Joe Temperley's Baritone Sax Warm-Up, Part 1

Back in 2013, we had the opportunity to sit with the great Joe Temperley and learn about his warm up routine.
That morning, the late great master of the baritone saxophone showed us how he warmed up on his instrument, and demonstrated how he developed such a round, rich, and beautifully warm tone on the bari.
The world said goodbye to Joe on May 11, 2016. Learn more about the life and music of this Jazz Legend here: • The Music of Joe Tempe...
Joe Temperley - Baritone Saxophone
Eric Suquet - Director
Bill Thomas - Director of Photography
Rich Emery - Production Assistant
Seton Hawkins - Producer
Recorded May 22, 2013

[@erboch7124]

What kinda warrior warms up with the worst note on the bari sax? Legend

[@loganaut6030]

Fr

[@jonathankessler4684]

This video made me so happy but devastated at the same time. Joe is my idol when it comes to the baritone and I'm heartbroken that I was alive and could have heard him perform but never did. May he rest in peace.

[@JazzAcademy]

Be sure to check out this playlist of Joe Temperley talking about his life, playing some tunes, and demonstrating some educational tips kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJSygnh8Zb-dbas

[@Mrsaxman502]

I love how Joe goes in on everyone at 6:05. Thanks Joe

[@bcarniaux]

Sam Que the thing is, he is so right.

[@ricardopiedra723]

You've gotta be deaf to dislike this excess of elegance on the bari.

[@yodaddy2941]

agreed

[@magsokc97]

I’m deaf. But I play bari and alto sax. I also play drums

[@jazzbrew68]

I LOVE Joe. I was backstage at the Kennedy Center before an LCJO concert. Joe was practicing and sounding amazing. After he finished I told him - you sound fantastic. He humbly said - "I'm hoping one day I can get it right" or something along those lines. Just a beautiful cat. I loved his rendition of Duke's Single Pedal of a Rose.

[@supaF]

It's eerie to me, someone looking to play Baritone, seeing this sweet man teach me warm ups from the grave. Thank you for sharing his knowledge.

[@jakobherbst7538]

you are a true legend joe. we will all remember you. R.I.P joe temperley 1929-2016

[@quentinmorales]

Such a great tone and a great man

[@JazzAcademy]

The best!

[@PositivelyOsceola]

yes... a perfect and beautiful sound

[@subpardiscgolf3548]

Rip master Temperley

[@jackstott8134]

Everytime I see a video of this man play, it makes me cry, knowing that he died doing what he loved, and his tone will forever be the one I looked to embellish on, Joe Temperley is the goat, I'm actually crying while writing this, rest in peace sweet toned prince, Edit(thanks guys, your orchestra is awsome😁) The Sweet toned prince of Scotland, that sounds better

[@lucassstache8069]

Welp... sounds like Joe hates Leo P 😂

[@hirokokueh3541]

LeoP is almost the new KennyG now

[@ytrxge1829]

FACTS I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING

[@tylerhuffstetler7868]

Cristian Mojica blip bloop your opinion is poop

[@jonathanhart5257]

Leo P actually studied with Joe at MSM

[@gottab5381]

Leo p is the G.O.A.T.

[@danmcbmusic]

What a master of sound and lyricism. The only time I heard him live, he took my breath away.

[@martinchilvers3870]

A true legend. And that sound!!! Gorgeous!

[@zangsax]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[@fivebyfivesound]

What beautiful tone and insightful teaching. RIP

[@maciekszczech]

Wow, such an inspiration! I don't believe I've found this video just right now... RIP.

[@stevepethel6843]

I love your bari playing sound and instruction explanations...God bless you for giving us this video of you ...thanks

[@thebritandtheyank3821]

I first heard Joe at the West End Bar up by Columbia University on Broadway, back in the late 1970's (I think!). He was playing Ellington tunes on soprano and baritone, there was an all pervasive smell of stale beer in the air, and most weren't listening to the music,....but I was. His purity - in his sound, conception, swing, and ownership of the tune, has always stayed with me. Listen closely! These are timeless treasures he's giving us here!

[@RondonSax]

Wonderful sound!! OMG

[@JackLanhardt]

6:11 couldnt have said it better myself. what happened to the ways of joe, pepper, and gerry?

[@mooseydeucy]

I love the baritone! Got used to its prevalence in Motown records!!

[@legoblox01]

Wow this is amazing. Him and Paul Nedzela are some of my favorite baritone saxophonists

[@vincent-qz7tr]

I need his sound omg

[@brianpite0893]

Fantastic lesson!

[@rickalan4059]

6:00. Preach!

[@quattrosaxoni3625]

Probably the closest bari sound to Harry Carney.......Beautiful,full,warm sound.

[@thedopekinggod9537]

My music teacher always told me to play with a blaste jazz sound

[@jacobs.6175]

I was the 1k like :)

[@romanc.1097]

Hey guys! Today's by first day playing Bari sax. Any tips for a successful couple of years?

[@dominusanuli3595]

Don't get discouraged. It doesn't take as much air, but still practice breathing. Don't break it.

[@michaelhorton1350]

Soak your reeds and use the Van Doren abrasive glass to plane the back of the reed and gradually remove the kapok that makes for a fuzzy tone. And use a tuner & metronome. Consider a better strap arrangement such as the Oleg model that rides on shoulder not neck. A trip to the shop to check pads and keys and make adjustments usually is worth the effort.

[@medynskiy]

Hello friends, could you please explain why these exercises were out of tune? Is it a post-processing, or there is some particular reason for this? Trying to understand everything, sorry

[@yootube785]

What reed and mouthpiece does he use

[@brianbillings6815]

There's another video about his equipment on KZbin

[@yootube785]

Brian Billings thx

[@aidanpark7705]

4:17

[@peterkang3284]

Is he playing a mark vi?

[@lucassstache8069]

Peter Kang super balanced action👍

[@michaelhorton1350]

And it looks to be a aftermarket neck Possibly a silver one. Had the good fortune to play a new MK VI in ‘66 with Selmer mouthpiece (didn’t pay much attention to tip openings then). Years later, on alto, had the hint to soak reeds and not merely soften them up in mouth. Then got into planing the back of the reed on Van Doren abrasive glass tool and got an immediate improvement. Mostly the improvement came in a sort of clarity. It’s easy to overdo it and several good reeds were taken too far and got ‘floppy’ and ruined. But small increments and getting a feel for the job comes with time. Obviously it requires a stiffer reed than usual in order to bring (shave) it into desired range. Meyer 5 was pretty good for alto, (SA80 Series II). Kept the choice reeds in small bottle in case in water. Used boiling water from coffee in morning to rinse and prevent funk growing. And if done that way, no problems arise. Performing would require a reedcase and I found that microscope slides with a clamp or even a rubber band work very well. But the Van Doren case holding 4 reeds is conveniently pocket-sized, and was used mostly.

[@jaycraig5154]

It a Super Balanced Action that I bought from Jack Nimitz in 1985 and eventually sold to Joe. This is the original neck but it has been silver plated. Joe went out and found a vintage Selmer mouthpiece from the same period for the horn. (He usually played a Conn with a metal Link mouthpiece.) He was definitely not a Selmer baritone fan but occasionally borrowed this horn from me on short trips to the UK and kept bugging me to sell it to him. I don’t believe he used this Selmer horn and mouthpiece on big band gigs as he could not get enough volume but liked to play it with smaller groups.

[@aidanpark7705]

6:46 omygod

[@odei.]

It took me a while to notice his scottish accent

[@chaniejbernard]

Someone should have mentioned to Pepper Adams that the Bari isn't about how fast you can play.

[@danmcbmusic]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGPdqmdmf5Jjopo

[@markwhite8227]

It's like -30-40 cents flat all the time

[@mp9111]

who's the only "Bone Head" who gave this a Thumbs down

[@KaitlynG]

My Barrie sax is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy lower is that bad?

[@toastboi5106]

I’m not even playing a bari *ITS BIGGER*

[@shealinbanta4169]

he died in 2016 so he can’t of did this video in the year 2017

[@abedinsubashi]

In the description they said that they filmed this back in 2013

[@kalas856]

Hah he doesn’t have a low a :)