Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Staying Sharp at 75 At nearly 75 years old, George Garzone is still lighting up stages with an enormous sound, blazing technique, and fearless creativity. I caught up with him in Copenhagen after a couple of sets at Jazz Cup, and his playing had
George Garzone on Playing Jazz Saxophone Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Do you struggle to improvise with good time over chord changes? I’ve just found an amazingly simple technique that anyone can learn, which will immediately get you playing lines that sound great or right inside the changes and swing. So, in this video,
Practice Improv Like This and You’ll Nail the Chord Changes Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you’re like me, you struggle to hear your sax on stage over loud drums and amplified guitars, and you’re tired of your ears ringing after every show. For years, I tried every kind of earplug, but my new in-ear monitors have been
How In-Ear Monitors Made Me a Better Sax Player Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Do you want a beautiful saxophone tone every time you play? After years of teaching, I found one easy embouchure anyone can master for instant results. So in this article, I’m going to show you how to copy my embouchure and finally get
Copy this Sax Embouchure for a Beautiful Sound Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Can practicing less actually make you a better saxophone player? That’s exactly what happened to me after I made just four simple changes to my routine. Now I spend less time practicing but my improvement has skyrocketed. Below, I’ll show you exactly how
These 4 Simple Changes Make Good Sax Players Great Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Have you ever wondered why some sax players choose metal mouthpieces while others stick to hard rubber? I spent years extensively testing every kind of saxophone mouthpiece imaginable and discovered key differences most players never even consider. In this post, I’ll break down
Are Metal Mouthpieces Better Than Hard Rubber? Read More »
“Why don’t manufacturers just make reeds that work more consistently?” If you’ve played saxophone for any length of time, you’ve probably asked yourself some version of this question. It’s a fair question, especially when you’ve paid good money for a box of reeds and only one or two actually play well. In our recent
Why Don’t They Just Make Better Reeds? (And What You Can Do About It) Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Finally there is a great, American made Baritone Sax Mouthpiece at an amazing price. A couple years ago, we started this ambitious project to develop excellent mouthpieces that were made in the USA, hand finished, and affordable. We really want students and beginners
We Designed the Ultimate Bari Sax Mouthpiece for Beginners Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Throughout my musical education, I have worked through countless books on how to play the saxophone. There are so many good ones out there, this list is just a few of the ones all saxophone players should be aware of. By all means,
4 Books Every Sax Player “Must” Study Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This is an American-made Buescher Aristocrat tenor saxophone. It was built in 1946 in Elkhart, Indiana. This is a great playing saxophone, it looks very cool, plays incredibly well in tune, and has a beautiful tone. There was a time when the best
One Change Killed American Saxophone Manufacturing Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. In a recent conversation with amazing saxophonist Will Vinson, we explored the challenges and breakthroughs that come with mastering jazz improvisation. Many students express frustration, feeling that despite their technical skills, their playing lacks excitement and creativity. Will shared his journey from being
A Cure for Boring Solos with Will Vinson Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Something not many people know about me is that I earned a four-year degree in classical saxophone performance. While my career has taken me down a path of jazz and popular music, those years of intense classical study laid a foundation that has
Classical Saxophone Taught Me These 3 ESSENTIAL Concepts Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Saxophone players often struggle with reeds that don’t quite feel right, sometimes punishing themselves by playing on a reed that could be vastly improved with just a minute or two of simple adjustments. Mauro from ReedGeek sees this all the time at trade
Making Average Sax Reeds Play INCREDIBLE Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Every opportunity I’ve gotten has been through jam sessions. That’s a powerful statement from the incredible saxophonist Tivon Pennicott, who has worked with legends like Ari Hoenig, Esperanza Spalding, and Gregory Porter. When we met up at the NAMM show, we had an
Every Opportunity I Had Came From Jam Sessions – Tivon Pennicott Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Altissimo: Underrated by Many At the most recent NAMM show, I had the chance to ask a lot of great saxophonists their opinions on whether altissimo is overrated or underrated. Not surprisingly, the results were mixed. Several saxophonists, including Mindi Abair, Tivon Penicott,
Is Altissimo Overrated? Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. I had the great pleasure recently to speak with 3 time Grammy Winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin, most well known from his years of playing with Dave Matthews Band, at the JEN conference in Atlanta, Georgia. We talked a bit about sound, and how
What’s the Point of Your Sax Technique? – Jeff Coffin Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Use This Instead of the Blues Scale You already know your blues scale. Hopefully, you know your major scales and some minor scales. But there’s a scale you probably don’t know or at least you aren’t using yet that can transform the way
The Most Important Scale for Jazz You’re NOT Using Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Are Vintage Saxophones like the Mark VI and Balanced Action Overrated or Underrated? At the 2025 NAMM show, I took the opportunity to ask several professional saxophonists their opinions on vintage Selmer Mark VI, Balanced Action, and vintage saxophones in general, in a
I Asked Pro Sax Players if the Selmer Mark VI is Overrated Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Conversation with Kirk Whalum: Intersection of Music and Language I recently had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with legendary saxophonist Kirk Whalum at the JEN conference in Atlanta, who shared insights on the deep connection between learning music and mastering a language.
Beyond Technique: Kirk Whalum on Playing from the Heart Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. I’m about to share with you dozens of things you can do to become a better saxophone player and musician this year. These things are going to apply to every level of player from beginners to seasoned pros. I made this list as
How to Become a Better Sax Player in 2025 Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Ted Nash on Jazz, Maturity, and the Art of Music I recently had the wonderful opportunity to sit and speak with Ted Nash at the JENN conference in Atlanta, where he shared his profound insights on jazz, the saxophone, and his lifelong commitment
Overcome Your Musical Fears – With Ted Nash Read More »
