1 of 1- Jim Southern
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Sax Appeal!
Given the current day travel and gathering restrictions, I have revisited my DVD collection. Given my Country music experience, I have looked at about 40 of the "Family Reunion" discs. Once I was through with them, I turned to my 11 disc section of the PBS "Doo Wop" specials and other memory topics. One thing I noticed that I can't recall us ever talking about was the abundance of saxophone players in the early rock groups and recordings. The only individual players I could name right off the bat were King Curtis (on so many of the Atlantic/Atco hits), Rudy Pompilli (of "Rudy's Rock" and Bill Haley & Comets fame), Boots Randolph (A Nashville player) and Clarence Clemons (with Springsteen). I know there were a bunch of hits in the mid to late 1950's that included a sax section like "Raunchy", most of the Billy Vaughn releases, the Bill Black Combo, Duane Eddy and so on, but I just wanted to give a shout out to them all.
- aflem
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Don't know who did it, but there's a rather extensive sax solo in Why Do Fools Fall In Love by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.
- Taz
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Jim Southern wrote:
..., the Bill Black Combo, ....
That would be Ace Cannon on most of the Bill Black stuff.
- alangee
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Steve Douglas and Jay Migliori were session saxophonists who played with the Beach Boys, Phil Spector and others. You can actually hear them playing on this "Fun Fun Fun" remix/remaster . Until I had heard this remix I never even knew there were saxophones on the original recording.
Last edited by alangee (February 1, 2021 9:03 am)
- Taz
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Re: Sax Appeal!
This might be of interest to you if you don’t have it. Available new and used from Amazon and ebay.
Given the price for new, I’m glad I bought mine years ago.
[img]():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-14343171-1572618060-3222.jpeg.jpg[/img]
Back with track listings
Last edited by Taz (January 31, 2021 2:49 pm)
- Taz
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Submitted for your approval
Last edited by Taz (January 31, 2021 3:57 pm)
- Little Rich
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Don't know who did it, but there's a rather extensive sax solo in Why Do Fools Fall In Love by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.
Jimmy Wright played and arranged the tenor sax on the Teenagers' hit song. He had his own band, The Jimmy Wright Band and he was hot, often requested for accompaniment for R&B with many other bands. He spent a while supporting the Teenagers but, in many cases, was NOT credited for the sax.
- memphis boy
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Certainly not doo wop nor 50s rockers but I always thought that Denis Payton's sax added a significant punch to the DC-5's music.
- aflem
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Not as old as others listed here, but I was always partial to the sax solo on "Baker St." by Gerry Rafferty. A huge part of the song that carries much of the tune.
- It's me Karen
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Not as old as others listed here, but I was always partial to the sax solo on "Baker St." by Gerry Rafferty. A huge part of the song that carries much of the tune.
Baker Street is a great song! I love that sax part.
- Taz
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Re: Sax Appeal!
Not as old as others listed here, but I was always partial to the sax solo on "Baker St." by Gerry Rafferty. A huge part of the song that carries much of the tune.
You may not be that old but the sax solo in that song is. It’s Harlem Nocturne or at least a slight variation on it. The Viscounts did a great version of it in 1966. It’s title #5 on that Saxy Rock CD I listed. It was also the Mike Hammer TV Theme.
Last edited by Taz (February 3, 2021 10:03 am)
- Jim Southern
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Re: Sax Appeal!
The reference to "Harlem Nocturne" stirred my curiosity up a bit. The first time I heard the Viscounts take, I recognized the song and knew the title. I'd heard it before, more than a few times. However, when I looked it up in my handy Whitburn "Pop Memories 1890 - 1954", I was quite surprised. I only found one listing for the song, by a noted sax player Herbie Fields, who had been in the Lionel Hampton band for a time. Even more surprising, it only charted for one week at #24 in 9/53. The Viscounts hit with it twice, in 1960 and again in 1965. That is the total singles activity for the song. Another song in that same vein was the sax featured "Night Train" by Buddy Morrow, a #27 hit in 1952, based on a riff from a Duke Ellington recording. It was also covered by the Viscounts, but barely made it to the lower end of the Billboard 'Hot 100" in 1960. That was another song that I liked, but I am sure that I heard the Buddy Morrow original on the radio somewhere. My Dad listened to music radio a lot so I got a good introduction to the songs and artists of the pre-rock days.
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Thread Starter- aflem
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Re: Sax Appeal!
In case anyone is curious to hear it.
- Taz
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Re: Sax Appeal!
I’m gonna take the 5th on the places I might have heard Night Train, Harlem Nocturne and Swingin’ Shepherd Blues.