How to Swing on Sax | 4 tips for better style!

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  • Опубликовано: 1 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 92

  • @Craig2760
    @Craig2760 Год назад +6

    Swingin'est album, "Basie Straight Ahead" comes to mind first. Back in the 90's I had the unequaled privilege to play with the remnants of a big band from the '40's. Still had a few original members including the two alto sax players, lead trumpet, piano and rhythm guitar players. An education in swing from the guys who lived it during the heyday.

  • @bobblues1158
    @bobblues1158 Год назад +7

    " A troubled marriage in the 70´s" . Doctor, you have topped yourself!!

  • @gib321
    @gib321 Год назад +3

    Ike Quebec and Grant Green - Blue and Sentimental - Swings like hell!

  • @ize1000009
    @ize1000009 Год назад +5

    Nobody swings harder on the sax than Zoot “King of Swing” Sims & Al Cohn (combined, they really level up each others playing to another level), on any album.
    But especially on Zoot & Al , Jazz Live at the Half Note (with Phil Woods too). 🔥 🔥 🔥

  • @jamieforjazz
    @jamieforjazz Год назад +3

    Great video! Back in the 90s I saw a tv show with Jimmy Heath talking about this. He was singing almost straight 8th notes, but the legato push on the offbeat was huge and it swung like crazy.
    Practically, I always found the Lennie Niehaus books to be excellent workouts, played nice and slow with a metronome.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      I haven't seen the Niehaus books in decades, I should check them out again!

  • @_kimonsax
    @_kimonsax Год назад

    Yes! Listening is the answer. Thanks Dr. Wally Wallace! 😄

  • @ernstaugustvonsachsen6925
    @ernstaugustvonsachsen6925 Год назад +1

    And like always you can never go wrong playing along to records. To me Charlie Parker in particular is incredible when it comes to articulation and "micro-dynamics"

    • @sfpratt1954
      @sfpratt1954 Год назад

      A lot of half tonguing by Bird.

  • @saxmaniac6321
    @saxmaniac6321 8 месяцев назад

    For me, "Pres and Teddy" is one of my swingingest albums!

  • @saxolive892
    @saxolive892 Год назад +1

    like 652
    thank you so

  • @tobygilmore8036
    @tobygilmore8036 Год назад +2

    I'm going for Lockjaw Davies on Basie's "Whirly Bird".

  • @jamesmurphy2206
    @jamesmurphy2206 Год назад +1

    Great video, One of the most swinging albums to me was Sonny Side Up by Dizzy Gillespie featuring Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins

  • @noahkapley7190
    @noahkapley7190 Год назад

    Great video, Dr. Wallace!! "Ballade" shows Coleman Hawkins and Bird swinging. Really, anything by Coleman Hawkins or Lester Young really swings!!!!

  • @codeangler
    @codeangler 9 месяцев назад

    there are a few albums I'd select for great swing... this is just the one that comes to mind first --
    Cannonball Adderley Quintet - In Chicago

  • @grantkoeller8911
    @grantkoeller8911 Год назад +1

    Fantastic video!!

  • @andyquinn1125
    @andyquinn1125 Год назад +1

    No horn to be found, but George Shearing and the The Montgomery Brothers yields some of the swingingest stuff known to science. If you have not heard the album, you are in for a treat. And it will remind some just how truly great both Shearing was (few peers on the ivories), how equally stunning Wes was, and what a tremendous unit the Montgomery Brothers were. All time great stuff. Any unit with the Adderly Brothers is another recommendation. But especially with Louis Hayes. Everyone knows Cannon, but his brother Nat swung very hard on the cornet. He had a beautiful sound. Great lesson Doc. Thanks!

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      Not familiar with this - but I WILL go check it out for sure!

    • @andyquinn1125
      @andyquinn1125 Год назад

      @@drwallysax Doc, I've listened to this record probably more than almost any other jazz record, or any record for that matter. It is a masterpiece - I don't use the word lightly. Check out the album cover - the look on Shearing's face says it all. I predict satisfaction, but let me know what you think, regardless.

  • @couchphotography8861
    @couchphotography8861 Год назад

    Lovely! More tips, thanks Dr. Wally...now I go play again! Found a long forgotten album called Atlantic Blues Piano, various artists, from Albert Ammons to Ray Charles, but....lots of groovy but unknown sax players doing backup. Great to play along with....

  • @instrumentalsax
    @instrumentalsax Год назад

    Great video.

  • @grantkoeller8911
    @grantkoeller8911 Год назад +11

    Art Pepper meets the Rhythm Section

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад +4

      Oh hell yes. The opening rhythm section to "You'd Be so nice to come home to" Swings SOOO hard and it's beyond words to describe WHAT makes it so? Ya know?

    • @xxczerxx
      @xxczerxx Год назад

      ​​@@drwallysax I think it's the almost "audibly invisible" gliss sound Art Pepper has, combined with the titular "Rhythm Section" of course!
      Actually, I'll go out on a limb and say that record's version of 'You'd be so Nice to Come to' is my favourite alto sound of all time.
      I can't remember the story completely, but in Art Pepper's biography, he recounts recording that album : he hadn't played his horn in MONTHS and was in a heroin-induced stupor. He grabbed the sax and when he tried to pull the mouthpiece off, so too did the cork, so he just slapped some duct tape on it. THAT is what produced those heavenly sounds, insanity.

  • @ronaldpalmore570
    @ronaldpalmore570 Год назад

    Lock and griff hands down hardest swingers.

  • @floatsmyboat9159
    @floatsmyboat9159 Год назад

    Swingingest tunes…Zoot Sims and Oscar Peterson playing Oh Lady Be Good on the Zoot Sims and The Gershwin Brothers album. Oscar plays the melody leading into a magnificent four chorus solo from Zoot….as swingy as it gets!

  • @beckyn9338
    @beckyn9338 Год назад

    One of my favorite, hard swinging tunes is the classic Benny Goodman and “Sing, Sing, Sing.”

  • @shipsahoy1793
    @shipsahoy1793 Год назад +2

    I learned the tonguing techniques from guys like Niehaus by book etudes and exercises, and always a stickler for tone, and intonation or whatever, but nowadays, I just mimic what the jazz greats did from the old days because it goes beyond embouchure, tonguing, and hitting notes. Fingering techniques, overtones, altissimo, and everything else all rolled into one is part of it, so you got to be like really careful about critical listening and knowing how to parrot what you’re hearing. I used to study via printed material, but after getting down all the basics, all keys, arpeggios, octave or other intervallic jumps, chromatic runs, etc. and understanding basic functional harmony, I try to use my ears and brain much more. When I played melody or harmony off the page in a part time band, and had a non- musical day job, it was a bit different and easier. Now that I’m old, retired, and only want to focus on my favorite alto and tenor tunes,
    I really need to practice quite often to avoid rust. My biggest nemesis, aside from health issues, is soloing, but I’ve been trying to take the phrasing approaching so prevalent in the melodies of so many tunes. The saxophone bleeds cool, and is so rewarding when pleasing sound emanates from it long enough for somebody to say, “Wow, I didn’t realize how well you could play that thing!” 😂
    🎷🥳👨🏻

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад +3

      Listening and mimicking is EVERYTHING, you are correct! Happy practicing!

    • @shipsahoy1793
      @shipsahoy1793 Год назад +1

      @@drwallysax Thank, Doc Wally, you too! Love your channel and your playing! 👍

  • @sailingcoriolis6680
    @sailingcoriolis6680 10 месяцев назад

    Sonny Stitt, The Hard Swing!!!!
    Sonny’s works crossed many lines. From being a younger alive Parker to ballads, Latin, blues and swinging with style.

  • @mikedipasquale2456
    @mikedipasquale2456 Год назад

    A book I HIGHLY recommend for learning the jazz style is The Jazz Conception by Jim Snidero. Study the etude, study the play-a-long, play with the play-a-long, then play with the recorded rhythm section.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      I taught out of the Snidero books for years (and the Walt Weizkof tenor version) - excellent publications for sure.

  • @sailingcoriolis6680
    @sailingcoriolis6680 10 месяцев назад

    Then again, Cannonball in Seattle, hard choice.

  • @johngriffin4379
    @johngriffin4379 Год назад

    I'm late to the party, but check out "Tenor Conclave". Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Hank Mobley, and John Coltrane with a dynamite rhythm section.

  • @rudigerwouters1213
    @rudigerwouters1213 Год назад +1

    I stick to my alto heroes: Art Pepper "meets the rythm section" (You'd be so nice to come home to) Art is my nr. 1 hero. Canonball Adderley "Something Else" where he takes his solo after Miles in Love for Sale and then there is Paul Desmond with his smooth swing like in Blue Rondo a la ... Where it goes from 9/8 (I think) to a 4/4 swing...wauw!

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      I loooove all those examples. Art Pepper swings (and especially with that rhythm section) swings soooo hard on that album!

    • @rudigerwouters1213
      @rudigerwouters1213 Год назад

      @@drwallysax I forgot one alto with a magic sound... I think his name is a certain mister Wallace (I guess)

  • @reedguy
    @reedguy Год назад +1

    Sinatra and Swingin' Brass arranged by Neal Hefti. Sinatra at the Sands arranged by Quincy Jones.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      Sanatra at the Sands is one swingin' record!!!

  • @AndreaZucchi
    @AndreaZucchi Год назад

    The cat with the hardest swing I can think of, is probably Cannonball Adderley. E.g. LP Know What I Mean (with Bill Evans, listen Waltz For Debby or Toy) - or - Cannonball and Trane Quintet in Chicago.

  • @ottohardwick5323
    @ottohardwick5323 Год назад

    I'm curious about part of your approach here regarding ending notes. Better jazz is often produced by *not* have clearly defined tongued ends to the notes and a constant air pressure - but of course it depends a lot on what sort of phrases and style are involved. For example, in any Duke Ellington recording with solos by the saxophonists or brass players in his orchestra in which long notes, particularly at ends of phrases, all taper in volume or are coloured and inflected in all sorts of ways to express the individuality of the musician. Think of Ben Webster with his famous "fuf-fuf" endings of notes where the vibrato and air stream continue after the note has ceased to sound. This completely different approach to the way notes are played is part of the enormous gulf between pre- and post-bop jazz. P.S. Play your Conn alto more!

  • @robstevens9590
    @robstevens9590 Год назад

    Swing feel: Listen to Scott Hamilton's tenor solo on Benny Carter's "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" - !

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад +1

      Love Hamilton! I'm transcribing some Carter right now (honeysuckle rose with phil woods, charlie rouse, and ben webster...soooo good!)

  • @tracyolivermusic
    @tracyolivermusic Год назад +2

    Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio. Swings like crazy.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад +1

      THAT is an album that swings!

  • @vincemeghrouni7805
    @vincemeghrouni7805 Год назад

    Swingin'est album I've heard is Zoot at East by Zoot Sims.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      Zoot swings so hard and so cool. He might be my favorite tenor player. Great choice!

    • @vincemeghrouni7805
      @vincemeghrouni7805 Год назад

      ​@@drwallysax Thanks Doc - and that album in particular. Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Grady Tate and on some tunes and Louis Bellson on the others. It's a distillation.

  • @christophbrylka6256
    @christophbrylka6256 Год назад

    Very difficult question. I was wondering about Cannonball Adderley recordings because he swings so hard but I ended up nominating "We Get Requests" by the the Oscar Peterson Trio.

  • @matthewschwartz6486
    @matthewschwartz6486 Год назад

    Cannonball Adderley. Either "In San Francisco" or "The Poll Winners."

  • @oosaxx
    @oosaxx Год назад +1

    The Duke, Live at Newport

  • @edwind.robinsonsr.5484
    @edwind.robinsonsr.5484 Год назад

    Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Parker, and Paul Desmond.

  • @rwandanstarbux1494
    @rwandanstarbux1494 Год назад +1

    It may sound kind of odd, but just listening to great Jazz saxophonist, like Charlie Parker or Paul Desmond, helps A LOT, at least for me.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      Not at all odd! That's the key to all jazz success!

  • @samuelbrown434
    @samuelbrown434 Год назад

    Oh so many swingin’ albums. But today I’m gonna to with “Ella and Basie.”

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад +1

      Ain't nobody swings harder as a band! "Can't stop loving" you swings so hard it can throw your back out!

  • @tommyesposito606
    @tommyesposito606 Год назад

    bird plays cole porter great articulation

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      The solo on Love for Sale is soooo good :)

  • @mrs.bloxx-li
    @mrs.bloxx-li Год назад

    Most swinging sax “Sonny Rollins and Thelonius Monk”, no. 2 “You ‘n Me” Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, no 3 “Way Out “West” Sonny Rollins.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      Going to check out Cohn and Zoot right now!

  • @10morrissette
    @10morrissette Год назад

    Easy! Oscar Peterson Trio, Night Train

  • @craigschwendeman615
    @craigschwendeman615 Год назад

    Not a saxophone example but Oscar Peterson Trio on the Night Train album swings hard from start to finish.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      Piano in the hands of Peterson swings hard!

  • @ChipTheMusicMan
    @ChipTheMusicMan Год назад

    Get yer toes tappin' and yer fingers a snappin' w/ Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims (blue note 1530)

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад +1

      I've got the reissue, it's sooooo good! (love the album art too)!

  • @screech57
    @screech57 Год назад

    Kind of an obscure choice, but a tune Maynard Ferguson performed in the early 1960s called "Jazz Bary" that featured Maynard on Baritone horn and Frank Hittner on Baritone Saxophone. The tune itself isn't that swinging, but when the band drops out at about 2:57 and especially at about 3:31, wow! That's the definition of swing! ( ruclips.net/video/enhQACRxmmk/видео.html )

  • @WilliamCarterII
    @WilliamCarterII Год назад

    I would say Charlie Parker in Sweden

  • @joezilla07
    @joezilla07 Год назад

    Getz Meets Mulligan in HiFi

  • @douglange6863
    @douglange6863 Год назад

    Frank Sinatra and Count Basie Live at the Sands. Ol’ Blue Eyes could swing a phrase matched only by Lady Day!

  • @DfDavis
    @DfDavis Год назад

    Sidewinder Lee Morgan

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      The first two notes he plays, masterclass in style!

    • @jamespartaik8816
      @jamespartaik8816 Год назад

      @@drwallysax opps, just called the same tune a few comments up. Undeniable swing!

  • @micahgabelman7093
    @micahgabelman7093 Год назад

    Rhassan Roland Kirk.

  • @apvanlaan
    @apvanlaan Год назад

    Thad Jones Mel Lewis Basle 69

  • @johnsaliba7191
    @johnsaliba7191 Год назад

    I have none

  • @Saxananda
    @Saxananda Год назад

    Hey! You're playing just a little wet... just like Stan. Never heard that from you before. Refreshing. Like a bit of distortion on a guitar.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      By "wet" you mean a bit of fuzz in the sound?

    • @Saxananda
      @Saxananda Год назад

      @@drwallysax Thought I heard a bit of spit (wet), but could have been my cans distorting...

  • @wesleydonnasson838
    @wesleydonnasson838 Год назад

    Just an observation, but you're simply articulating differently. Even your example has a longer first note and a shorted second note in each eighth note pair. Your "triplet figure" stilted example only sounds that way because of the exaggerated separation you're using between notes.

    • @drwallysax
      @drwallysax  Год назад

      I clip the second note as it's what I frequently hear from beginner students. The "correct" example has a much straighter rhythm I assure you! There is lilt, but much less.