Steve Neff Music Blog » Jazz Videos

Frank Wess & Scott Robinson Tenor Saxophone Blues Up and Down

steve — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 02:43:09 +0000

I’ve been listening to a bunch of different versions of “Blues Up & Down” lately. I love hearing two distinct tenor saxophone players going at it. Some people like to refer to this as a “battle”. They like to talk afterwards about who “won”. To me, those type of people need to grow up. Music is about relationships and communication. If you think it is a battle, war or test of whose the best then please don’t come near me on the bandstand! Here is a video of two guys who get it. It is obvious to me that they both respect each other. They are not trying to out play each other or show the other person up……….it’s just about the music. Expressing themselves in the moment! They are both monster players but what is the coolest for me is watching Frank Wess’s face as Scott Robinson solos. He’s loving it. He’s not thinking about himself, he’s not thinking about who won or whose the best. He’s totally absorbed in the moment and all that he’s thinking of is the music. Frank and Scott seem to be working as a team and enjoying each others company. I loved watching and listening to this. I hope you do also.

Amazing Charlie Parker Recording of Cherokee

steve — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:56:11 +0000

Back when I was in junior high school I was introduced to the playing of Charlie Parker. It was 9th grade and up to that point all I had listened to was Spyro Gyra, Chuck Mangione, Dave Sanborn and the Yellowjackets. My saxophone teacher told me that if I wanted to be good at jazz then I had to get the “Omnibook” and check out Charlie Parker.

I immediately went out and bought this book and started working on it. I have to admit that these solos were extremely hard and frustrating for my 9th grade brain but I stuck with it. The hardest thing for me to figure out was why Parker would play a certain lick or phrase over a specific chord. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it. I was learning all my chords from “Patterns for Jazz” by Jerry Coker and was learning what notes sounded good over what chords but then when I looked at a Charlie Parker solo I had trouble seeing how he was using these notes and creating his lines.

It wasn’t until many years later, when I was in college that I started to understand a bit more about what Parker was doing. Even to this day, I am in awe when I hear a recording of his. His lines are so harmonically rich. His rhythmic ideas and displacements are mind boggling. You just get a sense that he is playing whatever he wants, whenever he wants and he makes it work over the chords……….

I just found this youtube recording a few days ago and I have to say that this is one of the best Charlie Parker solos I have ever heard. It’s over the tune “Cherokee” and is a trio with Parker, a guitar player and drummer. It’s a great example of his flowing bebop lines mixed with his amazing sense of melody. That………..and it just swings like crazy! I could listen to this all day. Check it out. Also, if you are a sax players and have never checked out the omnibook, maybe this will convince you to give it a look!

P.S. To blow your minds even more, I just found out that Curtis at www.saxsolos.com has this solo transcribed. It will cost you 2.50! I just received it. Thanks Curtis!

Great hour long interview with Joshua Redman

steve — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:54:36 +0000

Here’s a great link to an interview with the great tenor saxophone player Joshua Redman. Joshua has been one of my favorite tenor players since I first heard him in the mid 90′s. I think the first album I bought was “Freedom in the Groove”. Soon after that I bought every one of Joshua Redman’s recordings I could find. Since then, I have continued to buy every album as they have come out. One of the ones I have listened to the most has been “Moodswing” but to be honest all of his recordings have a special interest and attraction to me. If I go back and look through them all I have special memories of all of them. I’ve probably listened to each one thousands of times. This is a great look into the mind and history of a great artist. It is an interesting to hear about his views about music, jazz and improvisation from an articulate humble musician. Gary Giddins does a great job asking some insightful and probing questions. If you love Joshua Redman then you owe it to yourself to listen to this……… Check it out. Joshua comes out at about 4 minutes into the video in case you get impatient.

P.S. If you have ever been down on your own playing listen at about 43 minutes and see how Joshua feels about his own playing on one of his tunes.

The Ultimate Alto Sax Sound-Jesse Davis

steve — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:13:33 +0000

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
Uploaded by boberwig. – Explore more music videos.

Rick Margitza solo on “Invitation”

steve — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:28:46 +0000

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.

Improvising over “On Green Dolphin Street” Video

steve — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:44:03 +0000

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.

Improvising over “Beautiful Love” Video

steve — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:22:54 +0000

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

Great Phil Woods Duo and Masterclass

steve — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:40:13 +0000

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!