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Belgian inventor and musician Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax created the saxophone in the early 1840s, patenting it in 1846.
Later, the saxophone began to be promoted in the United States, and many new musical niches were established for it during the early decades of the 20th century.
In the 1840s and 1850s, Sax's invention gained use in small classical ensembles, but never came into widespread use as an orchestral instrument. In fact, by the late 19th century, the saxophone's popularity in the classical music world had waned and it had been dismissed as a noisy novelty.
The instrument's early use in vaudeville and ragtime bands laid the groundwork for its use in dance orchestras and eventually jazz. Pictured is a poster advertising a notorious vaudeville act, the English entertainers Daisy and Violet Hilton, saxophone-playing conjoined twins who toured the United States sideshow, vaudeville, and American burlesque circuits in the 1920s and 1930s.
During the 1920s, the saxophone came into use as a jazz instrument, fostered by acts like The Duke Ellington Orchestra (pictured).
Johnny Hodges, with Al Sears in the background, was best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He is considered one of the definitive alto saxophone players of the big band era.
As if to underline mainstream society's moral concern at the time, Sonny Rollins apparently described opening his saxophone case as akin to a beautiful, shapely woman reaching out to him. The tenor saxophonist is today widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians of the age, and only recently stopped performing.
Rollins grew up listening to jazz legends like Charlie Parker (pictured), John Coltrane, and the aforementioned Johnny Hodges, who rank among the greatest saxophonists in the world. By the 1950s, the instrument had gained global popularity.
Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz reached a new audience in 1964 by popularizing bossa nova in America with the hit single 'The Girl from Ipanema.' His recording with Brazilian musicians Antônio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto and his then-wife, Astrud Gilberto, won a Grammy Award. The piece remains one of the best-loved Latin jazz tracks.
The saxophone's sultry, almost lecherous, sound has been put to good use in the movies. It enhanced a scene in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1954) where Stanley (Marlon Brando) and Stella (Kim Hunter) make up after a fight—one of the first instances of saxophone music being used to interpret sexual chemistry between two people.
Composer Bernard Herrmann used the saxophone to masterful effect in Martin Scorsese's seminal 'Taxi Driver.' The instrument provides "a musical counterpart to Travis [Robert De Niro] creating a mellifluously disenchanted troubadour," describes the film's soundtrack.
In Francis Ford Coppola's mystery thriller 'The Conversation,' Gene Hackman's character, Harry Caul, seeks solace from his work as a surveillance expert in the saxophone, which features prominently in the final, dramatic scene.
This classic Hollywood comedy starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon sees Curtis' character "Josephine" play saxophone with Lemmon's "Daphne" on double bass.
Sung by George Michael, 1984's 'Careless Whisper' was a huge hit. The track features a prominent saxophone riff, performed on a Selmer Mark VI tenor by Steve Gregory.
Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty released 'Baker Street' in 1978, and the arrangement immediately became known for its saxophone solo, performed by Raphael Ravenscroft.
Clarence Clemons, the renowned saxophonist with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, plays a memorable solo on 'Jungleland,' the closing song on Springsteen's celebrated 1975 album 'Born to Run.'
But there were a few exceptions. For example, French composer Claude Debussy wrote 'Rapsodie pour orchestre et saxophone' ("Rhapsody for orchestra and saxophone") in 1901, specifically for the saxophone during a time when the instrument was effectively marginalized in the classical music world.
Tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument, and the first to tailor his method of improvisation to the saxophone rather than imitate the techniques of the clarinet. His tenor saxophone style was a major influence on the swing era sound.
Taken from their debut 1984 album 'Diamond Life,' Sade's hit 'Smooth Operator' features a forceful saxophone solo by band member Stuart Matthewman, which considerably upped the tempo of this seductive ballad.
The saxophone first gained popularity in one of the uses it was designed for: European military bands. French and Belgian military bands in particular took full advantage of this new instrument, and included it in their ensembles.
Maurice Ravel's most famous classical musical composition, 'Boléro,' which premiered in 1928, includes three saxophones (one soprano, one tenor, and one sopranino—one of the smallest members of the saxophone family) among the orchestra.
James Brown's 1961 version of 'Night Train,' originally recorded 10 years earlier by tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forest, leads in with J.C. Davis on tenor saxophone, who also plays the soaring solo midway through the track.
Ronnie Ross, who had taught David Bowie saxophone, performs the baritone saxophone solo played over the fadeout of Lou Reed's classic 1972 release that touches on the seedy and the taboo. Ross can also be heard on the Beatles' track 'Savoy Truffle' from the so-called 'White Album.'
Most saxophones, both past and present, are made from brass. Despite this, they are categorized as woodwind instruments—an oscillating wood reed, not the player's lips, produces the sound waves.
In fact, the saxophone is a member of the reed quintet, the five being oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bass clarinet, and bassoon. There are 14 different types of saxophones. The four most common types are soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone.
In the 20th and 21st centuries, the saxophone found increased popularity in symphony orchestras. The once scorned instrument has also been used in genres such as opera and choral music.
Former US President Bill Clinton learned to play tenor saxophone at school and at one time considered a career in music. "I loved music and thought I could be very good, but I knew I would never be John Coltrane or Stan Getz," he noted in his autobiography. Instead, he entered public life as an elected official. He's pictured playing saxophone during an inaugural ball after his election as US President.
See also: Who are the most influential jazz artists of all time?
Few fail to recognize one of the most iconic themes in cinema history. Written by Henry Mancini for the 1963 film 'The Pink Panther,' it is Plas Johnson's swaggering, syncopated tenor saxophone that perfectly captures the mysterious but madcap atmosphere of the film, which stars David Niven and Peter Sellers.
In the 1980s, Kenny G helped popularize the soprano saxophone with hits like 'Songbird.' His "smooth jazz" style irked purists, but he had the last laugh: the 1986 album 'Duotones,' which features 'Songbird,' peaked at no. 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
By the early 1930s, the saxophone was being described as the "devil's horn" for its association with jazz music and a perceived reputation for seediness. Indeed, the Vatican had already declared that the saxophone gave reasonable concern for disgust and scandal.
'Avalon,' Roxy Music's second single from their 1982 album of the same name, features a dreamy sax solo performed by founding member Andy Mackay.
With its sassy and seductive sound, the saxophone has been described as the sexiest instrument ever invented. Designed by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s, the saxophone was originally intended for both military bands and orchestras. Initially scorned by the classical music fraternity, the saxophone was eagerly picked up by musicians in the United States and subsequently adopted in dance bands, becoming one of the most important solo instruments in the development of swing and other forms of jazz, where it remains one of the signature sounds.
Jazz legend Wayne Shorter was one of the most distinctive saxophone soloists, band leaders, and composers of his generation. Known fondly as “Mr. Gone” and “Mr. Weird” for his eccentricities, Shorter was the recipient of 10 Grammy awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2015. He was a founding member of the jazz fusion band Weather Report which released several popular albums through the '70s and '80s. During his lengthy career, he worked with countless other music legends including Joni Mitchell, Don Henley, and Steely Dan. Shorter passed away in hospital on March 2 at the age of 89. He's survived by his wife and daughter.
Sax appeal today is universal, and the instrument is used by artists in a wide variety of musical genres, anything from rock and pop to chamber and choral.
Click through the following gallery and take note of the history behind the saxophone, its coolest exponents, and the instrument’s place in popular culture.
Sax appeal: the musical and cultural impact of the saxophone
Legendary jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter has passed away, age 89
MUSIC Instruments
With its sassy and seductive sound, the saxophone has been described as the sexiest instrument ever invented. Designed by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s, the saxophone was originally intended for both military bands and orchestras. Initially scorned by the classical music fraternity, the saxophone was eagerly picked up by musicians in the United States and subsequently adopted in dance bands, becoming one of the most important solo instruments in the development of swing and other forms of jazz, where it remains one of the signature sounds.
Jazz legend Wayne Shorter was one of the most distinctive saxophone soloists, band leaders, and composers of his generation. Known fondly as “Mr. Gone” and “Mr. Weird” for his eccentricities, Shorter was the recipient of 10 Grammy awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2015. He was a founding member of the jazz fusion band Weather Report which released several popular albums through the '70s and '80s. During his lengthy career, he worked with countless other music legends including Joni Mitchell, Don Henley, and Steely Dan. Shorter passed away in hospital on March 2 at the age of 89. He's survived by his wife and daughter.
Sax appeal today is universal, and the instrument is used by artists in a wide variety of musical genres, anything from rock and pop to chamber and choral.
Click through the following gallery and take note of the history behind the saxophone, its coolest exponents, and the instrument’s place in popular culture.