| Sax Pax for a Sax | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | November 28, 1997 |
| Recorded | 1994 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 42:19 |
| Label | Atlantic Records |
Sax Pax for a Sax is a collaboration album between the London Saxophonic and the blind musician, composer, and performer Moondog. The album was recorded in 1994 and released on November 28, 1997. [1] The album marks Moondog's re-emergence into the American jazz market.
The album was well received by the public and peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Albums. Entertainment Weekly magazine said the album was a "hypnotic blend of jazz and classical music," and gave it a B. [2]
The music critic David D. Duncan says that the album "sounds like a nostalgic big band on laughing gas." [3]
Another music critic Ian Koss said that the "music on Sax Pax for a Sax is bold assertive-even at its most demure the saxophone can't help its brassy nature-powerful without losing grace." He also explains "Increasingly larger groups of saxophones interplay in melodies that weave through kettledrum pillars in a way that is equal parts Philip Glass and Paul McCartney." [4]
A review by John Murph for "JazzTimes" said "A stargazing composer, Moondog's penchant for crafting accessible, yet utterly otherworldly melodies bridges European classical forms with American jazz sensibilities." [5]
The album features Moondog on the bass drum, Tim Redpath and Bradley Grant on the soprano sax, Rob Buckland, Bradley Grant and Simon Haram on the alto sax, Rob Buckland, Gareth Brady, and Andy Scott on the tenor sax, Jon Rebbeck and Chris Caldwell on the baritone sax, and Will Gregory on the bass sax. [6] There are nine total saxophonists on this album and some songs will feature anywhere from just four of them to all nine. There are also other instruments and musicians featured such as Danny Thompson on the contra bass, Liam Noble on the piano, and Paul Clarvis on the snare drum.
Louis Thomas Hardin, known professionally as Moondog, was an American composer, musician, performer, music theoretician, poet and inventor of musical instruments. Largely self-taught as a composer, his prolific work widely drew inspiration from jazz, classical, Native American music which he had become familiar with as a child, and Latin American music. His strongly rhythmic, contrapuntal pieces and arrangements later influenced composers of minimal music, in particular American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass.
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭, smaller than the B♭ tenor but larger than the B♭ soprano. It is the most common saxophone and is used in popular music, concert bands, chamber music, solo repertoire, military bands, marching bands, pep bands, carnatic music, and jazz.
London Saxophonic is a saxophone ensemble begun by Gareth Brady, Will Gregory and Simon Haram, while they were studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They made their debut in 1994 on Atlantic Records with Sax Pax for a Sax, a collaboration with Moondog, who composed all of the works on the album. In 1998, they went to the now-defunct label Tring with a Michael Nyman retrospective titled An Eye for a Difference, produced by David Roach.
Vocalese is the ninth studio album by Jazz band The Manhattan Transfer, released in 1985 on the Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place during 1985. Production came from Tim Hauser and Martin Fischer. This album is considered to be The Manhattan Transfer's most critically acclaimed album. It received 12 Grammy nominations, making it second only to Michael Jackson's Thriller as the most nominated individual album. It also received extremely high ratings from music critics, including a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating from Allmusic. The album peaked at number 2 on the Top Jazz Albums and number 74 on the Billboard 200. The album's title Vocalese refers to a style of music that sets lyrics to previously recorded jazz instrumental pieces. The vocals then reproduce the sound and feel of the original instrumentation. Jon Hendricks, proficient in this art, composed all of the lyrics for this album.
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