Archive for the ‘Jazz Videos’ Category

I love Jesse Davis! I listen to tenor saxophone players about 80% of the time but when I want to listen to an alto saxophone player Jesse Davis is usually my first choice.  If you don’t know him check out this video of “The Very Thought of You”…….He has an amazing sound that is huge,fat and soulful.  I love how melodic his improvising is. If you don’t know the jazz language you would do well to transcribe him.  He has the perfect blend of blues with bebop. Feeling with technique.  Enjoy!

The very thought of you – Jesse Davis
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Here is an amazing video of one of my favorite tenor saxophone players. His name is Rick Margitza. I first saw him when I was in high school and I went to the Syracuse Jazz Festival. This was in the early 80’s I believe. Flora Purim came out. I had never heard of Flora Purim and wasn’t too excited but then I saw they had a sax player up on stage. Halfway through the first song I was listening with my mouth open in amazement. This was the best tenor saxophone playing I had ever heard in my life. This young guy was ripping it up life I had never heard before. His range seemed like it went up a couple of octaves above what my saxophone would play. I looked up his name on the program……..”Rick Margitza”. Since that day I think I have bought almost every Rick Margitza album I have come across. I love his big fat tone. To me it sounds nice and fat but with some nice brightness to it that sings right through. The way he can play seemlessly into the altissimo and make it sound like the normal range of the saxophone is impressive also. Lastly, check out his lines. I love his lines because they weave in and out of the tonality in such a fluid and unobtrusive way. He can play a line that on paper looks like it would have no connection to the chord being played. There is a certain amount of tension created and then he resolves that tension perfectly. I have always had a lot of respect for Rick Margitza’s playing. Check out this clip. There are many others on Youtube and around the internet if you do a search. After that do yourself a favor and go out and buy some of his recordings. All right, I have to go and start transcribing this great solo………………

Rick Margitza with Wolfgang Maiwald trio from Wolfgang Maiwald on Vimeo.

Here’s another video of me playing with that Hal Crook play along. I’m not even sure if this is still out there and published.  It’s called “Creative Comping for Improvisation”. I haven’t seen it since the early 90’s. It is such a ball to jam to because the comping is not traditional at all.  There are some really cool alterations, substitutions and out of the ordinary comping on it that really are cool to play with.  I use to play duo with a great keyboard player for years and this reminds me of those times.

Green Dolphin St.

I found this old Hal Crook play along and was jamming to it tonight. He plays some pretty cool changes and chords over the standard Beautiful Love. I use to love playing to these back in college because they would always stretch me out and force me to play outside the box a bit.  Here’s a video of part of the song.

Beautiful Love

Here’s a great video I found of Phil Woods playing alto saxophone in a duo setting for a masterclass.  His playing and comments afterwards are priceless.  He speaks very candidly and openly.  Phil is one of my favorite alto players and I’ve been a fan ever since I bought the album “Warm Woods” way back in high school.  His sound is what is classified as the standard “NY Meyer” type of sound. It’s a brighter type sound but it is nice and fat sounding which balances it out beautifully.  You can’t be an alto player without checking out some Phil Woods. Thanks to Artisthousemusic.com for posting these.  They also have more clips from this masterclass and visit if you check out their site here………Enjoy!