Jazz saxophonists are musicians who play various types of

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...

s (

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone (sometimes abbreviated to "bari sax") is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass saxophone, bass. It is the lowe ...

etc.) in

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and its associated subgenres. The techniques and instrumentation of this type of performance have evolved over the 20th century, influenced by both movements of musicians that became the subgenres and by particularly influential sax players who helped reshape the music. In recent decades, jazz saxophonists have embraced elements of fusion, avant-garde, and electronic music, further expanding the boundaries of the instrument's role in jazz. This has allowed the saxophone to remain a versatile and vital voice in contemporary music, blending traditional techniques with cutting-edge innovations. In the 1930s, during the swing and big band era, saxophonists like altoist

Johnny Hodges Johnny Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on sop ...

, who led the saxophone section in the Duke Ellington Big Band, were featured soloists in a highly structured system of playing where such solos were limited moments of musical freedom. In the early 1940s, jazz saxophonists such as

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

(alto, tenor) and

Sonny Stitt Sonny Stitt (born Edward Hammond Boatner Jr.; February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982) was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his era, recording over ...

(alto, tenor) led a rebellion against the strictures of big band jazz, shifting away from danceable popular music towards a more challenging "musician's music" that would come to be called

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early to mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo (usually exceeding 200 bpm), complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerou ...

, with solos that included more

chromaticism Chromaticism is a compositional technique interspersing the primary diatonic scale, diatonic pitch (music), pitches and chord (music), chords with other pitches of the chromatic scale. In simple terms, within each octave, diatonic music uses o ...

and dissonance. Charlie Parker is particularly noted for his groundbreaking solo techniques that are still widely admired today. He was credited to be one of the major influences of the bebop movement. The development of bebop in the 1940s reflected broader societal changes, with African American musicians asserting greater creative freedom and breaking away from the constraints of commercial swing music. This era was not only a musical revolution but also a cultural one, challenging norms and introducing greater individuality in jazz performance. In the 1950s, sax players like tenor saxophonist

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

and

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American retired jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded over sixt ...

broke new ground in jazz, infusing their music with

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...

, modal,

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

and

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

influences as part of the

hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...

subgenre. In the 1950s and 1960s,

free jazz Free jazz, or free form in the early to mid-1970s, is a style of avant-garde jazz or an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventi ...

pioneers such as

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, violinist, and composer. He is best known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Ja ...

and

Albert Ayler Albert Ayler (; July 13, 1936 – November 25, 1970) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and composer. After early experience playing rhythm and blues and bebop, Ayler began recording music during the free jazz era of the 1960s. Ho ...

developed unusual new sounds and playing styles. In the early 1960s,

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roo ...

's lead "(Four) Brother",

Stan Getz Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetski; February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wis ...

, played cool jazz with Brazilian musicians in the emerging bossa nova style. Getz was known for his rich tone, ability to swing and impeccable technique. In the 1970s,

fusion jazz Jazz fusion (also known as jazz rock, jazz-rock fusion, or simply fusion) is a popular music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric gui ...

blended rock and jazz, with saxophonists like

Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader. Shorter came to mainstream prominence in 1959 upon joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, for whom he eventually became the primary comp ...

and

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as a performer and composer, received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in ...

at the front of that movement. In the 1980s, smooth jazz saxophonists such as

Kenny G Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and record producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selli ...

(Kenny Gorelick, soprano, alto, tenor),

Bob Mintzer Robert Alan Mintzer (born January 27, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. Early life Mintzer was born and raised in a Jewish family in New Rochelle, New York, on January 27, 1953. He attended the Inte ...

(tenor) and

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American alto saxophonist. He worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age o ...

(alto, soprano) played a radio-friendly style of fusion called

smooth jazz Smooth jazz is commercially oriented crossover jazz music. Although often described as a "genre", it is a debatable and highly controversial subject in jazz music circles. As a radio format, however, smooth jazz radio became the successor to e ...

. Other notable smooth jazz saxophonists include

Dave Koz David Stephen Koz (born March 27, 1963) is an American saxophonist, composer, record producer, and radio personality based in Los Angeles, California. Early life Dave Koz was born in Encino, California, to Jewish parents: Norman, a dermatologis ...

Jeff Kashiwa Jeff Kashiwa is an American saxophonist with the smooth jazz band the Rippingtons and one of three with the Sax Pack, as well as having recorded several albums under his own name. Life and career Jeff Kashiwa was born in 1963 in Louisville, Ken ...

, and

Brandon Fields Brandon David Fields (born May 21, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a punter for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans, earning consensus ...

. In the 1990s and 2000s,

Joshua Redman Joshua Redman (born February 1, 1969) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is the son of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman (1931–2006). Life and career Joshua Redman was born in Berkeley, California, to jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman a ...

(born 1969, tenor, soprano, alto) and Chris Potter (tenor, soprano) returned to a more traditional approach which harked back to the saxophone greats of the 1950s and 1960s. Jazz saxophonist

Greg Abate Greg Abate (born May 31, 1947)Yanow, ScottGreg Abate Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 2011-02-05 is a jazz saxophonist, flautist, composer, and arranger. He grew up in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. In the fifth grade he began to play clarinet. Career ...

continues to keep bebop alive on the alto, soprano, tenor, baritone as well as the flute. Women in Jazz Saxophone While male saxophonists have often been the focus, women have also left their mark on the evolution of jazz saxophone playing. Artists such as

Vi Redd Elvira Louise Redd (September 20, 1928 – February 6, 2022) was an American jazz alto saxophone player, vocalist and educator. She was active from the early 1950s and was known primarily for playing in the blues style. She was highly regarded a ...

and Peggy Gilbert contributed significantly to the jazz scene, both as performers and as advocates for gender equality in the music industry. Notable jazz saxophonists include:

A

Frøy Aagre Frøy Aagre (born 8 June 1977 in Tønsberg, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist. Career Aagre is one of the leading saxophonists of Norway, playing tenor and soprano saxophone with an individual sound that builds on inspirations by such ...

(born 1977) (tenor, soprano) *

Mindi Abair Mindi Abair ( ; born May 23, 1969) is an American saxophonist, vocalist, author.. Her solo career has produced ten No. 1 radio singles, two No. 1 Billboard Jazz CDs, and four more solo CDs that have landed No. 5 and above on the ''Billboard'' Co ...

(born 1969) (alto, soprano) *

(born 1947) (alto) * George Adams (1940–1992) (tenor) *

Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...

(1930–1986) (baritone) *

Julian "Cannonball" Adderley Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928August 8, 1975) was an American jazz alto saxophonist of the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Adderley is perhaps best remembered by the general public for the 1966 soul jazz single "Me ...

(1928–1975) (alto) * Ahmad Alaadeen (1934–2010) (soprano, tenor) *

Gerald Albright Gerald Albright (born August 30, 1957) is an American jazz saxophonist. He earned Grammys for the albums ''24/7 (Gerald Albright and Norman Brown album), 24/7'' in 2012 and ''Slam Dunk'' in 2014 and was nominated for ''New Beginnings (Gerald Albr ...

(born 1957) (alto) * Eric Alexander (born 1968) (tenor) * Gene Allen (1928–2008) (baritone) * Harry Allen (born 1966) (tenor) * Pete Allen (born 1954) (alto, soprano) *

Sophie Alour Sophie Alour (born 24 December 1974) is a French jazz musician who plays saxophone, clarinet, and flute. Biography Alour started playing the clarinet at the music school in Quimper, when she was 13 years of age. When she was 19, she started to ...

(born 1974) (tenor, soprano) *

Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and R ...

(1925–1974) (tenor) *

Curtis Amy Curtis Edward Amy (October 11, 1927 – June 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Amy was born in Houston, Texas, United States. He learned how to play clarinet before joining the Army, and during his time in service, picked up t ...

("The Jazz Man") (1929–2002) (tenor) * Fred Anderson (1929–2010) (tenor) *

Wessell Anderson Wessell "Warmdaddy" Anderson (born 1966) is an American jazz alto and sopranino saxophonist. Anderson grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, and played jazz early on at the urging of his father, who was a drummer. He played in loca ...

(born 1964) (sopranino, alto) *

Peter Apfelbaum Peter Noah Apfelbaum (born August 21, 1960) is an American avant-garde jazz pianist, tenor saxophonist, drummer, and composer born in Berkeley, California. Career Apfelbaum formed the Hieroglyphics Ensemble in 1977. He performed with Carla Bley ...

(born 1960) (tenor) *

Julian Argüelles Julian Argüelles (born 28 January 1966) is an English jazz saxophonist. He is best known for his work during the 1980s and '90s with the ensemble Loose Tubes. Argüelles has also worked extensively as a solo performer and with American and E ...

(born 1966) (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) *

Harold Ashby Harold Ashby (March 27, 1925, in Kansas City, Missouri, United States – June 13, 2003, in New York City) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He worked with Duke Ellington's band, replacing Jimmy Hamilton in 1968. In 1959, he recorded backing ...

(1925–2003) (tenor) *

Gilad Atzmon Gilad Atzmon (, ; born 9 June 1963) is an Israeli-born British saxophonist, novelist, political activist, and writer. As a musician, he is best known as a saxophonist and bandleader. His instruments include the saxophone, accordion, clarinet ...

(born 1963) (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone) *

Georgie Auld Georgie Auld (May 19, 1919 – January 8, 1990) was a jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader. Early years Auld was born John Altwerger in Toronto, Canada, and moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. Before the family left Canada, Auld ...

(1919–1990) (tenor) *

(1936–1970) (alto, tenor, soprano)

B

Buster Bailey William C. "Buster" Bailey (July 19, 1902 – April 12, 1967) was an American jazz clarinetist. Career history Early career Buster Bailey was taught clarinet by classical teacher Franz Schoepp, who also taught Benny Goodman. Bailey gained his st ...

(1902–1967) *

Erik Balke Erik Balke (born 7 November 1953) Store Norske Leksikon is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), known as leader of the "Lille Frøen Saksofonkvartett" with Vidar Johansen, Arne Frang and Odd Riisnæs/Tore Brunborg/ Olav Dale, as member of hi ...

(born 1953) (alto, soprano) *

Iain Ballamy Iain Ballamy (born 20 February 1964) is a British composer and saxophonist. He is considered one of the 25 greatest jazz saxophonists of all time and was featured as one of the world's all-time greats in ''BBC Music Magazine''s "100 Jazz Legen ...

(born 1964) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Pat LaBarbera Pat (Pascel Emmanuel) LaBarbera (born April 7, 1944) is an American-born Canadian jazz tenor, alto and soprano saxophonist, clarinetist, and flautist born in Mt. Morris, New York, most notable for his work as a soloist in Buddy Rich bands from ...

(born 1944) (tenor, soprano, alto) *

Gato Barbieri Leandro "Gato" Barbieri (November 28, 1932 – April 2, 2016) was an Argentine jazz tenor saxophonist who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and is known for his Latin jazz recordings of the 1970s. His nickname, Gato, is Spa ...

(1934–2016) (tenor) *

Eddie Barefield Edward Emanuel Barefield (December 12, 1909 – January 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist and arranger most noteworthy for his work with Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington. Barefield's musical ...

(1909–1991) *

Gabe Baltazar Gabriel Ruiz Hiroshi Baltazar Jr. (November 1, 1929 – June 12, 2022) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and woodwind doubler. Background and early years Gabriel Ruiz Hiroshi Baltazar Jr. was born in Hilo, Hawaii on November 1, 1929. His ...

(1929–2022) (alto) *

Dale Barlow Dale Barlow (born Sydney, Australia, 25 December 1959) is a jazz saxophonist, flute player and composer. He has a Masters of Music degree begun at City College New York under Ron Carter and completed at ANU Canberra. He has received ARIA Awards, A ...

(born 1959) (tenor, soprano) * Carolyn Breuer (born 1969) (alto, soprano) * Alan Barnes (born 1959) (alto, baritone) *

Bootsie Barnes Robert "Bootsie" Barnes (November 27, 1937 – April 22, 2020) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist from Philadelphia. Early life and education Barnes was raised in a housing project in North Philadelphia. His father was a trumpet player wh ...

(1937–2020) (tenor) *

John Barnes John Charles Bryan Barnes (born 7 November 1963) is a former professional football player and manager. Often considered one of the greatest England players of all time and one of Liverpool's greatest ever players, Barnes currently works as an ...

(born 1932) (tenor) *

Polo Barnes Paul D. "Polo" Barnes (November 22, 1901 – April 3, 1981, New Orleans) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist. He was the brother of Emile Barnes and was a mainstay of the New Orleans jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s. Career Bar ...

(1901–1981) (alto) *

Charlie Barnet Charles Daly Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. His major recordings were "Nagasaki", "Skyliner", "Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "South ...

(1913–1991) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Kjell Bartholdsen Kjell Bartholdsen (2 October 1938 in Hammerfest – 6 November 2009) was a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), that lived in Bodø from 1968. Career Bartholdsen was a piano tuner by profession, and he was also a central person on the north ...

(1938–2009) (tenor) *

Gary Bartz Gary Bartz (born September 26, 1940) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has won two Grammy Awards. Biography Bartz was first exposed to jazz as the son of the owners of a jazz nightclub in Baltimore. In 1958 he left Baltimore to study at the J ...

(born 1940) (alto, soprano) *

Mario Bauzá Prudencio Mario Bauzá Cárdenas (April 28, 1911 – July 11, 1993) was an Afro-Cuban jazz, and jazz musician. He was among the first to introduce Cuban music to the United States by bringing Cuban musical styles to the New York City jazz scene ...

(1911–1993) (alto) *

Walter Beasley Walter Beasley (born May 24, 1961) is an American saxophonist, a professor of music at the Berklee College of Music, and founder of Affable Publishing and Affable Records. Biography Beasley grew up in El Centro, California. By the age of 13 he ...

(born 1961) (alto, soprano) *

Sidney Bechet Sidney Joseph Bechet ( ; May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important Solo (music), soloists in jazz, and first recorded several months before trumpeter Louis Ar ...

(1897–1959) (soprano, tenor, bass) *

Jay Beckenstein Jay Barnet Beckenstein (born May 14, 1951) is an American saxophonist, composer, producer, and the co-founder of the band Spyro Gyra. He owned BearTracks Studios in Suffern, New York. Music career Beckenstein was born in Long Island, New Yo ...

(Born 1951) (soprano, alto) *

Noah Becker Noah Becker (born 1970) is an American and Canadian artist, writer, publisher of ''Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art'', and jazz saxophonist who lives and works in New York City and Vancouver Island. He has written for '' Art in America'' Mag ...

(born 1970) (alto) *

Bob Belden James Robert Belden (October 31, 1956 – May 20, 2015) was an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and producer. As a composer he may be best known for his Grammy Award winning orchestral jazz recording, ''Black Dahlia'' (2001) ...

(1958–2016) (tenor, soprano) *

Tex Beneke Gordon Lee "Tex" Beneke ( ; February 12, 1914 – May 30, 2000) was an American saxophonist, singer, and bandleader. His career is a history of associations with bandleader Glenn Miller and former musicians and singers who worked with Miller. Hi ...

(1914–2000) (tenor) * Daniel Bennett (born 1979) (alto) *

Eli Bennett Eli Bennett (born March 9, 1989) is a Canadian Juno Award-nominated jazz saxophonist and Leo Award-winning film composer. He has composed more than twenty film scores and in 2018 received his first Leo Award for Best Musical Score in a Feature ...

(born 1989) (tenor) *

Ivy Benson Ivy Benson (11 November 1913 – 6 May 1993) was an English musician and bandleader, who led an all-female swing band. Benson and her band gained prominence in the 1940s, headlining variety theatres and topping the bill at the London Palladium, ...

(1913–1993) (alto) *

Bob Berg Robert Berg (April 7, 1951 – December 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Berg was born in Brooklyn, New York. Berg started his musical education at the age of six when he began studying classical piano. He began playing ...

(1951–2002) (tenor, soprano) *

Totti Bergh Theodor Christian Frølich Bergh known as Totti Bergh (5 December 1935 – 4 January 2012) was a Norwegians, Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), the younger brother of the jazz journalist Johannes (Johs.) Bergh (1932–2001). He was married to ...

(1935–2012) (tenor) * Kristian Bergheim (1926–2010) (tenor) *

Jerry Bergonzi Jerry Bergonzi (born October 21, 1947) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and educator. Early life and education Bergonzi received a B.A. in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 1971 and is the founder ...

(born 1947) (tenor, soprano) *

Tim Berne Tim Berne (born October 16, 1954) is an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and record label owner. His primary instruments are the alto and baritone saxophones. Biography Berne was born in Syracuse, New York, United States. He has said tha ...

(born 1954) (alto, baritone) *

Chu Berry Leon Brown "Chu" Berry (September 13, 1908 – October 30, 1941) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist during the 1930s. He is perhaps best known for his time as a member of singer Cab Calloway's big band. According to music critic Gary Gidd ...

(1910–1941) (tenor) *

Barney Bigard Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (March 3, 1906 – June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist known for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington. He also played tenor saxophone. Biography Bigard was born in New Orleans to Creoles of color, Cr ...

(1906–1980) (tenor) *

David Binney David Binney (born August 2, 1961) is an American alto saxophonist and composer. Early life Binney was born in Miami, Florida, and was raised in Carpinteria, California. From his parents, who loved music, he was exposed to albums by John Colt ...

(born 1961) (alto) *

Chris Biscoe Chris Biscoe (born 5 February 1947, East Barnet, Hertfordshire, England) is an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, a player of the alto, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, the alto clarinet, piccolo and flute. Biscoe is most notable for his ...

(born 1947) (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone) *

Ron Blake Ron Blake (born September 7, 1965) is an American saxophonist, band leader, composer, and music educator. Born in the Virgin Islands, he attended Northwestern University, and now lives in New York City. Blake began studying guitar at age 8 and ...

(born 1965) (tenor, soprano) *

Seamus Blake Seamus Blake (born December 8, 1970) is a British-born Canadian tenor saxophonist. Early life and education Blake was born in London, England and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His mother introduced him to jazz when he was a c ...

(born 1970) (tenor) *

Walter Blanding Walter Blanding Jr. (born August 14, 1971, Cleveland) is an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Blanding grew up in a musical family in New York City; both his parents played in the house band at the New York jazz club Village Gate, and B ...

(born 1971) (tenor) *

Jane Ira Bloom Jane Ira Bloom (born January 12, 1955) is an American jazz soprano saxophonist and composer. Early years Bloom was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Joel and Evelyn Bloom. She began as a pianist and drummer, later switching to the alto saxophon ...

(born 1955) (soprano) *

Hamiet Bluiett Hamiet Bluiett (; September 16, 1940 – October 4, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. His primary instrument was the baritone saxophone, and he was considered one of the finest players of this instrument. A membe ...

(1940–2018) (baritone) *

Arthur Blythe Arthur Murray Blythe (July 5, 1940 – March 27, 2017) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. He was described by critic Chris Kelsey as displaying "one of the most easily recognizable alto sax sounds in jazz, big and round, with a ...

(1940–2017) (alto, soprano) *

Céline Bonacina Céline Bonacina (born 23 July 1975 in Belfort, France) is a French saxophonist and composer. She plays soprano, alto and baritone saxophone. Biography Bonacina started learning music at the age of eight. She got classical saxophone lessons a ...

(born 1975) (baritone, alto, soprano) *

Graham Bond Graham John Clifton Bond (28 October 1937 – 8 May 1974) was an English rock/blues musician and vocalist, considered a founding father of the English rhythm and blues boom of the 1960s. Bond was an innovator, described as "an important, und ...

(1937–1974) (alto) *

Earl Bostic Eugene Earl Bostic (April25, 1913October28, 1965) was an American alto saxophonist. Bostic's recording career was diverse, his musical output encompassing jazz, swing music, swing, jump blues and the post-war American rhythm and blues style, whi ...

(1913–1965) (alto) *

Ralph Bowen Ralph Bowen (born December 24, 1961) is a Canadian jazz saxophonist. Biography Bowen started piano lessons at an early age, with clarinet and saxophone lessons following soon after. At thirteen he led a quartet and performed in big bands in Tor ...

(born 1961) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Charles Brackeen Charles Brackeen (March 13, 1940, in Eufaula, Oklahoma, United States – November 5, 2021, Carson, California) was an American jazz saxophonist who primarily played tenor saxophone, but also played soprano saxophone. He was previously married to ...

(1940–2021) (tenor, soprano) *

Don Braden Donald Kirk Braden (born November 20, 1963) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and flautist. Career Braden was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 20, 1963, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He began playing tenor sax at age 13 and starte ...

(born 1964) (tenor) *

George Braith George Braith (born George Braithwaite on June 26, 1939) is a soul-jazz saxophonist from New York. Career Braith is known for playing multiple horns at once, a technique pioneered by Roland Kirk. He is credited with the invention of the Braithoph ...

(born 1939) (alto, soprano) *

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chi ...

(born 1944) (all saxophones) *

(1949–2007) (tenor, soprano) *

Willem Breuker Willem Breuker (4 November 1944 – 23 July 2010) was a Dutch bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist, and clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindri ...

(1944–2010) (saxophones) *

Nick Brignola Nicholas Thomas "Nick" Brignola (July 17, 1936 – February 8, 2002) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. Biography Brignola was born on July 17, 1936, in Troy, New York. He was born into a musical family in which his father played the t ...

(1936–2002) (baritone, soprano, tenor, alto) *

Gordon Brisker Gordon Brisker (November 6, 1937 in Cincinnati, Ohio – September 10, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Brisker began on piano as a child, and studied reed instruments at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He played with Ralph M ...

(1937–2004) (tenor) *

Tina Brooks Harold Floyd "Tina" Brooks (June 7, 1932 – August 13, 1974) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and composer best remembered for his work in the hard bop style. Early years Harold Floyd Brooks was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and ...

(1932–1974) (tenor) *

Peter Brötzmann Peter Brötzmann (6 March 1941 – 22 June 2023) was a German jazz saxophonist and clarinetist regarded as a central and pioneering figure in European free jazz. Throughout his career, he released over fifty albums as a bandleader. Amongst his m ...

(born 1941) (alto, tenor, bass) *

Ari Brown Ari Brown (born February 1, 1944) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and pianist. Biography Brown grew up in Chicago and attended Wilson College, where he met musicians such as Jack DeJohnette, Henry Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell, and Joseph Ja ...

(born 1944) (tenor, alto, soprano) * Boyce Brown (1910–1959) (alto) *

Pete Brown Peter Ronald Brown (25 December 1940 – 19 May 2023) was an English performance poet, lyricist, and singer best known for his collaborations with Cream and Jack Bruce.Colin Larkin, ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997) ...

(1906–1963) (alto, tenor) *

Marion Brown Marion Brown (September 8, 1931 – October 18, 2010) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, writer, visual artist, and ethnomusicologist. He was a member of the avant-garde jazz scene in New York City during the 1960s, playing alongsi ...

(1935–2010) (alto) *

YolanDa Brown YolanDa Faye Brown (born 4 October 1982) is a British saxophonist, composer, and broadcaster. Her musical sound is a fusion of reggae, jazz and soul. In 2022 she was appointed chair of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Early life and ...

(born 1982) (tenor, soprano, alto) *

Tore Brunborg Tore Brunborg (born 20 May 1960) is a Norwegians, Norwegian jazz musician and composer who plays saxophone. He was born in Trondheim but grew up in Voss where a jazz environment was flowering. Known from numerous appearances with international g ...

(born 1960) (tenor) *

Rusty Bryant Royal Gordon "Rusty" Bryant (November 25, 1929 – March 25, 1991) was an American jazz tenor and alto saxophonist. Biography Bryant was born in Huntington, West Virginia, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio, becoming a fixture of the local jazz scene ...

(1929–1991) (alto, tenor) *

Jane Bunnett Mary Jane Bunnett, (born October 22, 1956) is a Canadian musician and educator. A soprano saxophonist, flautist and bandleader, she is especially known for performing Afro-Cuban jazz. She travels regularly to Cuba to perform with Cuban musicians. ...

(born 1955) (soprano) * John Butcher (born 1954) (tenor, soprano, baritone) *

Sam Butera Sam Butera (August 17, 1927 – June 3, 2009) was an American tenor saxophonist and singer best noted for his collaborations with Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Butera is frequently regarded as a crossover artist who performed with equal ease in bo ...

(1927–2009) (tenor) *

Igor Butman Igor Mikhailovich Butman (; born 27 October 1961) is a Russian jazz saxophonist born in St. Petersburg, Leningrad, Soviet Union (now St. Petersburg, Russia) in 1961. Butman holds dual citizenship for both the United States and Russian Federat ...

(born 1961) (alto) *

Don Byas Carlos Wesley "Don" Byas (October 21, 1912 – August 24, 1972) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, associated with swing and bebop. He played with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Art Blakey, and Dizzy Gillespie, among others, and also l ...

(1912–1972) (tenor)

C

Ed Calle Ed Calle (born Eduardo J. Calle) is a musician from Miami, Florida. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Calle plays the saxophones, flutes, clarinets, EWI, and keyboards, engineers projects, and performs vocals. He also composes and arranges mu ...

(born 1959) (all saxes) *

Harry Carney Harry Howell Carney (April 1, 1910 – October 8, 1974) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinettist who spent over four decades as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He played a variety of instruments, but primarily used the baritone saxophon ...

(1910–1974) (baritone) *

Scoops Carry Scoops Carry (January 23, 1915 – August 4, 1970), born George Dorman and sometimes billed as Scoops Carey, was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist. Early life and education Carry was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. His mother w ...

(1915–1970) (alto) *

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

(1907–2003) (alto) * James Carter (born 1969) (all saxes—from soprano to bass) * Luciano Caruso (born 1944) (soprano) * George Cassidy (1936-2023) (tenor) *

Fabrizio Cassol Fabrizio Cassol (born 8 June 1964) is a Belgian saxophonist and the first user of the aulochrome (a double-reed instrument). He was born in Ougrée, Belgium. Between 1982 and 1985, he studied at the Liège conservatory and "obtained first prize ...

(born 1964) (alto, aulochroom) * Justin Chart (born 1960) (alto) *

Serge Chaloff Serge Chaloff (November 24, 1923 – July 16, 1957) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. One of bebop's earliest baritone saxophonists, Chaloff has been described as 'the most expressive and openly emotive baritone saxophonist jazz has eve ...

(1923–1957) (baritone) *

Jean-Louis Chautemps Jean-Louis Chautemps (6 August 1931 – 25 May 2022) was a French jazz saxophonist. Career Born in Paris, Chautemps initially studied medicine and law, and began playing saxophone at age 16. His first major gig was with Jef Gilson in 1950. In 19 ...

(born 1931) (tenor, baritone) *

Chris Cheek Christopher Carson Cheek (born September 16, 1968) is an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Cheek was born in St. Louis, Missouri, where his father was the director of a Junior high school band. Cheek began learning to play the alto saxophone ...

(born 1968) (tenor) *

Pete Christlieb Peter Christlieb (born February 16, 1945) is an American musician, playing tenor saxophone in the styles of jazz bebop, West Coast jazz, hard bop and pop music. Biography Christlieb was born in Los Angeles, California, United States, and is the ...

(born 1945) (tenor) *

Jeff Clayton Jeff Clayton (February 16, 1954 – December 16, 2020) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and flautist. Clayton studied oboe at California State University before dropping out to undertake a tour with Stevie Wonder. Following this he recor ...

(1954–2020) (alto) *

Arnett Cobb Arnett Cleophus Cobb (August 10, 1918 – March 24, 1989)
accessed July 2010. was an American tenor saxophonist, somet ...

(1918–1989) (tenor) *

Tony Coe Anthony George Coe (29 November 1934 – 16 March 2023) was an English jazz musician who played clarinet, bass clarinet, and flute as well as soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. Career Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, Coe started out on cla ...

(born 1934) (tenor, soprano) *

Jeff Coffin Jeff Stanley Coffin (born August 5, 1965) is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator. He is a three-time Grammy Award winner as a member of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, with whom he performed from 1997 until 2010. In July 2008, Coffin ...

(born 1965) (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) *

Anat Cohen Anat Cohen (; ; born 1975) is a New York City-based jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader from Tel Aviv, Israel. Biography Cohen was born into a musical family and began playing the clarinet at age 12 with Jaffa Conservatory’s Dixiel ...

(born 1975)) (tenor, soprano) *

Al Cohn Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist ...

(1925–1988) (tenor) * Richie Cole (1948–2020) (alto, tenor, baritone) *

Steve Cole Steve Cole (born August 17, 1970) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist. He is also a professor/adviser of music business at the University of St. Thomas. Early career and education Cole was born in Chicago, Illinois and began to play musi ...

(born 1971) (tenor) *

George Coleman George Edward Coleman (born March 8, 1935) is an American jazz saxophonist known for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s. In 2015, he was named an NEA Jazz Master. Early life Coleman was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was ...

(born 1935) (tenor) *

(1930–2015) (alto, tenor) *

Steve Coleman Steve Coleman (born September 20, 1956) is an American saxophonist, composer, bandleader and music theorist. In 2014, he was named a MacArthur Fellow. Early life Steve Coleman was born and grew up in South Side, Chicago. He started playing ...

(born 1956) (alto, soprano) *

Buddy Collette William Marcel "Buddy" Collette (August 6, 1921 – September 19, 2010) was an American jazz flutist, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He was a founding member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet. Early life William Marcel Collette was born in ...

(1921–2010) (alto, tenor) *

(1926–1967) (tenor, soprano, alto) *

Ravi Coltrane Ravi Coltrane (born August 6, 1965) is an American jazz saxophonist. Co-owner of the record label RKM Music, he has produced music for pianist Luis Perdomo, guitarist David Gilmore, and trumpeter Ralph Alessi. Biography Ravi Coltrane is t ...

(born 1965) (tenor, soprano) * Randolph Colville (1942–2004) *

Junior Cook Herman "Junior" Cook (July 22, 1934 – February 3, 1992) was an American hard bop tenor saxophone player. Biography Cook was born in Pensacola, Florida. A member of a musical family, he started on alto saxophone before switching to tenor du ...

(1934–1992) (tenor) * Bob Cooper (1925–1993) (tenor) *

Lindsay Cooper Lindsay Cooper (3 March 1951 – 18 September 2013) was an English bassoon and oboe player and composer. Best known for her work with the band Henry Cow, she was also a member of Comus, National Health, News from Babel and David Thomas and th ...

(1951–2013) (soprano, alto) *

Lol Coxhill George Lowen Coxhill (19 September 1932 – 10 July 2012) known professionally as Lol Coxhill, was an English free improvisation, free improvising saxophonist. He played soprano saxophone, soprano and sopranino saxophone, sopranino saxopho ...

(1932–2012) (soprano) *

Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist, pianist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was musical director for ...

(1934–2009) (alto, baritone) *

Ray Crawford Ray Crawford (October 26, 1915 – February 1, 1996) was an American fighter ace, test pilot, race-car driver and businessman. Biography Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford served as a U.S. Army Air Corps fighter pilot and flew the P-38 ...

(1924–1996) (tenor) *

Sonny Criss William "Sonny" Criss (23 October 1927 – 19 November 1977) was an American jazz musician. An Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist of prominence during the bebop era of jazz, he was one of many players influenced by Charlie Parker. Biography ...

(1927–1977) (alto, soprano) *

Ronnie Cuber Ronald Edward Cuber (December 25, 1941 – October 7, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. He also played in Latin, pop, rock, and blues sessions. In addition to his primary instrument, baritone sax, he played tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, ...

(born 1941) (baritone) *

King Curtis Curtis Montgomery (February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musi ...

(1934–1971) (tenor, soprano)

D

* Olav Dale (1958–2014) (tenor, soprano) *

Eddie Daniels Eddie Daniels (born October 19, 1941) is an American musician and composer. Although he is best known as a jazz clarinetist, he has also played saxophone and flute as well as classical music on clarinet. Early life, family and education Daniel ...

(born 1941) (tenor) *

John Dankworth Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (20 September 1927 – 6 February 2010), also known as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist, clarinettist and writer of film scores. With his wife, jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, he ...

(1927–2010) (alto) *

Joe Darensbourg Joe Darensbourg (July 9, 1906 – May 24, 1985) was an American, New Orleans–based jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, notable for his work with Buddy Petit, Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Creath, Fate Marable, Andy Kirk, Kid Ory, Wingy Mano ...

(1906–1985) *

Eric Darius Eric Darius (born December 3, 1982), is an American saxophonist, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and educator. Early life Darius was born in New Jersey to a father of Haitian descent and a mother of Jamaican descent. He grew up in Tampa, Flo ...

(born 1982) (alto, tenor, soprano) *

Julian Dash St. Julian Bennett Dash (April 9, 1916 – February 25, 1974) was an American swing music jazz tenor saxophonist born in Charleston, South Carolina, United States, probably better known for his work with Erskine Hawkins and Buck Clayton. Dash ...

(1916–1974) (tenor) *

Kenny Davern John Kenneth Davern (January 7, 1935 – December 12, 2006) was an American jazz clarinetist. Biography He was born in Huntington, Long Island, to a family of mixed Jewish and Irish-Catholic ancestry. His mother's family originally came from Vi ...

(1935–2006) *

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened to "Jaws"): it is either said that ...

(1921–1986) (tenor) * Jesse Davis (born 1965) (alto) *

Lem Davis Lemuel A. Davis (22 June 1914 – 16 January 1970), was an American jazz alto saxophonist associated with swing music. Born in Tampa, Florida, United States, his career began in the 1940s with pianist Nat Jaffe. Davis played with the Coleman ...

(1914–1970) (alto) * Nathan Davis (1937–2018) (tenor, soprano) *

Elton Dean Elton Dean (28 October 1945 – 8 February 2006) was an English jazz musician who performed on alto saxophone, saxello (a variant of the soprano saxophone) and occasionally keyboards. Part of the Canterbury scene, he featured in Soft Mach ...

(1945–2006) (alto, saxello) * Eli Degibri (born 1978) (tenor, soprano) *

Paul Desmond Paul Desmond (born Paul Emil Breitenfeld; November 25, 1924 – May 30, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer and proponent of cool jazz. He was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and composed the group's biggest hit, " ...

(1924–1977) (alto) *

Johnny Dodds Johnny Dodds (; April 12, 1892 – August 8, 1940) was an American jazz clarinetist and alto saxophonist based in New Orleans, best known for his recordings under his own name and with bands such as those of Joe "King" Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, ...

(1892–1940) (alto) *

Klaus Doldinger Klaus Doldinger (; born 12 May 1936) is a German saxophonist known for his work in jazz and as a film music composer. He was the recipient of the 1997's Bavarian Film Awards. He is also a frequent collaborator of German filmmaker Wolfgang Pet ...

(born 1936) (tenor, soprano) *

Eric Dolphy Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader. Primarily an alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist, and flautist, Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain ...

(1928–1964) (alto) *

Arne Domnérus Sven Arne Domnérus (20 December 1924 – 2 September 2008) was a Swedish jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Career He began to play the clarinet at the age of 11 but had taken up the saxophone by the time he left school and then turned profession ...

(1924–2008) (alto) *

Sam Donahue Samuel Koontz Donahue (March 18, 1918 – March 22, 1974) was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, and musical arranger. He performed with Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Billy May, Woody Herman, and Stan Kenton. Biography Donahue ...

(1918–1974) (tenor) *

Lou Donaldson Louis Andrew Donaldson Jr. (November 1, 1926 – November 9, 2024) was an American jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. He was best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was he ...

(1926–2024) (alto) *

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peopl ...

(1904–1957) (alto) *

Bob Downes Robert George Downes (born 22 July 1937 in Plymouth) is an English avant-garde jazz flautist and saxophonist. He is known for his work with Mike Westbrook and for leading the Open Music Trio since 1968. Downes is also a composer, arranger, and ...

(born 1937) (alto, soprano) *

Paquito D'Rivera Francisco de Jesús Rivera Figueras (born 4 June 1948), known as Paquito D'Rivera, is a Cuban-American alto saxophonist, clarinetist and composer. He was a member of the Cuban songo band Irakere and, since the 1980s, he has established him ...

(born 1948) (alto) *

Gerd Dudek Gerhard Rochus "Gerd" Dudek (28 September 1938 – 3 November 2022) was a German jazz Tenor saxophone, tenor and Soprano saxophone, soprano saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist. Dudek studied clarinet privately and attended music school in the ...

(born 1938) (tenor, soprano) *

Candy Dulfer Candy Dulfer (born 19 September 1969) is a Dutch jazz and pop saxophonist. She is the daughter of jazz saxophonist Hans Dulfer. She began playing at age six and founded her band Funky Stuff when she was fourteen. Her debut album '' Saxuality'' ...

(born 1969) (alto) * Hans Dulfer (born 1940) (tenor) *

Paul Dunmall Paul Dunmall (born 6 May 1953) is a British jazz musician who plays tenor and soprano saxophone, as well as the baritone and the more exotic saxello and the Northumbrian smallpipes. He has played with Keith Tippett and Barry Guy. In the earl ...

(born 1953) (tenor, soprano, baritone, saxello)

E

Allen Eager Allen Eager (January 10, 1927 – April 13, 2003) was an American jazz tenor and alto saxophonist who also competed in auto racing and took part in LSD experiments. Early life Allen Eager was born in New York City on January 10, 1927. He grew up ...

(1927–2003) (tenor, alto) *

Bill Easley Bill Easley (born January 13, 1946) is an American jazz musician who plays saxophone, flute, and clarinet. Early life and education Easley was born and raised in Olean, New York. He began playing music at the age of 13 and studied at Memphis S ...

(born 1946) (tenor, alto) *

Teddy Edwards Theodore Marcus "Teddy" Edwards (April 26, 1924 – April 20, 2003) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Edwards was born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. He learned to play at a very early age, first on alto saxophone ...

(1924–2003) (tenor) *

Richard Elliot Richard Elliot (born January 16, 1960) is an American saxophonist. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for '' Summer Horns''. Biography Early life Elliot was born in the Scot ...

(born 1960) (tenor) *

Peter Epstein Peter Coleman Epstein (born January 18, 1967) is an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Epstein learned clarinet as a youth from his father, Ed Epstein, who played saxophone, but picked up his father's instrument in his teens, playing in high ...

(born 1967) (tenor) * Helén Eriksen (born 1971) (tenor) *

Booker Ervin Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – August 31, 1970) was an American tenor saxophone player. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing. He is remembered for his association with bassi ...

(1930–1970) (tenor) *

Wayne Escoffery Wayne Escoffery (born 23 February 1975) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Performing history Since 2000, he has been working in New York City with Carl Allen, Eric Reed, and the Mingus Big Band. Other musicians performed with include Ral ...

(born 1975) (tenor) *

Ellery Eskelin Ellery Eskelin (born August 16, 1959) is an American tenor saxophonist raised in Baltimore, Maryland and residing in New York City. His parents, Rodd Keith and Bobbie Lee, were both professional musicians. Rodd Keith died in 1974 in Los Angeles, ...

(born 1959) (tenor) *

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, block chords, innovative chord voicings, a ...

(born 1958) (tenor, soprano) *

Herschel Evans Herschel "Tex" Evans (9 March 1909 – 9 February 1939) was an American tenor saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. He also worked with Lionel Hampton and Buck Clayton. He is also known for starting his cousin Joe McQueen ...

(1909–1939) (tenor, alto) *

Sandy Evans Sandy Evans is an Australian jazz composer, saxophonist, and teacher. Recognition of her work has included receiving an Order of Australia Medal in 2010 for services to music.

(tenor, soprano)

F

Joe Farrell Joseph Carl Firrantello (December 16, 1937 – January 10, 1986), known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who primarily performed as a saxophonist and flutist. He is best known for a series of albums under his own name o ...

(1937–1986) (tenor, soprano) *

Wally Fawkes Walter Ernest Fawkes (; 21 June 1924 – 1 March 2023), also known as Trog when signing cartoons, was a Canadian-British jazz clarinettist and satirical cartoonist. After emigrating with his family to Britain from Canada when he was 7 years ...

(born 1924) (soprano) *

Wilton Felder Wilton Lewis Felder (August 31, 1940 – September 27, 2015) was an American saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders, later known as the Crusaders. Felder played bass on the Jackson 5's hits "I Want ...

(1940–2015) *

Buddy Featherstonhaugh Rupert Edward Lee "Buddy" Featherstonhaugh ( ; 4 October 1909 – 12 July 1976) was an English jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Musical career Born in Paris in 1909, the son of an English marine architect and his Scottish wife. His grandfath ...

(1909–1976) (tenor, baritone) *

(born 1958) (alto) *

Mickey Fields Wilfred "Mickey" Fields (1932/33 – January 16, 1995) was a Baltimore-area jazz saxophone, saxophonist, a local legend who refused to play outside the Baltimore area, although he was asked to leave Baltimore many times to go on the road with man ...

(1932/1933-1995) * Mikkel Flagstad (1930–2005) (tenor) *

Ricky Ford Ricky Ford (born March 4, 1954) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Ford was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States,) and studied at the New England Conservatory. Ricky Ford AllMusic In 1974, he recorded with Gunther Sch ...

(born 1954) (tenor) * Jimmy Forrest (1920–1980) (tenor) *

Sonny Fortune Cornelius "Sonny" Fortune (May 19, 1939 – October 25, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist. He played soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, clarinet, and flute. Biography He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Af ...

(1939–2018) (alto, soprano) *

Håvard Fossum Håvard Fossum (born 7 June 1971 in Trondheim, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone and flute), composer and arranger, situated in Oslo since January 2000. He is known from a series of recordings and cooperations with the likesog Tommy ...

(born 1971) (tenor) * Alex Foster (born 1953) (alto, tenor) * Frank Foster (1928–2011) (tenor, soprano) * Gary Foster (born 1936) (tenor, alto, soprano, sopranino) *

Charles Fowlkes Charles Baker Fowlkes (February 16, 1916 – February 9, 1980) was an American baritone saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra for over twenty-five years. Early life Fowlkes was born in New York City on February 16, 1916. He stu ...

(1916–1980) (baritone) *

Joel Frahm Joel Frahm (born 1970) is an American jazz saxophonist. Early life Frahm was born in Racine, Wisconsin, in 1970.

(born 1969) (tenor, soprano) *

Bob Franceschini Bob Franceschini (born 1961) is an American jazz saxophonist and instrumentalist, songwriter, and arranger. He has appeared on more than eighty albums including those of Mike Stern, Paul Simon, and Willie Colón. Franceschini grew up in Man ...

(born 1961) (tenor) *

Bud Freeman Lawrence "Bud" Freeman (April 13, 1906 – March 15, 1991) was an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing tenor saxophone, but also the clarinet. Biography In 1922, Freeman and some friends from high sc ...

(1906–1991) (tenor) *

Chico Freeman Chico Freeman (born Earl Lavon Freeman Jr.; July 17, 1949) is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman. He began recording as lead musician in 1976 with ''Morning Prayer'', won the New York Jazz Award ...

(born 1949) (tenor, soprano) *

Von Freeman Earle Lavon "Von" Freeman Sr. (October 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012) was an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, Freeman was exposed as a young child to jazz. His father, George, a city policeman, was a ...

(1923–2012) (tenor) *

Tia Fuller Tia Fuller (born March 27, 1976) is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator, and a member of the all-female band touring with Beyoncé. Fuller is currently a faculty member in the ensembles department at Berklee College of Music. Full ...

(born 1976) (alto) * Svein Magnus Furu (born 1983) (tenor)

G

Brent Gallaher Brent Christopher Gallaher (born May 13, 1969, in Cumberland, Maryland) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Early life He is the son of Linda (Swearingen) Gallaher and Christopher S. Gallaher. His father was a professor of music at Fro ...

(born 1969) (tenor, soprano, alto) * Al Gallodoro (1913–2008) (alto) *

Jim Galloway James Braidie Galloway (28 July 1936 – 30 December 2014) was a jazz clarinet and saxophone player. He based his career in Canada after emigrating from Scotland in the mid-1960s. Early life and education Galloway was born in Kilwinning, Ayrs ...

(1936–2014) *

Jan Garbarek Jan Garbarek () (born 4 March 1947) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist, who is also active in classical music and world music. Garbarek was born in Mysen, Østfold, southeastern Norway, the only child of a former Polish prisoner of war, Czesław Gar ...

(born 1947) (tenor, soprano) *

Nubya Garcia Nubya Nyasha Garcia (born 1991) is a British jazz musician, Saxophone, saxophonist, composer and bandleader. Early life and education Garcia was born in 1991 in Camden Town, London, the youngest of four siblings, to a Guyanese people, Guyanese ...

(born 1991) (tenor) *

Lou Gare Leslie Arthur "Lou" Gare (16 June 1939 – 6 October 2017) was a British free-jazz saxophonist born in Rugby, Warwickshire, England, perhaps best known for his works with the improvised music ensemble AMM and playing with musicians such as Eddi ...

(1939–2017) (tenor) *

Joe Garland Joseph Copeland Garland (August 15, 1903, Norfolk, Virginia – April 21, 1977, Teaneck, New Jersey) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger, best known for writing "In the Mood". Garland studied music at Shaw University and t ...

(1903–1977) (tenor, baritone, bass) *

Tim Garland Tim Garland (born 19 October 1966) is a British jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. His compositions draw from modern jazz and classical concert music. Career Garland was born in Ilford, Essex and grew up in Canterbury, Kent. He starte ...

(born 1966) (tenor, soprano) *

Carlos Garnett Carlos Garnett (December 1, 1938 - March 3, 2023) was a Panamanian-American jazz saxophonist. Biography Garnett was born on December 1, 1938, in Red Tank, Panama Canal Zone.He became interested in jazz after hearing the music of Louis Jordan an ...

(born 1938) (tenor, soprano) *

Kenny Garrett Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960) is an American post-bop jazz musician and composer who gained recognition in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and for his time with Miles Davis's band. Garrett's primary instruments are ...

(born 1960) (alto, soprano) *

Charles Gayle Charles Gayle (February 28, 1939 – September 7, 2023) was an American free jazz musician. Initially known as a saxophonist who came to prominence in the 1990s after decades of obscurity, Gayle also performed as pianist, bass clarinetist, bassi ...

(born 1939) (tenor) *

Herb Geller Herbert Arnold Geller (November 2, 1928 – December 19, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger. He was born in Los Angeles. Early life His mother, Frances ''(née'' Frances Mildred Fullman, also known as Fannie Fullman; ...

(1928–2013) (alto, soprano) * Camilla George (born 1988) (alto) *

(1927–1991) (tenor) *

Sal Giorgianni Sal Giorgianni is an American saxophone player. He was born in Upstate New York. Giorgianni was a member of the Ellenville High School Jazz Ensemble which, among other things, performed at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festivalwith jazz director Bria ...

(born 1964) (alto, tenor, soprano) *

John Gilmore John Gilmore may refer to: * John Gilmore (activist) (born 1955), co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Cygnus Solutions * John Gilmore (musician) (1931–1995), American jazz saxophonist * John Gilmore (representative) (1780–1845), ...

(1931–1995) (tenor) *

Jimmy Giuffre James Peter Giuffre (, ; April 26, 1921 – April 24, 2008) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He is known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, anticipating f ...

(1921–2008) (tenor, baritone, soprano) * Frode Gjerstad (born 1948) (alto) *

Victor Goines Victor Louis Goines (born August 6, 1961) is a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who has served as president and chief executive officer of Jazz St. Louis since September 2022. From 2000 to 2007, he was director of the jazz program at Juilliard. ...

(born 1961) (tenor, soprano) *

Harry Gold Harry Gold (born Henrich Golodnitsky, December 11, 1910 – August 28, 1972) was a Swiss-born American laboratory chemist who was convicted as a courier for the Soviet Union passing atomic secrets from Klaus Fuchs, an agent of the Soviet Union, ...

(1907–2005) (bass, tenor, alto) *

Benny Golson Benny Golson (January 25, 1929 – September 21, 2024) was an American bebop and hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a p ...

(1929–2024) (tenor) *

Paul Gonsalves Paul Gonsalves ( – ) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist best known for his association with Duke Ellington. At the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, Gonsalves played a 27-chorus solo in the middle of Ellington's " Diminuendo and Crescendo in Bl ...

(1920–1974) (tenor) * Scheila Gonzalez (born 1971) (tenor) *

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

(1909–1986) (alto) *

Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians. Gordon's height was , so he was also known as "Long Tall Dexter" an ...

(1923–1990) (tenor) * Gerard "Doudou" Gouirand (born 1940) (alto, soprano) *

(Kenny Gorelick, born 1956) (soprano, alto, tenor) * Bill Graham (1918–1975) (alto, baritone, tenor) *

Henning Gravrok Henning Gravrok (born 19 March 1948 in Tovik, Northern Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone) and music teacher, raised in Harstad and educated as teacher. Since 1975 he has been central to the Tromsø and Bodø jazz scenes. Career ...

(born 1948) (tenor, soprano) *

Wardell Gray Wardell Gray (February 13, 1921 – May 25, 1955) was an American jazz tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist. Biography Early years The youngest of four children, Gray was born in Oklahoma City. He spent his early childhood years in Oklahoma b ...

(1921–1955) (tenor) *

Bunky Green Vernice "Bunky" Green Jr (April 23, 1933 – March 1, 2025) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and educator. Life and career Green was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he played the alto saxophone, mainly at a local club called "The Br ...

(born 1935) (alto) *

Jimmy Greene James Sidney Greene, Jr. (born February 24, 1975) is an American jazz saxophonist, gospel musician, recording artist, record producer, and music professor. He started his music career in 1997, and has since released eight studio albums. His eigh ...

(born 1975) (tenor, soprano) *

Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...

(1928–2008) (tenor) *

Euge Groove Steven Eugene Grove (born November 27, 1962), better known as Euge Groove, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist. Early life and career Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, he graduated from the University of Miami School of Music in 1984. Grove did ...

(born 1962) * Mark Gross (born 1966) (alto) * Steve Grossman (1951–2020) (alto, soprano, tenor) *

Gigi Gryce Gigi Gryce (born George General Grice Jr.; November 28, 1925 – March 17, 1983), later in life changing his name to Basheer Qusim, was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator. While his performing ...

(1927–1983) (alto) * Peter Guidi (1949–2018) (alto, soprano) *

Lars Gullin Lars Gunnar Victor Gullin (4 May 1928 – 17 May 1976) was a Swedish jazz saxophonist. Career Lars Gullin was born in Visby, Sweden. He was a child prodigy on the accordion. At age thirteen, he played clarinet in a military band and later l ...

(1928–1976) (baritone) *

Guttorm Guttormsen Guttorm Guttormsen (born 28 June 1950) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone), arranger and composer. Career Guttormsen was born in Mo i Rana. After moving to Oslo (1969), he appeared with Ivar Antonsen's Band at «Fe ...

(born 1950) (alto) *

Tommy Gwaltney Thomas Oliver Gwaltney III (February 28, 1921, in Norfolk, Virginia, United States – February 11, 2003, in Virginia Beach, Virginia) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. He played clarinet, saxophone, and vibraphone. Biogr ...

(1925–2003) (alto, tenor)

H

Morten Halle Morten Halle (born 7 October 1957) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), composer and music arranger. He was born in Oslo, and he is known from the city's jazz scene and from a series recordings. (in Norwegian) Career Halle participated in ...

(born 1957) (tenor, alto) *

Børge-Are Halvorsen Børge-Are Halvorsen (born 12 October 1978 in Lillehammer, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone and c- and alto flute). His family moved to Sandane in Gloppen where he spent his youth, but he was lat ...

(born 1978) (baritone, tenor, alto, soprano) * Scott Hamilton (born 1954) (tenor) *

Captain John Handy Captain John Handy (June 24, 1900 – January 12, 1971), was an American jazz alto saxophonist, who was part of the New Orleans jazz revival. Career Handy was born in Pass Christian, Mississippi, United States. He played clarinet in New Orleans ...

(1900–1971) (alto) *

Craig Handy Craig Mitchell Handy (born September 25, 1962) is an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Oakland, California, he attended North Texas State University from 1981 to 1984, and following this played with Art Blakey, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Haynes, ...

(born 1952) (alto, tenor, soprano) *

John Handy John Richard Handy III (born February 3, 1933) is an American jazz musician most commonly associated with the alto saxophone. He also sings and plays the tenor saxophone, tenor and baritone saxophone, baritone saxophone, saxello, clarinet, and ...

(born 1933) (alto) *

Everette Harp Everette Harp (born August 17, 1961, in Houston, Texas) is an American jazz saxophonist who has recorded for Blue Note, Capitol and Shanachie Records. His album ''Jazz Funk Soul'', a collaboration with Chuck Loeb and Jeff Lorber, received his ...

(born 1961) *

Billy Harper Billy Harper (born January 17, 1943) is an American jazz saxophonist, "one of a generation of Coltrane-influenced tenor saxophonists" with a distinctively stern, hard-as-nails sound on his instrument.Chris KelseyBilly Harper Biography ''AllMusi ...

(born 1943) (tenor, alto) *

Joe Harriott Joseph Arthurlin Harriott (15 July 1928 – 2 January 1973) was a Jamaican jazz musician and composer, whose principal instrument was the alto saxophone. According to George McKay in ''Circular Breathing: The Cultural Politics of Jazz in Britai ...

(1928–1973) (alto) *

Eddie Harris Eddie Harris (October 20, 1934 – November 5, 1996) was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His best-k ...

(1934–1996) (tenor) *

Donald Harrison Donald Harrison Jr. (born June 23, 1960) is an American jazz saxophonist and the Big Chief of The Congo Square Nation Afro-New Orleans Cultural Group from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Berklee College of M ...

(born 1960) (alto) *

Antonio Hart Antonio Hart (born September 30, 1968) is an American jazz alto saxophonist. He attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, studied with Andy McGhee at Berklee College of Music, and has a master's degree from Queens College, City University of ...

(born 1968) (alto, soprano) *

Tubby Hayes Edward Brian "Tubby" Hayes (30 January 1935 – 8 June 1973) was a British jazz multi-instrumentalist, best known for his virtuosic musicianship on tenor saxophone and for performing in jazz groups with fellow sax player Ronnie Scott and trump ...

(1935–1973) (tenor) *

Alfred 23 Harth Alfred Harth, now known as Alfred 23 Harth or A23H, is a German multimedia artist, band leader, multi-instrumentalist musician, and composer who creatively mixes genres. Career Harth founded a free improvisation band, Just Music (1967 to 1972 ...

(born 1949) (tenor, soprano, alto, baritone) *

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first ...

(1901–1969) (tenor) *

Jimmy Heath James Edward Heath (October 25, 1926 – January 19, 2020), nicknamed Little Bird, was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. He was the brother of bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath. Biography Heath w ...

(1926–2020) (tenor) *

Eirik Hegdal Eirik Hegdal (born 3 October 1973 in Gjøvik, Norway) is a Norwegians, Norwegian Jazz musician (saxophone), composer, arranger and music teacher, known from the band Dingobats (1995-2005) and as leader of Trondheim Jazz Orchestra (from 2002). Ca ...

(born 1973) (baritone, tenor, alto, soprano) *

Ernie Henry Ernie Henry (born Ernest Albert Henry, September 3, 1926 – December 29, 1957) was an American jazz saxophonist. Henry played in the late 1940s with Tadd Dameron, Fats Navarro, Charlie Ventura, Max Roach, and was a key member of Dizzy Gilles ...

(1926–1957) (alto) *

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and very occasional flute player. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day an ...

(1937–2001) (tenor) *

Ian Hendrickson-Smith Ian Hendrickson-Smith (born February 10, 1974) is an American jazz saxophonist. He is best known for being a former member of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings from 2004 to 2010 and playing with The Roots on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. ...

(born 1974) *

Julius Hemphill Julius Arthur Hemphill (January 24, 1938 – April 2, 1995) was a jazz composer and saxophone player. He performed mainly on alto saxophone, less often on soprano and tenor saxophones and flute. Biography Hemphill was born in Fort Worth, Texas, ...

(1938–1995) (alto, soprano, tenor) *

(1913–1987) (alto) *

Vincent Herring Vincent Dwyne Herring (born November 19, 1964) is an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, composer, and educator. Known for his fiery and soulful playing in the bands of Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, and Nat Adderley in the earlier stages of h ...

(born 1964) (alto) * Buck Hill (1927-2018) (tenor, soprano) * Warren Hill (born 1966) (soprano, alto) *

Nigel Hitchcock Nigel Hitchcock (born 4 January 1971) is an English jazz saxophonist. Biography Hitchcock began to play alto sax at the age of eight. In 1982 he and his elder brother Clive joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. After one year Nigel took the ...

(born 1971) *

Fred Ho Fred Ho (; born Fred Wei-han Houn; August 10, 1957 – April 12, 2014) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist, composer, bandleader, playwright, writer and Marxist social activist. Biography He was born in Palo Alto, California, and moved a ...

(1957–2014) (baritone) *

(1907–1970) (alto, soprano) *

Bendik Hofseth Bendik Hofseth (born 19 October 1962, in Oslo) is a Norwegian jazz musician, who plays the saxophone and sings. He is also a bandleader, and arranges and composes music. Career In 1986, while in his early twenties, Hofseth moved from Lørensko ...

(born 1962) (tenor) *

Red Holloway James Wesley "Red" Holloway (May 31, 1927 – February 25, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Born in Helena, Arkansas,Daniel E. Slotnik"Red Holloway, Swinger of the Sax, Dies at 84" ''The New York Times'', February 28, 2012 ...

(1927–2012) (tenor, alto) *

Ron Holloway Ronald Edward Holloway (born August 24, 1953) is an American tenor saxophonist. He is listed in the ''Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'' where veteran jazz critic Ira Gitler described Holloway as a "Hard bear-down-hard-bopper who can blow auth ...

(born 1953) (tenor) *

Charlie Holmes Charlie Holmes (January 27, 1910 near Boston, Massachusetts – September 19, 1985 in Stoughton, Massachusetts) was an American alto jazz saxophonist of the swing era. He also played clarinet and oboe for the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra in ...

(1910–1985) (alto) * Paul Horn (1930–2014) (alto) *

Lars Horntveth Lars Horntveth (born 10 March 1980 in Tønsberg, Norway) is a Norwegian musician (saxophones, clarinet, percussion and guitar), band leader, and composer. He is the younger brother of tubaist Line Horntveth, but best known as a key member of t ...

(born 1980) (tenor) *

Steve Houben Steve Houben (born 19 March 1950 in Liège, Belgium) is a Belgian jazz saxophonist and flutist. Biography In the mid-1970s, Houben attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. When he returned to Belgium, he established the jazz seminar at ...

(born 1950) (tenor, alto) *

Reggie Houston Reggie Houston (born July 2, 1947, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States) is an American musician who plays soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone and baritone saxophone. He is best known for his association with the New Orleans pian ...

(born 1947) (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) * George Howard (1956–1998) (soprano, tenor) *

Derek Humble Derek Humble (March 1930 – 22 February 1971) was an English jazz alto saxophonist. Humble was born in Livingston, County Durham, England, and played professionally from his teenage years. He was working with Kathy Stobart by 1950 and played w ...

(1932–1971) (alto) *

Shabaka Hutchings Shabaka Hutchings (born 1984), also known simply as Shabaka, is a British jazz musician, composer and bandleader. He leads the band Shabaka and the Ancestors, and formerly led Sons of Kemet before its dissolution in 2022. He was also a member ...

(born 1984) *

Jan Kåre Hystad Jan Kåre "Hysen" Hystad (born 9 July 1955) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone, clarinet, flute), and the older brother of jazz saxophonist Ole Jacob Hystad. He is known as leader of his own Quartet and as part of the Bergen Big Band with ...

(born 1955) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Ole Jacob Hystad Ole Jacob Hystad (born 20 July 1960) is a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone and clarinet). He was born in Stord, and is the brother of jazz saxophonist Jan Kåre Hystad. Career Hystad is leader of his own Ole Jacob Hystad Quartet, ori ...

(born 1960) (tenor)

I

John Pål Inderberg John Pål Inderberg (born 6 August 1950 Steinkjer, Norway) is a versatile saxophonist and one of the leading traditional musicians in Norway. His playing synthethises many different styles, not least when in partnership with Norwegian and America ...

(born 1950)

J

Jessy J Jessica Arellano (born December 20, 1982) known professionally as Jessy J, is an American saxophonist. Biography Jessy J was born Jessica Arellano on December 20, 1982, in Portland, Oregon, and raised in Hemet, California. Of Mexican-Ameri ...

(born 1982) *

Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on " Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. He is also known as one of the w ...

(1922–2004) (tenor) *

Javon Jackson Javon Anthony Jackson (born June 16, 1965) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and educator. He first became known as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1987 until Blakey's death in 1990. and went on to release 22 recor ...

(born 1965) (tenor) *

Torbjørn Sletta Jacobsen Torbjørn Sletta Jacobsen (born 11 August 1973 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist and composer. He has composed and produced music for television, radio, audio books and advertising in a variety of genres. Career Jacobsen is a ...

(born 1973) (tenor) *

Jaroslav Jakubovič Jaroslav Jakubovič (born 1948) is a Czech-born Israeli jazz saxophonist, composer and record producer. Biography Born in Czechoslovakia, Jakubovič emigrated to Israel, via Switzerland in 1968, as a result of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechos ...

(born 1948) (baritone) *

Nils Jansen Nils Jansen (born 30 March 1959 in Haugesund, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone and clarinet), known from several recordings and jazz orchestras. Career Jansen attended the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (1995– ...

(born 1959) (bass, sopranino, tenor) *

Joseph Jarman Joseph Jarman (September 14, 1937 – January 9, 2019) was an American jazz musician, composer, poet, and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He was one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and a member of the ...

(1937–2019) (alto) *

Boney James Boney James (born James Oppenheim September 1, 1961) is an American saxophonist, recording artist, songwriter and record producer. He is a four-time Grammy Award nominee (Best Pop Instrumental Album, 2001, 2004, 2014 and Best Traditional R&B Per ...

(born 1961) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Carter Jefferson Carter Jefferson (1946 – 9 December 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Jefferson played clarinet and alto saxophone early in his career, playing in the backing bands for The Temptations, The Supremes, and Little Richard in ...

(1946–1993) *

Hilton Jefferson Hilton Jefferson (July 30, 1903 – November 14, 1968) was an American jazz alto saxophonist born in Danbury, Connecticut, United States, perhaps best known for leading the saxophone section from 1940 to 1949 in the Cab Calloway band. Jefferson ...

(1903–1968) (alto) *

Paul Jeffrey Paul Jeffrey (April 8, 1933 – March 20, 2015) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and educator. He was a member of Thelonious Monk's regular group from 1970–1975, and also worked extensively with other musicians such as Charles ...

(1933–2015) (all saxes) * John Jenkins (1931–1993) (alto) * Bjørn Johansen (1940–2002) (baritone, tenor, alto) * Bill Johnson (1912–1960) (alto) *

Budd Johnson Albert J. "Budd" Johnson III (December 14, 1910 – October 20, 1984) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who worked extensively with, among others, Ben Webster, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke ...

(1910–1984) (tenor) * Edward "Kidd" Jordan (1935–2023) (alto, tenor, soprano, baritone) *

Louis Jordan Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the King ...

(1908–1975) (alto) *

Jackiem Joyner Jackiem Joyner (born February 9, 1980) is a smooth jazz saxophonist and flutist from Norfolk, Virginia, US. Biography Son of Dianne Joyner Terry and Jackie Smith (local bass guitar player known as the raven). Raised by his mother in a sing ...

(born 1980)

K

Richie Kamuca Richard "Richie" Kamuca (July 23, 1930 – July 22, 1977) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Musical career Kamuca was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and, like many players associated with West Coast jazz, grew up in the ...

(1930–1977) (tenor) *

(born 1963) (soprano, alto, tenor) *

Tom Keenlyside Thomas William Keenlyside (born 1950) is a Canadian saxophonist and flautist from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Biography Born and raised in Vancouver, Keenlyside grew up hearing many genres of music on the radio that his parents left tu ...

(born 1950) (all saxes) * Gary Keller (born 1953) (all saxes) *

Robin Kenyatta Robin Kenyatta (March 6, 1942 – October 26, 2004) was an American jazz alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. Early life Born Robert Prince Haynes in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, Kenyatta grew up in New York City and began playing the saxophone a ...

(1942–2004) (alto) * Pete King (1929–2009) (tenor) * Peter King (1940–2020) (alto, soprano) *

Rosa King Rosa King (March 14, 1939 – December 12, 2000) was an American jazz and blues saxophonist and singer who made her fame in Amsterdam. Career King was born in Macon, Georgia, United States. During her career, she worked with Ben E. King, ...

(1939–2000) (and singer) * Niels Klein (born 1978) (tenor, soprano) *

Kåre Kolve Kåre Kolve (born 10 August 1964) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), and the older brother of the vibraphonist Ivar Kolve. He is known as bandleader of his own Kåre Kolve Quartet, several album releases and the collaborations within th ...

(born 1964) (tenor, soprano) *

Håkon Kornstad Håkon Games Kornstad (born 5 April 1977 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone, bass saxophone, flute and live looping) and classically trained singer (tenor), known from bands such as Wibutee and Kornstad Trio, and co ...

(born 1977) (tenor, bass) *

Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. ''Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Grove Music Online''. ''Grove Dictionary of M ...

(1936–1977), soprano ("manzello"), alto ("stritch"), tenor *

John Klemmer John T. Klemmer (born July 3, 1946) is an American saxophonist, composer, songwriter, and arranger. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and began playing guitar at the age of five and alto saxophone at the age of 11. His other earl ...

(born 1946) (baritone, alto, tenor) *

Eric Kloss Eric Kloss (born April 3, 1949) is an American jazz saxophonist. Music career Kloss was born blind in Greenville, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, and attended Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, which was run by his father. When he was ...

(born 1949) (alto) * Kadota "Jaw" Kouske (tenor, soprano) *

Kaori Kobayashi , is a Japanese jazz saxophonist and flautist. She grew up in Tokyo. Biography Kobayashi was born October 20, 1981, in Kanagawa Prefecture. Her father was a photographer and her mother, a piano teacher. Beginning at a very young age, Kobayashi l ...

(born 1981) (alto) *

(born 1963) (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone) *

Sigurd Køhn Sigurd Eystein Køhn (6 August 1959 – 26 December 2004) was a Norwegian jazz saxophonist and composer. Career Køhn was born in Kristiansand, Norway, and started playing the violin and the clarinet at the age of 9, and begun playing the al ...

(1959–2004) (alto) *

Lee Konitz Leon "Lee" Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist and composer. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's ass ...

(1927–2020) (alto, soprano) *

Bjørn Kruse Bjørn Howard Kruse (born 14 August 1946) is a Norwegian painter and composer. He is also professor of composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. Personal life Kruse is the son of Colonel Erling O. Kruse (born 1922, died 2016) and E ...

(born 1946) (alto, soprano) *

Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) was a Nigerians, Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as the principal innovator of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre t ...

(1939–1997) (tenor, alto)

L

(born 1944) (soprano, tenor) *

Steve Lacy Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya (born May 23, 1998) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. He gained recognition as the guitarist of the alternative R&B band the Internet, which he joined in 2015. His self-produced debut EP, '' ...

(1934–2004) (soprano) *

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American List of jazz saxophonists, jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano saxophone, soprano and flute. D ...

(born 1942) (alto, soprano) *

Harold Land Harold de Vance Land (December 18, 1928 – July 27, 2001) was an American hard bop and post-bop tenor saxophonist. Land developed his hard bop playing with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown band into a personal, modern style, often rivalling Clifford ...

(1928–2001) (tenor) *

Brian Landrus Brian Landrus (born September 14, 1978) is a jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and educator. Career Landrus was born in Reno, Nevada, where he began playing professionally at the age of 13. He earned a degree in saxo ...

(born 1978) (baritone, bass) *

Charley Langer Charley Langer is an American smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. Langer released his first solo album, ''Never the Same'', in 2009, and wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten songs on the album. The title track was featured on the The Weather Ch ...

(born 1962) *

Don Lanphere Donald Gale Lanphere (June 26, 1928 – October 9, 2003) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist, known for his 1940s and 1950s work, and recordings with Fats Navarro (in 1948), Woody Herman (1949), Claude Thornhill, Sonny Dunham, B ...

(1928–2003) (tenor, soprano) *

Prince Lasha William B. Lawsha, better known as Prince Lasha (), (September 10, 1929 – December 12, 2008) was an United States of America, American jazz alto saxophonist, flautist, baritone saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist and English horn player. Life a ...

(1929–2008) (alto) *

Harald Lassen Harald Lassen (born March 13, 1987, in Kristiansand, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician, songwriter, and bandleader. In addition to being the front man of LASSEN, he has played with several other bands, including DUPLEX, Mopti (with Bendik B ...

(born 1987) (tenor, soprano) *

Yusef Lateef Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and prominent figure among the Ahmadiyya Community in the United States. Although Lateef's main i ...

(1920–2013) (tenor) *

Azar Lawrence Azar Lawrence (born November 3, 1952) is an American jazz saxophonist, known for his contributions as sideman to McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, and Woody Shaw. Career Lawrence released ''Summer Solstice'' on Prestige Records in 1975, ...

(born 1952) (tenor, soprano) *

Ronnie Laws Ronald Wayne Laws (born October 3, 1950) is an American jazz and smooth jazz saxophonist, and singer. He is the younger brother of jazz flutist Hubert Laws, jazz vocalist Eloise Laws and the older brother of Debra Laws. Biography Born and rai ...

(born 1950) (alto, tenor) *

Amy Lee Amy Lynn Lee (born December 13, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is the co-founder, lead vocalist, lead songwriter, and keyboardist of the rock band Evanescence. A classically trained pianist, Lee began writing music at ...

(soprano, alto) * Gary Lefebvre (1939–2013) (tenor) *

Carmen Leggio Carmen Leggio (September 30, 1927 – May 17, 2009) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Leggio was born in Tarrytown, New York and died there on April 17, 2009. In his final years, he performed in clubs and restaurants throughout Westch ...

(1927–2009) (tenor) *

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a ...

(born 1946) (soprano, tenor) * Erica Lindsay (born 1955) (soprano, tenor) *

Michael Lington Michael Lington (born June 11, 1969) is a Danish-American contemporary saxophonist, songwriter, producer, recording artist and a purveyor of soul and contemporary jazz. Lington has released 11 solo albums and has 25 singles that have charted on ...

(born 1969) *

Fred Lipsius Fred Lipsius (born 19 November 1943 in the Bronx) is an American musician who is the original saxophonist and arranger for the jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears, for which he played alto saxophone and piano. He was with the band from 1967 to 197 ...

(born 1945) (alto) *

Zachary Lipton Zachary Chase Lipton (born ) is a machine learning researcher and jazz saxophonist from New Rochelle, New York. He is currently Chief Technology Officer and Chief Scientific Officer at Abridge. He is also an associate professor of Machine Le ...

(born 1985) (soprano, tenor) * Charles Lloyd (born 1938) (tenor, alto) *

Mornington Lockett Mornington Edward Lockett (born 19 November 1961) is an English jazz saxophonist. Career Lockett began playing clarinet at the age of 14 while he was a student at Cowes High School, before switching to tenor saxophone. He studied at Dartington ...

(born 1961) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist. T ...

(born 1952) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Preston Love Preston Haynes Love (April 26, 1921 – February 12, 2004) was an American saxophonist, bandleader, and songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska, United States, best known as a sideman for jazz and rhythm and blues artists like Count Basie and Ray Char ...

(1921–2004) (alto) *

Håvard Lund Håvard Lund (born 20 October 1970 in Gildeskål Municipality, Norway), is a Norwegian jazz musician (clarinet and saxophone) and composer, known from a series of recordings and collaborations with musicians like Anja Garbarek, Vigleik Storaas, ...

(born 1970) (soprano) *

Arun Luthra Arun Luthra (Hindi: अरुण लूथरा; Punjabi: ਅਰੁਣ ਲੂਥਰਾ) is a saxophonist, konnakol artist, composer, and bandleader based in New York City. Career He has worked with Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, Kenny Garret ...

(soprano, tenor, alto) *

Graeme Lyall Graeme William Lyall ( AM), is an Australian saxophonist, composer and arranger. He became a Member of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2003: "''For service to music as Artistic Director of the Western Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra, and a ...

(born 1942) (alto, tenor, soprano) *

Jimmy Lyons Jimmy Lyons (December 1, 1931 – May 19, 1986) was an American alto saxophone player. He is best known for his long tenure in the Cecil Taylor Unit. Lyons was the only constant member of the band from the mid-1960s until his death. Taylor never ...

(1931–1986) (alto) *

Geir Lysne Geir Øystein Lysne (born 9 October 1965 in Trondheim, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone, flute, composer, arranger) and a famous Big Band leader. Career Geir Lysne is a Norwegian conductor, composer, produser and teacher, educate ...

(born 1965) (soprano, tenor)

M

Teo Macero Attilio Joseph "Teo" Macero (October 30, 1925 – February 19, 2008) was an American jazz record producer, saxophonist, and composer. He was a producer at Columbia Records for twenty years. Macero produced Miles Davis' ''Bitches Brew'' and Dave B ...

(1925–2008) (tenor, alto) *

Fraser MacPherson John Fraser MacPherson CM (10 April 1928 – 27 September 1993) was a Canadian jazz musician from Saint Boniface, Manitoba. MacPherson moved to Victoria, British Columbia, as a child. He learned piano, clarinet, and alto and tenor saxophone ...

(1928–1993) (tenor) *

Rudresh Mahanthappa Rudresh Mahanthappa (born May 4, 1971) is a New York-based jazz alto saxophonist and composer. Biography Mahanthappa is the son of Indian emigrants to the U.S. He was born in Trieste, Italy as a result of his father's job in academia, but spent ...

(born 1971) (alto) *

Joe Maini Joe Maini (February 8, 1930 – May 7, 1964) was an American jazz alto saxophonist. Maini was born February 8, 1930, in Providence, Rhode Island. Early in his career Maini played in the big bands of Alvino Rey, Johnny Bothwell, and Claude Thornh ...

(1930–1964) (alto) *

Didier Malherbe Didier Malherbe (born 22 January 1943) is a French jazz, rock, and world music musician and poet. He is a member of the bands Gong and Hadouk. He plays the saxophone, flute, alto clarinet, ocarina, Laotian Khen, Bawu flute, Hulusi, and ma ...

(born 1943) * Antonio Marangolo (born 1949) (tenor, soprano, baritone) * Steve "The Count" Marcus (1939–2005) (tenor, soprano) *

Charlie Mariano Carmine Ugo Mariano (November 12, 1923 – June 16, 2009) was an American jazz saxophone, saxophonist who focused on the alto saxophone, alto and soprano saxophone. He occasionally performed and recorded on flute and nadaswaram as well. Biogra ...

(1923–2009) (alto) *

Eric Marienthal Eric Marienthal (born December 19, 1957) is a Grammy Award-nominated Los Angeles-based contemporary saxophonist best known for his work in the jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, and pop genres. Early life Eric Marienthal was born on December 19, 1 ...

(born 1957) * "Blue" Lou Marini (born 1945) (soprano, alto, tenor) *

Branford Marsalis Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ens ...

(born 1960) (tenor, soprano) *

Warne Marsh Warne Marion Marsh (October 26, 1927 – December 18, 1987) was an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Los Angeles, his playing first came to prominence in the 1950s as a protégé of pianist Lennie Tristano and earned attention in the 1970s as ...

(1927–1987) (tenor) *

Jørgen Mathisen Jørgen Mathisen (born 27 December 1984 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegians, Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone and clarinet), the younger brother of Martin Mathisen (b. 1978), and known from different bands, and a series of recordings with musici ...

(born 1984) (tenor) * Ole Mathisen (born 1965) (tenor) *

Bennie Maupin Bennie Maupin (born August 29, 1940) is an American jazz multireedist who performs on various saxophones, flute, and bass clarinet. Biography Maupin was born in Detroit, Michigan. He is known for his participation in Herbie Hancock's Mwandish ...

(1940) (tenor, soprano) * Andy McGhee (1927–2017) *

Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre (March 24, 1936 – November 9, 2013) ...

(1936–2013) *

Hal McKusick Hal McKusick (June 1, 1924 – April 11, 2012) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist who worked with Boyd Raeburn from 1944 to 1945 and Claude Thornhill from 1948 to 1949. Career McKusick was born in Medford, Massachus ...

(1924–2012) (alto) *

Donny McCaslin Donald Paul McCaslin (born August 11, 1966) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has recorded over a dozen albums as a bandleader in addition to many sideman appearances, including on David Bowie's final studio album, ''Blackstar (album), Blacksta ...

(born 1966) (tenor) *

Jackie McLean John Lenwood McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator. He is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their death. Bio ...

(1931–2006) (alto) * Charles McPherson (born 1939) (alto) *

Marion Meadows Marion Meadows (born July 24, 1962) is an Americans, American soprano saxophonist and composer, mainly in smooth jazz. He was born in Beckley, West Virginia, and grew up mainly in Connecticut. His first album as a leader was ''For Lovers Only'' ...

(soprano) *

Getatchew Mekurya Getatchew Mekurya (Amharic: ጌታቸው መኩሪያ; 14 March 1935 – 4 April 2016) was an Ethiopian jazz saxophonist. Early career Getatchew Mekurya was born on 14 March 1935, in Yifat, Ethiopia. His father was a honey merchant. Young Get ...

(1935–2016) (tenor) *

Don Menza Don Menza (born April 22, 1936) is an American jazz saxophonist. Career Menza was born in Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, where he attended Grover Cleveland High School (Buffalo, New York), Grover Cleveland High School. After serving in the U.S. ...

(born 1936) (tenor) *

(born 1953) (tenor) *

Roscoe Mitchell Roscoe Mitchell (born August 3, 1940) is an American composer, jazz instrumentalist, and educator, known for being "a technically superb – if idiosyncratic – saxophonist". ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' described him as "one of the key figure ...

(born 1940) (saxes) *

Josephine Alexandra Mitchell Josephine Alexandra Mitchell (22 July 1903 – 23 November 1995) was Ireland's first female professional saxophonist. Early life Mitchell was born in 1903 in Phibsborough, Dublin to Joseph Edwin Mitchell, conductor at the Theatre Royale and ci ...

(1903–1995) was Ireland's first female saxophonist. *

Hank Mobley Henry Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone, that was neithe ...

(1930–1986) (tenor) * J. R. Monterose (1927–1993) (tenor) * James Moody (1925–2010) (tenor, alto) *

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

(1933–2007) (alto) *

Lanny Morgan Lanny Morgan (born March 30, 1934, in Des Moines, Iowa) is an American jazz alto saxophonist chiefly active on the West Coast jazz scene. Morgan was raised in Los Angeles. In the 1950s, he played with Charlie Barnet, Si Zentner, Terry Gibbs, and ...

(born 1934) (alto) *

Dick Morrissey Richard Edwin Morrissey (9 May 1940 – 8 November 2000) was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute. Biography Background He was born in Horley, Surrey, England. Dick Morrissey emerged ...

(1940–2000) (tenor, soprano) *

Kjetil Møster Kjetil Traavik Møster (born 17 June 1976) is a Norwegian jazz musician ( tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet and bass clarinet) and composer, known from bands like The Core, Ultralyd, Brat, Zanussi 5, and performance with Chick Corea at Mol ...

(born 1976) (tenor, baritone) *

Gerry Mulligan Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, pianist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing t ...

(1927–1996) (baritone) * Mike Murley (born 1961) (tenor, soprano) * David Murray (born 1955) (tenor) *

Vido Musso Vido William Musso (January 16, 1913 – January 9, 1982) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Musso is a fairly obscure figure in the history of jazz and big band music. He relocated with his family from Carini, Sicily to the U.S. in Ju ...

(1913–1982) (tenor) *

Bheki Mseleku Bhekumuzi Hyacinth Mseleku, generally known as Bheki Mseleku (3 March 1955 – 9 September 2008), was a jazz musician from South Africa. He was a pianist, saxophonist, guitarist, composer and arranger who was entirely self-taught. John Fordham"B ...

(1955–2008) (tenor) * Henry "Boots" Mussulli (1915–1967) (alto)

N

Najee Jerome Najee Rasheed (born November 4, 1957, New York City), known professionally as Najee, is an American jazz saxophonist and flautist. Early life Najee was born in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City and lived his teenage years ...

(born 1957) (soprano, alto, tenor) *

Zbigniew Namysłowski Zbigniew Jacek Namysłowski (9 September 1939 – 7 February 2022) was a Polish jazz alto saxophonist, flautist, cellist, trombonist, pianist and composer. Life and career Namysłowski was born in Warsaw, Poland, on 9 September 1939. He perfor ...

(1939–2022) (alto) * Ted Nash (born 1960) (alto) *

Oliver Nelson Oliver Edward Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961 Impulse! album '' The Blues and the Abstract Truth'' (1961) is regarded as one of the most signi ...

(1932–1975) (alto, tenor) * Roger Neumann (1940–2018) (tenor, baritone) *

Bjarne Nerem Bjarne Arnulf Nerem (31 July 1923 in Oslo, Norway – 1 April 1991 in Oslo), was a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone and clarinet) among the foremost soloists in Norwegian jazz. He was in the tradition of Lester Young, ...

(1923–1991) (tenor, alto) *

Marius Neset Marius Søfteland Neset (born 2 January 1985) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone) living in Copenhagen. He is known from collaborations within the jazz bands "People Are Machines", "Kaktusch", " JazzKamikaze" and Django Bates projects "Sto ...

(born 1985) (tenor, soprano) *

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s an ...

(1933–2009) (tenor) *

Lennie Niehaus Leonard Niehaus (June 1, 1929 – May 28, 2020) was an American alto saxophonist, composer and arranger on the West Coast jazz scene. He played with the Stan Kenton, Stan Kenton Orchestra and served as one of Kenton's primary staff arrangers. He ...

(1929–2020) (alto) *

Bodil Niska Bodil Aileen Niska (born 21 August 1954 in Vadsø, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist known for her recordings of jazz standards. Career Raised in Hammerfest Municipality, she was taught music by her father, the accordion player Aksel ...

(born 1954) (tenor) *

Sal Nistico Salvatore Nistico (April 2, 1940 – March 3, 1991) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Associated for many years with Woody Herman's Herd, Nistico played in the group from 1962 to 1965, considered one of Herman's best bands, with ...

(1938–1991) (tenor) * Luis Nubiola (born 1974) (alto) *

Atle Nymo Atle Nymo (born 9 June 1977) is a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet), and the younger brother of Jazz saxophonist Frode Nymo. He is known for his contributions with the orchestras Motif (band), Motif, one of his main pro ...

(born 1977) (tenor) *

Frode Nymo Frode Nymo (born 27 November 1975), is a Norwegian jazz musician (alto Saxophone), and older brother of the tenor sax. player Atle Nymo. Career Nymo was born in Egersund and brought up in Valnesfjord, near Fauske. Early in his career, he was ...

(born 1975) (alto) *

Rolf-Erik Nystrøm Rolf-Erik Nystrøm (born 23 April 1975) is a Norwegian saxophonist and composer in the field of contemporary music. Career Nystrøm has a diploma of music from the Norwegian Academy of Music and is now a lecturer in the art of improvisation ba ...

(born 1975) (tenor)

O

Dick Oatts Richard Dennis Oatts (born April 2, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator. Biography While growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, Oatts gained an interest in music from his father, Jack Oatts, who was a sa ...

(born 1953) (soprano, alto, tenor) * Maciej Obara (born 1981) (alto, tenor) *

Njål Ølnes Njål Ølnes (born 24 September 1965 in Sogndal Municipality, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone), composer and jazz educator currently residing in Nesodden Municipality. Career Ølnes is a graduate of the Jazz program at t ...

(born 1965) (tenor) * Anthony Ortega (born 1928) (alto, tenor) *

Mike Osborne Michael Evans Osborne (28 September 1941 – 19 September 2007) was an English jazz alto saxophonist, pianist, and clarinetist who was a member of the band Brotherhood of Breath in the 1960s and 1970s. Biography Mike Osborne was born in H ...

(1941–2007) (alto) *

Greg Osby Greg Osby (born August 3, 1960) is an American saxophonist and composer. Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Osby studied at Howard University, then at the Berklee College of Music. He moved to New York City in 1982, where he played with Jak ...

(born 1960) (alto, soprano)

P

Walter Parazaider Walter Parazaider (born March 14, 1945) is an American woodwind musician who is a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He is best known for being one-third of Chicago's brass/woodwind section alongside Lee Loughnane and James Pankow. Para ...

(born 1945) (alto) *

Jorge Pardo Jorge Pardo may refer to: *Jorge Pardo (artist), Cuban-American artist and sculptor *Jorge Pardo (musician) (born 1955), Spanish musician *J. D. Pardo Jorge Daniel Pardo (born September 7, 1980) is an American actor. He is best known for playing ...

(born 1956) (soprano, tenor) *

(1920–1955) (alto, tenor) *

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

(born 1944) (soprano, tenor, alto) *

Leo Parker Leo Parker (April 18, 1925 – February 11, 1962) was an American jazz musician, who primarily played baritone saxophone. Parker was the earliest baritone saxophonist to play bebop. Early life Born in Washington, D.C., Parker studied alto sax ...

(1925–1962) (baritone, alto) *

Maceo Parker Maceo Parker (; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s and Prince in the 2000s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of ...

(born 1943) (alto, tenor, baritone) * Derek Pascoe (born 1957) (tenor) *

Jerome Don Pasquall Jerome Don Pasquall (September 20, 1902 – October 18, 1971) was an American jazz reed player. Early life Pasquall was born in Fulton, Kentucky, and grew up in St. Louis. As a child, he played the mellophone in brass bands. He served in t ...

(1902–1971) (alto) * Michel Pastre (born 1966) (tenor) * Hanna Paulsberg (born 1987) (tenor) * Arvid Gram Paulsen (1922–1963) (tenor, alto) *

George Paxton George Paxton (March 24, 1914 – April 19, 1989) was an American big band leader, saxophonist, arranger, and publisher during the 1930s and 1940s. He was president of Coed Records and a producer for the label. Early career He was born in Jack ...

(1914–1989) (tenor) *

Cecil Payne Cecil Payne (December 14, 1922 – November 27, 2007) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist born in Brooklyn, New York. Payne also played the alto saxophone and flute. He played with other prominent jazz musicians, in particular Dizzy Gilles ...

(1922–2007) (baritone) *

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American jazz musician, most known as an alto saxophonist. He occasionally performed and recorded on tenor saxophone, clarinet (his first instrument) and bass clarinet. Active ...

(1925–1982) (alto, tenor) * Bill Perkins (1924–2003) (tenor, baritone) *

Rich Perry Rich Perry is an American jazz tenor saxophonist from Cleveland, Ohio. Perry attended Bowling Green State University for a year before moving to New York. He toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1975 and with The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orche ...

(born 1955) (tenor) *

Eric Person Eric Person (born May 2, 1963 in St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri) is an American alto saxophone, alto and soprano saxophone player and leader of Meta-Four. Since moving to New York City in 1982, Person has performed and recorded with jazz ...

(born 1963) (alto, soprano, tenor, sopranino) *

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing music, swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He re ...

(born 1934) (tenor) *

Flip Phillips Joseph Edward Filippelli (March 26, 1915 – August 17, 2001), known professionally as Flip Phillips, was an American jazz tenor saxophone and clarinet player. He is best remembered for his work with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic conc ...

(1915–2001) (tenor) *

Jacques Pelzer Jacques Pelzer (24 June 1924 – 6 August 1994) was a Belgium, Belgian musician. He played alto saxophone and flute. Notably, his performance with Chet Baker was included on Baker's quintet's ''Brussels 1964'' album. He made his debut in 1947 ...

(1924–1994) (soprano, tenor) *

Courtney Pine Courtney Pine, (born 18 March 1964) is a British jazz musician, who was the principal founder in the 1980s of the black British band the Jazz Warriors. Although known primarily for his saxophone playing, Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also ...

(born 1964) (tenor, alto, soprano) *

Bobby Plater Robert C. Plater (May 13, 1914, Newark, New Jersey - November 20, 1982, Lake Tahoe) was an American jazz alto saxophonist. Plater began playing alto sax at age 12, and played locally in Newark with Donald Lambert and the Savoy Dictators in the ...

(1914–1982) (alto) *

Pony Poindexter Norwood "Pony" Poindexter (February 8, 1926 – April 14, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist who was born in New Orleans and died in Oakland, California. Poindexter began on clarinet and switched to playing alto and tenor sax. In 1940, he st ...

(1926–1988) *

Odean Pope Odean Pope (born October 24, 1938) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Pope was born in Ninety Six, South Carolina to musical parents and moved to North Philadelphia at the age of 10, where he learned from Ray Bryant. His talent ...

(born 1938) (tenor) *

Michel Portal Michel Portal (born 27 November 1935) is a French composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He plays both jazz and classical music and is considered to be "one of the architects of modern European jazz". Early life Portal was born in Bayonne on 27 ...

(born 1935) (tenor) * Art Porter Jr. (1961–1996) (alto) *

Tineke Postma Tineke Postma (born August 31, 1978) is a Dutch jazz saxophonist and composer. Saxophonist and composer Tineke Postma was named a rising star for soprano saxophone in ''DownBeat''’s 2019 critics poll. She tours internationally as a leader and ...

(born 1978) (alto, tenor, soprano) * Chris Potter (born 1970) (tenor, alto, soprano) * Noah Preminger (born 1986) (tenor) *

Russell Procope Russell Keith Procope (August 11, 1908 – January 21, 1981) was an American clarinetist and alto saxophonist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra. Before Ellington Procope was born in New York City, United States, and grew up in ...

(1908–1981) (alto) *

Dudu Pukwana Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana (18 July 1938 – 30 June 1990) was a South African saxophonist and composer. Early years in South Africa Dudu Pukwana was born in Walmer, Port Elizabeth, Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He grew up studyin ...

(1938–1990) (alto, soprano)

Q

Ike Quebec Ike Abrams Quebec (August 17, 1918January 16, 1963) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career in the big band era of the 1940s, then fell from prominence for a time until launching a comeback in the years before his death. Crit ...

(1918–1963) (tenor) *

Paul Quinichette Paul Quinichette (May 17, 1916 – May 25, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was known as the "Vice President" or "Vice Prez" for his emulation of the breathy style of Lester Young, whose nickname was "The President", or simply "P ...

(1916–1983) (tenor)

R

Boyd Raeburn Boyd Albert Raeburn (October 27, 1913 – August 2, 1966) was an American jazz bandleader and bass saxophone, bass saxophonist. Career He was born in Faith, South Dakota, United States. Raeburn attended the University of Chicago, where he led a ...

(1913–1966) (bass) * Bill Ramsay (born 1929) *

Boots Randolph Homer Louis "Boots" Randolph III (June 3, 1927 – July 3, 2007) was an American musician. His 1963 saxophone hit " Yakety Sax" became the signature tune of ''The Benny Hill Show''. Randolph was a prolific session musician and member of the Nas ...

(1927–2007) (tenor) *

Nelson Rangell Nelson Rangell (born March 26, 1960) is an American smooth jazz musician and composer from Castle Rock, Colorado. Although he is known for his work with the tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone, his primary instrument is the piccolo, which he beg ...

(born 1960), all saxes *

Sonny Red Sylvester Kyner Jr. (December 17, 1932 – March 20, 1981), known as Sonny Red, was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flutist and composer associated with the hard bop idiom among other styles. Sonny Red played with Art Blakey, Curtis Fuller, ...

(1932–1981) (alto) *

(1928–2022) (alto) *

Dewey Redman Walter Dewey Redman (May 17, 1931 – September 2, 2006) was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played alto s ...

(1931–2006) (tenor, alto) *

Don Redman Donald Matthew Redman (July 29, 1900 – November 30, 1964) was an American jazz musician, arranger, bandleader, and composer. Biography Redman was born in Piedmont, Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. His father was a music teacher ...

(1900–1964) (alto) *

(born 1969) (alto, soprano, tenor) *

Jerome Richardson Jerome Richardson (December 25, 1920 – June 23, 2000) was an American jazz musician and woodwind player. He is cited as playing one of the earliest jazz flute recordings with his work on the 1949 Quincy Jones arranged song "Kingfish". Caree ...

(1920–2000) (alto) * Joe Riposo (born 1933) (Alto) *

Jim Riggs James Garland Riggs (born July 28, 1941) is an American saxophone, saxophonist in classical and jazz idioms, big band director, collegiate music educator, and international music clinician. He is also a University of North Texas Regents Professor ...

(born 1941) *

Knut Riisnæs Knut Riisnæs (13 November 1945 – 22 July 2023) was a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone and flute), arranger, and composer, son of pianist Eline Nygaard Riisnæs and brother of classical pianist Anne Eline Riisnæs (1951–) and jazz saxopho ...

(born 1945) (tenor) * Odd Riisnæs (born 1953) (tenor, soprano) * Sam Rivers (1923–2011) (soprano, tenor) *

Scott Robinson Scott Robinson may refer to: * Scott Robinson (jazz musician) (born 1959), American jazz musician * Scott Robinson (ice hockey) (born 1964), Canadian National Hockey League player * Scott Robinson (singer) (born 1979), English singer in the boy ban ...

(born 1959) (all saxes) *

Spike Robinson Henry Bertholf "Spike" Robinson (January 16, 1930 – October 29, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began playing at age twelve, recording on several labels, including Discovery, Hep and Concord. However, he sought an engineering ...

(1930–2001) (tenor) * Bob Rockwell (born 1945) (tenor, soprano) *

André Roligheten André Roligheten (born 2 January 1985) is a Norwegians, Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone) and composer, known from a series of recordings and bands like Albatrosh and Eirik Hegdal, Team Hegdal. He has also played with musicians like Andrew D' ...

(born 1985) (tenor) *

Adrian Rollini Adrian Francis Rollini (June 28, 1903 – May 15, 1956) was an Americans, American jazz instrumentalist, multi-instrumentalist who primarily played the bass saxophone, piano, and vibraphone. He is also known for playing novelty instruments such ...

(1904–1956) (bass, baritone) *

(born 1930) (tenor, soprano) *

Bruno Romani Bruno Romani (9 January 1960 – 14 March 2025) was an Italian saxophonist, flutist and composer. Romani was the founder of ''Detonazione'' (one of the most influential Italian post-punk bands of the 1980s), author of contemporary jazz albums a ...

(born 1960) (alto, sax) * Mette Henriette Martedatter Rølvåg (born 1990) (tenor) * Rent Romus (born 1968) (alto, soprano) *

Bernt Rosengren Bernt Åke Rosengren (24 December 1937 – 15 May 2023) was a Swedish jazz tenor saxophonist. His recordings earned him five Gyllene Skivan awards in Sweden over more than forty years. Biography Rosengren first played professionally at age 19, ...

(born 1937) (tenor, alto) *

Ronnie Ross Albert Ronald Ross (2 October 1933 – 12 December 1991) was a British jazz baritone saxophonist. Life Born in Calcutta, India, to Scottish parents, Ross moved to England in 1946 and was educated at the Perse School in Cambridge. He began ...

(1933–1991) (baritone) *

Charlie Rouse Charlie Rouse (April 6, 1924 – November 30, 1988) was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by his collaboration with Thelonious Monk, which lasted for more than ten years. Biography Rouse was born in Wash ...

(1924–1988) (tenor) *

Marshal Royal Marshal Walton Royal Jr. (December 5, 1912 – May 8, 1995) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist best known for his work with Count Basie, with whose band he played for nearly twenty years. Early life and education Marshal Royal ...

(1912–1995) (alto) *

Jeff Rupert Jeff Rupert (born September 6, 1964) is an American jazz saxophonist and professor at the University of Central Florida. Career Rupert received his master's degree in Jazz Studies from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University in 1993, ...

(born 1964) (tenor, alto) * Joe Rushton (1907–1964) (bass)

S

Edgar Sampson Edgar Melvin Sampson (October 31, 1907 – January 16, 1973), nicknamed "The Lamb", was an American jazz composer, arranger, saxophonist, and violinist. Born in New York City, he began playing violin aged six and picked up the saxophone in high ...

(1907–1973) (alto) *

(1945–2024) (alto, soprano) * David Sánchez (born 1969) (tenor, soprano) *

Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...

(1940–2022) (tenor) * Mario Schiano (1933–2008) (soprano, alto) *

David Schnitter David Schnitter (born March 19, 1948, in Newark, New Jersey) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Allmusic/ref> Schnitter played clarinet as a youth and switched to tenor sax at age 15. After moving to New York City he played with Ted Dunbar an ...

(born 1948) (tenor) *

Anton Schwartz Anton Schwartz (born July 16, 1967) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer based in Seattle, Washington and Oakland, California. Biography Anton Schwartz was born and raised in New York City, the son of Tony Schwartz, the audio documenta ...

(born 1967) (tenor) *

Ronnie Scott Ronnie Scott Order of the British Empire, OBE (born Ronald Schatt; 28 January 1927 – 23 December 1996) was a British jazz Tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist and jazz club owner. He co-founded Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London's Soho district ...

(1927–1997) (tenor) * Tom Scott (born 1948) *

Karl Seglem Karl Seglem (born 8 July 1961) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (saxophone and bukkehorn), composer and producer, known from a series of combined jazz and traditional music releases, as well as leading his own record label NorCD from 1991. Care ...

(born 1961) (tenor) *

Trygve Seim Trygve Seim (born 25 April 1971) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist and composer. Seim has released numerous albums since 1992, including over 20 albums for ECM Records as a composer, band-leader or co-band-leader. Career Seim was born in Oslo a ...

(born 1971) (tenor, soprano) *

Kristin Sevaldsen Kristin Sevaldsen (born 10 January 1966 in Lillehammer, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (saxophone), composer, and music producer. Career Sevaldsen has been a band member and session musician for several years. In 2007, she released the ...

(born 1966) (tenor) *

Bud Shank Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...

(1926–2009) (alto, baritone, tenor) * Paul Shapiro (tenor, alto) *

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

(born 1937) (tenor, soprano, alto) *

Andy Sheppard Andy Sheppard (born 20 January 1957) is a British jazz saxophonist and composer. He has been awarded several prizes at the British Jazz Awards, and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, including Gil Evans, Carla Bley, ...

(born 1957) (tenor, soprano) *

Sahib Shihab Sahib Shihab (born Edmund Gregory; June 23, 1925 – October 24, 1989) was an American jazz and hard bop saxophonist (baritone, alto, and soprano) and flautist. He variously worked with Luther Henderson, Thelonious Monk, Fletcher Henderson, Tad ...

(1925–1989) (baritone, alto, soprano) *

(1933–2023) (tenor, soprano) *

Sonny Simmons Huey "Sonny" Simmons (August 4, 1933 – April 6, 2021) was an American jazz musician. Biography Simmons was born on August 4, 1933, in Sicily Island, Louisiana. He grew up in Oakland, California, where he began playing the English horn. (Along ...

(1933–2021) (alto) *

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

(1925–1985) (tenor, soprano, alto, baritone) * Guy Sion (born 1980) (tenor) *

Alan Skidmore Alan Richard James Skidmore (born 21 April 1942) is an English jazz tenor saxophonist, and the son of saxophonist Jimmy Skidmore. Career He was born in London, England. Skidmore began his professional career in his teens, and early in his care ...

(born 1942) (tenor) *

Steve Slagle Steve Slagle (born September 18, 1951) is an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Slagle was born in Los Angeles and grew up in suburban Philadelphia. He received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music and received a master's degree in ...

(born 1951) (alto, soprano) * Ben Smith (1905-?) (alto, tenor) * Bill Smith (born 1938) (soprano) *

Buster Smith Buster or BUSTER may refer to: People *Buster (surname) * Buster (given name) * Buster (nickname) Arts and entertainment Comics * ''Buster'' (comics), a British comic * ''Buster'' (sport comic), a Swedish comic Film and television * ''Buster ...

(1904–1991) (alto) * Mike Smith (born 1957) (alto, soprano) *

Tab Smith Talmadge "Tab" Smith (January 11, 1909 – August 17, 1971) was an American swing and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist. He is best remembered for the tracks " Because of You" and "Pretend". He worked with Count Basie, the Mills Rhythm Bo ...

(1909–1971) (alto) * Tommy Smith (born 1967) (tenor) *

Gary Smulyan Gary Smulyan (born April 4, 1956) is an American jazz musician who plays baritone saxophone. He studied at Hofstra University before working with Woody Herman. He leads a trio with bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Kenny Washington.

(born 1956) (baritone) *

Jim Snidero James J. Snidero (born May 29, 1958, in Redwood City, California, United States) is an American jazz saxophonist. Performance career Snidero grew up in the Washington, D.C., area (Camp Springs, MD), studying with Jim Murphy, Ron Diehl, Tim Eyerma ...

(born 1958) (alto) *

James Spaulding James Ralph Spaulding Jr. (was born July 30, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, United states, Spaulding attended the Chicago Cosmopolitan School of Music. Between 1957 and 1961, he was a member of ...

(born 1937) (alto) * Hal Stein (1928–2008) (alto) *

Dayna Stephens Dayna Stephens (born August 1, 1978) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. In addition to leading his own group, Stephens has performed extensively with Kenny Barron, Ambrose Akinmusire, Taylor Eigsti, Julian Lage, Eric Harland, and G ...

(born 1978) (tenor) * Robert Stewart (born 1969) (tenor, soprano) *

(1924–1982) (alto, tenor, baritone) * Vernon Story (1922–2007) (tenor) *

Frank Strozier Frank R. Strozier Jr. (born June 13, 1937) is a jazz alto saxophonist and occasional flutist. Strozier was born in Memphis, Tennessee, where he learned to play piano. In 1954, he moved to Chicago, where he performed with Harold Mabern, George Co ...

(born 1937) (alto) *

John Stubblefield John Stubblefield (February 4, 1945 – July 4, 2005) was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, and oboist. Early life Stubblefield was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas. He studied music at the Association for the Advancement of Crea ...

(1945–2005) (tenor) *

Carol Sudhalter Carol Stearns Sudhalter (January 5, 1943) is an American Jazz saxophonist. Biography Sudhalter grew up in a musical family: Her father Albert played the alto saxophone in the New England area with the bands of Herbie Marsh, Eddy Duchin, Bobby Ha ...

(born 1943) (tenor, baritone) *

Ed Summerlin Edgar Eugene Summerlin (September 1, 1928 – October 10, 2006) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator known for pioneering Liturgical jazz, avant-garde jazz, and free jazz. Early life and career Born on September 1, 1928 in Ma ...

(1928–2006) (tenor) *

John Surman John Douglas Surman (born 30 August 1944) is an English jazz saxophone, Clarinet family, clarinet, and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, often using themes from folk music. He has composed and performed music for danc ...

(born 1944) (baritone, soprano)

T

* Richard Tabnik (born 1952) (alto) *

Buddy Tate George Holmes "Buddy" Tate (February 22, 1913 – February 10, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States, and first played the alto saxophone. According to the website All Ab ...

(1913–2001) (tenor) * Paul Taylor (born 1960) *

John Tchicai John Martin Tchicai ( ; 28 April 1936 – 8 October 2012) was a Danish free jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Tchicai was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to a Danish mother and a Congolese father. The family moved to Aarhus, where he s ...

(1936–2012) (alto) *

Joe Temperley Joe Temperley (20 September 1929 – 11 May 2016) was a Scottish jazz saxophonist. He performed with various instruments, but was most associated with the baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, and bass clarinet. Life Temperley was born in Cowd ...

(1929–2016) (baritone) *

Frank Teschemacher Frank Teschemacher (March 13, 1906 – March 1, 1932) was an American jazz clarinetist and alto-saxophonist, associated with the "Austin High" gang (along with Jimmy McPartland, Bud Freeman and others). Early life and education He was born ...

(1906–1932) (alto) *

Art Themen Arthur Edward George Themen (born 26 November 1939) is a British jazz saxophonist and formerly orthopaedic surgeon. Critic John Fordham has described him as "an appealing presence on the British jazz circuit for over 40 years.... Originally a ...

(born 1939) (tenor, soprano) * Gary Thomas (born 1961) (tenor) * Barbara Thompson (1944–2022) * Cliff Townshend (1917–1986) *

Theo Travis Theo Travis (born 7 July 1964) is a British saxophonist, flautist and composer. He is a member of Soft Machine which he joined in 2006 while the group was still using the "Legacy" suffix and was a member of Gong from 1999 to 2010. Biography Tra ...

(born 1964) (tenor, soprano) *

Elisabeth Lid Trøen Elisabeth Lid Trøen (born 15 March 1992 in Voss, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist, and composer. Biography Trøen picked up the saxophone at 16 in 2008, and studied jazz at Voss Jazzskule. By the age of 20, she had already played with ...

(born 1992) (tenor) * Frankie Trumbauer (1901–1956) (C-melody, alto) * Mark Turner (musician), Mark Turner (born 1965) (tenor) * Premik Russell Tubbs (born 1952) (tenor, baritone, soprano) * Stanley Turrentine (1934–2000) (tenor)

V to W

* Harold Vick (1936–1987) (tenor) * Mathilde Grooss Viddal (born 1969) (soprano, tenor) * Eddie Vinson, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (1917–1988) (alto) * Bennie Wallace (born 1946) (tenor) * David S. Ware (1949–2012) (tenor, saxello, stritch) * Earle Warren (1914–1994) (alto) * Grover Washington Jr. (1943–1999) (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) * Kamasi Washington (born 1981) (tenor) * Sadao Watanabe (musician), Sadao Watanabe (born 1933) (alto, soprano) * Bobby Watson (American musician), Bobby Watson (born 1953) (alto) * Ernie Watts (born 1945) (alto, tenor) * Trevor Watts (born 1939) (alto, soprano) * Doug Webb (born 1960) * Ben Webster (1909–1973) (tenor) * Don Weller (musician), Don Weller (1940–2020) (tenor) * Bobby Wellins (1936–2016) (tenor) * Frank Wess (1922–2013) (tenor) * Petter Wettre (born 1967) (tenor) * Kirk Whalum (born 1958) * Andrew White (saxophonist), Andrew White (1942–2020) * Tommy Whittle (1926–2013) (tenor) * Barney Wilen (1937–1996) (soprano, alto, tenor) * Ed Wiley Jr. (1930–2010) (alto, tenor) * Mars Williams (born 1955) (sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor) * Pamela Williams (soprano, alto) * Steve Williamson (born 1964) (tenor, alto, soprano) * Steve Wilson (jazz musician), Steve Wilson (born 1961) (alto, soprano) * Juli Wood (tenor) * Phil Woods (1931–2015) (alto, soprano) * Leo Wright (1933–1991) (alto) * Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski (born 1936) (tenor)

X, Y and Z

* Ed Xiques (1939–2020) (baritone, alto, tenor, soprano) * Pete Yellin (1941–2016) (alto) * Lester Young (1909–1959) (tenor) * George Young (saxophonist), George Young (born 1937) (soprano, tenor) * Lukas Zabulionis (born 1992) (tenor) * Daniel Zamir (born 1981) (soprano, alto) * Miguel Zenón (born 1976) (alto) * John Zorn (born 1953) (alto)

References

* Richard Cook (journalist), Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (Scottish writer), Morton, Brian: ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD''. London: Penguin. (Various editions). * Miedema, Harry: ''Jazz Styles & Analysis: Alto Sax''. Chicago: Maher. 1975. *https://gregabate.com {{Jazz lists Jazz saxophonists, Lists of jazz musicians, Saxophonists Lists of musicians by instrument, Saxophonists

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