Tenor saxophone

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The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. It is the second most common size of saxophone (after the alto) and is a transposing instrument, pitched in the key of Bb, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble clef, sounding a major ninth lower than the written pitch. The tenor saxophone uses a slightly larger mouthpiece, reed, and ligature than the alto. The tenor saxophone is used in many different types of ensembles, including concert bands, big band jazz ensembles, small jazz ensembles, and marching bands. It is occasionally included in pieces written for symphony orchestra and for chamber ensembles; two examples of this are Ravel's Boléro and Webern's Quartet for violin, clarinet, tenor saxophone, and piano. In concert bands, the tenor plays mostly a supporting role, sometimes sharing parts with the euphonium, horn and trombone. In jazz ensembles, the tenor plays a more prominent role, often sharing parts or harmonies with the alto saxophone.

C melody

The tenor is pitched in the key of Bb and was one of the original sizes produced by inventor Adolphe Sax. Sax also envisioned a slightly smaller tenor in the key of C, a whole tone higher than the standard tenor. In the early 20th century, American instrument manufacturers produced this instrument, known as a C melody saxophone. C melody saxophones became common during the American saxophone craze (1919-1929). No C melody saxophones have been mass manufactured since 1929, and they are not included in the instrumentation of any present-day band, jazz ensemble, or orchestra.

Jazz and popular music

The tenor saxophone became better known through its frequent use in jazz music. It was the pioneering playing of Coleman Hawkins in the 1930s which lifted the tenor saxophone from its traditional role of adding weight to the ensemble and established it as a highly-effective melody instrument in its own right. Many prominent jazz musicians from the 1940's onwards have been tenor players. The strong resonant sound of Hawkins and his followers always in contrast with the light, almost jaunty approach of Lester Young and his school. Then during the be-bop years the most prominent tenor sounds in jazz were those of the Four Brothers in the Woody Herman orchestra, including Stan Getz who in the 1960s went on to great popular success playing the Brazilian Bossa nova sound on tenor saxophone. As a result of its prominence in American jazz, the instrument has also featured prominently in other genres. The tenor is extremely common in rhythm and blues music and has a part to play in rock and roll and more recent rock music as well as Afro-American, Latin American, Afro-Caribbean, and African music. It has also been used on occasion by many post-punk and experimental bands throughout the UK and Europe in the 1980s, sometimes atonally.

Prominent musicians

Some famous tenor saxophonists are:

• former U.S. president Bill Clinton
• the Coleman Hawkins school including Herschel Evans, Buddy Tate, Illinois Jacquet Bud Freeman and Ben Webster
• the Lester Young school including Budd Johnson and Wardell Gray
• the Four Brothers scene including Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Jimmy Giuffre, Richie Kamuca.
• Be-bop and beyond Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Booker Ervin, Yusef Lateef, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Chico Freeman.
• Free-jazz - Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Pharoah Sanders, Peter Brotzmann
• Fusion and funk - Michael Brecker, Lenny Pickett
• Latin - Ed Calle
• Return to the mainstream - Von Freeman, Scott Hamilton.
• Classical: James Houlik, John S. Moore, Bruce Weinberger
• Rock: Dick Parry (better known by his work with progressive rock band Pink Floyd)