This performance reminded me of a saxophone player named Jeff Clayton. He and I both studied from a studio guy named Bill Green. Jeff was amazing with the minor pentatonic scale. Jeff died a few years back from cancer. As a point of reference, Jeff was the younger brother of John Clayton the well known bass player. I don't know if the CLAYTON BROTHERS orchestra has anything posted on RUclips. I plan to find out.
Hey, this is a really awesome video Jay! So much good stuff in there. I’m involuntarily nodding my head to every single tip. All these tips are exactly why just knowing a scale isn’t enough to sound good. Pay attention folks!!! 👍🏻
Hey Jay... an absolutely impressive performance and a very helpful analysis. Your breakdown of this solo may be one of the most valuable stagecraft lessons I've seen. I've been a BetterSax subscriber for quite some time. You offer some truly fine material to the online saxophone and musical community. Many thanks for what you do. Warm regards, Dr. A
He is fabulous! I have been watching his videos and he is the real deal. Hope he wins AGT! Thanks for spotlighting his performance and breaking it down for us. I appreciate all you do!
Gerald is his "man", of course - musically and stylistically; tonality, Mike Phillips'. By way of choreography and stage performance as well as audience-connectivity, I am thinking Eric Darius and Art(hur) Porter. Jay comes across once more as an excellent educator who is unselfishly profuse in his encouragement and promotion of the now-and-upcoming (but talented) artist. He finds quality in and highlights the strengths of one's performance - winning virtues of a great teacher👍 Thx. Professor.
At 6:30 it's not just the E that's outside the minor pentatonic scale, he's playing the whole lick in C major blues (the whole melody is G C E Eb D C A G C). The sheet music at 11:38 is also off, both you and him are playing Eb Eb C Bb G F F Eb C Bb but that's not what's written down. The lesson you're trying to teach here is great, but I couldn't help spotting those things. That first mistake would've been a great tip for your list too, alternating between major and minor pentatonic is an easy trick that sounds really hip!
Same figure as when the one teacher from Soul has his ethereal amazing phrasing section. One thing I don't like about this video, is how his cockiness cuts into his playing and it starts to become a series of him impresses the easily gullible audience, like getting low at the pentatonic part like that's meant to be impressive or the...other redo's, but I love when he actually tries to fully incorporate something fancy and intelligent. That minor apreggio 16 note run was fantastic, and really opened up a different color in everything. You need color, you need to tell a story, start a narrative for the audience, not some cheap trick of basic terms that doesn't sound like anything other than what people who use it sound like, because that's where it originates. The 1950's was a prodigy era, it combined modern playing forms with classical playing forms, a lot of Beethoven, a ton of Tchaikovsky, and the care for orchestras as well. Specifically the unique style showcased in 1951's, A streetcar named desire...god what a melody!
Soloing is definitely something I need to work more on especially since I’ll be doing a lot of jazz stuff when I get into college. I play bari in my high schools top jazz band I’m a good player in ensemble context but soloing is definitely a weakness for me.
Check out some of the content from Chad LB. He is one of Jays colleagues and a fantastic improvisor. College may be the only opportunity a musician can get to work on his craft night and day for 4-6 years. Don't take that horn out of your face ever! Except to study for other classes while you listen to Pepper Adams in the background.
I play the tenor sax, but haven't played in like 4 years. When I get back to it, I'll definitely be working on improvisation and playing a subtone. I'll be subscribing to this channel!
Nice video Jay, actually the saxophone is an instrument that's the closest to the human voice, I know that many great saxophone players (not only in the R&B -smooth genre) have attested to listening and getting techniques and stylings from great singers. I like what you're doing here in general, you know your target audience, and you're helping to inspire young players to hook them into playing and setting them up for continuing their learning journey. Keep it up! PS - I'm glad you called out the "Cannonball Lick" HAHAHA, way to go! It was one of the first effect/licks I learned as a kid and boy did I think I was cool. :)
This guy is great. I love your channel and can get good tips just from listening to you. Knowing nothing about theory ( I can barely read music), I basically copy the general idea of what someone plays by listening carefully, slowing playback down when needed ( EX Stan Getz runs) then making it my own. In cases of famous solos, I do try to learn them as close as I can. I know how fortunate I am to have a great ear. Been playing in Bars and restaurants for 45 years, high school and college band before then.
great summary (and tutorial). avery is surely bringing out brilliance with simplicity. everything does not have to be giant steps to hit the mark. go BS and go AD
Great video as always, Jay! Quick question. I have the Transcribe+ app, but can’t figure out how you were able to load the clip of Avery’s performance into it? Thanks again. All 10 tips will definitely be implemented.
So much hype and flare coming out of that sax 🙆🏾♂️🎷💫😇i bet saxophone stores will be making alotta profits these coming months😂😅and more subscribers on this channel 😁
😎Jay, you freakin’ nailed it!! Great video, great insight on bringing that jam down to earth. . Your channel rocks.. and keep those sax player interviews going..❤️those! 🎷🥳👨🏻
Thanks for the tips Jay! I literally learned a lot more through your video than through my past experiences when it comes to entertaining the audience. I've been playing music professionally but this is the first time that i've literally heard some words that I needed in order for me to realize what I needed to do when it comes to performance. never got the chance to have a mentor when it comes to performing hehe Thanks for the vid again🙏
This is a very practical video. I don't quite agree that this will make you a much better player per se but it will make your performances much more entertaining kinda like a blues saxophonist rolling on the bar or twerking with a patron while playing smooth jazz.
Hey Jay ! I saw that you got a BetterSax shirt with New York and Nice on it ! Is there a reason why you put Nice, France on the shirt ?? I'd love to know, it is my hometown ! Cheers and keep up the awesome work !
Wonderful playing and wonderful place and sound equip. If you didn't do you can do a short speaking about why if you use so much teflon on the cork neck sound bad i think xD vibrations... Hehehe
Great run down here of how to transcribe and learn. By the way, what's the neck strap you're using? Do you like it better than others? Or are you just testing it out?
Very neat rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground. He obviously is enjoying himself and the audience is enjoying his performance. The one Stevie Wonder song I would love to play (on my tenor) is Lately. It is the perfect ballad for saxophone. I have tried it but it didn’t sound very good. I just need to make an attempt to transcribe Lately. Another song is Goodnight, Julia from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. Another haunting tune for saxophone and piano.
Great video Jay, btw I noticed you have new neck screw, I just got it today but can't say I like it much, my sax feels/sounds more stuffy...your thoughts on it? Thank you!
I have been dreaming of learning the saxophone forva while now ,Hopefully, I will get one on my birthday next month! However, I am still struggling whether going for an alto or tenor ..Any help please😄
Can someone help me find the Transcribe App? Sounds like a great tool. Is there a link to the App. Totally useful Tips by Jay. Thank you. Does this app notate the musical notes?
Another thought concerning preparation: back in the 1970s I read an interview with Dizzy Gillespie where he claimed that Charlie Parker would wake him up in the late morning...well before his usual time to get up...because Parker was too lazy to transcribe his own solos. If true, this could indicate that these guys were not TOTALLY improvising on a nightly basis. If they liked a particular solo on a particular night, they would remember it, write it down, distill it and use parts of it again. Following this to it's logical conclusion, this tells me that they had enough 'licks' under their fingers to know when they had used them at a particular gig.
Unrelated, but not really..... do you have a set of fingerings for altissimo for tenor? I can get up to G4 now with no bother, and my embouchure is nice and relaxed, but don't know the fingerings to keep it going. I can hit considerably higher notes and know there's a good deal more I could get to if I had a structure to work with. Thanks in advance for any help or guidance. 🌟🙏😁❤️
I'm not sure of it, but it seems like Avery is throwing the blue note (b5 or #4) in there as well as that major third. So technically, there's more than one note outside the minor pentatonic.
Great video , Jay! Your insights and advice would have been just as good without the young star sax player, but having him motivate and inspire us is also important.
He comes from a musical family, his grandfather played sax, and he’s been playing since elementary school and is 21 now I think. Apparently he did have some “natural talent” but he’s also got about 10 years under his belt.
He would be a excellent entertainer with even half of his skills. Avery understands how to connect with audiences through his horn. That is the natural talent that boosts every aspect of his musicianship.
@@johnstarks7759 somethings off, he just seems ungenuine about it; too much cockiness and not enough care for the performance. This isn't exactly impressive playing and really irks me that he could easily win Americas got talent for this.
Basically he took easy well known good sounding techniques and stuck with them. Avoided altissimo and played with a lot of expressiveness and projection.
Exactly, it was a very Kenny G approach, I can't say I love it, but some of the things he did were nicer like the glissando(in this case, focused scale) fall at the end of the first phrase landing in a nice soft ghosting.
You can tell this man likes Gerald Albright
Who doesn't love him?💯
Exactly, everybody likes GA!
Of course!! Gerald is the goat
A hell of a lot
Exactly so. He sounds Boss!
This performance reminded me of a saxophone player named Jeff Clayton. He and I both studied from a studio guy named Bill Green. Jeff was amazing with the minor pentatonic scale. Jeff died a few years back from cancer. As a point of reference, Jeff was the younger brother of John Clayton the well known bass player. I don't know if the CLAYTON BROTHERS orchestra has anything posted on RUclips. I plan to find out.
This video was incredible! We are truly blessed to have such a magnificent educator at the tip of our fingers.
Thank you for watching
Thx Jay. Great video.
Great performance by Avery. Can't wait to see him again in the finals. AGT is an amazing TV show.
You are such a great teacher, Jay. Genuinely!!!
Thanks
If you watch just one improvisation video this year, make it this one! Thanks Jay!
Thanks David.
Hey, this is a really awesome video Jay! So much good stuff in there. I’m involuntarily nodding my head to every single tip. All these tips are exactly why just knowing a scale isn’t enough to sound good. Pay attention folks!!! 👍🏻
Thanks Jamie!
Hey Jay... an absolutely impressive performance and a very helpful analysis. Your breakdown of this solo may be one of the most valuable stagecraft lessons I've seen. I've been a BetterSax subscriber for quite some time. You offer some truly fine material to the online saxophone and musical community. Many thanks for what you do. Warm regards, Dr. A
He is fabulous! I have been watching his videos and he is the real deal. Hope he wins AGT! Thanks for spotlighting his performance and breaking it down for us. I appreciate all you do!
Avery is incredible! Thanks for breaking all of that down. Time to hop on those pentatonics!!!
A brilliant and very revealing analysis Jay, thank you!
What a great analysis and simplification of something that sounds so crazy!
Gerald is his "man", of course - musically and stylistically; tonality, Mike Phillips'.
By way of choreography and stage performance as well as audience-connectivity, I am thinking Eric Darius and Art(hur) Porter.
Jay comes across once more as an excellent educator who is unselfishly profuse in his encouragement and promotion of the now-and-upcoming (but talented) artist.
He finds quality in and highlights the strengths of one's performance - winning virtues of a great teacher👍
Thx. Professor.
Wow! That breakdown was amazing and tremendously educational.
Thank you kindly!
No wonder why this guy’s channel is so popular, he is an awesome teacher !
thank you!
You've summed it up wonderfully, Jay!
At 6:30 it's not just the E that's outside the minor pentatonic scale, he's playing the whole lick in C major blues (the whole melody is G C E Eb D C A G C). The sheet music at 11:38 is also off, both you and him are playing Eb Eb C Bb G F F Eb C Bb but that's not what's written down.
The lesson you're trying to teach here is great, but I couldn't help spotting those things. That first mistake would've been a great tip for your list too, alternating between major and minor pentatonic is an easy trick that sounds really hip!
wonderful analysis to make the solo more attainable. Great tips! Great example.
First time I heard it King Curtis sprang to mind. Crazy! Think it's his enthusiasm. Excellent playing and showmanship. Good luck fella!
Except KC smashed all that out on tenor sax...
@@paulstratforddearsley2516 He played Alto & soprano too, check out Live At the Fillmore West and see where Dave Sanborn got his ideas!
It is coming back. The guitar is going to get some competition in music going forward. It's about time.
haha let's hope so
LOL i thought the "noodling" you did sounded much better than the call and response.
Same figure as when the one teacher from Soul has his ethereal amazing phrasing section. One thing I don't like about this video, is how his cockiness cuts into his playing and it starts to become a series of him impresses the easily gullible audience, like getting low at the pentatonic part like that's meant to be impressive or the...other redo's, but I love when he actually tries to fully incorporate something fancy and intelligent. That minor apreggio 16 note run was fantastic, and really opened up a different color in everything. You need color, you need to tell a story, start a narrative for the audience, not some cheap trick of basic terms that doesn't sound like anything other than what people who use it sound like, because that's where it originates. The 1950's was a prodigy era, it combined modern playing forms with classical playing forms, a lot of Beethoven, a ton of Tchaikovsky, and the care for orchestras as well. Specifically the unique style showcased in 1951's, A streetcar named desire...god what a melody!
I knew this man, we play together at music in the park in Atl!! An amazing event and a blessing to be there.
What a great interview! Insightful and inspirational. Thank you…
Great video Jay, great explanation as usual. Very cool neck strap too ☺️☺️☺️
Thanks Jay! Love the red neck strap
Great sax coaching video. Great job. 😊
Soloing is definitely something I need to work more on especially since I’ll be doing a lot of jazz stuff when I get into college. I play bari in my high schools top jazz band I’m a good player in ensemble context but soloing is definitely a weakness for me.
Check out some of the content from Chad LB. He is one of Jays colleagues and a fantastic improvisor. College may be the only opportunity a musician can get to work on his craft night and day for 4-6 years. Don't take that horn out of your face ever! Except to study for other classes while you listen to Pepper Adams in the background.
@@johnstarks7759 👍
I play the tenor sax, but haven't played in like 4 years. When I get back to it, I'll definitely be working on improvisation and playing a subtone. I'll be subscribing to this channel!
@@archangel0137 good luck on your playing journey. It’s so rewarding and I’m glad your picking it up after a long stretch of time 🤘🎷
Nice video Jay, actually the saxophone is an instrument that's the closest to the human voice, I know that many great saxophone players (not only in the R&B -smooth genre) have attested to listening and getting techniques and stylings from great singers. I like what you're doing here in general, you know your target audience, and you're helping to inspire young players to hook them into playing and setting them up for continuing their learning journey. Keep it up! PS - I'm glad you called out the "Cannonball Lick" HAHAHA, way to go! It was one of the first effect/licks I learned as a kid and boy did I think I was cool. :)
The Devil's horn!
This guy is great. I love your channel and can get good tips just from listening to you. Knowing nothing about theory ( I can barely read music), I basically copy the general idea of what someone plays by listening carefully, slowing playback down when needed ( EX Stan Getz runs) then making it my own. In cases of famous solos, I do try to learn them as close as I can. I know how fortunate I am to have a great ear. Been playing in Bars and restaurants for 45 years, high school and college band before then.
Great breakdown, great performance
Great tips for any instrumentalist (guitar, piano, bass, violin, etc.)🎼
great summary (and tutorial). avery is surely bringing out brilliance with simplicity. everything does not have to be giant steps to hit the mark. go BS and go AD
Great video as always, Jay! Quick question. I have the Transcribe+ app, but can’t figure out how you were able to load the clip of Avery’s performance into it? Thanks again. All 10 tips will definitely be implemented.
Great music. I noticed that this mouthpiece sounds a lot better and more control than his previous AGT performance.
Incredible video. Super educational.
Glad it was helpful!
Nice breakdown of this piece. Thanks Jay
Great explanation as usual!
Thanks again!
you posted this video the day after my solo audition (i lost)
Maybe these tips will help you for the next one.
Great work! Thanks Jay!
My pleasure!
Great lesson. Thank you
So much hype and flare coming out of that sax 🙆🏾♂️🎷💫😇i bet saxophone stores will be making alotta profits these coming months😂😅and more subscribers on this channel 😁
Great explanation! Thank you Jay!
Brilliant video, Jay! Thank you!
Great overview Jay!
Yes sir Jay, POWER BABY!
Thanks for all the great info🎷👍🏾
7:45 damn i can hear a clear vibrato there
Yes, definitely a shallow vibrato, not a straight tone.
😎Jay, you freakin’ nailed it!! Great video, great insight on bringing that jam down to earth. . Your channel rocks.. and keep those sax player interviews going..❤️those! 🎷🥳👨🏻
I appreciate that!
can you do more tenor vids i think they are so interesting
Thanks, Jay, that was very interesting and insightful. Transcribe+ looked to be very helpful, but it's a shame it is just available on iOS.
Glad you enjoyed it!
"made for TV" well said. Thanks Jay.
Thanks for the tips Jay! I literally learned a lot more through your video than through my past experiences when it comes to entertaining the audience. I've been playing music professionally but this is the first time that i've literally heard some words that I needed in order for me to realize what I needed to do when it comes to performance. never got the chance to have a mentor when it comes to performing hehe Thanks for the vid again🙏
This is a very practical video. I don't quite agree that this will make you a much better player per se but it will make your performances much more entertaining kinda like a blues saxophonist rolling on the bar or twerking with a patron while playing smooth jazz.
This video saved my life..
Hey Jay ! I saw that you got a BetterSax shirt with New York and Nice on it ! Is there a reason why you put Nice, France on the shirt ?? I'd love to know, it is my hometown !
Cheers and keep up the awesome work !
Thanks David. It’s because I live in Nice.
Wonderful playing and wonderful place and sound equip. If you didn't do you can do a short speaking about why if you use so much teflon on the cork neck sound bad i think xD vibrations... Hehehe
Gracias Jay, excelentes tips y análisis de la pieza y del saxofonista, disculpa que te escriva en castellano, no hablo ingles, un abrazo
Great run down here of how to transcribe and learn. By the way, what's the neck strap you're using? Do you like it better than others? Or are you just testing it out?
FBG Zen strap.
Very neat rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground. He obviously is enjoying himself and the audience is enjoying his performance.
The one Stevie Wonder song I would love to play (on my tenor) is Lately. It is the perfect ballad for saxophone. I have tried it but it didn’t sound very good. I just need to make an attempt to transcribe Lately.
Another song is Goodnight, Julia from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. Another haunting tune for saxophone and piano.
Thanks so much!!
Great video Jay, btw I noticed you have new neck screw, I just got it today but can't say I like it much, my sax feels/sounds more stuffy...your thoughts on it? Thank you!
Hey, This is Great stuff! Thank you! can you tell me who makes the red neck strap you are wearing in this video? Thank for all the tips!
That is the BG Zen Strap imp.i114863.net/LP3k5V
@@bettersax Thank you so much! I went ahead and got the red one!
perfect explanation 💭🤔👍🙂
Thanks! 😃
Hi Jay! Are you familiar with Kamasi Washington? We studied together at UCLA. He would make a great interview for your channel.
Yes and agreed!
JOHN! STARKS! I am so happy I scrolled through the comments! How are you, I miss you man?
I have been dreaming of learning the saxophone forva while now ,Hopefully, I will get one on my birthday next month! However, I am still struggling whether going for an alto or tenor ..Any help please😄
Go Alto at first is my advice
Go tenor
i’d go for alto cause it’s what most people start out with and it’s pretty easy to get a note on it
@@APSx_ tenor is a lot better
@@supersaxysaxman3565 i agree
Subs at 276k! Wouldn't have thought there are that many sax players out there.
great. btw where did you get that red sax strap ? looks quite cool :)
Thank you!
Can someone help me find the Transcribe App? Sounds like a great tool. Is there a link to the App.
Totally useful Tips by Jay. Thank you.
Does this app notate the musical notes?
Link in description of video
Wowwwwaa amazing
Can you share the original video of the sax player iwant to listen to it
Another thought concerning preparation: back in the 1970s I read an interview with Dizzy Gillespie where he claimed that Charlie Parker would wake him up in the late morning...well before his usual time to get up...because Parker was too lazy to transcribe his own solos. If true, this could indicate that these guys were not TOTALLY improvising on a nightly basis. If they liked a particular solo on a particular night, they would remember it, write it down, distill it and use parts of it again. Following this to it's logical conclusion, this tells me that they had enough 'licks' under their fingers to know when they had used them at a particular gig.
Unrelated, but not really..... do you have a set of fingerings for altissimo for tenor? I can get up to G4 now with no bother, and my embouchure is nice and relaxed, but don't know the fingerings to keep it going. I can hit considerably higher notes and know there's a good deal more I could get to if I had a structure to work with. Thanks in advance for any help or guidance. 🌟🙏😁❤️
Yes, in the BetterSax shed, you can download my altissimo lessons. bettersax.com/shed
hi jay what is the tittle of the track he is playing
Love 💕
I would like to know what neck he use
I'm not sure of it, but it seems like Avery is throwing the blue note (b5 or #4) in there as well as that major third. So technically, there's more than one note outside the minor pentatonic.
But on second thought, if he is playing the blue note, it would be a "scoop" ornament--and it makes sense that we're not counting those.
Can anyone recommend an equivalent Windows/PC based alternative app to Transcribe +?
What brand alto saxophone you playing?
His sax is on steroids 💪
Wow his sound is so bright and strong, he sounds almost exactly like Gerald Albright
Hey what’s that strap???
What’s the name of that sax player in the video
Y’all please vote for Avery on Sept 13,2022 he is awesome
is there a transcribe app for galaxy android?
Interesting video thanks
Great video , Jay! Your insights and advice would have been just as good without the young star sax player, but having him motivate and inspire us is also important.
Baby Gerald albright❤
Do you know how to play a soprano sax?
I'll never learn this. I'm to old and startet to late. Shit happens. (start playing Sax when i am 56)
Great descriptions and explanations, but way too much ads. it became boring even before the end of the 1st half...
Check out Jerry Omole
BEWARE of Text via Telegram replies...
It would be helpful to know how long Avery has been playing saxophone and also if he had to take lessons. He might just be naturally talented.
He comes from a musical family, his grandfather played sax, and he’s been playing since elementary school and is 21 now I think. Apparently he did have some “natural talent” but he’s also got about 10 years under his belt.
He would be a excellent entertainer with even half of his skills. Avery understands how to connect with audiences through his horn. That is the natural talent that boosts every aspect of his musicianship.
@@johnstarks7759 somethings off, he just seems ungenuine about it; too much cockiness and not enough care for the performance. This isn't exactly impressive playing and really irks me that he could easily win Americas got talent for this.
Basically he took easy well known good sounding techniques and stuck with them. Avoided altissimo and played with a lot of expressiveness and projection.
Exactly, it was a very Kenny G approach, I can't say I love it, but some of the things he did were nicer like the glissando(in this case, focused scale) fall at the end of the first phrase landing in a nice soft ghosting.
Tricks for win that sax? I'm crazy 'bout your sax and i only read things like that in all sites.
So, no vibrato = better? My college professor would throw a book at you lol
👍👌👏🙏🎷🌹♥
Practice no tricks
Tip 4 - he definitely uses vibrato...
there's some vibrato in his playing yes, the point is that it's a vibrato appropriate to the style of music and not a fast classical vibrato.