

[@oliverkollas4526]

Dont‘t Look back in anger by oasis desperately needs a sax solo

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

👍

[@HonestSaxSound-unEdited-]

Good video with true and clear message, but death?? NO, i don't think so! Remember that everybody want a saxophonist in his event like weddings and similar playing ALL THIS SONGS OF THE 80's, and no only this.. all the most famous songs of any times sounding through the sax. This my experience since decades until today. But it's true that music has involutioned in the last 2 or 3 decades (reason for the desire of the people for hear this good music through a sax)

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Good comment

[@levidobbin5654]

Everything is cyclical. Itll come around again, watch the young people in the game right now - it takes time to start momentum again but it could very well he on the upswing. The thing about the upswing and the music industry is that the sax will hit mainstream music last, once its infultrated everything else again and the execs finally go ohhhh, this is popular again?

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Great comment

[@kdmossman]

Slightly off-topic -- have you seen Dave Koz blow the lid off this song with his epic solo? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWauaHVpmLqCb7c "I'll take it from here, thank you."

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks!

[@maxwu3395]

my opinion- young creativity is now firmly in electronic music for better or for worse. only old farts like me cling on to acoustic instruments, but we're far from pushing the envelop on creativity and saying new things. More "re"-creating what's already been done when I learn jazz, etc.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Fair enough!

[@rongibbs390]

My favourite that you missed out: Walk on the Wild Side, Ronnie Ross. I’m not a big fan of 80’s music, sorry.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Too many to list them all!

[@drjazz7278]

You have more musical ability in one of your eyelashes than Noel Gallagher has in his entire being

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

🤣

[@keefieT]

It seems Alto is the main Sax these days. Changes by faul for example.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Thanks

[@keefieT]

@@GetYourSaxTogether Bit of a bugger to play 🤣

[@smackroscoe]

Foreigner’s “Urgent” is glaringly ignored. How dare you Sir! How. Dare. You.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Em. Don’t think so. It’s in my 80s compilation and I do a separate video on it. This video isn’t a list of great 80s sax solos. So back at you sir! 😉

[@scottwood6631]

Rap replaced the sax solo. Sad.

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

😔

[@keefieT]

I see David Sanborn died on sunday may 12th 2024. RIP 🎷

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

😮‍💨