Saxing Around With Keith: The Sax-Kuwentuhan of Ketong

Keith Olivares
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

Saxing Around with Keith: The Sax-Kuwentuhan of Ketong Welcome to the podcast for saxophone hobbyists who love the instrument but don't take themselves too seriously. I'm Keith—a Filipino-American saxophonist, husband, father, and proud guest member of two bands (Jazzilog and Dizzy Cats). I'm not a pro. I'm not giving you masterclasses. But I am giving you real stories about the saxophone journey: the gear I've collected (and regretted), the practice struggles in my garage, the gigs that went great (and the ones that didn't), and the cultural memories that connect my music to my roots.

Episodes

  1. Jun 26

    Episode 9: The Reed Revolution

    The tiny piece of cane or synthetic material that costs $3 and completely shapes your sound. This week, Keith takes you through his entire reed journey—from almost quitting because of a ridiculously hard reed, to finally unlocking altissimo, to diving into the world of synthetic reeds. This episode is part gear exploration, part cautionary tale, and part love letter to the cheapest upgrade you can make to your saxophone setup. **What You'll Hear:** • The 2x4 Disaster - Starting on a Vandoren Classical #4 at age 15 (walang hiya!) • The Drop to #3 - Why beginners should start soft and build up • Rico Orange Box - The affordable Hong Kong hookup that lasted until 1996 • The Long Pause - Rebuilding embouchure from zero in the mid-2000s • Rico Royal 2.5 - The comeback reed • The Vandoren Sampler Pack - Testing 5 different reeds to find the right one • The ZZ Breakthrough - Unlocking altissimo for the first time (actual control!) • The ZZ Problem - Fragile, inconsistent, expensive • The Dillon Music Conversation - How a woodwind specialist pointed me to Select Jazz • D'Addario Select Jazz 2M Filed - The Goldilocks reed (bright, consistent, long-lasting) • The BetterSax Detour - Great consistency, darker tone, not quite right • The Cobalt Tool Secret - $8 vs $70 for the same job • Why Synthetic? - Cost, consistency, no prep, no break-in, durability • Forestone Hinoki - The indestructible reed (my son used one for 1.5 years!) • Légère American Cut 2.0 - Love the tone, hate the durability (2 weeks at $42?!) • The 4-Reed Comparison - Hear the difference between D'Addario, BetterSax, Forestone, and degraded Légère • The Wish List - LaVoz (Kenny G's reed), Rigotti Gold, Boston Sax Shop, Fibracell Premier, Forestone Bamboo **Key Lesson:** Reed experimentation is the cheapest way to transform your tone. Don't be afraid to try different brands and strengths—when you find the right reed, it's magic. **Current Setup:** - Reed: D'Addario Select Jazz 2M Filed (or Légère American Cut 2.0) - Mouthpiece: Theo Wanne Earth 2 size 7 - Saxophone: Yamaha YAS-62S This episode includes live demonstrations and side-by-side comparisons so you can hear exactly what Keith is talking about. --- **Contact:** saxingkeith@gmail.com **YouTube:** @JustSaxingWithKeith ---

  2. May 14

    Episode 5: The Multi-Instrumentalist - Gear, Grooves, and the Jam

    Keith and Dr. Anton Marquinez continue their conversation with Part 2 - diving deep into Anton's journey as a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, keyboards, saxophone, and the Brazilian cuica drum!), the legendary Iskul Bluekol cover band days, and a full gear shootout comparing Selmer Mark VIs to Yamaha 62 Purple Logos.

  3. May 7

    Episode 4 - Day Job, Night Gig - How Busy Professionals Make Time for Music

    How do you balance the high-stakes world of neurology with the rhythmic demands of jazz? In Part 1 of this special "Sax-Kuwentuhan," Keith sits down with longtime friend, neurologist, and Jazzilog saxophonist Dr. Anton Marquinez. Anton shares his fascinating journey from growing up in the Philippines with Mike Ruivivar to building a medical career in the US—all while teaching himself to play the saxophone after starting out on the guitar. We dive into the mindset required to master a new instrument during medical school and the discipline of maintaining a "night gig" groove while working a demanding "day job." Highlights of this episode include: * The Origin Story: Anton’s childhood friendship with Mike Ruivivar and their shared musical roots. * The Transition: From guitar to sax—the challenges of being a self-taught horn player in the middle of medical training. * The "Day Job, Night Gig" Balance: Real-world advice on making time for music when life gets busy. * The Cuica Demo: A special look (and listen) at the unique Brazilian friction drum that adds a whole new dimension to the rhythm. Whether you're a busy professional trying to find time for your instrument or a gear-head interested in the "Jazzilog" sound, this episode is packed with insights on passion, discipline, and the joy of "saxing around." --- Join the conversation: Just keep on saxing around. #SaxingAroundWithKeith #SaxKuwentuhan #Jazzilog #AntonMarquinez #DayJobNightGig #Saxophone #NeurologyAndMusic #Cuica #BuescherToYamaha

  4. Apr 30

    Episode 3: From Student Horn to Silver Soul: The 30-Year Upgrade

    Is it the player or the horn? In this episode, Keith takes us through the three-decade history of his primary instrument. We start in 1986 in San Juan, Metro Manila, where a $78 Buescher Aristocrat 200 became his first "voice." Keith shares the stories that made that student horn legendary—from failing at transposition in his first band to the "Bugle vs. Saxophone" battle at the 1991 SEA Games, and the unforgettable "Secret Harana" where he serenaded his wife under a Quezon City streetlamp. Finally, we jump to 2019, where a text message from a music store manager led to a life-changing Christmas gift: the Yamaha YAS-62IIIS "Silver Beauty." Keith discusses the technical and psychological shift of moving to a pro horn and settling the debate: Does the silver finish actually change the sound? In this episode: * The Buescher Era: Growing up with a student horn in the Philippines. * The Bugle Battle: Winning over the crowd with Jose Mari Chan's "Beautiful Girl." * The Harana: The cultural tradition of the Filipino serenade. * The Gear Hunt: Testing Selmer, Yanagisawa, and Eastman before finding "the one." * Lacquer vs. Silver: Why the YAS-62S felt more "alive" than the standard finish. Just keep on saxing around. 🎷🔥

  5. Apr 23

    Episode 2: My Mouthpiece Journey... So Far ;-)

    In this episode, I'm confessing my mouthpiece obsession – from the Selmer Metal Jazz size F that became my college setup, to discovering the CE Winds Studio Sonic (my first altissimo G!), and finally landing on the Theo Wanne Earth 2. You'll hear stories about meeting killer sax players like Scott Solomon in Old Bridge, NJ, the time I shared a cab with Joel Frahm AND a swarm of bees in NYC, and meeting Grammy-nominated saxophonist John Michalak. I'll also explain why an alto mouthpiece sized "F" is brutal for beginners, but a tenor "F" is totally different. And yes – I'll make the big confession. The one my wife discovered. Let's just say... she had questions. If you're a gear nerd, a mouthpiece chaser, or just someone who's wondered "does this mouthpiece really make a difference?" – this one's for you.

  6. Apr 23

    Episode 1: The Altissimo Struggle

    In this episode, you'll hear about my journey from Yamaha Music School in Greenhills, Philippines to gigging in New Jersey with two bands (Jazzilog and Dizzy Cats). I'll talk about the nightmare of practicing altissimo in a living room, then a bathroom, then finally escaping to the garage. You'll hear multiple live attempts at David Sanborn's "The Dream" – including the ones where I completely bomb. And I'll share the YouTube video and techniques that finally helped me crack the code. This is the story of how a Spyro Gyra album from 1982 – *Incognito* – changed my life when I first heard it in 1986, and why I still practice in my garage at night (because my neighbors need sleep). If you've ever struggled with altissimo, bombed at a gig, or wondered if you'll ever sound like your heroes – this episode's for you.

  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Saxing Around with Keith: The Sax-Kuwentuhan of Ketong Welcome to the podcast for saxophone hobbyists who love the instrument but don't take themselves too seriously. I'm Keith—a Filipino-American saxophonist, husband, father, and proud guest member of two bands (Jazzilog and Dizzy Cats). I'm not a pro. I'm not giving you masterclasses. But I am giving you real stories about the saxophone journey: the gear I've collected (and regretted), the practice struggles in my garage, the gigs that went great (and the ones that didn't), and the cultural memories that connect my music to my roots.

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