Everything Saxophone Podcast Everything Saxophone Podcast

Billboard charting saxophonist, Chris Godber has become a highly sought after performer in both the Smooth Jazz & Gospel Jazz realms. 

His 2015 album “Starting Over”launched him into the Smooth Jazz spotlight with the chart topping hits Rain and Chill. 

HIs goal when he performs is not to just entertain, but to inspire.

At an early age, he was told he could not play saxophone due to the severity of his asthma, but he found a way to play anyway.

For over 20 years, Godber has been leaving others breathless with his soulful saxophone playing and inspiring testimony. 

Aside from being a chart-topping saxophonist, he’s also a Registered Respiratory Therapist, and has worked the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

His recent single, Essential,  is filled with positive energy reflecting the healing nature of music and the arts.

He has shared the stage and or opened up for a wide range of notable artists such as Mindi Abair, Marcus Anderson, Jackiem Joyner, Average White Band, Tower of Power, Dr. John, Snarky Puppy, Sara Evans, T. Graham Brown and even the live tour of Dancing with the Stars. 

You can read more of his Bio on his site HERE.

In this episode we talked about:



* Chris’s connection with recent guest, Jennifer Price

* His upbringing in a military family and how it influenced his appreciation of music

* Tips & breathing exercises (from a Respiratory Therapist)

* How he got into R&B and gospel music

*  How the saxophone is the closest instrument to the human voice & why singing is so important for success on the saxophone

* How he learned improvisation…and it wasn’t through formal training

* How Chris got into respiratory therapy

* Juggling work as a musician and respiratory therapist

*  Being an artist during the pandemic

* Upcoming projects and shows



Links

Website: www.ChrisGodber.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisgodbersax 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisgodbersax/ 

You can watch the interview here:

 

 

In Part 2 of my interview with Steven Banks, we talked about:



* Tips and recommendations of pieces for Classical saxophonists

* What made him decide to go the classical route instead of jazz

* Steven talks about his equipment in detail, and the research he’s done

* A key question to ask when thinking about your set up

* A new app for improving saxophone tone that he loves to recommend

* Silver and lacquer plating; differences in sound and projection

* How he uses the LefreQue sound bridge accessory



 

Here’s Steven’s Bio:

Saxophonist, Composer, Educator, Advocate, Steven Banks is an Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Ithaca College in NY. He is the first saxophonist to earn a place on the Young Concert Artists roster in its 59-year history, capturing First Prize at the 2019 Young Concert Artists International Auditions.

He has won numerous other awards, including Korean Concert Society Prize (for support of his Kennedy Center debut), Buffalo Chamber Music Society Prize, Saint Vincent College Concert Series Prize, and more.

He has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra in Carnegie hall, amongst many other famous concert halls throughout the world.

Banks is the baritone saxophonist of the award-winning Kenari Quartet, which has found a home performing on many of the premiere chamber music series in the United States. 

The group has earned top prizes at 7 national and international chamber music competitions.

Banks is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education, performance, and newly commissioned works in the classical realm. 

He gave a talk at the TEDxNorthwesternU 2017 conference with ideas about how to create change in institutionalized prejudices against women and people of color. Since the talk, Banks has written an article for WQXR and given guest lectures on the history of black classical composers. 

Banks serves as a member of the first Committee on the Status of Women for the North American Saxophone Alliance, and is proud to have been selected as a member of the jury for the first Female Saxophonist Competition. 

Banks is an endorsing artist for Conn-Selmer instruments, D’Addario Woodwinds, lefreQue Sound Solutions, and Key Leaves.

Steven’s Links:

Steven-banks.com

https://yca.org/artist/banks-steven/

Kenariquartet.com

Resources:

Spectrum View app – 



Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spectrumview/id472662922 

Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.galmiza.android.spectrumview&hl=en_US&gl=US 



 

You can watch the Video of the interview here: 

 

Help support the show & get behind-the-scenes footage not shared anywhere else!

Visit www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone to become a patron & help keep the great interviews coming.

Saxophonist, Composer, Educator, Advocate, Steven Banks is an Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Ithaca College in NY. He is the first saxophonist to earn a place on the Young Concert Artists roster in its 59-year history, capturing First Prize at the 2019 Young Concert Artists International Auditions.

He has won numerous other awards, including Korean Concert Society Prize (for support of his Kennedy Center debut), Buffalo Chamber Music Society Prize, Saint Vincent College Concert Series Prize, and more.

He has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra in Carnegie hall, amongst many other famous concert halls throughout the world.

Banks is the baritone saxophonist of the award-winning Kenari Quartet, which has found a home performing on many of the premiere chamber music series in the United States. 

The group has earned top prizes at 7 national and international chamber music competitions.

Banks is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education, performance, and newly commissioned works in the classical realm. 

He gave a talk at the TEDxNorthwesternU 2017 conference with ideas about how to create change in institutionalized prejudices against women and people of color. Since the talk, Banks has written an article for WQXR and given guest lectures on the history of black classical composers. 

Banks serves as a member of the first Committee on the Status of Women for the North American Saxophone Alliance, and is proud to have been selected as a member of the jury for the first Female Saxophonist Competition. 

Banks is an endorsing artist for Conn-Selmer instruments, D’Addario Woodwinds, lefreQue Sound Solutions, and Key Leaves.

Steven’s Links:

Steven-banks.com

https://yca.org/artist/banks-steven/

Kenariquartet.com

You can watch the Video of the interview here: 

 

Help support the show & get behind-the-scenes footage not shared anywhere else!

Visit www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone to become a patron & help keep the great interviews coming.

 

Matthew Steckler (aka Matty Stecks) performs and composes in several musical settings internationally. Primarily a saxophonist/woodwind specialist, he also performs on vocals, keyboards, percussion and electronic media, bringing a dynamic, holistic approach to the live musical experience. 

As an artist, Matthew has appeared at prominent festivals and concert series, and has received commissions from Chamber Music America, Meet the Composer, American Music Center and American Composers Forum. 

His recordings with projects Dead Cat Bounce, Persiflage and Musical Tramps – on Ropeadope, Cuneiform and Innova labels – have made Best CD lists in Downbeat and Jazz Times. 

Matthew has written for concert music, theatre, film and game settings, and continues his own foundational work in embodied composition and electroacoustics that began with his 2013 research-based, extended work Eco Beat Heresy. 

He most recently taught at Brandon University School of Music. Matthew holds a Ph.D. in Composition (NYU) and M.M. in Jazz Performance (New England Conservatory), and a B.A. in Music (Wesleyan University).

We talked about:



* His transition from playing by ear to reading & playing at the same time

* How his marching band playing experience shaped him as a saxophonist

* The origin of Death Cat Bounce

* His transition from playing experimental into bebop

* Electro acoustics & multimedia

* And a lot more!



You can watch the Video of this Interview HERE

 

Help support the show & get behind-the-scenes footage not shared anywhere else!

Visit www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone to become a patron & help keep the great interviews coming.

Jennifer Price, creator of Vigilante Mouthpieces,  attended Berklee College of Music where she was a flute major.

After graduating, she left Boston for NYC, where she worked on 48th Street in the music district by day as a woodwind buyer for various shops and played all sorts of jazz and classical gigs nights and weekends. 

She didn’t own a saxophone at Berklee but learned to play after college.  Her teachers were the NY saxophonists who helped me to craft my sound. 

As a buyer on 48th Street, she learned a lot through various well-known saxophonists about mouthpieces, which began her interest in what shapes a mouthpiece sound. 

After working for years in NYC, she was offered a job working with Dave Guardala. At that time, Dave was working with the top saxophonists in the world and his work was well respected. Guardala and Price worked together for more than a decade creating works of musical art for Tom Scott, Branford Marsalis, Bill Evans and most notably Michael Brecker. 

She took the skills learned with Guardala to create her own Vigilante Mouthpieces.  

Price has had the honor of working with four former Tower of Power saxophonists as well as Richard Elliot, Paul Taylor, Euge Groove, Jeff Ryan and many others. 

 

In this episode we talked about:



* Similarities of flute, trumpet, and other horns

* How Dave Guardala met Dave Liebman and Michael Brecker

* How Michael Brecker’s concert changed her perception towards saxophone

* How she picked reeds for Michael Brecker

* What people should look for when choosing reeds

* Her first time meeting Dave Guardala

*  Rules for mouthpieces

* And tons of great stories!



 

Links:

Websites:

Her music store in Simi Valley, CA: http://www.musicmusicca.com/ 

Store phone number: 818.269.9856

 

Vigilante Mouthpieces:

http://www.vigilantemouthpiece.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/VigilanteSaxophoneMouthpiece/ 

 

 

You can watch the video of this interview (& Subscribe to our channel!) HERE: 

Today’s episode is going to give you some insight into one of the best resources for saxophone players at any level.

Harri Rautiainen is the original Founder of the Sax on the Web Forum, a website created over 20 years ago that not only has a vibrant Discussion Forum on a wide range of topics, but also Article and Resources from well-known and respected saxophonists and educators, such as Paul Coates and Tim Price.

We talked about:



* Harri’s initial intention for the website 

* Paul Coates’ first collection of articles

* Early days of Sax on the Web

* Sax on the Web Facebook Group

* Harri’s musical background

* and more!



 

You can watch the video of this episode HERE or on our YouTube channel