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Cherokee

Insane Sam Dillon “Cherokee” at 400bpm Tenor Sax Solo Transcription

April 16, 2020 by Steve Leave a Comment

Here is another insane tenor sax solo by Sam Dillon. Believe it or not, this is Cherokee at 400 beats per minute.  Yes, you read that correctly……. It’s just a fact of life that if you lock a jazz musician in a room in isolation or quarantine, they will not survive without a clear unfathomable […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Cherokee, jazz saxophone, Sam Dillon, solo transcription, tenor sax

Transcription of Jason Fabus’s Swingin’ Alto Sax Solo on Cherokee

October 26, 2017 by Steve 8 Comments

Here is another Facebook  solo transcription for you.   I woke up at around 7:45 this morning, rolled over in bed and grabbed my phone off the side table to check what I might have missed during my  7 hours of sleep.  Still sleepy, I checked my email, some comments on my site, the news to […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: alto sax, Cherokee, Jason Fabus, jazz saxophone, Ray Noble, solo, transcription

Insane Alto Sax Solo Transcription of Todd DelGiudice on Cherokee in 12 Keys!

September 21, 2017 by Steve 6 Comments

I am continually amazed at all the great players that we have access to these days.   When I was a kid, I had my record collection by which I learned of the famous sax players out there.  I knew my teacher who sounded great every week when I saw him and I knew of […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: 12 keys, alto sax, Cherokee, jazz saxophone, solo transcription, Todd DelGiudice

Transcription of Clay Pritchard’s Solo on Cherokee

December 9, 2016 by Steve 3 Comments

Here’s a transcription that Steve Kortyka did of a Clay Pritchard solo over Cherokee on the video below.  You might not have heard of these guys yet but Steve Kortyka is a great New York player that plays with Lady Gaga among many others and Clay Pritchard was a semi-finalist from the 2013 Monk Competition. Steve […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Cherokee, Clay Pritchard, jazz sax, Steve Kortyka, tenor saxophone

Chris Potter Transcription of Cherokee in 10 Keys

February 4, 2016 by Steve 9 Comments

So check this out!  About 10 days ago,  I was on SOTW (Sax on the Web)  looking through various posts about saxophone stuff when I ran across a post by a recent member from Spain I didn’t know named”ffjay” that read: Hi all! Guess you’d listen one of the stunning Chris Potter’s solo playing Cherokee in […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Cherokee, chris potter, masterclass, sax solo, tenor sax, transcription

Chris Potter Masterclass 12-04-2015 Akron, Ohio

December 22, 2015 by Steve 4 Comments

Here’s another great Chris Potter masterclass from 12-4-15 in Akron, Ohio that someone posted on Youtube.  This is just an audio of the masterclass.  Chris Potter’s opening solo on Cherokee is amazing as usual.  I can’t get enough of these solos and masterclasses!  Check it out!

Filed Under: Jazz Education Tagged With: Cherokee, chris potter, Improvisation, masterclass, tenor saxophone

Jesse Davis Transcription-Cherokee Solo

June 7, 2015 by Steve 1 Comment

Here’s another great bop solo by one of my favorite alto players “Jesse Davis”.  Jesse has one of the best alto sounds I have heard and I love how he can incorporate killer bebop lines and phrases with a bluesy feel and sound. (Another master of this technique was without a doubt Cannonball) Here’s a […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Alto Saxophone, bebop solo, Cherokee, jazz sax, Jesse Davis, transcription, Warren Vache

Great Transcription of George Coleman over Cherokee Changes

December 10, 2014 by Steve 6 Comments

Here’s a burnin’ tenor saxophone solo from the great tenor saxophonist, George Coleman.  This is from his album “Amsterdam After Dark”.  The solo is from the tune “Apache Dance” which has a solo section over the changes of “Cherokee”. I was actually given this solo transcription by a teacher at Berklee College of Music almost […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Apache Dance, Cherokee, George Coleman, jazz sax, tenor saxophone, transcription

Amazing Charlie Parker Recording of Cherokee

March 29, 2010 by Steve 11 Comments

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 […]

Filed Under: Jazz Videos Tagged With: Charlie Parker, Cherokee, Omnibook

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Steve,  Just want to say thanks for all you are doing for all of us. I’ve learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

If you can give some tips on One Note Samba, Ceora, and Wave… that would be cool.  I really like learning how you apply your concepts to actual songs!

Have a great year,

Kevin Ledbetter

I've learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.
For anyone living in remote areas away from live jazz sax teachers, Neff is the way to go. In fact this is a great resource for anyone seriously interested in mastering the sax. I’ve never been disappointed in a lesson.
Oliver
Steve’s monthly lessons are entirely valuable. Without brow beating, he tells you all the stuff you deep down know you really should be working on, instead of just relying on the same old patterns. In spite of the fact that you’re taking a video lesson, Steve’s presentation is comfortable and “real”. In a little more than a year, he’s developed a library of lessons that seem to offer any player a lifetime’s worth of practice material. I’m just glad I stumbled upon it.… Read more
Grant
Steve really changed my way of practicing: I got a whole lot of new ideas for my playing the tenor.  His lessons are really helpful, give a lot stuff to practice and give clear answers to complicated stuff.  Steve has a lot of humor and I wish I had laughed so much in my former days with the horn.  All topics, from Blues to Approach note are dealt with clearness that wet ones appetite to play and practice that great ideas.
Uwe
I have been a member of Neffmusic for more than a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have not only been going thru the Dominant Bebop Scale lessons and book (OUTSTANDING!) but the mouthpiece reviews, solo clips and transcriptions are very interesting. Steve approach to beginning and intermediate improv have given me many new pathways to teach my high school jazz ensemble students. Congratulations Steve, great product!
Craig
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul
I want to say something about Steve Neff’s series of lessons, Beginner Jazz Improvisation. For a couple of years I tried many beginner lessons and my problem was that there was a gap between lessons that were fairly simple and ones that I was not quite ready for and my progress stalled out. That problem was solved with the series Beginner Jazz Improvisation. He guides you step by step along the way and builds a foundation for learning jazz and blues. He leaves no question about what to practice … Read more
Pete
Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for being you, your playing, your website and your desire to help others. I’m a professional musician in the US Army and I’ve visited your website almost every day since discovering it a couple of months ago. Your lessons are profound and easy to use. I’ve purchased most of your PDF books and now am starting to delve more into the video and audio lessons.  Thank you for being a great resource!
James

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia

Mr. Neff,  I want to thank you for sharing your God-given talents through your on-line lessons.  My husband, Michael, is blind, but he is a great sax player and he has been enjoying your lessons for quite some time now.  It’s not unusual for me to hear “Hey, babe, listen to THIS!” – and he will cut loose on his sax, just thrilled at what he learned during his session with you.  His excitement warms my heart!  You have no idea how much you have poured into my husband.  You have opened musical … Read more

Carole B

Hello Steve,

I have not received my alto yet but have already gone through 14 lessons. I love your approach, style, knowledge and competence. I now regret so much to have stayed away from playing the sax for the past 45-50 years…(I am 65).  But It is never too late to get back to your first love. After 23 years in compuer sciences and 22 years in finances…I am now back to music for the rest of my life.

Doing some research on the net, I found this:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?1… Read more

Claude

Steve, just a note to say thanks.

I’ve been playing a long time, but your material, laid out in such a thoughtful way, helps me to understand concepts in a new and deeper way.

You are a true gift to the jazz community.

60 lessons and going strong,

Kevin Ledbetter

Kevin Ledbetter
I can see from your instructional videos that you are a fantastic teacher – one that can truly relate to all ages – humble yet very positive in approach – never coming across as superior and yet so totally capable of demonstrating the principles and techniques that you seek to impart to the students. I have gained so much confidence in my playing from “pouring over” time and again these invaluable lessons. Invaluable not only in musical content, but also in human interaction content. I am absolu… Read more
Ron

Thank You Steve. I think that I will be busy for years. Thank You for your great contribution to jazz music. Your books, more than teaching “how to play jazz”, actually teach “how to speak jazz”. I wish I found your methods years ago.  

Jean-Eric
First, I’m really excited about your materials! This site is a vast resource for any aspiring (and maybe already inspired) jazz musicians. I’m not a sax player, I play mandolin and fiddle, but have been learning jazz and playing weekly with a quintet for the past 6 months and have been struggling with all of the issues you get into in your lessons. I bought several books and lessons and plan to continue with some others as soon as I organize my practice routine. Thanks again for a great site … Read more
Tony Galfano
I like so many other subscribers feel so encouraged by Steve’s learning techniques; you will enjoy reading the comments of praise others have left as you too will feel that you share a common view and path. I feel very lucky to have come across Neffmusic and that feeling will remain with you as you search through a treasure trove of learning materials on offer, you will quickly find the lessons that you are suited to. You will instantly recognize the unparalleled quality of Steve’s teaching … Read more
Stephen
Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry
I want to let you know that your instructional material is transforming my playing.  It is an immense pleasure to learn and play now, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am. The instructional material I got from you is by far the best of any I own (and I have over 100 books, DVDs, and what not). I literally can’t thank you enough! Deric
Deric
Two years later I began a search for a sax teacher and happened to come across Steve Neff when I was searching YouTube for sax teachers.  I went to neffmusic.com and was very impressed with the lessons Steve Neff was offering.  The concept of selecting lessons was an approach that I thought was unique and purchased a few lessons.  I liked the lessons so much that I signed-up for a 6 month package. I was very happy with all the lessons I selected.  I also purchased Steve’s book Mastering the B… Read more
Michael
Hey Steve, I’m a 22-year-old from Australia. I thought it would be worth saying. You’re an absolute legend. I can’t thank you enough. You have helped me rekindle my love for the saxophone and music as a whole. All the best for the future, your work doesn’t go unnoticed. PS. I am loving your devastating minor lines pdf.
Sapph
Thank you for all the educational information you provide.  I am a classically trained musician.  Professionally, I am a 4th and 5th grade band teacher.  I have played piano and sax for many years, but now I am starting to gig out more. I have always improvised by ear in the past. I have gotten by with my strong sense of pitch, rhythm and melodic contour. However, I want to go deeper. I want to play with a greater variety of melodic and rhythmic ideas to pull from.  I have studied to gain a … Read more
Ray

I want to thank you for your “Ultimate II-V-I Primer”  which has sent me off on a much better path to improvisation.  The primer and the four bound books I have will keep me busy for a long time.  I like your lessons for two reasons.  The lessons work and THEY ARE FUN.  Thanks again.

Robert

Robert
I bought Steve’s dominant bebop book and took a couple of online lesson from him. I really appreciated Steve’s careful listening of what I wanted to get done in a lesson and his clear, concise ideas on next steps to improve my playing and musical interpretation.  His mastering  the Dominant Bebop Scale has lots of exercises to use a scale that addresses the largest percentage of chords I come across in pop/blues music. The dominant V7.  Needless say it has improved my playing.  I teach and a… Read more
Keith

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