This week, Donna sits down with Paul Maslin, founder of PM Woodwind Repair and one of the most trusted names in the saxophone world. Paul's shop has been a go-to spot for pros and enthusiasts alike for over 30 years, and in this episode, he shares how he built a community around quality, craftsmanship, and love for the instrument.   ⬇️ You'll hear: 00:00 How he got into music and schools he went to 05:31 The reason behind PM Woodwinds's success 08:47 Paul's repair mentors 10:25 Time it takes to do repairs 14:09 How Selmer makes their bells 17:34 Why the neck is so important 20:03 Always have a backup neck  22:33 Simple repairs and how to fix the octave key  26:36 What he means by a bent or pulled-downed neck 31:24 You're the one that makes the sound 32:42 Another simple adjustment every sax player can do 35:43 The real problem is halfway between… 39:21 Are all cheap horns bad? 42:20 Best brand for entry level saxophones 45:06 What to look for when buying brand new horns 46:23 Pro-level brands he carry 47:16 What to consider or check when buying used horns 50:24 Lacquer vs. no lacquer 52:33 Offerings in his shop
56:46 - Horn differences
58:15 - Selmer Supreme - black limited edition horn
01:03:08 - Sad reality of good shops going out of business
01:05:15 - The difficulty of looking for repair people   Explore more about Paul Maslin and PM Woodwind Repair; their background and socials, all in one place ➡️ https://saxophonepodcast.com/saxophonist-how-pm-woodwinds-creates-a-saxophone-community-ep-255 Become a Patron today! 🎷

Love our content? Want even more behind-the-scenes access? By becoming a Patron, you'll get exclusive perks such as:

• A complete, always-updated listing of all our shows
• Bonus videos packed with behind-the-scenes content
• Searchable transcripts for every episode
• Early access to episodes: hear them before anyone else!

Your support keeps the show running and fuels our ability to bring you the best content possible. And the best part? You can join for as little as $2 a month!

💡 Be part of something bigger. Join us on Patreon today!

💡This episode is sponsored by the free Masterclass, How to Improvise With Confidence Feel stuck playing the same licks? What if you could stop overthinking, ditch the sheet music, and take confident, expressive solos - anywhere, anytime?   The free masterclass, How to Improvise With Confidence, has helped thousands of sax players break out of the rut and start playing with freedom.  

It's not about memorizing more theory. It's about unlocking the instincts and tools you already have so you can finally solo the way you hear it in your head.

If you've ever felt glued to the page… avoided solos because you didn't feel ready… or wondered why you still don't "get" chord changes, this might be your turning point.   Click HERE to watch the masterclass now while it's still available.

Meet The Moanin' Frogs, a dynamic saxophone sextet blending classical, jazz, ragtime, and pop with unmatched energy and creativity.   In this episode, they share their journey, the story behind their name, their new album One Giant Leap, and what makes chamber music so fun and expressive.   Below is a detailed timestamp to help you navigate the key highlights of our conversation with The Moanin' Frogs. ⬇️   00:00 Member's introduction 07:52 Lucas' Bass Sax dissertation in British Columbia 11:19 Moanin' Frogs' promotional video 16:44 Where their name came from 23:07 Their setup during the pandemic 25:03 The new album, One Giant Leap, and its concept behind it 29:02 Listen and reflect on 'Melancholy Blues' 30:57 Advice for timing: attacks and releases 33:35 How it worked out for them after being locked down for some time 38:03 When you're too serious, the music suffers 42:39 Everyone's role in the group 45:42 What it takes to be part of their group 49:51 Their early years 52:45 Listen and reflect on Johnny B. Good' 55:13 How Jeff Siegfried does guttural flutter tonguing  01:01:13 How does everything work for them despite being far from one another 01:07:27 Plans for summer camp 01:13:24 Future projects 01:16:31 Listen and reflect on 'Slava!' 01:21:22 Tips for learning circular breathing Tune in and discover why The Moanin' Frogs are leaping beyond boundaries in the saxophone world ➡️ https://saxophonepodcast.com/saxophone-sextet-the-moanin-frogs-making-saxophone-chamber-music-fun-and-unique-ep-254 Become a Patron today!

Love our content? Want even more behind-the-scenes access? By becoming a Patron, you'll get exclusive perks such as:

• A complete, always-updated listing of all our shows
• Bonus videos packed with behind-the-scenes content
• Searchable transcripts for every episode
• Early access to episodes: hear them before anyone else!

Your support keeps the show running and fuels our ability to bring you the best content possible. And the best part? You can join for as little as $2 a month!

💡 Be part of something bigger. Join us on Patreon today!

Today's podcast is brought to you by our friends at GigSalad.

Looking to book more gigs and grow your audience? Whether you're a solo artist or in a band, GigSalad makes it easy to connect with event planners across the U.S. and Canada for weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, and more.

With GigSalad's strong Google presence, you get better exposure to planners searching for your talent. The full-service platform lets you set availability and preferences to get only the leads you want, and makes messaging, quoting, and booking a breeze. Best of all? Clients pay upfront, so your money is guaranteed every time.

So head to GigSalad.com to create your free profile now and take the first step to booking more shows. That's GigSalad.com — and let them know the Everything Saxophone podcast sent you!

Click HERE for more info.

In this conversation, saxophonist Dan White reflects on his journey from a young student learning 50 tunes by ear to earning a music degree at Ohio State and touring professionally.   Here's a guided timestamp to check out the highlights of the episode — perfect if you want to jump straight to the parts that resonate most with you.   00:00 - His first instrument and how he got into playing saxophone 09:07 - Learning 50 tunes by ear 11:52 - What convinced him to do music as a career 15:46 - Eye opening music camp he went to 21:10 - Getting a music degree at Ohio state 25:13 - Question he asked himself that inspired his future 30:37 - Advice for those who don't like to record themselves 34:08 - Advice for dealing with negative comments 45:36 - Temptation of perfection 54:59 - What he considers as weakness in a player 58:51 - How he organizes his practicing 01:02:58 - What to do whenever you feel overwhelmed  01:11:13 - Importance of good relationship within the band 01:17:10 - His tonal concept, gear, and set-up 01:31:54 - Advice from Walter Blanding 01:34:49 - How and when did he start using P Mauriat Saxophone 01:41:19 - Upcoming projects   Explore more about Dan White—his background, music, and socials—all in one place: https://saxophonepodcast.com/saxophonist-dan-white-using-the-yes-mentality-to-embrace-challenges   Become a Patron today!   Love our content? Want even more behind-the-scenes access? By becoming a Patron, you'll get exclusive perks such as:

• A complete, always-updated listing of all our shows
• Bonus videos packed with behind-the-scenes content
• Searchable transcripts for every episode
• Early access to episodes—hear them before anyone else!

  Your support keeps the show running and fuels our ability to bring you the best content possible. And the best part? You can join for as little as $2 a month!    Be part of something bigger. Join us on Patreon today!   P. Mauriat is a proud sponsor of the Everything Saxophone Podcast. P. Mauriat saxophones are handmade start to finish in Taiwan by skilled artisans and their families. Each P. Mauriat saxophone features a hand hammered bell; hand-hammering creates a durable alloy that is both aesthetically and sonically beautiful.    P. Mauriat is the only saxophone manufacturer in the world that manufactures a true, full line saxophone choir: sopranino, soprano saxes with two necks or unibody construction, a curved soprano, alto and tenor saxophones with traditional French bores and drawn tone holes or alto and tenor saxophones with rolled tone holes and Germanic style bores, a tenor sax without a high F# key, Low A AND Low Bb baritone saxes, a professional bass saxophone, and entry level, intermediate, and pro lines all voiced SATB.    P. Mauriat also makes entry level, intermediate, and professional clarinets, intermediate and professional flutes, and entry level through pre-professional trumpets.  P. Mauriat is also fully product-supported, with an actual human being brand manager and an ever-growing parts pipeline.    Check out the new P. Mauriat Venus Alto and Tenor saxophones, made of a 95% copper alloy with silver key work and Black Pearl key touches. Great artists such as Kirk Whalum, Derek Brown, Roxy Coss, Adam Larson, Jason Marshall, Khari Allen Lee, Laura Dreyer, Dan White, and Terell Stafford have trusted their sound to P. Mauriat Musical Instruments.   Whether you're a beginning musician, an advancing student, or a working professional, P. Mauriat has an instrument that will fit both your musical tastes and your budget.   See your local dealer for details!

Michael Wilbur is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, song writer, producer and recording engineer.

His main instruments are tenor and bass saxophones.

He is in the bands, Moon Hooch and Thundersmack, and has his own solo projects under his name.

Michael is an avid plant-based athlete, music educator, environmentalist and animal rights activist.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

This episode was sponsored by:

OnKey App – links to OnKey on the App Store and Google Play: https://linkmix.co/11048548

Rovner Products

 

We talked about:

🎷A quote that's driven Michael's career to new levels of success

🎷How he's dealt with chronic asthma

🎷Why fitness is so important

🎷How Moon Hooch got started and how they came up with the name

🎷Michael's ideal practice routine

🎷Collaborating with Leo P 

🎷 and much more!

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts?

All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our Patreon site: https://www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone

Our special guest for this episode is Paul Winter, best known for his environmental work, and his concerts with the Paul Winter Consort.

From the early days of Paul Winter's college jazz sextet, which toured 23 countries of Latin America for the State Department and performed the first-ever jazz concert at the White House for the Kennedys in 1962, to his later ensemble, the Paul Winter Consort, his concert tours and recording expeditions have taken him to 52 countries and to wilderness areas on six continents, where he has traveled on rafts, dog sleds, mules, kayaks, tug-boats and Land Rovers. He has recorded over 50 albums, of which seven have been honored with Grammy Awards.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

🎷 Jimmy Heath's influence on Paul

🎷 Whale sounds and Charlie Parker; what they have in common

🎷 What it was like attending Duke Ellington's funeral

🎷How he got involved with 'Winter Solstice'

🎷How adventures in SoundPlay started

🎷And MUCH more!

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts?

All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our Patreon site: https://www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone

Matthew Alec is a jazz and popular music saxophonist, founder and Executive Producer at Cleveland Time Records, and bandleader for the high-energy jazz fusion group Matthew Alec and The Soul Electric.

His debut album Cleveland Time featuring former Saturday Night Live Musical Director Tom "Bones" Malone was released in February of 2021.

The album charted for several weeks on the NACC Jazz Radio Chart, peaking at #13, and received international press from Jazziz Magazine, All About Jazz, JazzMonthly.com, SoulTracks.com, Broadway World, WBSS Media, Glide Magazine, and many others.

His hard bop blues composition "Blues for McCoy" from the album was a Semi-Finalist in the International Songwriting Competition and was one of All About Jazz's most "Popular Jazz Songs" for 2021.

His 2nd album Live at the Bop Stop! (which also features Malone) is due out in December of 2022.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Matthew is proudly sponsored by DeJacques saxophone straps and Remic Microphones.

We talked about:

🎷 Matthew's practice routine

🎷 How Michael Brecker became his new hero

🎷 How he approaches working on altissimo & his altissimo fingerings for Urgent

🎷His approach when playing tribute or cover bands

🎷Advice from Joe Lovano

🎷And MUCH more!

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts?

All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our Patreon site: https://www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone

Donna Schwartz spoke with Classical & Jazz Saxophonist, Educator, Greg Banaszak.

Greg Banaszak is one of the most sought after orchestral saxophone soloists of his generation.

As one of the few saxophonists active in both the classical and jazz mediums, he includes a combination of concerto performances, solo and chamber music recitals, and jazz festival appearances.

He has presented recitals in such prestigious concert halls as Vienna's Bösendorfer Concert Hall, the Royal Palace in Warsaw, Poland, and New York's Lincoln Center's Bruno Walter Hall.

He has presented master classes at Austria's Musik Hochschule, the Cairo Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, and the Tanglewood Institute and has served as Orchestral saxophonist for the leading opera orchestras of Warsaw, Berlin, Paris, and Cleveland.

Banaszak was the first saxophone concerto soloist to appear with orchestras in India, the Middle East and Korea, including performances with the Symphony Orchestra India, the Cairo Symphony and the Taegu City Symphony.

Banaszak's critically acclaimed CDs, "The Music of Alan Hovhaness" "Duo Concertos for Alto Saxophone, Flute, and Orchestra", "Romances for Saxophone and Orchestra" and "Saxophone Concertos", are available on the Naxos and Centaur Records label.

Banaszak recently recorded "I'll Remember April…Bird with Strings Revisited", a CD of the renowned recording of Charlie Parker with Orchestra.

He serves on the faculties of the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Case Western Reserve University.

He is a Vandoren Performing Artist, Selmer Saxophone clinician, a Rovner Products and DeJacques consultant.

He has performed as a saxophonist for the Cleveland Orchestra.

He studied with such prominent masters as Vincent Abato and jazz legend Jackie McLean.

Banaszak's former students currently hold positions as both highly acclaimed performers and educators throughout the United States and abroad.

In 2021, Banaszak was recently honored with the "Distinguished Alumni of the Year" award from the Hartt School of Music /University of Hartford.

Banaszak takes great pride in educating the future generation of world-class saxophonists and young artists.

Hailed as a Saxophonist "Tour de Force" by the New York Times, Mr. Banaszak continues to perform worldwide.

The background music for the podcast was Greg performing Laura from the  "Bird with Strings" performance with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and Maestro Carl Topilow, Conductor, Live at Severance Hall, on February 9, 2007.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:
🎷 The Charlie Parker Know the Legends Project & some incredible stories most people do not know
🎷 How Greg did the research for this monumental project   
🎷 How Art Tatum influenced Charlie Parker's approach to playing
🎷 Great stories about Former President Bill Clinton, Jackie MacLean and others 
🎷 Greg's own practicing routine, and how he keeps his jazz and classical chops in shape
🎷 And MUCH more!

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts?

All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our Patreon site: https://www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone

Marco Pignataro is a multi-talented saxophone player, composer, and educator originally from Bologna, Italy.

He is currently the Managing Director of Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

He has shared stages with artists such as Eddie Gomez, Joanne Brackeen, Danilo Pérez, George Garzone, and Terri Lyne Carrington, among many others.

Pignataro performs and tours internationally with several musical groups, including the Marco Pignataro Almas Antiguas Quartet and the Eddie Gomez Quintet.

He released 2 CD's recently -Awakenings, which is under consideration for a vocal Grammy, and Chant for Our Planet, a Tallberg Foundation supported project to address climate change.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷 His newest project, Chant for Our Planet

🎷 His approach to composing; before the Awakenings project and afterwards   

🎷 Comprovisation; how that approach was used for his piece, On Irene's Path

🎷 Which process would be best for students to experience first when learning music 

🎷 How 1 person's observation from his website inspired a new album and play

🎷 And MUCH more!

You can catch a behind-the-scenes Bonus conversation from this episode, plus the searchable transcript of this video, tons of Bonus videos from our previous guests, and so much more when you become a Patron!

For as little as 2 a month, you can help keep this great show going!

Just go to www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone to subscribe.

Odisei Music is a Spanish company based in Barcelona founded by Ramon Mañas (CEO).

Their story began 5 years ago when Ramon was studying music in Berlin.

At that time, he was sharing a small flat with 2 other musicians and began learning how to play the saxophone.

From that point, they have been obsessed with creating the smallest and lightest electronic saxophone in the world, to help saxophonists practice and play silently when and wherever they want without disturbing others.

That event generated what is today the main mission of Odisei Music.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷 How his practicing struggles influenced the creation of the Travel Sax

🎷 The goal behind the Travel Sax

🎷 The many uses for the Travel Sax

🎷 We checked out the case and mouthpiece for the Travel Sax 

🎷 How to use Travel Sax as a performing tool

🎷 And MUCH more!

You can catch Donna's demo of the Travel Sax, plus a searchable transcript of this video, tons of Bonus video from our previous guests, and so much more when you become a Patron!

For as little as 2 a month, you can help keep this great show going!

Just go to www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone to subscribe.

 

In this episode from the NAMM Show in June, Donna Schwartz spoke with musician and the founder of Victory Musical Instruments, parent company of The Growling Sax, Melvin Quinones.

Melvin Quinones is a Hispanic American entrepreneur, engineer, musician and the founder of Victory Musical Instruments, parent company of The Growling Sax.

With over 30+ years of professional music experience combined with 20 years of engineering background, he integrated many of the technologies and processes that have made the pioneers of the music industry successful with new technology, improved materials and ergonomics.

Melvin has over 30 years of experience as a saxophonist, keyboardist and record producer. Some of his relevant work includes 248th Army Band, Thalia, Tiziano Ferro, Frankie J, MDO, Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Objetivo Fama & Miss Universe 2005 among many others.

He also ran the My Sax Talk social network for 10 years.

He is also the founder of Dance like David LLC, a faith-focused foundation created to provide musician instruments and educational resources to communities with low financial resources.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷 History of Victory Musical Instruments & Melvin's background

🎷 How the name Growling Sax was created

🎷 How the Growling Saxes are different than other brands 

🎷 How his background in engineering & moderating Sax Talk influenced the Growling Sax

🎷 Differences between Sterling Silver necks and other finishes 

🎷 And MUCH more!

If you want the searchable transcript for this episode, plus TONS of other bonus content from many of our 149 episodes, head on over to our PATREON SITE.

Not only will you be getting awesome content, but you will be helping support the show!

I spoke with Robert Schuenemann, Representative, Endorsee and Artist for Chateau Musical Instruments.

These saxophones were the talk of the show!

You'll want to check out the video for this episode, so you can see the beautiful hand-painted tenor and alto saxes.

Chateau Musical Instruments was founded in 1979, making quality saxophones, and since 2001 also making woodwind and brass instruments.

We dove deep into many of the saxophone models in this episode.

Chateau Saxophones come in the student model Series 22, all the way up to Series 90 and 96 top of the line models.

We also talked about the history of the Chateau company, and Robert's thoughts on saxophone tone and intonation.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, Bonus videos and searchable transcripts, and get access to the episodes earlier than everyone else? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

This week's episode from the NAMM Show features a personal friend of mine, Jim Scimonetti.

Those of us that live near Los Angeles know how much of a monster player he is on all the woodwinds.

He owned a music store and repair shop in Lancaster, CA for many years, and has been performing professionally for almost 50 years.

For the past few years, he has been working with Beechler & ARB Mouthpieces, in Northridge, CA.

Founded by Elmer Beechler in 1942, Beechler Mouthpieces design, manufacture, and distribute outstanding saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces and woodwind accessories.

Remlé Musical Products, Inc. has been under the direction of Elmer Beechler's daughter, Judy Beechler Roan, since 1993.

All of their mouthpieces are made according to precise design specifications.

All surfaces are hand finished by skilled artisans and play tested by professional musicians.

Beechler Mouthpieces can also make custom mouthpieces to suit individual preferences.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

• the latest Beechler mouthpieces for clarinet and saxophones

• What makes Beechler different than most other companies

• Funny story about where REMLE came from

• a little Beechler history

• a fun demo of slap tonguing by Jim

• and more!

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, Bonus videos and searchable transcripts, and get access to the episodes earlier than everyone else? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

This was a super-fun interview with 2 people at the top of their game in music.

Mindi Abair has performed with Aerosmith, the Boneshakers and was the saxophonist on American Idol a few years ago.

You can read more of her Bio on her site below.

Theo Wanne has been studying and designing mouthpieces for many years, and some of the world's greatest saxophonists play his mouthpieces.

When I was walking the floors of the NAMM Show, I caught part of Mindi Abair's performance of her new single, Forever, at the Theo Wanne mouthpiece booth.

Theo designed not 1, but 2 mouthpieces for her.

The link to their full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

In today's episode, you get to hear some stories about that process, along with:

🎷Making great music vs okay music

🎷 Mindi's tip for how to approach playing a powerful mouthpiece - this is GOLD!

🎷The real goal of choosing a mouthpiece - advice from Theo Wanne

🎷The real goal of choosing a mouthpiece - advice from Theo Wanne

🎷The "Mindi Effect"

🎷How to add more resistance to your mouthpiece in a healthy way - tip from Theo

🎷and more

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, Bonus videos and searchable transcripts, and get access to the episodes earlier than everyone else? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, spoke with Leah Concialdi, Saxophonist, about how to authentically pitch yourself.

Leah opens up about playing bari sax at massive pop gigs, wireless mic tips for saxophonists, Fela Kuti's influence on her music and many more! ✨

Here's what we've talked about: 

🎷 Musical beginning
🎷 Pop gig preparation
🎷 What it was like to play at Coachella with Harry Styles
🎷 How to navigate line checks at shows for Bari Sax players
🎷 Wireless microphone she currently uses
🎷 Neighborhood orchestra
🎷 How Fela Kuti's music influenced her
🎷 The intersection between Fela Kuti's music and jazz music
🎷 How she got involved with P Mauriat Instruments
🎷 Her mouthpiece preference 
🎷How she got into music publicity
🎷 Audiences are craving authenticity
🎷 Why old school marketing platforms reign

Discover more of Leah Concialdi, their bio, details about their music, and socials here: https://saxophonepodcast.com/saxophonist-leah-concialdi-how-to-authentically-pitch-yourself-ep-244

Become a Patron today!

Love our content? Want even more behind-the-scenes access? By becoming a Patron, you'll get exclusive perks such as:

• A complete, always-updated listing of all our shows
• Bonus videos packed with behind-the-scenes content
• Searchable transcripts for every episode
• Early access to episodes—hear them before anyone else!

Your support keeps the show running and fuels our ability to bring you the best content possible. And the best part? You can join for as little as $2 a month!

💡 Be part of something bigger. Join us on Patreon today!

P. Mauriat is a proud sponsor of the Everything Saxophone Podcast. P. Mauriat saxophones are handmade start to finish in Taiwan by skilled artisans and their families. Each P. Mauriat saxophone features a hand hammered bell; hand-hammering creates a durable alloy that is both aesthetically and sonically beautiful. 

P. Mauriat is the only saxophone manufacturer in the world that manufactures a true, full line saxophone choir: sopranino, soprano saxes with two necks or unibody construction, a curved soprano, alto and tenor saxophones with traditional French bores and drawn tone holes or alto and tenor saxophones with rolled tone holes and Germanic style bores, a tenor sax without a high F# key, Low A AND Low Bb baritone saxes, a professional bass saxophone, and entry level, intermediate, and pro lines all voiced SATB. 

P. Mauriat also makes entry level, intermediate, and professional clarinets, intermediate and professional flutes, and entry level through pre-professional trumpets.  P. Mauriat is also fully product-supported, with an actual human being brand manager and an ever-growing parts pipeline. 

Check out the new P. Mauriat Venus Alto and Tenor saxophones, made of a 95% copper alloy with silver key work and Black Pearl key touches. Great artists such as Kirk Whalum, Derek Brown, Roxy Coss, Adam Larson, Jason Marshall, Khari Allen Lee, Laura Dreyer, Dan White, and Terell Stafford have trusted their sound to P. Mauriat Musical Instruments.

Whether you're a beginning musician, an advancing student, or a working professional, P. Mauriat has an instrument that will fit both your musical tastes and your budget.

See your local dealer for details!

Mauro Di Gioia is an entrepreneur, free-lance saxophonist/woodwind player, and the founder and President of ReedGeek, Inc. (which manufactures ReedGeek Products) based in Carson City, Nevada.

For many years Mauro has dedicated his time to the betterment of reeds and reed performance for all woodwind players: publishing several articles on reed acoustics and adjustment in leading industry magazines and guest lecturing for master classes at various colleges in the United States and abroad.

Mauro has also worked with and designed reed cuts for some of the greatest players in the world, including David Sanborn.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• 1st thing you should do with a new cane reed
• Adjust the heart of the reed or no?
• Difference between French cut & American cut reeds
• Can you use ReedGeek on Legere Reeds?
• The Geeklet
• Can you bring the ReedGeek on a plane?
• The new Chromium Klangbogen & science behind them
• And more!

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, Bonus videos and searchable transcripts, and get access to the episodes earlier than everyone else? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

 

Rovner Products started as primarily a ligature company, but over the years has expanded into mouthpieces and elegant saxophone stands.

With the Rovner Deep-V Mouthpiece Collection, there are 2 offerings: the Avatar and the Aviva.

Through extensive mouthpiece innovation, these pieces look and play like nothing you've seen before, with the main focus being on "presence".

As their motto says, you supply the character, we supply the core!

The link to the full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

At the NAMM Show 2022, we talked about:

• The innovative Deep-V Collection of mouthpieces
• What makes the Avatar and Aviva mouthpieces so unique
• Two important qualities to look for in mouthpieces
• How the Clearly Elegant Sax Stands feature your saxes in a small space
• and more! 

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Originally from Houston, Texas, Jason Whitmore has been a resident of San Diego since 1996.

As a graduate from the University of Houston with a degree in Saxophone Performance, Jason holds a deep appreciation for live performance that spans across all genres of music.

Jason has been performing professionally in a broad range of musical settings since the early 2000's.

He regularly performs house and all forms of electronic dance music. Live and records with top DJs and producers from all over the country.

Whether it is at an intimate dance club or large music festival, Jason brings a unique element to dance music that is a different experience every time.

Jason is endorsed by Theo Wanne Mouthpieces, Cannonball Musical Instruments, Legere Reeds, CloudVocal, and Jerry Harvey Audio.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We spoke about:

• How Jason developed the Legere American Cut reeds
• The differences between the Theo Wanne Durga 4 and 5
• The new horn brand he uses
• Dealing with the pressure of playing anthems in front of tens of thousands of people
• Why and when to use in-ear monitors
• And more!

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Here's a little background on SYOS Mouthpieces…

SYOS, which stands for Shape Your Own Sound, mouthpieces was founded by Pauline Eveno, a musician with a PhD in Acoustics.

In 2015, she printed the first mouthpieces and some famous French saxophone players were using them.

SYOS constantly incorporates feedback from musicians to improve their mouthpieces.

And they have an innovative process, with extensive questions to help you design your own mouthpiece.

You can hear more how she started the company in Episode 59 of our show – the link will be in the show notes.

SYOS Ambassadors include Godwin Louie, Tivon Pennicott, Michael Wilbur, Scott Page, Sarah Dunbar, Mariela Versola, Scott Paddock and many others.

For more information on these mouthpieces, and to design your own mouthpiece, you can visit their FAQ page on their website,  https://www.syos.co/.

Maxime Carron, whom I spoke with at NAMM, started working with Pauline in 2016. He is the Co-Founder & Technical Director of SYOS.

He has an extensive background in research in Cognitive Sciences and Sound Design.

The link to their full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We spoke about:

• SYOS's new line of saxophone mouthpieces
• The new material & new colors available
• How you can get a customized mouthpiece
• Their new line of reeds
• And More!

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

 

This week, a podcast favorite stopped by the Legere Booth at the NAMM Show 2022.

Donna spoke with saxophonist, Matt Lee, who now has a new single, Panama City Groove, which is streaming now.

His prior single, One More Kiss, was #1 for 7 consecutive weeks in the Groove Jazz charts.

Matt also has a new program, Sax Coach, to help other saxophonists release their own single.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• The story behind Matt releasing his first song
• The 3 things you MUST have when it comes to releasing music
• Matt's new offering on his website for those wanting to release their 1st single
• How Matt's allergies and asthma impact his saxophone playing
• and more!

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Danielle Walker has been playing saxophones since age 11.

She performed in all ensembles offered at her school, and at age 16, was the youngest and only female member of the group, The Jekyll Island Big Band.

In 1998, as a sophomore at Brevard College, she was featured on the baritone sax with that college's Summer Jazz Workshop Faculty Band. The band was featured on National Public Radio, hosted by Branford Marsalis.

In September 2004, she joined the cast of the Historic Savannah Theater in Savannah, GA, and has performed 4000 shows over the years.

Danielle has performed on all saxophones, plus other woodwinds, percussion, and has also acted in major roles on stage.

Danielle is endorsed by Legere Reeds, Rovner Products and Sax Dakota.

She has been working with Jody Espina, Founder of JodyJazz Mouthpieces since 2013.

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷How Danielle met Jody Espina

🎷Features of the JodyJazz SuperJet mouthpiece

🎷Her approach to playing Legere Reeds & when to change reeds

🎷Life as a musician in the pit 

🎷How she avoids burnout 

🎷Her approach on playing popular recorded solos

🎷The mouthpiece switch that no one expected during COVID

🎷And more!

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Become a Patron, and for as little as a $2 donation each month, you get searchable transcripts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!

In our 6th interview from the NAMM Show 2022, Donna interviewed Joel Pekin and Bob Sheppard, from Retro Revival.

The Retro Revival company is known for their vintage replica mouthpieces, and are committed to making mouthpiece dreams come true by making exact Replicas of the classic mouthpieces from the Golden years, from the highest quality materials, and the finest hand craftsmanship.

Joel Peskin, CEO of Retro Revival and multi-instrumentalist, is also known as iReedMan, and has performed with such diverse artists as Barbra Streisand, the Beach Boys, Albert Collins, Johnny Otis, Frank Zappa, and others.

He's been on hundreds of studio sessions, and in the early 1980's played the alto sax solo on the theme song for Entertainment Tonight.

Bob Sheppard, Artistic Director of Retro Revival and also a multi-woodwind instrumentalist, has performed with Herbie Hancock, Billy Childs, Peter Erskine, Steely Dan, Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea and others.

Bob has also been on hundreds of studio sessions as well, and is on the faculty of USC Thornton School of Music.

They just came out with their new Tru Six Saxophone.

The link to their full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷What's special about the new Retro Revival TRU Six Saxophone

🎷 How they improved typical Mark VI intonation problems

🎷 Bob Sheppard demonstrating dynamics

🎷 Ken Beason's "recipe for Brass"

🎷 Impromptu Jam with Bob & Joel on Tenor Madness

🎷 How Retro Revival started

🎷 Comparison of old mouthpieces and new mouthpieces & how the Masters dealt with it

🎷 And so much more!

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

The saxophone and jazz communities suffered a HUGE loss on July 21, 2022.

Tim Price, a phenomenal woodwind artist and educator, who has been featured many times on this Podcast in recent years, passed away on that date.

He had been suffering from a brain tumor for many months.

How Donna Met Tim

I had been reading Tim's articles in the Saxophone Journal for many years, and had gotten to know him over the last 7 years while we met up at the NAMM Show every year in Anaheim, CA.

We jammed together, and often talked about teaching and the state of affairs in jazz music at that time.

Tim's passing is a HUGE loss for the saxophone and jazz communities.

He would often share his knowledge and teachings on the web over the past few decades.

In 2016, for my (now defunct) BAM Radio Show, I had the honor and pleasure of chatting with Tim Price, world-renowned saxophonist.

The link to the full tribute episode, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• 🎷How Tim learned how to improvise "BA"
• 🎷How he taught his beginner jazz students how to improvise
• 🎷How to imagine the sound & learn language inflection
• 🎷Getting a pocket
• 🎷Who Tim recommends to listen to for listening assignments
• 🎷Tone advice for Band Directors to improve their students' saxophone tone (and beginning saxophone players too!)
• 🎷How to fatten up your sound
• 🎷 Playing in a saxophone section in jazz band
• 🎷And more!

Jody Espina is the founder, president, owner, and designer of JodyJazz Saxophone & Clarinet Mouthpieces.

In 2018, JodyJazz acquired Chedeville and Espina and redesigned the entire line of Clarinet and Saxophone Mouthpieces while using all of the best elements of Chedeville's glorious past mouthpieces.

In 2020, JodyJazz Acquired the famous Rousseau Music Products.

Jody Espina is a highly regarded jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist with a unique and personal sound and is also a respected jazz educator.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷 Introducing the new Hand-Hammered Rose Gold Saxophone Mouthpiece

🎷 New Hand-Hammered Power Ring

🎷 New additions to the Rousseau line for Classical saxophonists

🎷 New HR Custom Dark Baritone Saxophone mouthpiece 

🎷 New Saxophonists; which is the best all-around mouthpiece 

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

In this episode, I interviewed Four time Grammy® Award-nominee, world-renowned jazz organist and Saxophonist, Joey DeFrancesco.

He has more than 30 recordings as a leader under his belt, and has recorded and/or toured with his own groups as well as numerous renowned artists that include Ray Charles, Van Morrison, Diana Krall, Nancy Wilson, David Sanborn and many more.

DeFrancesco has received countless Jazz Journalist Association awards and other accolades worldwide, including being inducted into the inaugural Hammond Organ Hall of Fame in 2014, the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame in 2016 as well as topping the Critics Polls in DownBeat Magazine eleven times over the past fifteen years and the Readers Polls every year since 2005.

DeFrancesco also hosts a weekly program on SiriusXM Radio's Real Jazz channel titled "Organized."

More Music, due out September 24, via Mack Avenue Records, is "more" in every conceivable way. It offers up ten new DeFrancesco originals, brought to life by a scintillating new trio. And the master organist, who has long supplemented his keyboard virtuoso with his skilled trumpet playing, here brings out his full arsenal: organ, keyboard, piano, trumpet, and, for the first time on record, tenor saxophone.

DeFrancesco is endorsed by Jody Jazz.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

All of the Live at NAMM Show 2022 episodes are sponsored by Legere Reeds

We talked about:

• the New hand-hammered JodyJazz mouthpieces and ligatures
• upcoming projects
• and more!

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, spoke with Reggie Padilla, Saxophonist and Author, about how being versatile created amazing opportunities.   Donna sits down with the incredibly versatile saxophonist Reggie Padilla to dive deep into his musical path — from surfing with a sax to creating his EP First Light, his etude book Reflecting Changes, and how he built his home studio setup.   You'll also hear what made him choose P. Mauriat saxophones and how versatility opened unexpected doors in his career.   Here's what we've talked about 🎷 Musical beginnings 🎷 What made him focus on playing saxophone  🎷 Moving to Hawaii – better weather and more gig opportunities for him 🎷 His home recording set-up 🎷 Arrangement for his work for hire projects 🎷 His EP 'First Light' and how he made it 🎷 Etude book 'Reflecting Changes' 🎷 How he make use of Switcher Studio during the pandemic 🎷 What convinced him to get P Mauriat saxophone 🎷 His mouthpiece 🎷 Reggie's clear vibrato saxophone 🎷 How he made playing sax while surfing possible   Discover more of Reggie Padilla, their bio, details about their music, and socials here: https://saxophonepodcast.com/saxophonist-reggie-padilla-how-being-versatile-created-amazing-opportunities

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P. Mauriat is a proud sponsor of the Everything Saxophone Podcast. P. Mauriat saxophones are handmade start to finish in Taiwan by skilled artisans and their families. Each P. Mauriat saxophone features a hand hammered bell; hand-hammering creates a durable alloy that is both aesthetically and sonically beautiful. 

P. Mauriat is the only saxophone manufacturer in the world that manufactures a true, full line saxophone choir: sopranino, soprano saxes with two necks or unibody construction, a curved soprano, alto and tenor saxophones with traditional French bores and drawn tone holes or alto and tenor saxophones with rolled tone holes and Germanic style bores, a tenor sax without a high F# key, Low A AND Low Bb baritone saxes, a professional bass saxophone, and entry level, intermediate, and pro lines all voiced SATB. 

P. Mauriat also makes entry level, intermediate, and professional clarinets, intermediate and professional flutes, and entry level through pre-professional trumpets.  P. Mauriat is also fully product-supported, with an actual human being brand manager and an ever-growing parts pipeline. 

Check out the new P. Mauriat Venus Alto and Tenor saxophones, made of a 95% copper alloy with silver key work and Black Pearl key touches. Great artists such as Kirk Whalum, Derek Brown, Roxy Coss, Adam Larson, Jason Marshall, Khari Allen Lee, Laura Dreyer, Dan White, and Terell Stafford have trusted their sound to P. Mauriat Musical Instruments.

Whether you're a beginning musician, an advancing student, or a working professional, P. Mauriat has an instrument that will fit both your musical tastes and your budget.

See your local dealer for details!

   

Jeff Antoniuk has such an interesting background, having been born in Canada, and growing up in Nigeria.

He's performed with Tim Hagans, Sherrie Maricle, Ingrid Jensen, Walt Weiskopf and Marcus Miller. He has fronted his own bands as a performer and composer, winning accolades from JazzTimes Magazine.

Jeff is a well-respected educator, and currently is the Founder and Director of JazzWire, an online service that offers lessons and community for adult jazz students.

He started the Maryland Summer Jazz Camp 19 years ago, now called the JazzWire Jazz Summer Summit and now available not only in-person, but online as well at https://jazzwiresummit.com/

The last time I spoke Jeff was also at the NAMM Show 2020, right before COVID shut everything down.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

This is the 3rd episode in our Live at NAMM 2022 Show series. NAMM stands for National Association of Music Merchants, and they usually have 2 large shows/conventions every year. This year was just once in Anaheim CA in June.

All of the NAMM Show 2022 episodes are sponsored by Legere Reeds, and today's guest recently made the switch to Legere Reeds.

In this episode, we talked about:

🎷How Jeff made the switch to Legere Reeds

🎷The tip he shares to soften a Legere Reed

🎷How ReedGeek's tool can help alter a Legere Reed

🎷Jeff's everyday ritual 😂 

🎷What Jeff did during COVID that has benefitted his community now

🎷JazzWire Jazz  Summer Summit 

🎷The Tool, JackTrip, and how Jeff is integrating it into JazzWire

🎷How technology will expand in 2, 5 years and how to embrace it

🎷What's coming up in 2022 for Jeff

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

In this episode, I interviewed classical saxophonist, Chika Inoue.

Chika has been a guest on our show before – links to those episodes are in the show notes below.

Chika has performed with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Brooklyn Metro Chamber Orchestra, and many other orchestras in the United States, as well as internationally at Festivals in Germany, Spain, Japan, Italy and China.

A native of Osaka, Japan, Chika spent most of her youth in Frankfurt, Germany and San Diego, California.

Chika actively looks beyond the standard saxophone repertoire for works that allow the saxophone to shine, continuously transcribing and performing works of violin, clarinet, oboe, flute, voice and piano, expanding the limits of the saxophone technique and artistry.

She is a Conn-Selmer, Vandoren, KeyLeaves and LefreQue endorsing artist.

The last time I spoke with Chika was at the NAMM Show 2020, right before COVID shut everything down.

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

🎷 Her brand new California State University Summer Arts program: "The Art of Classical Saxophone"

🎷 Equipment that she uses, and a recent change

🎷 She modeled the Breathtaking Neck Strap

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

In early June, I attended the NAMM Show in Anaheim CA. NAMM stands for National Association of Music Merchants, an organization started in 1901 for companies in the music industry to connect, network and further their businesses.

Music companies often show off their latest products, and endorsed artists appear, sometimes giving impromptu concerts right on the convention floor.

It's an exciting show – there are so many things going on at once.

Who can attend?

Music industry executives, companies, Artists who are endorsed by companies, and Music educators are the main attendees, but NAMM does allow the general public to attend. It is not free and ticket prices have changed.

If you are ever interested in attending in the future, you can go to www.namm.org for more info.

It can get really noisy on the NAMM Show floor, so it was really tricky trying to get decent audio.

You will hear background noise, for sure, as well as trumpeters and saxophonists, feeling the need to test out their extreme high range too.

But I captured some awesome interviews with Mindi Abair & Theo Wanne, Jody Espina and Danielle Walker from JodyJazz, Jason Whitmore, Joel Peskin & Bob Shephard from Retro Revival, Chika Inoue, Jeff Antoniuk, Jason Whitmore,  Rovner Products, SYOS mouthpieces, Beechler mouthpieces, Melvin Quinones from Growling Sax, Ramon Manas from Travel Sax and more!

In this episode, I interviewed Chris Kortschot from Legere.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

All of the NAMM Show 2022 episodes are sponsored by Legere Reeds. (www.legere.com)

We talked about:

🎷Reed strength recommendations

🎷Gerald Albright's reed strength choices

🎷Rotate or no? That's the question

🎷1 tip to soften the Legere reed strength

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Winner of Horn of the Year from the Blues Music Awards in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2015, Deanna Bogart has been electrifying audiences with her soulful saxophone playing, singing and dazzling keyboards for over 40 years.

She is a bandleader, songwriter, arranger, and produces festivals and other artists.

Deanna is also a sought-after educator/mentor/master classes/creative coach, while nonstop gigging around the globe and playing with stellar musicians everywhere. 

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷 How Donna met Deanna & a funny story at a recent gig

🎷 How the statement, "Girls can't play the sax" motivated her to prove her teacher wrong

🎷 Tips for leading a band

🎷 How playing sax helped her piano playing and singing

🎷 Deanna's practice routine and what she does before each show

🎷 How to be confident and play freely

🎷 and more

If you want to keep the great interviews coming…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

A veteran of the international jazz scene, Max Ionata emerged in the early 90s and has performed with many modern greats including Robin Eubanks, Billy Hart, Joe Locke, Mike Stern, Bob Mintzer and compatriot Stefano Di Battista.

Max sent me his answers in written form, so they were read aloud with the backing music coming from his latest collaboration with Dominik Shurmann, Moons Ago

The link to his full biography, along with the full interview and more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We covered:

🎷 Why he started on soprano saxophone, and not alto saxophone

🎷 The earliest records he listened to that impacted his playing

🎷 How he keeps his tone sounding so full

🎷 1 lesson that Max teaches his students that he feels is mandatory for them to understand

🎷 1 improvisation exercise that he practices frequently

🎷 And much more!

Do You Love The Podcast???

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Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Today's episode is about playing in military bands…

For this episode, I spoke with Larry Weintraub, saxophonist and clarinetist who has performed with Army and Navy bands from 1978 – 2005.

He was first introduced to military bands by his teacher at the time, Ron Diehl, lead alto player for the US Navy Jazz Commodores.

Since that time, he has traveled and performed all over the world.

Over the years he studied with Al Sigismondi, Edward Palanker, Joe Brisusco, Ron Diehl, Marty Nau, and others. 

He has also taught in public schools, taught saxophone and clarinet in Old Dominion University and received his Master's in Music Education from the same institution.

He currently teaches and plays gigs on a regular basis. 

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

🎷 The 1 thing in college that shaped his life later on

🎷 How military bootcamp affected his practice and playing

🎷 Which military band is best for you

🎷 The glasses question - something I always wondered about

🎷 What you need BEFORE considering military bands

🎷 And much more!

Do You Love The Podcast???

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site 

For this episode, I spoke with Steve Goodson, founder of SaxGourmet products and his Nation of Music website, which contains tons of articles and information about all the parts of the saxophone, saxophone design, mouthpieces, key clamps and much more.

His SaxGourmet website has listings of Saxophone Makes and Models and Vintage Saxophone Value Guide. 

Steve has been part of the Music Industry since 1963, having performed all over the world from a very young age all the way up to the year 2003, where he stopped for health reasons.

He still teaches students in his New Orleans studio.

Steve started repairing his own horns in 1964, and over the years, he repaired saxophones for people all over the world, including Michael Brecker and Maceo Parker.

During this time he always thought he could improve on the design, and was inspired to create better saxophones.

That's when he created his own unique line of horns, the SaxGourmet saxophones.

Musicians such as Tom Scott, Charles Neville, Aviva Maloney, James Martin perform on the Saxgourmet horns. 

You can read more about how he created these horns on his site by clicking the link below under Links.

Steve also is the administrator of many Facebook Discussion groups, such as Saxophone Nation and Saxophone Playing Techniques. A partial listing of those groups is on his SaxGourmet website.

Steve was also a regular contributor to the Saxophone Journal magazine.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• What got him so interested in producing his own necks
• Knowing the difference between necks to create a better one for your horn
• Don't want the air to resist the energy wave
• How to increase your dynamic range
• Material differences
• What is pull-down, and what to do about it
• When to get another neck

Do You Love The Podcast???

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site 

Grammy nominated saxophonist Tim Armacost has established himself as one of the most distinct saxophone voices on the New York scene today. 

Touring regularly around the world both as a sideman and a leader, Armacost has worked with a phenomenal number of jazz greats, including Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Peter Erskine, Ray Drummond, Roy Hargrove, Don Friedman and Randy Brecker.

Armacost has recorded 14 critically acclaimed albums as a leader, performed on more than 60 as a sideman, and has recorded over 100 original songs and arrangements. Armacost is a widely respected educator, teaching at the Jamey Aebersold and Stanford Summer Jazz Workshops, at Queens College in New York City and as a clinician at Universities throughout the U.S., Japan and Europe.

Armacost co-leads the New York Standards Quartet,  the Brooklyn Big Band, and In Trio, and is currently working on music for two new projects: a chord-less quartet featuring Gary Smulyan, John Patitucci and Al Foster, and a new quartet with Jim Ridl, Ugonna Okegwo and Rudy Royston.

Tim's new book, The Jazz Saxophone Book, published by Sher Music, has received wide acclaim from many jazz legends, such as Jamey Aebersold, Bob Mintzer, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi and others. This is not just for saxophonists! There's information and exercises for everyone at all levels of improvising.

We talk extensively about the content in Tim's book, as well as his thoughts on creating it in this episode. 

Tim Armacost is a D'Addario Recording Artist, playing D'Addario reeds exclusively.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsors for this episode are..

Sher Music

Sher Music Co., are the publishers of Tim Armacost's "The Jazz Saxophone Book" and over 100 other world-class jazz and Latin Music publications, from authors such as Hal Galper, David Berkman, Rebeca Mauleon, Barry Finnerty, Marc Johnson, Michael Spiro.You will also find the best-selling books by the late Mark Levine, "The Jazz Theory Book" and "The Jazz Piano Book."

Sher Music started out primarily as a publisher of the ONLY professional-level jazz fakebooks on the market, "The New Real Books" and their quality is still unmatched, as shown by endorsements from Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Maria Schneider, Dave Liebman and many others. One of our newest projects is the Jazz Songbook Series with separate digital-only books of compositions by Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, Steve Swallow, Kenny Werner and Alan Pasqua, among others.

Legere Reeds!

Legere Reeds produces premium synthetic reeds that sound warm and are consistent for many months.

Aside from the Signature Series, the American Cut is available for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bari Saxes.

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.  

We talked about:

• Following your own aesthetic vision
• How Tim warms up
• Tim's transcription exercise
• Tim's Inevitable Note Exercise
• How to get out of the improvisation rut
• And much more!

Do You Love The Podcast???

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Jamie Anderson has been playing professionally for over 25 years, and is the founder of the online saxophone website, getyoursaxtogether.com.

He has performed at venues like The Blue Note Tokyo, Glastonbury Festival and Munich's Olympic Stadium with artists such as The Four Tops, Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons, The Temptations, Joan Armatrading,Chaka Khan, the X-Factor TV Big Band and Incognito.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsor for this episode is…

Legere Reeds!

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.  

We talked about:

• Jamie's advice on "nailing" a passage
• Jamie's advice for overriding the crippling feeling of performance anxiety
• How Jamie visualizes working on fast passages
• Dealing with expectations and criticisms
• Why you need a vision for your sound
• and so much more!

Do You Love The Podcast???

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Tomplay is an interactive sheet music app which is used by more than one million musicians across 72 countries, and by hundreds of schools and conservatories worldwide. 

The interactive sheet music scrolls automatically on the screen synchronized with high-quality recordings of professional musicians.

Musicians can access a catalog of over 40,000 sheet music arrangements for 26 different instruments in the Tomplay app. 

In this episode, I spoke with a fellow saxophonist, Julia Sprossman.

Being a passionate hobby saxophonist, Julia has enjoyed many years of classical music education. Her next musical goal is to improve her Jazz improvisation skills. 

At TomPlay, Julia is looking after the German and English speaking clients and partner music schools to make sure all musicians have a great experience using Tomplay.

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsor for this episode is…

Legere Reeds!

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.  

We talked about:

1. How TomPlay was created from a gap in the backing tracks industry
2. Letting the Secret out! (The next version of TomPlay will have this much-requested capability)
3. How TomPlay adapted during the pandemic to create a brand new feature for ensembles
4. Extensive TomPlay app demo and its features
5. How to use TomPlay to transcribe and study others' solos
6. How to use TomPlay on gigs; creating Setlists and more
7. Special features for Music Teachers and their students
8. How TomPlay can be adapted for special learners

Want to be a part of keeping the podcast going?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Ever wondered how a violinist 🎻 became a master of the saxophone 🎷?

This week on the podcast, Donna sits down with the incredible Dr. Scott Litroff—who shares his journey from picking up the violin to finding his true voice on the sax.

 It all started with a moment of inspiration (and a little nudge from Perry Goldstein), but what truly set Scott apart was his approach to music: letting his ears be his guide, embracing mistakes as stepping stones, and developing a fearless performance philosophy.

Scott also takes us behind the scenes of his latest single, "Never Forget," sharing how it was produced and the creative process behind its powerful sound.

Don't miss these episode highlights:

🎷 Meeting Scott at NAMM 2025
🎷 His introduction to music
🎷 Your ears should be your guide
🎷 How he transitioned his interest from violin to saxophone
🎷 Influence of Perry Goldstein 
🎷 How Scott became lyrical in the altissimo range
🎷 Tips on playing the altissimo 
🎷 Mistakes are a path to the right note
🎷 Opportunities he got while studying at Stony Brook University
🎷 How Scott developed his performance philosophy to not worry about failing
🎷 A powerful quote from Yo Yo Ma
🎷 How studying other instruments helped Scott become a better improviser and musician
🎷 How the legacy of the masters can be a blessing but also a curse
🎷 Social acceptance
🎷 Importance of healthy practice sessions 
🎷 Letting go of this 1 belief will allow you to improvise with more freedom
🎷 Learning an instrument is a journey
🎷 Working with Darren Rahn
🎷 Finding the right mouthpiece and reed
🎷 His gear and recommendations
🎷 What he likes most about P Mauriat 
🎷 His 'Never Forget' single with Darren Rahn
🎷 Other projects

Click here to discover more about Dr. Scott Litroff & P Mauriat!

Become a Patron today!

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• A complete, always-updated listing of all our shows
• Bonus videos packed with behind-the-scenes content
• Searchable transcripts for every episode
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Your support keeps the show running and fuels our ability to bring you the best content possible. And the best part? You can join for as little as $2 a month!

💡 Be part of something bigger. Join us on Patreon today!

P. Mauriat is a proud sponsor of the Everything Saxophone Podcast. P. Mauriat saxophones are handmade start to finish in Taiwan by skilled artisans and their families. Each P. Mauriat saxophone features a hand hammered bell; hand-hammering creates a durable alloy that is both aesthetically and sonically beautiful. 

P. Mauriat is the only saxophone manufacturer in the world that manufactures a true, full line saxophone choir: sopranino, soprano saxes with two necks or unibody construction, a curved soprano, alto and tenor saxophones with traditional French bores and drawn tone holes or alto and tenor saxophones with rolled tone holes and Germanic style bores, a tenor sax without a high F# key, Low A AND Low Bb baritone saxes, a professional bass saxophone, and entry level, intermediate, and pro lines all voiced SATB. 

P. Mauriat also makes entry level, intermediate, and professional clarinets, intermediate and professional flutes, and entry level through pre-professional trumpets.  P. Mauriat is also fully product-supported, with an actual human being brand manager and an ever-growing parts pipeline. 

Check out the new P. Mauriat Venus Alto and Tenor saxophones, made of a 95% copper alloy with silver key work and Black Pearl key touches. Great artists such as Kirk Whalum, Derek Brown, Roxy Coss, Adam Larson, Jason Marshall, Khari Allen Lee, Laura Dreyer, Dan White, and Terell Stafford have trusted their sound to P. Mauriat Musical Instruments.

Whether you're a beginning musician, an advancing student, or a working professional, P. Mauriat has an instrument that will fit both your musical tastes and your budget.

See your local dealer for details!

Tenor, soprano and alto saxophonist, bandleader and composer, Pernille Bévort is a graduate of the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Denmark. After completing her degree, she has become increasingly in-demand as a member of various jazz ensembles in Denmark and Sweden.

Apart from working with small ensembles, Bévort has performed with several professional Big Bands in Denmark during the last decades: The Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band, Kroner's New Music Orchestra, The Danish Radio Big Band and the Aarhus Jazz Orchestra (Klüver's Big Band) among others.

As a frequent substitute, or regular member of, different professional big bands, she has performed with many international artists. Among these are: Randy Brecker, Tony Coe, Putte Wickman, Tim Hagans, John Scofield, Charlie Watts and Richard Bona.

Since 2015 Pernille has been a regular member of the Swedish Monday Night Big Band in Malmö and from 2016 she has been playing several projects with another Swedish Big Band: the Bohuslän Big Band in Göteborg. (One of the last tours with BBB was in oct. 2017 with Maria Schneider).

She is also part of the new Danish 13-piece ensemble Maluba Orchestra with Marilyn Mazur, Fredrik Lundin and Kasper Bai as the 3 co-leaders and composers. The debut album with this group 'Maluba Orchestra' won a DMA jazz in 2020 as album of the year.

Since 1995 she has been leader of several diverse ensembles. At present these include her trio, Bévort 3, and the septet Radio Bévort. Pernille Bévort has released 14 albums as band leader (Feb. 2022).

Apart from her own groups, Pernille has composed for several other ensembles such as . Among these are The Copenhagen Art Ensemble, Moving Circles and a variety of ToneArt workshop ensembles (ToneArt is a composer association). 

Right now, she is composing a new tune and arrangement for the Swedish Norrbotten Big Band (a commissioned work).

Pernille Bévort has been awarded the prestigious Ben Webster Prize and the JASA prize (jazz reviewers) in acknowledgement of her work. Furthermore, Pernille has received several composer grants from the Danish Arts Foundation within the last decades.

From 2011 until 2013 she was part of the committee for composer grants in the Danish Arts Foundation (the jury concerning rhythmic composers). April 11th 2021 Pernille Bévort received an honorary award from the Danish Conductors Association (an association of conductors and band leaders).

The album BLIK with Radio Bévort (May 2020) was among the top 10 Danish jazz albums of the year (2020) according to the jury from the Danish jazz magazine Jazzspecial. Oct. 2020 Pernille was also nominated for a Danish Music Awards Jazz as composer of the year with this album. 

Pernille's trio album 'On Fire' with her trio Bévort 3 was nominated for a Danish Music Awards Jazz in the category 'Album of the Year' (Oct. 2021).

Her Latest album 'Bévort 3 Live 2020-2021' was released Feb. 18th 2022.

The trio is now heading towards 'Jazz A-Head' in Bremen, Germany, where they are going to perform a showcase on the Danish Club Night Scene (30. April 2022).

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsor for this episode is…

Legere Reeds!

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.  

We talked about:

• People that inspired her the most
• Conceiving your saxophone sound
• How to be in the moment when performing
• Keeping technique on point
• How she manages practice time
• Her role in a Septet vs Trio
• Finding your own voice 
• and more!

Want to be a part of keeping the podcast going?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site.

Paul Cohen is one of America's most sought-after saxophonists for orchestral and chamber concerts and solo recitals. 

Dr. Paul Cohen has rediscovered and performed lost saxophone literature, including works for saxophone and orchestra by Loeffler, Florio and Dahl as well as chamber works by Grainger, Ornstein, Sousa, Cowell, Siegmeister, and Loeffler. 

He has published more than one hundred articles on the history and literature of the saxophone in the Saxophone Journal, Instrumentalist, CBDNA Notes, Clarinet and Saxophone Society Magazine of Great Britain, The Grainger Society Journal, and the Saxophone Symposium.  His seminal column, "Vintage Saxophones Revisited," was featured in the Saxophone Journal from 1985 – 2002.

Recent CDs include American Landscapes, (American music), Common Ground (chamber music), New York Rising ( American music for saxophone quartet),  Heard Again for the First Time (premiering lost music) and his latest,  Soprano Summit  (soprano saxophone).

Dr. Cohen is currently on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, NYU, Columbia University  and Rutgers University.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsor for this episode is…

Legere Reeds!

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.

We talked about:

• How Paul finds vintage horns (this was before the internet!)
• How the tonal qualities of saxophones changed over the years
• Why people play vintage saxophones
•  His reed strength choice for certain vintage saxes
• and more!

Want to be a part of keeping the podcast going?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site

Paul Cohen is one of America's most sought-after saxophonists for orchestral and chamber concerts and solo recitals. 

He has appeared as soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, New Jersey Symphony,  and the Charleston Symphony.  

His many solo orchestra performances include works by Debussy, Creston, Ibert, Glazunov, Martin, Loeffler, Husa, Dahl, Still, Villa-Lobos, Tomasi, and Cowell. 

He has also performed with a broad range of orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera (NYC), American Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Recent CDs include American Landscapes, (American music), Common Ground (chamber music), New York Rising ( American music for saxophone quartet),  Heard Again for the First Time (premiering lost music) and his latest,  Soprano Summit  (soprano saxophone).

Dr. Cohen is currently on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, NYU, Columbia University  and Rutgers University.

The opening music was Feathers and Sax, by Amanda Harberg, and the outro music was Lesson from the Sky, by Rodney Rogers, both from his latest CD, Soprano Summit.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsor for this episode is…

Legere Reeds!

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.  

We talked about:

• Why saxophone became the perfect instrument of choice for him
• Listening to Paul Desmond and playing by ear
• How the skill set of today's generation changed
• Saxophone virtuosos students should listen to
• Developing musicianship
• Exploring other types of saxophones
• His new 'Soprano Summit' album and his approach on recording new music

Want to be a part of keeping the podcast going?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site

London-born saxophonist Alex Hitchcock is regarded as one of the UK's most virtuosic young jazz musicians. His group AuB, which released its debut album on Edition Records in 2020, was described as 'ready to make cataclysmic waves in the sound of UK jazz' by Jazzwise.

His quintet's critically acclaimed 2018 debut on Barcelona-based label Fresh Sound New Talent (home to debuts by artists including Ambrose Akinmusire and Avishai Cohen) was described by All About Jazz as 'an exquisitely subtle collection of tunes… the clearest indicator to date of the stratospheric trajectory on which this super-talented quintet is indubitably heading'. 

Their increasingly burgeoning reputation on the international jazz stage was confirmed by a major prize at the 2018 Umbria Jazz Festival, as well as touring to Poland, Spain, Italy and Hungary and performances at legendary UK venues including Love Supreme Festival, the Royal Albert Hall and Ronnie Scott's.

Named in 2018 and 2019 as 'one to watch' by Jazzwise magazine, he has performed with Chris Cheek, Soweto Kinch, Mark Lockheart, Nérija, Andrew McCormack, Ashley Henry, Maria Chiara Argirò, legendary American group the Blackbyrds, and Turner Prize-nominated artist Marvin Gaye Chetwynd.

Performing highlights include North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Jazz à Vienne (France), Fano Jazz Festival (Italy), Festival Mas i Mas (Spain) and Glastonbury Festival (UK) as well as at the Barbican, Cadogan Hall, and Glyndebourne Opera House.

His latest project, Dream Band, pulled  together a pool of 15 musicians from both sides of the Atlantic to bring to life a set of forward-thinking music. 

The music was recorded across three London studio sessions in Spring 2021, with a different configuration of musicians each day. The result is a selection of 12 original songs ranging from a delicate duo (featuring the sensational Midori Jaeger on cello & vocals) through to an expansive 7-piece outing with guest stars Chris Cheek and David Adewumi.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsor for this episode is:

Legere Reeds!

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.

We talked about:

• Tone matching concept and process
• Practicing proactively instead of reactively
• What he meant by 'singing through the horn'
• How his undergrad influenced his storytelling when it comes to playing
• His approach to improvisation & writing
• and so much more!

Show your love for the podcast by…

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site

Matt Stohrer has been repairing, selling, and trading saxophones for a long time. He takes pride in his work, and cares deeply about what he does.

He learned his craft in New York City, working for Sam Ash Music on the famed Music Row, 48th St. in Times Square, Manhattan where he started as a coffee-running apprentice and worked his way up to Head Woodwind Repairman of their flagship store. 

After working for Sam Ash, he opened a small saxophone specialty shop in Brooklyn, where he repaired many horns to exacting standards for the best and brightest of New York's saxophone crowd and also bought and sold vintage horns and mouthpieces.  He had a view of the Manhattan skyline from his roof in an old warehouse by the Gowanus canal, and was busier than ever.

But something was missing- personal space, clean air, a yard for my kids, a place to work on my car, seeing the stars at night, space for some hobbies.  So one day in 2010,  he picked up and moved to beautiful North Carolina, where he found a cozy and warm house in the woods between Durham and Hillsborough. Here, he continues to grow his business, learn new things and perfect his craft.

As a repairman, I service all saxophones (and only saxophones), with my specialty being high end, vintage and unusual saxophones done well for picky players. 

He remains a small, one-man business repairing and selling saxophones. He is committed to his ideals,  and doubts he will ever grow much beyond a one-man shop.  Personal interaction and customer relationships built on shared love of the saxophone are paramount, and advice will always be free.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our sponsor for this episode is:

Legere Reeds!

To learn more about why Derek Brown, Gerald Albright, and Eddie Daniels exclusively play Legere, visit www.legere.com

And for a limited time, if you live in the US or Canada, use the code  EVERYTHINGSAX for 10% off at their store at shop.legere.com.

The store is only available to US and Canadian residents.  

We talked about:

• Working with vintage horns
•  The TRUTH about what relacquering does to your saxophone
• Overhauling a Saxophone
• Advise on buying instruments online
• Tips for people with little to no access on repair shops and tools
• and Much more!

Love the podcast?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site

Born and raised in Lima, Perú, Lucia Sarmiento has been influenced by classic jazz players like Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, as well as modern players such as Chris Potter and Michael Brecker. 

After graduating high school, Lucia moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to study at the Conservatorio Manuel de Falla, where she studied jazz performance. 

Wanting to fulfill her lifelong dream of learning jazz music from its origins and pursuing a music career in the United States, Lucia moved to Minneapolis, MN after winning the Women in Music scholarship at McNally Smith College of Music in 2013. She studied there with Pete Whitman, graduating in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Saxophone Performance.

During her first years in Minneapolis, Lucia was mentored by Eric Kamau Gravatt (Drummer for Weather Report, McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson) as a permanent member of his Jazz Quintet, Source Code. 

In 2016, she joined funk/fusion band New Sound Underground, with whom she has played countless shows around the country.

In recent years, Lucia has gained a massive social media following posting videos showing her charisma and skills as a saxophone and EWI player. 

Lucia has worked as an ambassador for brands like Yamaha, Akai, BG, Jean-Paul USA, Syos, Key Leaves among others.

Besides performing, Lucia is very passionate about providing affordable and accessible music education in Spanish and English. She regularly posts saxophone/jazz educational videos on her YouTube channel and for the past year, she has built a bilingual community of saxophone players on her Patreon, where she offers private lessons and more in-depth tutorials and practice guides.

In October 2020, Lucia released her first single "Escape" and is currently working on a full original album coming out in 2021.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• How she takes risks and goes all in
• What Lucia identifies as her strengths & weaknesses
• How she adapted to playing a genre she wasn't used to
• Tips on landing that 'big gig'
• Bonus content! What it's like being a woman on tour with PitBull in Saudi Arabia

Love the podcast?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site

Saxophonist & educator, Godwin Louis, was born in Harlem, New York and began playing saxophone at age nine. Godwin grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Port au Prince, Haiti. 

Godwin was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Saxophone Competition, and has performed all over the world.

He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute for Jazz Performance. 

Godwin has studied with and performed with Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Roger Dickerson, Ron Carter, Al Foster, Jack Dejohnette, Jimmy Heath, Billy Preston, Patti Labelle, Toni Braxton, Babyface, Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Barry Harris, Howard Shore, David Baker, Mulatu Astakte, Mahmoud Ahmed, Wynton Marsalis, and Terence Blanchard just to name a few.

In addition, Godwin has performed as a sideman, guest soloist and has conducted clinics and master classes worldwide. 

As a composer, Godwin has received the Jerome Foundation Emerging Artist Grant, and the Jazz Gallery's "New Works Commission". 

As an educator, humanitarian and ambassador, Godwin has traveled from Benin to China to help promote cross-cultural understanding and introduce thousands to America's indigenous art form, through public concerts, master classes, and jam sessions. 

He is currently full-time faculty for the Woodwind Department at Berklee College of Music.

Godwin is the founder of Experience Ayiti, a nonprofit educational, multidisciplinary arts organization. 

Godwin's debut album as a leader, entitled "Global", was released in February 2019.

(The intro music for the podcast is his composition, Thoughts and Prayers, from his album, Global.)   

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• Single vs. double lip embouchure
• How Solfege shaped his understanding of music & helped his improvisation
• What Godwin thinks about when improvising
• and more

Love the podcast?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site 

Saxophonist and mouthpiece creator, Matt Lee uncovered his passion for music when his grandmother bought him his 1st alto saxophone. 

From that point, he knew he found his calling. 

Matt followed his dream from California to Nevada, and writes most of his own music and produces from Las Vegas. 

He is a self taught saxophonist with no formal training, learning how to play by ear from listening to his favorite artists, and being inspired by everything around him.

His musical influences stem from Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Al Jarreau to Grover Washington Jr. 

He started WestCoast Sax in 2014. It brings him a lot of joy in making Mouthpieces for artists to help find their sound and make playing a little easier. 

WestCoastSax Artists are Boney James, Euge Groove, Jackiem Joyner, Dean James, Will Donato, MO Louis, Chris Godber and many more.

The opening segment of the podcast was from his new single release, One More Kiss.

His new EP will be out next year, which will include his recent release, One More Kiss. Three of his songs are available now everywhere you hear music on digital platforms.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• How he went from being totally self-taught on saxophones to performing, mixing and mastering his own songs
• The surprise gig he landed from opening up for (Jefferson) Starship
• Smoking cigars with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
• How being a Respiratory Therapist during COVID influenced his music
• Matt's advice for knowing your limits
• EXCLUSIVE!; A private tour of Matt's recording studio and equipment
• How Matt records high quality video & audio 
• and more

Love the podcast?

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Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site

Saxophonist, composer and author Walt Weiskopf began his New York career performing with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1981 at the age of 21. 

Since then, he has made an impressive mark as both a leader and sideman with over 20 critically acclaimed CDs and countless sideman credits, including performing and recording with Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Frank Sinatra, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs and others. 

A dynamic player with enormous technical prowess, Walt is equally well regarded as a composer and his CDs contain predominantly original work. 

His books on jazz improvisation, such as  Beyond the Horn, Around the Horn, Understanding the Diminished Scale, The Augmented Scale in Jazz, 16 Moderately Challenging Jazz Solos and Intervallic Improvisation are among the most respected in the field. 

His new release, Introspection, will be out in mid October 2021.

(For the podcast, the opening segment was from Walt's tune, Backstage Blues from his release, Fountain of Youth.)

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• Influence of playing clarinet and classical music into his technique
• How Walt uses theory for improvisation
• How the pandemic allowed him to pursue a passion project 
• What it's like working with Steely Dan
• His approach to short solos & big band solos
• Walt's upcoming album

Love the podcast?

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts? All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode's video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming. If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our PATREON site

 

This episode is super special because I have not just 1, but 2 guests with me.

My first guest is Stefano Bedetti, the Italian saxophone phenom. 

(At the beginning of this episode, you heard an excerpt of him playing Shiny Stocking.)

Stefano is a self-taught musician who began to play tenor saxophone at the age of 14.

He discovered jazz listening to the records of Charlie Parker, Michael Brecker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Cannonball Adderley, Hank Mobley, Sonny Stitt, and all the other great cats of that era.

At the age of 19, Giulio Capiozzo (famous Italian drummer, and cofounder of the well-known group Area) was the first to notice his talent and invite Stefano to his group.

Stefano's spontaneous way of playing, along with his huge sound, great technic, and melodic & harmonic articulations, have garnered him the attention of some of the big names in jazz music.  

Over the course of his career, Stefano has performed with many jazz stars including Billy Hart, Ed Howard, Victor Lewis, George Cables, Jimmy Howens, Dave Stryker, John Riley, Tony Scott, Adam Nussbaum, John Patitucci, Antonio Sanchez, and many others.

My second guest is Gary Sugal, who has been manufacturing fine quality custom-made saxophone mouthpieces for more than two and half decades. 

Serving both professional and semi-professional musicians worldwide, Gary Sugal has earned the respect and admiration of some of the top saxophone recording artists around the world for the quality and workmanship of his mouthpieces.

As a professional mouthpiece manufacturer for more than twenty-six years, the Sugal factory has produced more than 14,750 custom-made mouthpieces that are being played worldwide.

It has been Gary's personal mission to help musicians benefit from the many years of experience Gary has had as a bona-fide mouthpiece manufacturer by producing what many musicians consider the "holy grail" and number one mouthpiece on the planet.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• How Gary's mouthpieces are made, especially the new 3-D Printed Metal mouthpieces
• How Gary was so touched by Stefano's playing, & their new collaboration
• Stefano's non-conventional approach to playing and practicing
• and much more!

Wanna support the show?

Become a Patron, and for as little as a $2 donation each month, you get searchable transcripts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!

 We're back! 🎷🎙️

After a short break, Everything Saxophone Podcast returns with an incredible episode featuring Jason Gay!

Donna sits down with Jason for a fascinating conversation about his journey in music, the gear he swears by, and the lessons he's learned along the way.

Here's the highlights of the episode: 

🎷 How Donna met Jason
🎷 Why ligature matters
🎷 Why Jason loves Jody Jazz mouthpieces
🎷 More onto his gear and set-up
🎷 How he got into music
🎷 Lesson from Joe Viola
🎷 Tip from Eddie Bayard
🎷 Why improving his tone takes most of his practice time
🎷 Similarities of learning a language to music
🎷 Sidney Bechet and his influence to Jason
🎷 His new book about Sidney Bechet
🎷 How joining the Navy Band opened up many opportunities

This episode is packed with inspiration and valuable insights for every saxophonist and music lover. 🎧 Tune in now and let us know your favorite takeaway in the comments! 

Find Jason Gay's links HERE.

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• A complete, always-updated listing of all our shows
• Bonus videos packed with behind-the-scenes content
• Searchable transcripts for every episode
• Early access to episodes—hear them before anyone else!

Your support keeps the show running and fuels our ability to bring you the best content possible. And the best part? You can join for as little as $2 a month!

💡 Be part of something bigger. Join us on Patreon today!

 

Mention the Beets name pretty much anywhere in the world, and any jazz enthusiast in the room will know what you're talking about: quality, and a strong brand of bop and swing. 

And swing… that's one thing tenor saxophonist, Alexander 'The Hurricane' Beets brings each year to the Amersfoort World Jazz Festival and every festival and show he performs.

His nickname 'The Hurricane' comes from his explosive and expressive playing.  

Much like (and with) his brothers, Beets has performed on stages around the world. 

His mix of swing and ballads, standards and originals has swooned audiences from Poland to Thailand and from Canada to India.

As a jazz-saxophone player he gave over 2000 concerts around the world, played on more than 30 CD's and DVD's. 

Besides that, he runs Amersfoort World Jazz Festival, curates Leusden Jazz and is one of the founders of World Jazz Network, keeping jazz delegates across the globe connected and improving international mobility for young jazz artists.

Celebrating his personal heroes, Dutch tenor saxophonist Alexander Beets' newest album, Big Sounds, is a compilation of favorites and a tribute to Gene Ammons, Stanley Turrentine, Ike Quebec and Hank Mobley with legend-inspired originals. 

Try not tapping your foot to the opener Blues for the Legends, with swinging solos by not just Beets himself but also Miles Davis Institute-acknowledged trumpeter, Ellister van der Molen.

The new album is out on Oct. 15, 2021

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

• Influence of his' musical heroes on his playing
•  What makes him perform with confidence
• How Alexander organizes major jazz festivals
• His upcoming album release, Big Sounds
• and more

Be a Patron!

For as little as a $2 donation each month, you get searchable transcripts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!

One of the most decorated saxophonists of her generation, Nicki Roman, has won prizes at prestigious competitions such as the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Solo Competition, Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Solo Competition, William C. Byrd International Competition, Fischoff, and the Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship. 

Her latest album, Unquiet Waters, features expressive works from innovative composers that push the boundaries of classical saxophone.

She has been a featured soloist with the Eastman Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Wind Ensemble, UW-Milwaukee Wind Ensemble, Illinois Wind Symphony, University of North Florida Orchestra, and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. 

Across North America, Europe, and Asia, Nicki has shared solo and chamber music performances at venues such as the China National Centre for the Performing Arts, Shandong University of the Arts, Zagreb Academy of Music, Krannert Center for Performing Arts, Rio All-Suite Casino in Las Vegas, Brevard Summer Music Festival, and the Zelazo Performing Arts Center. 

She has collaborated on several projects with Hal Leonard Publishing and has premiered over 30 works for her instrument. 

Nicki proudly serves as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She also presents clinics, recitals, and masterclasses at numerous universities throughout the year. 

She received her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the Eastman School of Music, and also holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of North Florida. 

Her former teachers include Chien-Kwan Lin, Debra Richtmeyer, Dale Underwood, Michael Bovenzi, and Bunky Green. 

Nicki is a Conn-Selmer and Vandoren artist, as well as a member of NASA's Committee on the Status of Women.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• Articulation & the biggest articulation mistake most people make
• Her thoughts on a classical vs. jazz set-up
• What Nicki's practice always starts with & one exercise she always plays
• How the Fuego Quartet formed & how they rehearse when everyone lives in different states
• Nicki's new album, Unquiet Waters

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Just go to our Patreon site – we truly appreciate your support 😊

Fuller is a Grammy-nominated Mack Avenue recording artist, composer, educator and bandleader who is currently balancing the worlds of performance and education, fulfilling a demanding schedule as both a busy touring, recording artist and a full-time professor at the Berklee College of  Music in Boston.

She has recorded five full-length projects with her own quartet and her most recent album, Diamond Cut, received a Grammy nomination in the Best Instrumental Jazz category. 

The album was produced by three-time Grammy Award winner Terri Lyne Carrington, legendary bassist, Dave Holland and drummer, Jack Dejohnette. 

Additionally, she can be seen playing regularly with Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson Jr., Esperanza Spalding, Dianne Reeves, Rufus Reid and many more.

Fuller has also expanded her presence as a model and essayist being featured in J. Jill's "Rhythm and Blues" campaign, Vanity Fair's "Women in Jazz" issue, and wrote an opinion piece for NBCNEWS.com on "Sexism in Jazz." 

Fuller has also graced the cover of Downbeat Magazine, Jazztimes, Saxophone Today, The Jazz Education Journal, and recently Japan's, The Sax Magazine.

Her newest project, The Sax Loft,  is an online teaching collaboration with sax legends, Kirk Whalum and Jeff Coffin.

Fuller has received numerous awards and marks of distinction including, winning Jazztimes Jazz Critics Poll for best alto saxophonist (2018), and Downbeat Critic's Poll-'Rising Star' two years in a row for Soprano Sax (2014), Alto Sax and Flute (2013). 

In 2018, she has also received the Benny Golson Award from Howard University, the Distinguished Alumnae Award and commencement speaker from the University of Colorado at Boulder and appointed as 2018's Artist-in-Residence at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

As a Professor at Berklee College of Music, she also shares her expertise directing the Rainbow big band and All Stars, the Esperanza Ensemble, repertoire class, jazz improvisation, two jazz combos and the Christian Mcbride Ensemble. 

In addition, she produces and directs large production ground-breaking ensembles such as, the Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Ariana Grande Ensembles.

These groups focus on cross-collaboration throughout the college and is reflective of an "A-list" tour/production incorporating musicians, choreography, strings, dancers, video and lighting. 

As an artist, performer, and teacher, Fuller feels that she is fulfilling her purpose here on this earth, which is to "serve as a light for others."

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

This episode was sponsored by 10mFan Mouthpieces

In this episode, we talked about:

• The importance of singing as a saxophone player
• Her newest project, with Kirk Whalum and Jeff  Coffin, The Sax Loft
• How she adapted as a musician during the pandemic
• Auditioning for Beyonce
• Her thought process when performing
• How she got the job for Pixar's 'Soul' movie
• Her approach to improvisation today and back then
• One tool that really helped her playing
• and more!

Become a Patron for as little as a $2 donation each month...

You get searchable transcripts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!