The Sax Solo that Changed Everything - Andy Snitzer

#bettersax #saxophone #andysnitzer
Jay Metcalf interviews saxophonist Andy Snitzer, known for is extensive session studio work and touring with legends such as Billy Joel, Sting and Paul Simon. Check out his latest release A Beautiful Dream available now. www.andysnitze...
🔥 Join the Reed Revolution and try the new BetterSax Jazz Cut Reeds HERE ➡ geni.us/reed
🎁 Access the FREE BetterSax SHED with tons of sax lessons, pdf downloads and backing tracks HERE: bettersax.com/...
===========================
⚡️Featured BetterSax Gear
“Designed BY Saxophonists FOR Saxophonists”
===========================
🎷BetterSax Saxophones: ➡︎ geni.us/saxoph...
🎷BURNIN’ Mouthpieces: ➡︎ geni.us/Burnin
🎷Jazz Cut Reeds: ➡︎ geni.us/reed
🎷Must Have Accessories: bettersax.com/s...
===========================
🎓Want to Study Saxophone with Jay Metcalf?
===========================
🔥 Join the BetterSax Studio for personalized video feedback from Jay as well as new lessons and downloads every month ➡️ bettersax.com/c...
💪🏻Get lifetime access to BetterSax courses that have helped 10s of thousands of saxophonists at every level around the world ➡️ bettersax.com/...
===========================
Connect with us!
===========================
IG: ➡︎ / bettersax
Tik Tok: ➡︎ / bettersax
Facebook: ➡︎ / bettersax
===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the BetterSax Podcast HERE:📱
===========================
➡︎Apple: apple.co/3rmr9no
➡︎Spotify: sptfy.com/OWAr
Our mission here at BetterSax is to help saxophone players improve steadily, while enjoying the process of learning. We aim to help people find sax gear for every budget that delivers exceptional value and performance.
This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.
Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our videos on the BetterSax KZbin channel. bettersax.com/... This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and then buy something, I may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

[@MarkPeotter]

I have been listening to Andy Snitzer for about 25 years. Loved his music immediately, still love it!

[@rossmuller9815]

Another great interview. A very revealing exploration of the inner self and musicality of this great player. Andy comes across as a real cool and genuine person.

[@janholena1515]

Thanks so much for this! An excellent interview with my favourite sax player! All the important questions! Well done! 👏👏👏

[@wisconsinmel]

Another great job! 👌🎷 Andy Snitzer is one of many favorites 😀

[@FlowJunkie65]

Excellent interview and conversation - thank you, Jay. A lot of great stories, insights and advice shared today, and Andy's simply one of my favorite sax players around. He is so versatile and adapts so beautifully to whatever the gig calls for, but he truly brings himself into that work -- he has a gorgeous, full sound that has so much soul and creative expression and it is always present in his work. And, I'd bet that there's a lot more of his work on which he was "bad ass," but he's just his worst critic ... he takes his art and craft very seriously.

[@JosephAraza]

His story is the living example of the classic definition of luck: when preparedness meets opportunity. Andy didn’t say much about how many hours upon hours he practiced developing that unmatched sound, and when that “random” thing happened he was ready. Great interview

[@patrickkelcey2435]

...what a nice guy... sax players are the nicest people....

[@LCohenSax]

Sonny Rollins, who is one of the most notoriously self critical saxophonists said in an interview (paraphrasing) "i did quite well in the studio that day" regarding the session when he recorded St. Thomas which for him is a major self pat on the back and acknowledgement of hitting a grand slam or at least a home run.

[@bilbostoy]

Dude! I love these great videos your putting out. Thank you!!!

[@georgefurlow1]

Thanks!

[@bettersax]

Thank you!

[@philcollis100]

Great conversation! I read the autobiography of Bobby Keys: he says the first times playing "Brown Sugar" with The Rolling Stones on tour he was trying to play great solos each time and wasn't happy. After a while Mick Jagger said to him something like "Play the solo you did on the record, that's what everybody loves". Well, it was perfect... it's a good read, he's all over great records - how about Dion's "The Wanderer" for a starter...

[@kingperkoff]

Buddy Lucas played that solo on the Wanderer. I read Bobby Keys‘ book and he also falsely claimed to play bari sax on Elvis’ Return to Sender which was Boots Randolph.

[@robstevens9590]

Great interview. From my perspective it seems that in the States there is a more prevalent "putting musicians in a genre box" attitude than in Europe.

[@brianmatthews232]

Love these interviews, you do a super job, being relaxed and personable and allowing the artist to open up😊

[@michaelpedicinjr]

Great interview Jay, as always. You do a wonderful job and it always feels so real. Andy is a wonderful guy and obviously a extremely talented saxophonist, and he is someone who also is very real! Enjoyed you both!

[@EricPalmerBlog]

Just heard him in a KZbin thing The Street Where You Live, nice solo!

[@bropeace2061]

Jay long time ❤ I like your interviews. Keep it up.

[@georgefurlow1]

I have to add to my last comment. I have loved all of Andy's CD's. He takes pop to the next level. He can get very deep on his "pop" tunes. OMG he can step out and knock my socks off.

[@divotcollector]

Great interview. Easy flow, and thoughtful questions. Fantastic responses, insightful and inspiring! Thank you

[@FunkOsax]

What an incredible interview, you’re a f*****g genius at this. And the last 10 minutes or so……. Lovely to find people expressing it in this way, every musician should hear this stuff. Thank you.

[@petersmith228]

do you have to swear?

[@FunkOsax]

@@petersmith228 yep

[@woodwind63]

Wow! Phenomenal interview, The seasoned professional Andy Snitze is articulate, gracious, speaks from the heart and knows how to tell great stories. Its also fun hearing what happens behind the scenes. Having had the privilege to know Andy in our younger life, I'll say he showed a passion for performing and had a facility in a range of playing - classical, jazz & rock. When he led a summer rock band doing Rolling Stones, he seemed to fortify a vision of performing with the greats. His mastery is no surprise since he carried that vision from younger life. Isn't that what leads us into our dreams?...holding a vision. For those of us still "wearing the suit", its inspiring. 😊Thanks for a great chat Jay & Andy ! ✨

[@vincentgaglio5106]

For me who is a novice player maybe one day will do a gig here and there or a Thursday night Mic night. lol, All this is so unbelievable to me, Great inspiration for me just to getbetter

[@davidwood351]

Great stories. I had some local opportunities when I was younger, but I wasn’t really up to the challenge. Single parent and all that. But I’m still playing after 40 years. Still enjoying the instrument. Love meeting interesting players(some of them)

[@LCohenSax]

Next time please ask Andy about his practicing routing, what he spends practice time working on.

[@Sax360music]

Great interview. Andy is an awesome person and sax player. All the deep stuff that ties us to the music.

[@thepianokid27]

Waiting for a star to fall... Man I love that song and I LOVE that sax solo!! Up till today, that song is still being heard on the radio!

[@alanblakeguitarist]

I don’t know Andy but a cool interview. I knew Michael really well and the opening solo here reminded me a lot of how Mike sounded!

[@georgefurlow1]

This is one of the greatest interviews that I've ever seen. Andy Spitzer is one of my favorite saxophonists.. Andy Spitzer and Mark Douthit. They ring a bell in me. Thank you for that great interview with Andy. He is really one of the best players and he is a great jazz and pop player. So good to hear him live. Thank you so much.

[@bettersax]

Great to hear this from you.

[@ChromaticHarp]

Andy deserves to be addressed by his correct name…it’s not Spitzer…oops!

[@Candid_cl]

@@ChromaticHarpit’s Andy Snitzer.

[@EricPalmerBlog]

Thanks Jay. Enjoyed this. A banker. Who knew? 😊

[@patg3424]

I remember meeting Phil Woods, Richie Cole, Tom Scott, Grover Washington and Micheal Brecker in the 80s. These were the greatest times for instrumental music and saxophone solos. The University of Miami and Berkeley school of music were the epitomes of learning saxophone. We seen this electronic age come in and knew that eventually music would go to synthisers and computer software. Nowadays we never hear a good sax solo and singers only sound good and are in tune because of auto tune.

[@todayontheinternet9576]

*laughs in Patrick Bartley Jr.*

[@williesordillo8621]

I saw Andy play with Paul Simon a couple of times, and on one particular occasion, I was pleased to see Paul clap for a solo Andy played- it was well deserved, and I imagine, not given lightly by Paul. Andy's a great player and this was a great interview. I liked where it concluded: in essence, to be great, you have to believe that you're good, and you still need to keep working to get better.

[@txsphere]

I love the fact he was specific in calling his personal music pop and saying what his target audience is. It is just his music and doesn't need to be justified or tied to a tradition to legitimize it.

[@saxxykv]

Andy Snitzer! hearing him play from youtube videos was one of the main reasons why I decided to buy my Signature Custom raw tenor sax! currently I'm in the stage where I don't know what kind of music I should mainly play because I tend to play in settings where it's a bit of everything. I've done some recordings for some local songs from my place before. So apparently, I'm just practicing a bit of everything but I'm very happy whenever I have the time to learn more of the jazz language. Thanks for this interview with Andy Snitzer. I learned a lot of things.🙏

[@wyndhl8309]

I have a pure, organic jazz album by Andy; one of the tunes which he plays is Turrentine's "Sugar." It's soulfully and beautifully done a la Turrentine, of course, in the voice of Andy Snutzer himself. I adore all of Andy's, which I have - except this ultimate one. (Sell out or Crossover?) Excellent interview, as always 👌 👏 👍, Jay.

[@paoloalbano4690]

Jay, what a great interview!!.. I'll go and check out Andy's albums now. Loved when he mentioned Tree Quartets, still one of my favourite albums ever !

[@MARKLINMAN1]

Outstanding interview, thank you Jay for this one. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@bettersax]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@monktrane325]

Wonderful interview, Andy is a respectful person. I must learn more about him.

[@haroldmsimmons]

I look forward to hearing Andy live at the Palladium in St. Petersburg Florida on Saturday November 18th.

[@kennetheastman5703]

What a great interview. The constant struggle of become better with glimmers of hope. He perfectly describes my battle. At times I'm ready to throw the damn bitch out the window, and other times it's passionate love. My wife tells me I'm deranged.

[@normalizedaudio2481]

Lot of us were at insurance companies. Work on those accounting skills kids. You're gonna need them. Stupid band leader makes us pay for the hotel rooms.

[@thewarhenk]

Great interview; what a likable guy- cool! Proud to be a fellow artist endorser of the Trevor James’ RAW tenor! And yes, Jay, I saw you at their NAMM booth on their video. 😂❤

[@1995APSELECTRIC500]

Honoured to call Andy a friend since.....'78?!? What a superb human and musician !!!

[@fdemar]

Great interview! I loved hearing Andy's take on playing iconic solos to pop tunes.

[@vincentgaglio5106]

So so awesome interview

[@lukeserrano62]

Such a wonderful interview; thank you Jay!

[@myMusicHobby302]

Great, honest interview!

[@smokingjazz5067]

Wooow rolling stones, sting, Paul young!!!!!!

[@michaelrowe1907]

As always very informative 👍 love your pod casts , love your playing and have learned so much more from you. Thank you

[@bettersax]

Thanks so much!

[@bobblues1158]

Truth spoken here!

[@garymelhaff7779]

Such a fantastic story....never heard Boy Meets Girl before....picturing Andy in his suit playing this lol. Inspiring as I'm right now trying to come up with 8 bar solo for performance. Wish I could just on the spot put something together that's iconic!

[@lesgoe8908]

For those who feel debased or unappreciated with the idea of "serving" the music, perhaps it would be better to think of onseself as a "provider". The producer, artist, etc are in need and the sax player provides the colors necessary to expand the song's sonic palette.

[@eirinnabu]

I would enjoy being a guest on your podcast. Think I could be helpful to help sax players monetize their music.

[@JimsIrish76]

Andy really knows his strengths and really conscious of his style (its refreshing). He really knocks it off the park, and is very conscious of what he is being ask to do and the role of saxophone in pop settings. Just really gets that world......I love jazz, and I think we all enjoy playing the heads and soloing, but it's a slippery slope of going over the line for pop artist in terms of language, that it's a bit surprising sometimes the level of skills some guys have, that fail to meet that challenge.(to include identifying staple solo's)

[@jontonkin6291]

when are you going to release your new better sax tenor...mr metcalf?...i want to buy one..

[@bettersax]

I just posted a video about this. Check Instagram Facebook and KZbin shorts.

[@rogersalles200]

I met Andy at Humber college in Toronto in the 90s, he came in to do a clinic for us from a tour with the Rolling Stones, still remember that morning, Andy is a great guy.

[@ronklein482]

As a result of this terrific interview, I’ll be ordering Andy’s new CD right now. Thanks!

[@kwootamuckbear9294]

Ok…I’m probably not going to be Eric Dolphy ☮️🎵🎶🎷

[@RogerNordling]

Great interview! I am surprised that Andy doesent mention the Trevor James Signature Custom RAW that he have played for years?

[@kaisannorris1458]

Hi Roger, I had exactly the same thought

[@Craig2760]

I been diggin Andy for DECADES!

[@masonthomassax]

Andy Snitzer is literally the GOAT

[@patrickkelcey2435]

BETTER TRACKS BETTER TRACKS BETTER TRACKS BETTER TRACKS BETTER TRACKS BETTER TRACKS BETTER TRACKS

[@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton]

Um, what's wrong with "working at a bank"? Why must Jazz musicians labor under the false impression that gigging/teaching, etc. is the only way to make money? Just look at the Classical cats, many were lawyers or doctors. My business model (which, admittedly, takes a LOT of work), is "2 careers," "this supports" that. See Dr. Eddie Henderson (OK, he's now a Julliard prof, but you get the idea). There are others; it can be done. My law school had an entire Jazz band, all great cats, all still playing great 35+ years. Don't be gaslighted into thinking you have to have to scuffle to play great Jazz!

[@bluessax5089]

Yes! Andy Snitzer!! A phenomenal player and very generous person! 🫡

[@tuxsax]

Andy uses a Consoli "ramplig"? I have one of those too, they're great