Tony Dagradi

Tony Dagradi is a local treasure. Not only does he run an outstanding program at Loyola University turning out the city's very finest saxophone players, but he's seen all over town with his outstanding jazz group, Astral Project and leading his quartet. Tony is first call on the studio scene here, and it has been my pleasure and honor to have him as my friend and customer for many years. Here's a great video clip of Tony

At Last! The Mouthpiece Refacing video!

We're almost done with the editing of our new mouthpiece refacing instructional video. This is the third in the series of videos we have produced In the interest of sharing the skills of the craft. I belive there is probably more misunderstanding and misinformation about mouthpieces than any other aspect of saxophone playing, and hopefully this video will take some of the mystery away.

My goal in this video is to show you how to do basic refacing and improvement of your mouthpiece. Sadly, the level of workmanship found on most mouthpieces sold today is not as high as it should be, and I show you how to make your mouthpiece play better. Of course, if you're inclined to experiment, I show you how to make some modifications to change (for the better, of course) the way your mouthpiece plays.

Every effort was made to show you how to use very basic tools and materials. All the techniques described are clearly illustrated by our professional video crew (this is NOT a homemade video!!!) so you can clearly see what I am trying to teach you.

I am currently writing a booklet which will accompany each video. This booklet gives sample measurements and a good bit of technical reference material.

We anticipate having our new video available for sale in about a month.

A great student is a thing of beauty.....

One of the great joys of my life is teaching. I maintain a small studio of students (typically around 15) and have done so since the 1970's. One of my teachers often told me that "whenever I give you a lesson, I get one myself, because I have to remember how to do things correctly and set a good example". There's a lot of truth in that statement.

Since I retired (for reasons of health) from playing gigs five years ago, playing with my students is often the only significant amount of time I get to spend with a saxophone in my hands. I'm unhappy about this situation, of course, but it's part of my reality. My playing skills have gotten pretty rusty. I still REMEMBER what to do and how to do it, but there is that small matter of precision execution that only comes with daily practice....

I suppose that I must now live vicariously through my students. Most of them play professionally, and I love to hear the stories of their gigs and laugh with them at all the disasters that often befall a working musician. I would be less than honest if I didn't admit that there are a lot of aspects of the music business that I don't miss at all. I started playing for money when I was 13 years old, and did it continuously until age 55. I used to play six nights a week, sometimes three gigs a day. I was fortunate enough to be able to make a pretty good living as just a simple saxophone player. I also picked up a lot of bad habits which were hard to rid myself of, but on the plus side, I do have some really great stories to tell in the nursing home!

James Martin began studyihng saxophone with me when he was around 15 years old. He amazed me from day one. James was like a sponge, soaking up every bit of information sent his way. I sincerely believe in genetic musical ability, and James has plenty of it. More importantly, he understood from the very beginning that a powerful work ethic was necessary, and over the years he proved himself far more than simply self motivated to improve his skills.

As time went by, James attended Loyola University, earning a degree in Music Business. I watched with great pleasure as his skills improved and his playing matured. James began to get better and better gigs, and before long was appearing with the most popular bands in the city. Later, he began extensive touring, and I believe I am correct to say that he has now appeared professionally on every continent but Antartica. He has appeared with many of the top acts in the business, including Lenny Kravitz, and I expect even greater things from him in the future. I am very proud to have played a part in his success.

Here's a video we made this week so you can get a small taste of his playing



Here's another video we made last month



If you want to hear some of his great original tunes (James is QUITE the songwriter), go here

http://www.myspace.com/jamesmartincoverband

How to pick a GREAT saxophone technician

As long as there have been saxophones they have needed repair and adjustment. It's the nature of the beast: the saxophone is a very complicated mechanism. Keeping your horn in top condition should be one of your very highest priorities. A well adjusted instrument is a thing of great beauty, and certainly makes playing a lot easier.

Here are some common sense (I think) suggestions for choosing your repair technician:

(1) GO WHERE THE PROS GO! Don't use a shop that specializes in "school band" repairs. They tend to be assembly line operations and generally are unfamiliar with professional quality instruments. Ask around among the people who play for a living. Their income depends on the quality of repairs they get.

(2) YOUR TECHNICIAN SHOULD BE A GOOD SAXOPHONE PLAYER! There's no room for compromise here. If your technician is not capable of playing the horn well, there is NO WAY they can tell if they did a good job.

(3) ASK TO SEE THE EQUIPMENT IN THE SHOP! You can't get the job done right unless you've got a full selection of the tools of the trade on hand as well as the necessary supplies. Ask to see what's there. A box of pads and a couple of screwdrivers are not sufficient.

(4) THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE! Just like anything else, practice makes perfect. A technician who has been in business for a long time will have seen your repair problems before, and know the right solution.

(5) BEWARE OF PARTS CHANGERS! There is virtually no component on a saxophone that can't be fixed. If the technician lacks the skills to fix the part (assuming it's all there), and prefers to replace it, start asking "why". You may not like the answer!

(6) IGNORE CLAIMS OF BOGUS CREDENTIALS! Experience and skill are all that matters. Membership in a fraternal organization such as NAPBIRT means absolutely nothing. The only requirement to join NAPBIRT is the ability to write a check. They do not now and never have enforced professional standards.

(7) TRY DIFFERENT TECHNICIANS! If you've got a choice of technicians, try them both. You may find that there is a real difference!

The Category Five is a BIG hit!!

We delivered the last of the first shipment of Category Five tenors yesterday, and everybody is happy AND amazed! Yes, you pay a lot for that last five percent of build quality, but without exception, everyone who has played this amazing instrument agrees it is simply the finest saxophone of all time period end of discussion.

We're going to be posting some videos on YouTube and here so you can see more details and hear the Category Five. Since the horn has so many unique design features, it really needs a lot of explanation. Unfortunately, the things that seem to make the greatest impression on the buyers and tire kickers is the instant response and the way the sound of the horn fills the room. It's hard to demonstrate that on YouTube.

There will be another load in about 60 days. We're taking orders. I also expect the first shipment of the optional solid silver neck to get here in a couple of weeks. The neck comes from a different factory, and they didn't meet the initial deadline.

Just as I expected, naysayers and self appointed experts have had a good bit to say about a horn they have never seeen or played. I find this quite amusing, of course. If you want to find out if this horn really is "the real deal" and if it performs as advertised, let me know. We have a sample available here at my office and will gladly make an appointment with you so you can experience the Category Five for yourself. Just let me know....

A Saxophone Guild?

I was recently contacted by some business associates who were interested in forming an association which would bring together the many diverse factions of the saxophone world. Their pitch was that the saxophone has increased in popularity in recent years (true enough, the production numbers seem to bear that out) and that there is not an "umbrella" group which unites the various saxophone interest groups. They cited the National Flute Association (NFA) as a good example and potential model. Although I'm not so sure about this concept, it's probably worth consideration and discussion.

I've attended a number of NFA conventions, and I must admit that they deal with the diversity of the flute world pretty well. The flute community is as diverse (maybe more so) than the saxophone community, and every facet was well represented. There were seminars and recitals, panel discussions and exhibits. It was truly a wonderful experience, and any flute enthusiast, be they a jazzer or a classical player, would find plenty of interesting events.

There are several different organizations which address the needs of saxophonists, and at one time or another I've been a member of many of them and have attended quite a few of their conferences and conventions. My own interests are pretty diverse, so I left each event knowing that I had learned something. However, a jazz saxophonist would probably not appreciate the World Saxophone Congress or the North American Saxophone Alliance, both of which are heavily inclined toward the taste of classical academic types.

The now deceased International Association of Jazz Educators had pretty good seminars for jazz saxsophonists, and I am not aware that anyone has stepped up and filled that void. It probably could stand filling.

The repair community doesn't have any real representation. NAPBIRT is a joke, with no enforced standards. They admit anyone who has the ability to write a check, and have NEVER enforced their so called "code of ethics".There are a number of pretty good saxophone repair resources on the net, but no real organization. That's probably just as well, since organizing repair techs is about as easy as herding cats.

The manufacturing and retailing end of the saxophone business are pretty well represented by NAMM and a couple of other trade associations. I'm an enthusiastic member of NAMM, and salute them for the outstanding job they do in promoting the interests of the manufacturing and saxophone selling business.

I guess I'd be surprised if anything ever came of this proposal. I think the jazzers are suspicious of the classical guys, and the rockers don't like either group. The manufacturers and sellers are be adequately represented, and the technicians (and there really aren't many of them who are saxophone specific) probably have no interest.

What's The Real Difference?

Since we introduced the Category Five (to rave reviews from the people who have ACTUALLY PLAYED IT) there have been some comments on the net that the features found on this instrument are (1) not unique; (2) not original; (3) available on lower priced instruments and (4) unnecessary. One self appointed "expert" (you gotta just love those guys who have really accomplished nothing in their career, but pop up on the internet pontificating at length about horns they have never seen or played) goes so far as to describe the features of the Category Five tenor as "bling". Well, maybe you should actually try the horn yourself, and if you haven't, think of it this way:

Consider the comparison of a Rolls Royce and a Yugo: both have four wheels, both have four doors, both use internal combustion engines, etc. etc. etc. The basic configuaration of both has resulted from over a hundred years of evolution. They both really perform much the same function of transportation. Yet they are significantly different. Only a fool (and there seem to be plenty of those out there in cyberspace) would assert that they are the same. The difference, of course, is one of execution: the Rolls Royce has a much higher level of sophistication in its components, the materials used are of significantly higher quality, the build quality and level of execution are much higher etc. etc. etc. Some, but certainly not all, consumers want the very best. Others are satisfied with products that function at only the most basic level. Superior quality comes at a price. It's really just a function of what your standards are.

I note with interest that one of the allegations (again, this was made by someone who had never actually seen or played the Category Five) was that the four octave vents were not necessary, as other manufacturers have obtained good results by merely changing the bore. What a load of crap! You could not possibly know how well something works until you have actually tried it yourself. The possibility that the Category Five system might be light years ahead of other designs was not even considered.

None of this surprises me, of course. No matter what I bring to market, these "experts" (again, stictly self appointed) will find fault. They're certainly entitled to their opinion. I wouldn't want them to think for a minute that I care what they think.

The New "Black Magic" mouthpieces

When we entered the mouthpiece business in a big way a couple of years ago, we did so with the intent of bringing high quality unique designs to our customers at a reasonable price. We believed then, and based on customer feedback, believe now that there is a segment of the mouthpiece market that has been ignored. We find that our customers want hand faced mouthpieces that they can actually use on gigs to make a living. We don't try to address the esoteric jazz or classical markets. Our mouthpieces are for people who are out there playing for other people and sharing their music. We believe that your mouthpiece should be easy to play and allow you to get the most you possibly can out of your horn.

Our latest addition to the lineup is the Black Magic series for alto, tenor, and soprano saxophone. These are high baffle, very low resistance mouthpieces which are incredibly free blowing and responsive. Each one is beautifully finished in a stunning anondized black nickel plating and has a fully adjustable built on ligature.The baffle is somewhat high and is of a "cliff" type configuration. The baffle leads into a large chamber, so the Black Magic does not have the "thin" sound often heard on high baffle mouthpieces. Low note response is excellent and the Black Magic subtones beautifully.The Black Magic mouthpiece is designed for rock and roll and club work. The tone is somewhat bright and cutting. There is nothing shy about this mouthpiece! We'll have them up on www.nationofmusic.com in a few days. Alto, tenor, or soprano are all $300, and a variety of tip openings are available.

You'll note in the pictures that below the Saxgourmet logo and tip opening designation are some runes. The first customer to decipher the runes wins a free Black Magic!

The Saxgourmet Category Five has arrived!

I had become increasingly frustrated with the current state of saxophone design. It had become apparent that other manufacturers were not inclined to advance the art. Look around, and it's easy to see that with precious few exceptions saxophone buyers were being offered essentially the same horns they could have bought thirty years ago. Well, I have taken it upon myself to remedy this situation.

A couple of days ago, we got our first load of the new Saxgourmet Category Five tenors. As all of you second year students and course repeaters know, at one time or another I've pretty much owned "one of everything". I know my name is on the horn, and yes, I want to sell you one, but I promise you this horn is quite unlike anything you have ever experienced.

I had been working on this design for over three years. The bore and tonehole placement are new (the bore is bigger than my previous offerings, and they were all pretty big) the neck design is new, the alloy we use for the body/bell/bow/neck is new, the resonators are new, there are some significant improvements in the mechanism, and did I mention it has four (4) octave vents? It has more engraving, all hand cut, than any previous saxophone. It's simply beautiful.

By the way, these horns are totally hand made. Yes, that's very expensive, but it also is the only way to prevent work hardening of the metal and assure maximum resonance.

The business about four octave vents is really pretty simple: there are twelve tones in the chromatic scale. The octave system on a saxophone works by destroying the fundamental and allowing the first overtone to become dominant. In the prefect world, you would have an individual octave vent for every one of the twelve semitones. That, unfortunately, is not mechanically practical. Count the vents on your current saxophone. There are two. I want to now assure you that they are in the wrong place. By definition, they two vents on your horn are in a "compromise" position. That's why the D2 sound so bad: it is the fartherest from the vent. Our solution was to figure out how to increase the number of vents and make the mechanism mechanically reliable. We've done it. It works like a charm. I guarantee you'll notice the difference the first time you blow a Category Five.

One of the four octave vents is dedicated to the altissimo range. This has become a standard part of saxophone literature now (and really has been for years), but horn makers have refused to make the altissimo "user friendly". Well, I've done something about that. I've been fooling around with this system for a few years, and actually offered it on the now discontinued Steve Goodson Model alto and tenor. During the production run of that horn, we made a few improvements. On the Category Five, we made some radical improvements (yes, I try to learn as I go along....) and the results are spectacular.

Another significant area of improvement on the Category Five is the bell. We're using a new process for manufacturing the bell, and our unique bell to body brace has also evolved and is much improved. Remember that the purpose of the bell is to act as a radiator to project the sound. Our new design allows the bell to do its job in a much more efficient manner. Again, it's a difference you will hear right away.

There are many, many ergonomic improvemnts, and quite a few cosmetic touches that I think you'll like. The engraver was absolutely turned loose on this, and there's more deep, hand cut engraving on this horn than on any saxophone ever offered. As with all our current offerings, the Category Five is available in bright copper plate only. That's our "look", and we want it do be distinctive and unique to Saxgourmet saxophones.

I know that this horn will bring the naysayers, wannabe's, and self appointed experts out in force. Expect same old bunch of Steve haters to begin pontificating immediately. Of course, none of these trolls have actually PLAYED or EVEN SEEN a Category Five, but that won't slow them down. You can also expect to hear that "Coltrane (or just plug in the name of your favorite great player(s) from the past or present) never had any of those extra features and he sounded great" and that the imorovements aren't necessary. To that I simply retort that if they HAD used one of our horns, think how great they would have sounded!

The bulk of the initial shipment has already been sold to "insiders" and long time customers. If you want to try one, you'll have to visit me at my office. We nwill not sell this model through any outside dealers or distributors. It's strictly a "house" product. We don't realistically expect this model to sell in big numbers like the VooDoo Rex or Super 400. It's VERY expensive (MSLP=$11,000) and due to the hand made nature of this beast, production will be extremely limited.

I'm super happy with this horn. If you've got the budget, you will be happy as well.

What's the upper limit for saxophone prices?

If you consider the flute, guitar, bassoon, or numerous other instrument markets, saxophones are a real bargain from a pricing point of view. This is because manufacturers basically grind them out using tried and true mass assembly techniques. Nobody is offering a hand built tweaked to death horn, with unique features, killer cosmetics, and a level of build quality never seen before. I believe that this situation exists because the manufacturers simply didn't believe the market existed. I disagree, and I'm going to do something about it.

Now I realize that this market is miniscule in size. I also understand that the high price point necessary would put this instrument out of the reach of most players. That being said, our company will introduce a "boutique" saxophone in the next few weeks that we have been working on for the last three years: the Category Five. We've been through several prototypes, and have learned a lot. Our goal was a cost is no object, Mother Mary and Joseph Big Daddy Rabbit with the Fuzzy Tongue best saxophone in the world.

We went to the factory that we think builds the best horns in the world and gave them our specifications. They came back with a prototype, we played it, made some more changes, got another prototype made, and finalized the design. We then shopped it around among some of our regular customers and actually sold a few! Delivery will begin next week.

When the final product arrives, I'll post videos, pictures, and all the other necessary propaganda. In the meantime, here's a couple of teaser pictures posted above.

Who are these guys, anyway?

Last week, one of my students was quoting information he had found in various discussion groups on the internet as "source authority" for a discussion we were having about saxophone history. It troubled me greatly. Here's why:

Many people will believe anything they see written down. The source, or qualifications of the source, is rarey considered or investigated. I am forever amused (and disturbed) by the fact that many posters on the various discussion groups around the internet seemed to have just popped up on their own and are strictly self appointed in their expertise. They are experts and authorities simply because they say they are experts and authorities. They give not resume or background on themselves because it would expose them as the pathetic liars that they are. They sit in judgement of and pontificate at length on horns and equipment they have never played and about people they don't know anything about. Often, they fabricate stories out of thin air.

There's not a whole lot you can do about this sort of thing if you're the victim. Invariably,the expert in question will give themselves a cute internet name to conceal their real identity and lack of actual knowlege and experience. In my world, that's the first red flag. I like to know exactly and specifically who is providing me with information and opinions, and a little bit about their background and saxophone experience. I always hate it when I find out that one of these "experts" is actually thirteen years old and lives in a little town in Montana (no offense to the Big Sky Country, just a convenient example) and plays a thirty year old Bundy they inherited from their uncle Joe.

The only protection you have, if you desire to be protected, is to know a bit about who you are listening to. A real authority is published (not self published), has a recording history (sorry, self produced and distributed CD's not allowed here), and has an association with instrument manufacturers. Yes, the guys who make the horns do have a tendency to seek out people who actually know what they are talking about. Real experts almost always have a web site where they tell you a bit about themselves, and freely share a bit of their knowlege. Chances are they sell products or services with their name on them, and have been doing it for a while. Real deal guys tend to be chosen as endorsing artists and spokesmen for products you know. Yes, the makers of those products do have a tendency to check out their endorsers and usually use only people who can actually play and people who have made some contribution of note to the industry.

I guess it all gets down to what my momma told me: know who you are dealing with.

What Are They Thinking?

I've grown increasingly frustrated with the current state of saxophone design. With precious few exceptions, the horns available today are nthe same horns that were available twenty five years ago, although in flashier finishes. Where's the innovation? It certainly doesn't say Selmer, Yamaha, Yanigasawa, Keilwerth, or any other instantly recognizable brand name anywhere. It strikes me that the problems and limitations of our saxophones are well known and obvious and very little is being done to improve the breed. We've known for years that the fourth line D is stuffy, that the upper stack C lacked a voice, that the palm key notes tend to play sharp etc. and I don't see any of the major makers doing anything about it. The altissimo has become a standard part of saxophone playing, yet horn design does nothing to facilitate it. The scale is still uneven over the range of the horn and the mere pressing of the octave key often produces a totally different timbre.

I find the trend toward paying homage to the "great horns of the past" questionable at best. If they were so great, why aren't they made anymore? Do we really need to be looking backward?

It seems from where I sit that the major manufacturers are more than content to take your money for selling you the same old stuff they've been selling for years. The technology is there to improve the saxophone, and I for one belive it's past time that we did so.