TOP 10 TENOR SAXOPHONE Players (Classic Jazz Era)

[@bobreynolds]

Nicely done, Jay. No doubt you just introduced a whole lot of folks to these legendary players. (And wonderful intro to the video)

[@bettersax]

Thanks Bob!

[@joeperry245]

Eddie lockjaw Davis. Great player.

[@vincentmilito2732]

@@bettersax CHARLIE VENTURA

[@joegaudette2494]

Ditto what Bob said Jay - awesome job! I’ve been playing for many decades and 2 of the biggest highlights of my playing career we’re getting to see and talk to both Sonny Stitt and Johnny Griffin. Talk about lessons - not only in music but as you mentioned, life as well. Both were just great people in addition to being the masters they were. I loved your picks and think based on the list at the end would love to see another video. I know these videos are a lot of work - but you do them so well! : ). Thanks again -

[@directcurrent5751]

Yes

[@phila2361]

Coltrane said he never new when to stop an ad lib to which Miles replied "just take the horn out of your mouth, man".

[@jessesheehan4051]

just go to the low range of the horn tho to end a sax solo it helps

[@kennyr1161]

Jesse Sheehan the original commenter meant like a phrase not a whole solo. Also high or low are both good just gotta know how to end it right.

[@cbkmusic85]

Insert expletive here, lol

[@jessesheehan4051]

@@kennyr1161 a low note generally sounds more "done" but sometimes you can get a high note to work. and no he WAS talking about how to end a solo I remember the quote from his biography.

[@aidandoylepolitics]

I think he was talking about practice, and miles davis said just take the motherfucker out of your mouth

[@jeffpf38]

Jay, thank you so much for making this video. With what is going on in the world, it means a lot that you would take the time to not only address the issue, but also to acknowledge how jazz fits into what is going on. It is such a great reminder of what we have been given by African-American culture, as well as the fact that we cannot take for granted the struggle that they still have to deal with on a daily basis in the year 2020. Your words were very eloquent and really hit the point. I am very proud to watch and subscribe to your channel bro!

[@williamgregory1848]

Fun fact about Dexter Gordon: He’s also an Oscar-nominated actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1987 for his performance in the Bertrand Tavernier film ‘Round Midnight’ (the same movie that inspired me to learn the saxophone.)

[@andrewdailey9646]

FINALLY somebody recognizes stan getz, his tone is just otherworldly

[@juancpgo]

I think white jazz musicians are often underrated in jazz: Art Pepper, Tubby Hayes, Zoot Sims, Al Haig, Anita O'Day, George Shearing, are all mind blowing amazing, and took me a lot of time to properly discover them because people just don't seem to acknowledge them much. Stan Getz was a freakin genius, a god, his melodic ideas are nothing but divine and his tone the most gorgeous one.

[@SELMER1947]

Finally somebody recognizes ALL the great tenors as well as Getz !!!!

[@sleeplezznightz]

Stan Getz is hardly underrated. He's on every list of greatest sax players, tenor or not, easily.

[@sebastianabele4064]

Stan Getz the goat

[@SELMER1947]

@@sebastianabele4064 Bullshit

[@danielditlev]

Thank you for the shout out to Denmark. As a 44 year old Dane who bought his first baritone sax less than a week ago I am happy to hear that we were a home away from home for some of these artists. I hope things will turn to the better soon for everyone around the world.

[@olebirgerpedersen]

Velkommen I klubben af baritonplayers . Jeg er 81 og spillede altsax fra jeg var 17 og köbte min förste Baritonsax, da jeg som tresaarig kom til Glindeman. Jeg spiller stadig paa dem begge.

[@danielditlev]

Ole Birger Pedersen Tusind tak for velkomsten! Min bari skulle eftersigende have tilhørt Bent "Stork" Nielsen som jeg ved spillede med Glindemann på et tidspunkt. Jeg er meget beæret. Jeg har uploadet en video på min KZbin over hvordan det lød efter 5 dage. Feedback er meget velkommen hvis du har mod på at give det.

[@olebirgerpedersen]

@@danielditlev Storken, ja hab var en skön original. Jeg spillede tilfäldigt billard med en ung mand paa et värtshus paa Frederiksberg og märkeligt nok kendte han mit navn, saa jeg spurgte ham, hvor han kendte det fra. Jeg er Storkens sön , svarede han. Det blev en morsom aften. Jeg traf ofte Storken I baglokalet hos en instrumentmager, hvor vi som oftest fik en öl eller flere.

[@snodog3]

Gmafb

[@petegalindez9961]

Jay...WOW! I made your intro required viewing for the whole family (my wife and two teenage sons). For me, this was an epiphany...I've played music most of my life (age 51 now) and love Jazz (more smooth Jazz, fusion jazz on trumpet, and jazz rock - David Sanborn, Dave Koz, Michael Lington, Maynard Ferguson, Chuck Mangione, you get the picture). I've tried to get into the more traditional jazz but could never understand the long solos that seemingly went on forever, and often didn't seem like they followed the melody of the original piece...your intro put that into perspective. I could be completely wrong, but to me, given the times as you stated, music (Jazz in this case) was a portal for these awesome human beings and musicians, to escape into their own worlds where they truly were free...You've given me new ears Jay...can't wait to start cranking some good old time jazz tomorrow and see what I hear...Thank you and be well.

[@bettersax]

Thanks. Going back and listening to the lineage of all this music helps us enjoy the more contemporary stuff even more. Puts everything in better perspective. Also, it's normal to not always have a full appreciation for the bebop era music at first.

[@joaopedrobaganha811]

As a brazilian tenor sax player, Stan Getz is my personal favorite, I love his bossa nova and samba covers, this is Brasil!

[@jakestake5914]

12:17: "Dexter played the lick!"

[@fabianvanderknaap2102]

My hero

[@EmanSax03]

i was about to comment this too😂 what a mad lad

[@thethesaxman23]

lol I didn’t even catch that the first time around

[@phila2361]

Wondered if anyone else noticed 😁

[@isails-ispinnakers]

@@phila2361 17:56.. som'nnn like that....

[@Redpackman]

You've got to have Zoot Sims in the A list. Glad he's in the "honorable mention," but he belongs at the top end. He made dozens of albums and the general consensus was that all of them "swung." Zoot believed that one should hear the melody and then the artist could go from there but never stray so far that you forgot what he was playing...or thought they forgot. He had the most wonderful jazz lines out there. He could play hot and fast...Check him with Gerry Mulligan's band playing "Apple Core," or in his rare performance from Yamagata, Japan (on KZbin) playing "The Very Thought of You." The latter being so tender and musical it will absolutely melt you. Zoot is the top of my tenor list. You knew what he was playing and you liked it.

[@jessstuart7495]

Joe Henderson should have made this list.

[@echoes675]

@Marco Huevo Would Wayne Shorter would fall into this group of tenor player too do you think?

[@lawrencebrazier1894]

right

[@glyphics1943]

Let’s have some love for Lucky Thompson, another expat who is overlooked.

[@SELMER1947]

Oh yes and his " Just one more chance " record is one of the greatest tenor solo ever !!!

[@lawrencebrazier1894]

Absolutely. M Davis said Thompson was one hellava saxophonist

[@thethesaxman23]

I was so thrilled to see that Hank Mobley made the list! He is my personal favorite and I think Soul Station is probably my favorite jazz album! The tracks swing so hard and his solos are so lyrical that they are practically their own melodies. He may not have been in the stratosphere like Coltrane or Sonny Rollins, but he was an absolute master at making music for the listener rather than for himself!

[@coleashley6010]

Hank Mobley has got to be one of the most underrated, yet amazing musician

[@justinberkley3909]

My friend Brett Kirby introduced me to Soul Station and described him as such: “he’s so in...always in...he’s laying it all out there and all of it...everything is right”

[@stevel6895]

Hank Mobley, the middle weight champion of the tenor sax, AKA Hankenstein ...

[@brunoturgeon7978]

Cameron Melendez Music ńh

[@caponsacchi9979]

I'd add to his Blue Note repertory his work as a sideman (e.g. his beautifully understated solo on Lee Morgan's "Ceora"). But also his work on Columbia (Sony) with Miles on "Live at the Blackhawk," Friday and Sat. nights. His solo on Friday night's "Bye Bye Blackbird" not only surpasses Miles' solo but is one of the most soulful, heart-rending statements ever played on a Selmer Mark VI.

[@ADCar]

I tried to listen but couldn't get past the political lecture. There are still occasional incidents of racism in America but it doesn't happen as much as the media would have you believe and minorities are often as racist as white people. As for institutional racism, the country has bent over backwards to make up for the sins of the past and there are all sorts of opportunities available if Blacks want to take advantage of them. They always say that it's racist to judge a group based on the actions of a single individual yet all police and all white people seem to be judged by the actions of a single bad cop. How is that fair?

[@thomasowen2585]

Al Carnali IMO there’s a problem with police brutality in America, but on a macro scale it’s not a race issue. Single Motherhood and black on black crime are greater issues for African Americans. BLM isn’t the solution. In fairness, the historical context of racism and segregation is valid as it will have influenced the expression of musicians, but the ‘in this current situation’ speech was not appreciated by myself.

[@SoJahSeh91]

Thomas Owen perhaps, just perhaps, we should let black people say what the problems affecting the black community are. And actually listen to them instead of dismissing them.

[@dakopis]

@@SoJahSeh91, the problem with that statement is that not all "black" voices are being heard, just the liberal ones being amplified by biased, liberal media. Black lives are threatened more by blacks themselves than anything else in the states. It's not arguable, yet a narrative is pushed to overlook this because to recognize it would be the start to a conversation that is less comfortable and even less desirable by a certain liberal, political party whose hands are covered in blood with the policies they're responsible for.

[@dakopis]

@@thomasowen2585, 100%

[@SoJahSeh91]

@Andy Kopis my comment had nothing to do with listening to any media source. I said listen to black people when black people say what the problems affecting the black community are. Don’t go to CNN or FOX or Info Wars or MSNBC. I said listen to black people. We exist outside of media talking points and cable news. Talk to black folk, read works by black folk, listen to black folk. I genuinely don’t care if you’re a democrat, republican, communist, whatever. If you think whatever cable news/news media source you watch/read is unbiased, sorry but that’s not how the media works. The problem I have with the whole “black people are the biggest problem to black people” argument is that it completely ignores the historical narrative of POC in the United States. Will I say that we’re blameless? No. To argue that we haven’t been systematically oppressed in this country would be equally false.

[@SStone-dm7es]

First time I ever heard a white jazz musician talk so honestly about the legacy, social and racism situation of/for black players back in the day. Still a bit hairy now too, sadly. Kudos to you, man. You said it very well!

[@directcurrent5751]

Said it very well

[@robwest36]

He’s talking more than listening 😢

[@kylerR-b5l]

That's a note . Thinking about crying through life is not acceptable to God . Only excellence is acceptable to God . Full effort . No matter how weak you are, only full effort allows you to survive . Pain of life lets you know you're alive . Joy of life keeps you alive . We're still here ...

[@Filipe_Alexandre_]

I love to listen you playing, and I love the way you talk, being so sincere and sentimental. You are such a good person Jay, for real.

[@rkomada88]

Harold Land needs some love. Remember Joy Spring, with Clifford Brown...............

[@flaminghakama]

It may be blasphemous to say this, but I enjoyed Land's playing with Clifford & Max much more than their other tenor.

[@fullriptide]

Flaming Hakama lol not blasphemous, but it is definitely blasphemy to refer to sonny Rollins as “the other tenor”..

[@beefart100]

Thanks Jay, your acknowledgement of the black American sources and the cultural riches of this music is so apt at this time. Such an important message!

[@DrRocketTurner]

Give me Ben Webster’s “more with less” ALL DAY LONG! Would rather listen to Ben Webster than all the others, although I appreciate the technical wizardry of all the other “dense” stylists! Ben’s style is the ideal to me! Thanks for the list! 🚀

[@rwclaw1]

I second the motion! And no one owned "Stardust" like Ben. I must have listened to a dozen recordings of his playing that song, and he can break your heart just playing the melody.

[@tenorsfan7492]

@@rwclaw1 That may have been true until Herschel Evans' recording was discovered about ten years ago.

[@jp2861]

Oh, for Top 10 Vol. 2 David “Fathead” Newman. Another Texan.

[@MrJColtrane68]

I’d put Charlie Rouse up there. He had that distinctive sound that you can pick a mile away

[@bensherman1628]

this list is awesome next do bari players PLEASE (and include lars gullin)

[@wimlange8833]

Yes, bari players next, please ☺

[@andrew4282]

Why not soprano... Kenny G😍😍😍😍

[@kiptronix]

yes bari please...include joe temperly fot us brits.

[@Thegdeaniii]

Pharoah Sanders, Charles Lloyd

[@artgrusensky121]

let's get James Moody in there somewhere. His recordings never matched his live performances. What a beautiful spirit he was too.

[@SacBillM3]

Agreed!

[@AndalusianIrish]

And his flute playing!

[@edleifer6719]

Try 4A and 4B if you like James Moody.

[@SuperBandgeek1994]

we should get a soprano and baritone version of this also!

[@andrea22213]

Impossible to include everyone, but, Lucky Thompson, Wardell Gray and how about Dick Morrissey?

[@jimmyb1133]

Zoot Sims ! I remember seeing him live in NYC in a small night club . I think the club name was, The Half Note ? Not sure ... the thing I always remember was listening to Zoot warming up off stage and it was like listening to an actual performance .. I was so amazed. It sounded like water flowing it was so fast and smooth hearing him blazing through the scales ....

[@NadavHbr]

Great list and great video. For me - the number one omission is Don Byas, then come Wardell Gray and Benny Golson (if we focus on pre 1960 recordings). I would replace Jug and Stan Getz, or even Mobley if indeed we concentrate on pre 1960

[@jp2861]

Love this list. A favorite album of mine is Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster. Thanks for all you're doing for the saxophone world

[@RexPomaro]

God I love that album

[@steveelsonnyc]

Jay. What a lovely intro to this wonderful video! So important to discuss the reality of racism in this context. Such reverence for the music requires us to understand and fight ongoing injustices at every turn. Much work to do, sadly.

[@Aaron-Qman]

Well said! Great list as well🎶 But let's also not forget that most of all genres we listen to in America came from blacks. Everyone has to acknowledge and realize that Rock and Roll, Country & Blues were created by African Americans. The creation of jazz is just one of many accolades.

[@bettersax]

All popular music from the 20th century onward is a direct descendant of black culture and influence.

[@Aaron-Qman]

Better Sax Exactly my point! Thank you for making great content as always and keeping it real.

[@sleepy-beagle]

Great tribute to the tenor saxophone players that played and lived through difficult times. I salute you.

[@joeblankenship377]

Johnny Griffin, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, and Charlie Rouse would've made my tenor list. And now I'm really interested to see the bari sax list from the pre-1960 era. Lemme see, there's Gerry Mulligan, Cecil Payne, Serge Chaloff, Leo Parker, Pepper Adams, Sahib Shihab, Harry Carney.... so that's 7. Hopefully I learn a new one. I'd never heard Leo Parker til a year or two ago. I'm guessing there's gotta be some more bari players flying under the radar.

[@brianbillings6815]

Love Lockjaw Davis. Under-rated.

[@Growald]

Claire Daly for sure !

[@frankmcdonough2086]

Saw Lockjaw with the Basie band in Liverpool in the 50's. WHat a player. What emotion!

[@RevolutionTutors]

I love all of your videos, but this (and the alto video of the same style) must be my favorite. What a way to get exposed to more saxophonists. I love the experience of listening alongside you so much I think it would be really cool if you made more content like this. Of just listening to a song or live performance and you pausing it every so often and explaining The Who, what and why, transposing licks etc. I would listen to hours of content like that and grow a lot as a saxophonist I imagine. I don’t know if it’s just me, but jazz seems particularly hard to get into by just listening on my own. There is so much history that a new listener lacks. Who is playing, what are they known for, what song are they playing and what is it’s significance. More of this type of content would be a huge help. Either way, you have been killing it. Good luck with that upcoming event in the UK. I’m based out of NY but was half considering jumping on a plane to come out. Keep it up legend.

[@bettersax]

Thanks for the comment. Have more like this planned.

[@wimlange8833]

Well spoken intro, Jay. I totally agree. 10 inspirational tenor players for sure. Illinois Jaquet, Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins synchronise most with my inner sax strings, though...☺

[@StephenB_LE9]

Jay - a really sensitive intro and close out. Thank you.

[@Simon.the.Likeable]

John Gilmore - often neglected because of his long tenure in Sun Ra's bands. However, the story of Trane jumping up on stage to announce his greatness and requesting a post-gig lesson must mean something in tenor sax folklore.

[@kpoudavoff]

Dex lives. Btw it’s Johnny Griffin (it was Griffen in the end captions). Nice video Jay!

[@bettersax]

Thanks, I guess you didn't notice my other mistakes then...

[@Simon.the.Likeable]

*Booker Ervin

[@HowardJacksongroover]

Yeah man the Griffin and Stanley Turrentine. Hank Mobley was underated, but Ltd was and is my favourite. Great list very hard, thanks Jay x

[@HowardJacksongroover]

Long Tall Dexter!

[@francistaylor5097]

Good man, Jay. Not even watched the list yet but wanted to comment on your intro. This is why I watch your channel and have purchased a course from your store. I completely agree with everything you said at the start. Thank you for your honesty and integrity.

[@michaelcorenzwit716]

Where is my favorite, Charles Lloyd?

[@model-tube3917]

Thanks for the intro context setting. The points you make are at the Center of making Art. My favorite for reasons I am still trying to articulate is Lester Young. His music speaks to me.

[@michaelscott2980]

Where's George Coleman?

[@lexbro]

Thank you for your deeply moving comments on the people who have suffered so much pain, grief, and ill treatment with such great dignity....as musicians and as people we all owe more to them than words will ever express

[@melknights5027]

Tubby Hayes was also an excellent tenor saxophone player

[@msavage7779]

Great list, and greater message for truth and understanding! I vote for you next list to include Eddie Harris.

[@rudyjoe7686]

"Listen Here" kicked off jazz for me. I was just a teenage kid but that set me on my way into jazz til this day at 67.

[@timobesamusca9332]

Dexter, Stan & Hank are my personal favourites! Thx for the video and the historical perspective you gave, love that! Also the little facts about the horns, the mpc etc they used. And the footage of Parker cracking up next to The Hawk was beautiful, first time I saw this! Thx Jay 🙏🏼

[@richardcomard4223]

I took a class at Hunter college in the 80's and Milt Hinton taught the class. He had us over his house(the whole class) for a BBQ on Long island. He asked me to go next door and ask Jackie for some mustard. I knock on the door and Illinois Jaquet(Jackie) handed me the mustard and said to say hi to Milt. Fun stuff.

[@rodimusgamer7620]

Lucky

[@martinkimber1203]

Been listening to a lot of Scott Hamilton lately ,love his sound .

[@ericgrum]

I'm with you re Scott Hamilton

[@ericgrum]

...More contemporary era, though

[@softsoftsoft]

thank you so much for acknowledging what black culture did for jazz music without sweeping it under the rug

[@LndnJazzHour]

Great list bro. Sonny, Dexter, Lester, Hawkins, Ben Webster (Billie Holidays personal fav) Coltrane. Maybe Benny Golson just for contribution as you mentioned.

[@cliveastle9372]

THIS video is required listening over and over and over for all Tenor players! Just now I watched it again and learnt so much more that I didn't hear earlier. Thanks Jay for all that you do.

[@mildhenry]

Nice one Jay.....rightly mentioned the political and historical background to this iconic music. Difficult choice of who to leave out of the list but I think you nailed the main 'leaders' Love your 'Better Sax' video's, keep up your great work!

[@abaachi13]

Dexter Gordon is my favorite sax player as well. He had it all... not to mention his "swag" was just incredible. I can listen to his versions of "Body and Soul' and "Tanya" all day everyday. These guys were Gods. Excellent list, I agree with it 100%. Thank you so much for sharing it, because many new players have no clue as to who these giants were.

[@madbebopper]

Jay that was great, nice job, however....you left out two of the most distinctive and masterful innovators from this list. Don Byas and Eli "Lucky" Thompson. Don had the unenviable challenge of being Lester Young's replacement in the Basie band of 1943-44. Lester was a national star and when Don replaced him, he immediately started creating hits for the band like Harvard Blues, etc. Nobody, including Charlie Parker had anything on Don Byas. He mastered the saxophone completely like it was a toy. He could play faster than anyone and with the most gigantic sound of any tenor player before or since. Sonny Stitt mentioned a jam session with Hawk, Pres, Don, Ben Webster, etc....and Stitt said "and Don walked away with it all" Please do a separate video on Don and Lucky. They are too important to be overlooked.

[@ovidiugurban9601]

Amazing!!! Make part 2 and 3 ! Make this about Soprano and Bari

[@Danieldiazsax]

MyRackley lol the last one 😂😂😂

[@krzysiekkondrat2513]

@@MyRackley Kenny G is a piece of sh**, he plays boring pentatonic licks - listen Pat Metheny talking about him. And you forgot about Wayne Shorter, and Dave Liebman, he is great contemporary jazz saxophonist.

[@krzysiekkondrat2513]

@@MyRackley I didn't get it!

[@cookieman136]

MyRackley Leo P (Pelligrino) - Is that who you’re thinking of in the subway? Talk about innovative style - he belongs on the list.

[@sebjurasz-cruz4883]

Thank you for a great video Jay👏🙌

[@scratchedvinyl8462]

Ike Quebec! His playing on Heavy Soul is so unbelievably expressive. Great to see Mobley make the cut. Lovely video, Jay -- with a great message.

[@Icoltrane]

I miss Yussuf Lateef and Pharoah Sanders

[@bradyplaysbari9866]

Thank you for including Hank Mobley! He's my favorite sax player and Soul Station is also my favorite album.

[@amenentuet]

HANK MOBLEY: NO ROOM FOR SQUARES !!!

[@garyclaytor7214]

My top three were Hank Mobley, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Stan Gets. Thanks for giving the black musicians there due.

[@kmvenezia4337]

I never missed Dexter when he played the Vangaurd in the 80's. Nice job J, It's virtually an impossible task.

[@sebastiansanz7361]

Amazing list, all great saxophonist, Dexter Gordon is the man for me... i think Wardell Grey it someone that deserve more recognition by the way

[@vKarl71]

Thanks for your excellent introduction, reminding all of us of the destructive pressures of racism on all these great artists, pressures that surely shortened their lives. This is a wonderful list of great tenor men. And fantastic players on the scrolling list at the end, one of my faves being Johnny Griffen. He didn't have quite the kind of career or (as far as I know) influence of some of the others but his playing could have an explosiveness that was just electrifying. There are a couple of recordings of him with Bud Powell that are astounding. I love these videos - Thank You!!

[@iframes2d]

I really enjoyed the video. Very informative and broaden my knowledge of the genres. My vinyls collection will grow for sure😊

[@maliqued.wilkerson8327]

Thanks for taking the time to recognize the influence that African Americans have had not just on Jazz, but in American music in general. Crazy to think that there once was a time when we weren’t allowed to sit at a table in certain clubs, but we were good enough to play in them. Thank you Jay. And I’d love to see you spend some time on Joe Henderson. He’s a BEAST!!!

[@grantkoeller8911]

Great list Jay!!!! so many it's impossible to just have 10...Budd Johnson, Flip Phillips, Al Cohn, Jimmy Guifree, and Eddie Lock Jaw Davis

[@alisonross5970]

Thank you Jay! Can't wait for the second & third sets, so many wonderful players. So very heartening to hear your comments on racism, injustice and equality and how jazz is inescapably intertwined with the history of the music. Peace & Love through music xx

[@jeffcopoloff8716]

Getz is the overall best Tenor Player of all time ... Why you say ? Because Getz could play any other Tenor Player .. but they , including Trane couldn’t play him . ..... also Jazz was Never exclusively Black or White ... it was BOTH.... you also have to discern between Song Writers/ Composers and Instrumentalists ...

[@DHall-kr4vl]

Splendid presentation. That list was short of some great names but that is a good problem. Thanks for your scholarship. David Hall

[@jeffcopoloff8716]

Stan Getz : I Remember Clifford Brown .. a Tenor Sax lesson in intonation and Control ... I don’t think ANY Sax player could ever play this Tenor Classic like Stan ... nobody . Ever . Not Train Not Dexter Not Sonny . Nobody

[@taylorchurch5580]

Booker Ervin would have made my list somewhere up there

[@tonybelobrajdic4483]

Thank you heaps for this...best wishes for 2022. Just today I received my first ever tenor YTS32, and with only one year on Alto....who knows what will happen.T

[@vinniebailey3797]

Oh one more thing, Gene Ammons is the most unsung of that entire group...his sound was enormous and he had so much soul! Jug is my favorite!

[@KevinKingII]

Same here! Biggest sound man.....

[@BernellJonesII]

I heard that Lou Donaldson swears that Jug was the best tenor player out there

[@KevinKingII]

@@BernellJonesII Me and lou agree! He is my personal favorite. The great thing about saxophone is there are so many killer players!

[@tinkerchel]

Your top 10 list saxophone vids are simply sublime~Insightful & delightful 🎶🎶So far I could only find 2..Looking forward for more

[@bettersax]

More to come!

[@ralphgillies8614]

Time spent in Copenhague, París, Vietnam in 58, & 59 listening to these masters is why I play jazz on different saxes. I am 82 and still working to play better.

[@ralph2winall]

It was a great list, missing is Jimmy Forrest, missing also Sam the man Taylor, Big Jay McNeely, and Clifford Scott although the those 3 might not be considered just Jazz players.

[@synesthesian7]

Jay, Great tribute to those Jazz Tenors.,Sam Rivers is one I first heard and whose sound I was eager to emulate because of the raw primal elements of expressiveness I heard on not only on Tenor but on flute and piano as well. His 1972 Album “Hues” is one of my favorites and on which he, along with trio Barry Atschul, and Cecil McBee, take us through mysterious and uncharted areas of a jazz jungle wilderness. Sam exhibits such impeccable command of harmony on Saxes and flute that absence harmonic accompaniment isn’t even missed.

[@PierreVeniot]

Just an add: Gato Barbieri

[@stilo2703]

Good list. I made my own list before watching: Trane, rollins, dex, mobley, lester, joehen, wayne shorter, hawk, getz, stitt (I know some of these guys were a bit after 1960 but Jay didn't have all of his list before 1960 so whatever)

[@hans-ulrichbuehler8769]

Great list of tenorists. I agree with all. And - as a baritone-player - I ask you: when do you bring out a list of the important baritone-players?. Maybe there will not be 10!

[@player197SD]

Also, I would have like to see micheal brecker on that list ;)

[@weiqionghuang223]

Man this is the classic jazz list, I am sure we will see MB on the coming modern jazz list.

[@MrJazzohjazz]

Michael is in the post ‘60 list.

[@matthiastaulien2295]

Tank you for this video and the featured great saxophone players. I agree with everything you said about black musicians but I would suggest not using the word 'race'. According to the latest scientific knowledge, all of humanity is a single so called 'race'. The genetic differences of all people are practically not important. Among humans, race has no taxonomic significance by pointing out that all living humans belong to the same species (wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_(human_categorization)). For this reason, there is discussion in Germany as to whether Artikel 3, Absatz 3 (Article 3, Paragraph 3) should be changed in our Grundgesetz (Constitution) in that way that wether the word 'Rasse' (race) should be deleted. GG Art. 3 (3) Niemand darf wegen seines Geschlechtes, seiner Abstammung, seiner Rasse, seiner Sprache, seiner Heimat und Herkunft, seines Glaubens, seiner religiösen oder politischen Anschauungen benachteiligt oder bevorzugt werden. Niemand darf wegen seiner Behinderung benachteiligt werden. ((3) Nobody may be disadvantaged or favored because of their gender, their origin, their race, their language, their home and origin, their beliefs, their religious or political views. Nobody may be disadvantaged because of his disability.)

[@billcomstock835]

This is wonderful! I love everything about this. Please, do all the saxes, especially soprano. 😁

[@bettersax]

Thank you! Will do!

[@sarahmicklewright]

Yes, seconded, awesome series, especially looking forward to a soprano one!

[@RevolutionTutors]

@@bettersax looking for the soprano version!!! Badly need it

[@arneal]

Beautiful list! Even though Harold Land wasn’t as influential, he influenced ME not to play sax with an oboe embouchure (ha ha). I was in a quintet/sextet with his son, a pianist, when we were high schoolers. I had just started playing alto sax after playing flute for a few years, and he noticed my disappearing upper lip, and stepped over and quietly “pulled my coat”. He was the original tenor player in the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet. Talk about tone, facility, and he was the epitome of personal “cool”.

[@SacBillM3]

Jay - A wonderful lesson, both musically and -- more importantly -- historically. I really appreciate YOUR obvious appreciation of these great African American musicians to our musical and national history. And the music they created, as you intimated, is GREAT! Thanks for the information and edification. Peace - Bill Madison

[@richc3440]

When I Play Guitar.. I think Saxophone. When I play saxophone I think guitar?

[@rom1967]

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis is missing?? really...

[@mauricecasey5556]

Whenever that man stood up, magic, energy and excitement followed every time.

[@bussmigun83]

and Johnny Griffin

[@flaminghakama]

never listened to him much and am now checking him out. What's your fav album? So far, I've most enjoyed kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4DUgXicga5so9k

[@and1424]

how does that effect that ben webster uses is called? kinda like exhaling intermittently. its not vibrato. sounds like FU FU FU FU thanks! great channel!

[@parker550]

Hank Mobley... Glad you included him the most underrated player of that era, lyrical improviser and no chromatical blagger... Massive discography.. Bop to ballads, tone to die for... 'I should Care'.. Wow... Ike Quebec... Blue and Sentimental album proves his finesse... Good collation... But I'd never doubted it👍🎷

[@juancpgo]

Don Byas I think was the most underrated one.

[@SidLaw500]

Mobley is special in so many ways.

[@enispenvy9174]

Hey Jay. You're a pretty good saxophone player. What do you do for a living? This was meant as a joke. Thanks for everything you do.

[@willtisdale9899]

Thank you Jay. These history lessons are my favorite videos you make.

[@willtisdale9899]

Also, Sonny Rollins is my fave ;)

[@bettersax]

Thanks, glad to hear that.

[@bobwright2692]

Thanks for this great post, a most inspirational moment for me, having saxes in the cupboard for many lazy years now, must pick them up tomorrow and enjoy those attempts to create sounds again. English Bob.

[@seandeegan2067]

I think I would replace Illinois Jacquet and Gene Ammons with Joe Henderson and George Coleman.

[@wolfgangsuehrer5405]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS AND VERY OPEN-HEARTED APPRECIATION OF THE BLACK MUSICIANS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LISTENING PLEASURE OF JAZZ LOVERS ALL OVER THE WORLD. How much poorer would our earthly existence be without their artistry?

[@stul2224]

I was the Village Vanguard when Dexter Gordon returned to the USA - recorded live that night. I'll Never forget it.

[@richardcomard4223]

I saw him there also. Unforgettable.

[@andrewbillek9209]

I was also there on the first night - I had a red carnation in my lapel!

[@richardcomard4223]

@@andrewbillek9209 that's not very nice. Why would I make something like that up. Don't insult Mr. Metcalf with rude remarks, when people are trying to exchange ideas and experiences. Go to Twitter.

[@richardcomard4223]

@@andrewbillek9209 I looked through all the replies and you were the only scumbag. Fuck you.

[@voicisalyre1971]

I wanted to play the sax after my father lead me to Johnny Griffin's Quartet when I was thirteen, in the suburbs of Lyon (Oullins, the town Im still living in).

[@dazedandconfused698]

Enjoyed your rundown of tenor players. Being a devoted Dexter Gordon fan, I would like to recommend "Dexter Calling" as a must hear album, in my opinion he had a much better band with him on that than on "Go!". One person who perhaps should have had a mention at least, is Tubby Hayes, who sadly died young of a heart condition at the height of his powers.

[@jazzyman4]

The test of time when you listen to those older recordings is an important factor Dexter certainly did as did Coltrane - Rollins and yes Tubby was up there too Impossible to pick ten or twenty or even thirty as they all gave so much artistry and enjoyment Another factor was that they were individual in their sound and techniques - after a few bars you knew who was playing Too many current players sound very similar because they come from jazz college/university whereas the last masters honed their skills on the road and realized you had to be different to succeed

[@stephenhannaway3739]

Dazed and Confused ~ Tubby Hayes was to me the Charlie Parker of Tenor Sax players, his virtuoso was absolutely superb ...

[@amenentuet]

BROTHER ANOTHER INCREDIBLE LIST OF PHENOMENAL SAX PLAYERS . LIKE YOU HANK MOBLEY, DEXTER GORDON AND, MAY I MENTION BOOKER ERVIN ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITES AND, MANY OTHERS GREAT LIST !

[@kensmith638]

I wish you weren’t virtue signaling. I subscribed to your channel for musical reasons, not political.

[@thomasowen2585]

IMO there’s a problem with police brutality in America, but on a macro scale it’s not a race issue. Single Motherhood and black on black crime are greater issues for African Americans. BLM isn’t the solution. In fairness, the historical context of racism and segregation is valid as it will have influenced the expression of these musicians, but the ‘in this current situation’ virtue signalling speech was not appreciated by myself.

[@olebirgerpedersen]

I think you could have found a better exampel talking about Lester Young. There are so many recordings that showes his wonderful sound especially when he plays with trios. As for Dexter , I agree completely with you. Not only was Dexter Gordon one of the best and inspiring Tenorsaxophonists, he was allso a great friend of mine. We spent a lot of time together in Copenhagen and in Paris.