Everything Saxophone Podcast

Kim Jay takes audiences on a captivating, magical, and awe-inspiring sonic journey with what has been called "a multi-instrumental dream, a cosmic one-woman ensemble". Kim Jay has been performing as a soloist on saxophones since 2001. Some of her main influences have been: Sarah Vaughn, Cassandra Wilson, Shirley Horn, John Coltrane, Grover Washington Jr, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Moving to F...

Born into a family tree of well-versed musicians, Ernie Delores (Caldwell) Shelby is a talented saxophonist, vocalist, and composer.  In elementary school, when the music department ran out of "girlie" instruments such as flutes and clarinets, she was given a choice between tuba and saxophone.  At the tender age of 14, a heckler in the audience named her "Lady Sax"®. And while Lady Sax®. is defini...

Straight ahead Jazz Saxophonist, Vasilis Xenopoulos, is one of the most accomplished Greek jazz musicians of his generation.  He graduated with honors from the Berklee College of Music and gradually established himself as one of London's up-and-coming jazz saxophonists. He has worked with some of the best musicians in the International Jazz Scene as a band leader, a section leader, and a guest sol...

Born in Toronto Canada, Joey Berkley moved to NYC in 1979 after graduating w/honors from the Music Program at Humber College.  A jazz musician firmly rooted in the tradition of Coltrane, Miles, and Monk, Joey Berkley incorporated these influences to develop his own sound.  Berkley's career as a tenor saxophonist and recording artist has evolved through a variety of stages: from in-demand sideman t...

Chase Huna is a saxophonist, national recording artist, and songwriter from Palm Springs, CA who blends jazz, R&B, and pop into his style of music. Chase started playing saxophone at the age of 10 after his dad bought him his very first sax for his birthday. Chase put out his first song "On The Chase" to radio at 15 years old. This song was written and produced with the help of jazz guitarist and...

Khari Allen Lee has arisen as one of the most-in-demand saxophonists, educators, composers, and multi-instrumentalists of his generation.  He has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Ellis Marsalis, Aretha Franklin, Dr. John, Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, DeeDee Bridgewater, Stevie Wonder, Raphael Saadiq and more.  In 2017, he won a Grammy for his work with octogenarian blues man...

After seeing a saxophonist busking in the streets in her hometown, a very young Heidi Radtke knew she wanted to play saxophone.  She got her wish at age 11, and from that moment on, has studied with some of the best classical saxophonists around to become one of the most well-regarded contemporary saxophonists on the scene today. Her mentors included Timothy McCallister, Donald Sinta, Debra Richtm...

Born in a very small town in Denmark (Vejle) in 1982, Jeppe took a keen interest in the drums at a young age. Jeppe Zacho also started playing saxophone at 15 years old, upon his father's advice.  As a teenager, Jeppe traveled to Cuba to study the intricate Cuban rhythms he so loved. This monumental experience influenced his future compositions and performances. Since 2008, he has been a saxophone...

You may not have heard about the new, patented design of the EMEO Digital Practice Saxophone. They started 8 years ago, and have been on the market for 3 years. At the NAMM Show 2024, it was a big hit – their booth was crowded every single day. This isn't your conventional saxophone. It features a special patented design incorporating original springs, brass, and other unique elements. Instead of...

Established in 1974 by Phil Rovner, Rovner® began its journey with the creation of one ligature, the original Dark. Since then, it has expanded its range to encompass four "Classic" models and four "NextGeneration" models. Distributed globally, Rovner® products are cherished by musicians of all levels, from novices to top-tier professionals. Despite numerous imitators, the name "Rovner" commands p...

There was a ton of action going on at the P. Mauriat booth during the NAMM Show 2024. Despite that, I still had the privilege of speaking with Jeremiah True, Brand Manager at P. Mauriat, who is a really special guy. Jeremiah True is a versatile woodwind performer proficient in all saxophones, clarinets, flutes, and bassoon. With a rich background spanning orchestral, jazz, theatre pits, and rock '...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Teeters and Tyler Rogers of Claude Lakey Woodwinds at the NAMM Show 2024 to discuss their amazing saxophone mouthpieces. For over fifty years, Claude Lakey's enduring legacy has thrived within the company he established, evolving from its modest inception in a corner of a music shop in 1962 to its esteemed stature today. Today, as a family-owned...

Victory Musical Instruments remains the top choice for musicians and dealers worldwide due to its commitment to excellence. Offering exceptional sound quality, precise intonation, and improved mechanisms, Victory Instruments are designed with musicians' needs in mind. These wind instruments, prized by musicians globally, stand out for their superb craftsmanship and unique design. Driven by a passi...

Established in 1919 by Jesse James Babbitt, the JJ Babbitt Company, Inc. is the industry's oldest mouthpiece manufacturer for clarinets and saxophones. Still family-owned, it's now led by Steve and Debbie Rorie and remains rooted in Elkhart, Indiana. Based in Elkhart, Indiana, formerly hailed as "The Band Instrument Capital of the World," the JJ Babbitt Company has crafted millions of mouthpieces...

Silverstein Works is an accessories company committed to excellence in the realm of music.  They specialize in researching and developing premium-quality products, aiming to set the highest standard in performance and usability for musicians. During this year's NAMM Show, I had the opportunity to speak with Calvin Son, President and Director of Artist Relationships at Silverstein Works, about thei...

Saxophonist, flutist, and educator Sharel Cassity is a standout in New York and Chicago jazz circles. Named the 2023 "Rising Star Alto Saxophone" and featured on Downbeat Magazine's cover, she's graced TV shows like Today, Good Morning America, and The Colbert Show. Honored in the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, Sharel's also received the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award. Sharel's collaborated with Gr...

Born in Detroit, Rick Margitza's musical journey began with classical saxophone training under Donald Sinta at the University of Michigan. He also studied jazz with notable mentors like Sonny Stitt and Michael Brecker. Graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Margitza's musical style was deeply influenced by the city's rich cultural tapestry. Relocating to New York in 1989 marked a signif...

I am consistently thrilled to visit the Theo Wanne booth at every NAMM Show, as they invariably unveil exciting new products. During the NAMM Show 2024, I had the pleasure of speaking with Matt Ambrose, the Chief Machinist, and Thomas Harris about the latest Theo Wanne saxophone mouthpieces. Theo is considered the world's foremost expert on the design and manufacturing of saxophone mouthpieces. As...

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Kortschot from Legere Reeds at the 2022 NAMM Show, where he showcased some truly remarkable reeds. It was delightful to reconnect with him at the 2024 NAMM Show, where Legere unveiled their latest innovation, the Frech Cut reeds. Légère Reeds Ltd. was founded in 1998 by Dr. Guy Légère and Dr. Mark Kortschot, driven by Dr. Légère's quest for a reed that matched t...

Susanne Alt, a versatile artist from Amsterdam, excels in saxophone, composition, DJing, and production. Born in 1978 in Würzburg, Germany, Alt showed early promise, winning the Siemens Prize for young talent in classical saxophone during her formative years at the Meistersinger-Konservatorium Nuremberg. Alt's musical journey continued as she pursued jazz saxophone studies in the Netherlands, honi...

The EMEO, the pioneering digital practice horn for saxophonists, has expanded its offerings to include mouthpieces crafted from FDA-approved dental material and solid silver. Mouthpieces showcased at the NAMM Show 2024 are currently accessible for alto and tenor saxophones, as well as clarinets. We talked about: How EMEO is using FDA-approved dental material Why their solid silver mouthpiece is ve...

Founded by Lars Hueseler and a group of enthusiasts in late 2007, Forestone emerged determined to revolutionize the reed industry by overcoming the limitations of traditional cane and plastic reeds.  Led by Kazunori, a former manager at Japan's leading woodwind distributor Kawai, they devised a groundbreaking material formula: a blend of bamboo and PP. This innovative combination delivered the ric...

JodyJazz crafts top-tier saxophone mouthpieces with patented designs and innovative manufacturing techniques. Favored by renowned saxophonists worldwide, each piece is meticulously hand-crafted in the USA, meeting the highest standards. Founder Jody Espina, a distinguished saxophonist, recognized the crucial role mouthpiece design plays in sound and technique. His commitment to catering to student...

Marca's New Cane & Synthetic Unic Reeds blend the sonic richness of traditional cane with the durability of synthetic fibers, featuring a pioneering composition of 95% cane and 5% synthetic material, offering a potential 6-month lifespan while preserving stability and humidity control, and treated like conventional cane reeds, available for saxophones and clarinets—truly a unique innovation that l...

Saxophonist Educator and Composer, Dr. Woody Witt, is a Professor of Music at Houston Community College and is the Instructor of Saxophone at the University of Houston Moores School of Music.  He got his Masters degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, where he taught saxophone and jazz methods. As a jazz artist, Woody has had the opportunity to perform and record with Randy Brec...