I believe that jazz music is one of the most intellectually and artistically demanding paths on which a musician can be. Technical chops and pyrotechnics that have historically been part of jazz improvisation are still an intrinsic part of the music, and the skill set needed to learn an instrument well enough to navigate the [read more...] The post A Musician’s Guide to the Art of Creative Practicing appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Introduction If you’ve ever had any interest in creating arrangements for saxophone quartet, or if you’re simply curious about how those arrangements are created, the read on, as there are few people walking the planet would be as qualified on the subject as the man you’re about to hear from. René Blom is a conservatory-trained [read more...] The post Demystifying the Art of Arranging for Saxophone Quartet appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Powerful In this article, I share some exercises for solidifying the most important fixtures of my practice routine – sound and flexibility. Exercise #1: Opening Up Your Sound I think of this exercise as a way of working towards a bigger sound by making sure that the flow of air is not constricted as it [read more...] The post 4 Powerful Exercises for Saxophone Sound and Flexibility appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Introduction You hear it time and time again – the playing level of young musicians entering the scene nowadays is higher than it’s ever been. One of the players who exemplifies this trend and starting to build a name for himself is Aidan McKeon. I had not heard of Aidan until running into some videos [read more...] The post The Extraordinary Journey of Saxophonist Aidan McKeon appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

During my 45 years of playing the saxophone, 25 of which have included teaching at the university level, I’ve developed a teaching philosophy that boils down to two pretty simple things: Help students develop strong fundamental musical skills (instrumental technique that is relaxed, flowing, and confident; rhythmic/metric integrity; fluency in theory and harmony; broad knowledge [read more...] The post A Checklist For Practicing Technique to Develop Musicality appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Introduction It’s been over five years since I last visited John’s shop and much has changed since then. Besides having a large assortment of modern and vintage saxophones, John has expanded his line of products to carry Ted Klum’s mouthpieces, Ishimori ligature & reeds, and an assortment of vintage mouthpiece, ligatures and some neck-straps. While [read more...] The post Review of JL Woodwinds Artist Edition New York Signature Tenor Saxophone appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Long-time followers of this site might have seen my article from some years ago with a list of essential ballads to have in your repertoire. I know there were also a number of excellent suggestions of songs left off the list as well. The truth is, there are thousands of great songs flying around, so no [read more...] The post 9 Tips for Beautiful Ballad Playing appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Introduction Although I mainly play tenor saxophone, I still pick up the alto from time to time and like to listen to various alto players such as Kenny Garrett, Baptiste Herbin, Jaleel Shaw, Will Vinson, Immanuel Wilkins, Nick Biello, Braxton Cook, and the list goes on. Today, I was fortunate enough to meet up with [read more...] The post A Conversation with In Demand Saxophonist Alexa Tarantino appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Introduction Getting caught in the YouTube rabbit hole can be a blessing and a curse. At times, you will be taken to videos of new players you’ve never heard of and are glad you checked out and at other times through countless random videos to where you ask yourself “what am I doing?” In this [read more...] The post Eric Wurzelbacher’s Saxophone Journey, Practice Material, and More appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more

Introduction Many students learn to play a musical instrument by enrolling in an elective beginning band class as part of the middle and high school music curriculum. Instruction usually starts at the beginning of the 6th grade and students are taught in a group setting with all instruments combined into one class. These classes are [read more...] The post 20 Key Benefits of Studying with a Private Music Teacher appeared first on Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever ..read more