Saxophone Forum


by Gumptious
(40 posts)
18 years ago

Alto Sax Ballads

Sorry if this has been discussed before, I'm sure it has. I am looking for a good big band alto sax ballad. Keep in mind, big band. A nice ballad for alto sax for contest thats really a pretty and jazzy all-around good ballad. Its really hard to find good alto sax ballads so any help and title suggestions you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks! gump

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  1. by purple
    (1 post)

    18 years ago

    Re: Alto Sax Ballads

    An awesome, hardly known Ellington piece is Sultry Sunset. Its one of my personal favorites.

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  2. by versaxe
    (1 post)

    18 years ago

    Re: Alto Sax Ballads

    One of the best alto ballads,in my opinion, is Tom Kubis' arr. of a Steve Allen song called "Cold September Morning". Check out the recording "Keep Swinging" featuring Sal Lazano. Great Song,great soloist,great arrangement.

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  3. by Roccosm
    (113 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Alto Sax Ballads

    Everything happen's to Me, or the midnight sun will never set played by Phil wood's arranged by Quincy Jone's

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  4. by nad1rn
    (37 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Alto Sax Ballads

    My director had me play an alto feature of 'Round Midnight...ended up getting outstanding alto solo at regionals, and there were 30-40 some bands there.

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  5. by birdwho
    (15 posts)

    16 years ago

    Re: Alto Sax Ballads

    I would go with the round midnight' choice, it is a beautiful challenging tune, and there are a few good arrangements out there for it. I played that for my highschool big band a few years back and took home all the outstanding musician awards at those contests, so check that out. It isn't written for alto, but you could check out pete mcguiness' arrangement of smile, just have to transpose the vocal melody for the alto, beautiful chart pete's writing is great.

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  6. by Robertsax
    (1 post)

    12 years ago

    Re: Alto Sax Ballads

    Where can i get good one's on the web?

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    1. by kelsey
      (930 posts)

      12 years ago

      Re: Alto Sax Ballads

      Robert, check the dates of this tread.....it's been here a long and forgoten time...??
      Barry Kelsey

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  7. by mattMrozinski
    (35 posts)

    18 years ago

    Re: Alto Sax Ballads

    all i can think of off the top of my head is naima by coltrane good stuff.

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    1. by EL Seano
      (255 posts)

      18 years ago

      Re: Alto Sax Ballads

      hmm naima is normally for tenor but it would sound fine on alto. My suggestion would be "samantha" by Sammy Nestico

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      1. by tsax_player
        (76 posts)

        18 years ago

        Re: Alto Sax Ballads

        There is an arrangement of Naima that features the sop. I can't think of the arranger I'll find out. A great slow ballad/blues alto feature is "I Remember Bird" just to caution you this one should be filthy! We played this with Bobby Watson last year and it was amazing. This past semester we took the band out on a few stops and I played the piece. It is a blast to blow on. Check it out.

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        1. by bariguy
          (25 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          Also "My One and Only Love" its a really nice arrangement and it goes into a double time swing feel. the arrangement is by Mark Taylor. Hope this helps

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        2. by rsgolpeo
          (1 post)

          16 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          like to get notes to play my alto sax

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        3. by Radjammin
          (255 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          For alto? My funny Valentine YOu said pretty. Not very challenging but one of my favorites melodies.

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        4. by JeremyA
          (28 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          That's a great chart. Our jazz band played My Funny Valentine at our last concert and I played the solo on tenor. It's a good chart and sounds nice, but as Radjammin said is is not very hard.

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        5. by Radjammin
          (255 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          you did it on Tenor? The Alto player got robbed!! That's an alto solo, heh.

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        6. by Gumptious
          (40 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          "I remember bird" Where can i find a recording of this? That one sounds interesting. Thanks for all the help. I'll always take suggestions of other ones too. Gump

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        7. by golferguy675
          (600 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          Man, I don't think I've posted here in a year or two...hehe My favorite big band ballad is I Let A Song Out Of My Heart by the Duke Ellington Band. The only thing about this is, since Johnny Hodges was the 2nd alto, he had the solo, so unless you've got a really strong 2nd alto I would give the 2nd part to your lead player if I were you.

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        8. by YanagisawA-901
          (312 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          samantha - sammy nestico... thats a very nice song.... we have a recording of that on one of the cd's our school has put out.. kinda short tho.. if i had to pick, and you had an unlimited skill level lol.. id say a song called "if i could".. completely forget who its by, but o well.. if you can find an alto sax arrangement of "send in the clowns" that would be good as well..

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        9. by golferguy675
          (600 posts)

          18 years ago

          Re: Alto Sax Ballads

          Oh yeah, Geogia On My Mind, by Ray Charles, of course. Maybe not the traditional jazz ballad you would think of, but there are some great big band arrangements out there.

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