Welcome to C Sax.net – the UK home of C…

It’s amazing how a simple link in a saxontheweb post can lead to hours of listening pleasure – that’s how it was with Old Time Jazz

Twenty-two thousand downloadable mp3 files covering the classics of jazz from the 20′s to the very early 50′s !

Just type a name into the central ‘ Submit ‘ box, and watch the results flood out.  Interestingly, whilst a search for Trumbauer produced load of tracks, a search for Wiedoeft didn’t produce any Guess Rudy was considered more ‘Vaudeville’ than jazz ?

‘ Right-clicking ‘ on the far-right MP3 download link brings them to your own PC, and although there don’t seem to be any restrictions, it’s suggested that a token $5 donation (thro’ Paypal is fine) will give access to the twenty-two thousand mp3′s for three months…

I think it needs the free Realplayer if you listen from the site, as opposed to downloading the file(s) – and there’s even some one-hour selections  (playlists) if you want streaming audio.  It’s amazing how much stuff there is in there, right up to the start of the fifties !  I’ve been listening to vintage Woody Herman, the Dorsey’s, Ellington, Basie, and even two versions of Harlem Nocturne all afternoon. Thanks guys, amazing website and fantastic resource !

Old Time Jazz 

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Whilst I’m looking around for suitably interesting topics on C Saxophones (not easy…), here’s a Wallace & Gromit commercial from 2003 for the Renault Kangoo.  I suppose the only tentative connection with C’s is that – if Wallace ever took up saxophone – he’d almost certainly have to play a C-Melody !

Wallace And Gromit Ad - video powered by Metacafe

If you’d like more info, here’s the background story (click here)

Never mind ‘Name that tune’ - I suspect it’ll be more like ‘Name that instrument…’

Click on the mini-player (or the link) below to hear it

  Click on the player, left, or this link !

And then click on this link -> Helen’s Bassic Sax Blog , and scroll down, to see if you were right…

Were you ? 

In the process of reviewing my woefully inadequate page listing available Backing Tracks at the top of the main screen, I discovered a very useful Russian website with a raft of free backing tracks – including rock, blues and jazz, most of which are very usable and (I’d say) of pretty much professional standard.  The clickable picture to the left show just a small selection of what’s available there – it’s the normal ‘right-click’ and ‘save target as’ routine to download them.  Although it seems to hint at ‘Guitar’ backing tracks, those opposite seem mostly for melody instruments, C or otherwise

Some are duplicates of  backing tracks that I’ve already purchased on CD’s thro’ ebay, so I’ve no doubt that this is the ‘Backing Track’  version of the free ‘Fake Book’  sites – where they’ve been ‘collected’ from various sources and then published on the internet for maximum availability.

As such I really can’t comment on the legality (or otherwise) of these, and, being on a Russian website it might make copyright difficult to enforce.  Enjoy or not, according to your taste and/or conscience – I’m just pointing to a resource that any of us could have easy found thro’ a Google search.

In the interest of research for this blog, I naturally had to download a couple to test…  They all worked fine, and my PC is virus-checked very frequently, no problems found there.  Having been involved in previous conversations about free fake books, which obviously complement these backing tracks, I’m loathe to offer links to any sites I’ve found offering those here.  I also found those sites quite easily, if you need any searching hints or help, I might be amenable…

Just thought that for 2009 I’d try and give a periodic ‘heads up’, or ‘eyes down’, on some of the more interesting C-Melody saxophones that caught my eye – either still selling, or possibly annoyingly, just sold, on ebay, from time to time.  Prices still seem to be holding up reasonably despite the recession, although the currently poor dollar/pound exchange rate may well mean fewer UK buyers – then again, the very strong Euro will mean that possibly even more will go to mainland Europe.   Click on either the text links, or the pictures, to go to the ebay listings.

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First up is this 1914′ish Conn, quite an early C, at s/no 29xxx – surprising that even at this vintage it has my favourite key, the auxiliary front-F.  Some manufacturers waited until late twenties, or even the early thirties, before fully integrating the aux front-F key – seems Conn, like Buffet, were ‘on the ball’  very early on. 

In this example, dished metal touches instead of pearl.  I actually prefer the concave metal touches, from my Buescher stencil playing days, makes me feel more in touch with the horn, and they are surprisingly quite slip-resistant even when wet.

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This next C-Melody seems at first glance to be an English ‘ Hawkes ‘ – but on closer inspection has Martin toneholes, and Bruce Bailey’s ‘specialist subject’ the famous IBICo  ‘ Pontiac Rings ‘ on the body joints.  So probably, like the Martin ‘Lewin’ stencils that were imported into, and sold in, the UK – this is a Martin C that was imported into the UK to satisfy 20′s demand.  Seems only fair, as loads of European saxophones also went the other way, to the US during that era.  Guess there were no ‘carbon footprint’ worries in those days

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And now, a chance to acquire that curious beastie, the minimally keyed Martin Home Model – nice example here, languishing at a mere one dollar, with only a couple of days to go. 

Go on, you really do need to own one of these at least once during your lifetime !  It’ll really make you appreciate a saxophone with all the usual keys !  And it’ll scare the living daylights out of any saxophone-playing friends when you persuade them to try and play it…

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And, last (but not least) for this post -  a great looking bare-brass Buescher C-Mel.   "Just ready for an overhaul " proclaims the listing…

(quote) "Sax has been completely disassembled, rods and screws cleaned and oiled, pads removed, springs cleanly removed from the posts, and all parts cleaned."

All great stuff, except the "springs cleanly removed from the posts" bit.  That makes me shudder, replacing all the springs seems too tedious for me – I don’t mind replacing the obviously weak/broken/rusty ones, but ALL of them ?  No, please, don’t take all the springs out…  Life is just toooo short to completely re-spring a saxophone.

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And now, a very serious Health Warning – remember, decades of playing a straight-neck Conn C-Melody saxophone could seriously damage both your image, and your street-cred…  This man really should have played a Martin, or at the very least, a King !

I’m just slightly worried about the angle/perspective – if the sax is swung into the playing position he could potentially lose an eye, or at the very least his sense of smell… 

Probably won’t mean anything to non-UK visitors to the blog, but the sad loss in December 2008 of Kathy Staff means yet another familiar face gone from the television series  Last of the Summer Wine.  No more of Nora Batty’s wrinkled stockings…

I suppose it’s inevitable that a series that’s now run for over 35 years, and focuses mostly around a bunch of eccentric old-un’s, should inevitably have more than its fair share of fatalities – but each passing is both sadly missed and fondly remembered.  A full obituary can be read here…  

Clicking on this YouTube link  will provide enthusiasts with hours of pleasure…  I’m not quite sure how far around the globe the series has spread – the combination of dry but corny humour, and colloquial Northern talk, may not be to everyone’s taste.

I’m glad that someone else agrees with me that it’s futile to continually make New Year Resolutions, but slightly nervous that it’s the mental health charity, Mind (..click here for the article..)

Mind you, I do agree with most of their alternatives -

a) Being active – exercise releases endorphins and even a gentle stroll is beneficial for mental well-being
b) Going green – evidence has shown that connecting with nature can boost moods
c) Learn something new – it will keep minds stimulated and give confidence
d) Give back to the community – it can be just as rewarding for you as those you choose to help

I’ll add to that – making as much music as I can, maybe that can be construed as ‘giving back to the community‘, spending more time with the people I really enjoy being with (and much less with those I don’t…), and observing the maxim "a little of what you fancy does you good…"  That’s why I celebrated the New Year with a pipe-full of Alsbo Black, first time I’ve smoked for quite a few years, but it felt good !  Nearly set my beard on fire, but there you go, time for a trim anyway…

Happy New Year to all – possibly not as happy tho’ as for the lucky family who were left a  three million pound Bugatti…

To all my friends, and indeed to all visitors to the blog/forum/website, may I offer this very laid back version of Auld Lang Syne – very proficiently multi-tracked by CooolJazzz – together with my sincerest wishes to you all, for a gentle and rewarding 2009.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT91tzTL_IE>

It is readily acknowledged as a transcription of the Dave Koz original track, of which, due to copyright, I am only able to offer a short extract…

Remember Benedikt Eppelsheim? He’s been a bit quiet recently: after he announced his Bb contrabass clarinet and the Eb contrabass sax, there haven’t been any additions to his website. I know that he’s produced Sarrusaphones and Ophicleides, but as of yet nothing has come up.

However, looking at Guntram Wolf’s website, the picture that with any luck should appear with this post features heavily. He and Eppelsheim have previously collaborated on the Contraforte, a redesigned Contrabassoon and evidently they have been busy working on this Lupophone. I know that it isn’t a saxophone, but it looks so extraordinary that I felt that I had to share it with you.

Apologies for the lack of material over the last couple of weeks, but what better to re-start the new-look blue blog  than this clip from the Muppet Show – ” Sax and Violence ” featuring the man, Zoot…  Enjoy !

YouTube - Sax and Violence