Klarinet Archive - Posting 000464.txt from 2002/07

From: "Apostle Luby D. Jackson" <mus_ldj@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Bass Sax **
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 17:25:16 -0400

This brings to mind the tiny sax. It is the equivalent of the piccolo
trumpet and Eb Clarinet?
----- Original Message -----
From: <LeliaLoban@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] Bass Sax

> "Apostle Luby D. Jackson" wrote,
> >This is a clever interest of mine. What pieces are scored for
> >complete sax family and what key is the bass sax pitched too?
>
> The bass sax is a B-flat instrument, pitched one octave below the tenor
sax.
> The bass is not considered a solo instrument, I don't play with any
groups,
> and I've never found any solo music I like that was written especially for
> bass sax! Mostly, what I do is improvise from the bass pedal lines of
Bach's
> organ music, or I play opera arias written for bass singers. Since I
listen
> to Mozart opera a lot, I can usually remember the tunes. Sometimes, I
play
> music written for tenor sax, since it's also a B-flat instrument, although
> IMHO, a lot of the tenor sax music sounds too strange an octave below
where
> it belongs.
>
> If you want to hear brilliant playing on bass sax, I highly recommend any
> recordings by The Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra. The Nuclear Whales
> play with the whole family of saxophones, from the tiny E-flat sopranino
down
> to the E-flat contrabass (6'8" tall, playing an octave below the baritone
> sax). The Nuclear Whales have an outstanding bass sax player, Art
Springs,
> (who also plays tenor sax). Their contrabass sax player, Don Stevens (who
> also plays soprano and alto sax) does virtuosic things with that King
> Dinosaur of saxophones that I wouldn't have thought possible.
>
> The Nuclear Whales musicians make their own CDs (Whaleco Music), write
most
> of their own music. They sell sheet music for some of their compositions
> (mostly saxophone quartets and quintets, if I remember right) through
their
> web site,
>
> http://www.nuclearwhales.com/
>
> It's a great website, with lots of photos. That contrabass sax makes my
bass
> sax look petite! They're planning a trip with a lot of other saxophone
> players, to play on top of the Great Wall of China in 2003.
>
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>
>

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