everything saxophone podcast

Susanne Alt, a versatile artist from Amsterdam, excels in saxophone, composition, DJing, and production. Born in 1978 in Würzburg, Germany, Alt showed early promise, winning the Siemens Prize for young talent in classical saxophone during her formative years at the Meistersinger-Konservatorium Nuremberg.

Alt's musical journey continued as she pursued jazz saxophone studies in the Netherlands, honing her skills at conservatories in Hilversum and Amsterdam. Her dedication led her to further education at the Universität der Künste Berlin, where she graduated with honors in 2003.

Since 1999, Alt has been captivating audiences with her saxophone performances, both as a solo artist and collaborating with DJs in Amsterdam's nightlife. Her venture into production began in 2004 with the release of "Nocturne" on her label, Venus Tunes, marking the start of a prolific career in music production.

In recent years, Alt has expanded her artistic horizons, delving into DJing and live performances characterized by her soulful, deep, and funky sound. Notable endeavors include "Venus Tunes Live," an all-female ensemble blending live instrumentation with DJing, and collaborations with renowned artists across various genres.

We talked about:

• Jam sessions and playing with great musicians

• How to not overplay

• Her career as a DJ and House Music suggestions

• Call and response in performance

• Susanne’s insights into finding your own voice

• Her new album and the influence of Roy Hargrove on her and on jazz music

• And more!

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Support your love to our podcast! 

Become a Patron, and for as little as a $2 donation each month, you get searchable transcripts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!

The EMEO, the pioneering digital practice horn for saxophonists, has expanded its offerings to include mouthpieces crafted from FDA-approved dental material and solid silver. Mouthpieces showcased at the NAMM Show 2024 are currently accessible for alto and tenor saxophones, as well as clarinets.

We talked about:

• How EMEO is using FDA-approved dental material
• Why their solid silver mouthpiece is very interesting acoustically
• How to get more info on the EMEO mouthpieces

You can find their links on our site.

This episode was proudly sponsored by Rovner Products, creators of fine ligatures for saxophone and clarinet for almost 50 years.

If you perform in Rock, Blues, Marching Band, Military ensembles, and are tired of getting drowned out by all the other instruments, you need to try Rovner’s latest offering, the LGX Ligature. Pure power without losing the quality of your tone. Just go to www.rovnerproducts.com for more info and to purchase.

Want to support the show?

Become a Patron, and for as little as a $2 donation each month, you get searchable transcripts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!

Founded by Lars Hueseler and a group of enthusiasts in late 2007, Forestone emerged determined to revolutionize the reed industry by overcoming the limitations of traditional cane and plastic reeds. 

Led by Kazunori, a former manager at Japan's leading woodwind distributor Kawai, they devised a groundbreaking material formula: a blend of bamboo and PP. This innovative combination delivered the rich tones of wood with unmatched consistency through injection molding.

Forestone was the first to utilize natural fibers combined with synthetic materials, pioneering a revolutionary approach to reed manufacturing.

You can catch their full Bio, and the link to their website on our site.

We talked about:

• What makes Forestone Reeds unique
• Different Forestone Reed Models
• Tips for trying Forestone Reeds

This episode was proudly sponsored by Rovner Products, creators of fine ligatures for saxophone and clarinet for almost 50 years.

If you perform in Rock, Blues, Marching Band, Military ensembles, and are tired of getting drowned out by all the other instruments, you need to try Rovner’s latest offering, the LGX Ligature. Pure power without losing the quality of your tone. Just go to www.rovnerproducts.com for more info and to purchase.

Level up your sax experience!

Unlock the benefits of becoming a Patron, gaining early access to all all NAMM Show 2024 episodes. Plus Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, searchable transcripts, and an array of bonus content unavailable anywhere else.

Head on over to our Patreon Site and support the show.

Marca's New Cane & Synthetic Unic Reeds blend the sonic richness of traditional cane with the durability of synthetic fibers, featuring a pioneering composition of 95% cane and 5% synthetic material, offering a potential 6-month lifespan while preserving stability and humidity control, and treated like conventional cane reeds, available for saxophones and clarinets—truly a unique innovation that left me unable to resist remarking on its exceptional nature!

For over 60 years, Marca has perfected the art of reed-making, blending traditional expertise with modern innovation. With a commitment to quality ingrained in every step of the process, from the careful selection and aging of the finest French cane to the skilled craftsmanship and rigorous testing by renowned professionals, Marca reeds have become the preferred choice of discerning wind musicians globally. Whether for student or professional use, Marca's reeds stand as a testament to excellence, offering unparalleled performance at a competitive price, ensuring that musicians everywhere can experience the unmatched quality crafted by the most exacting hands.

We talked about:

• The new Marca Reeds, Unic model
• How the Unic reeds are produced
• When the reeds will be available

You can catch their Bio, and all of their links on our site.

This episode was proudly sponsored by Rovner Products, creators of fine ligatures for saxophone and clarinet for almost 50 years.

If you perform in Rock, Blues, Marching Band, Military ensembles, and are tired of getting drowned out by all the other instruments, you need to try Rovner's latest offering, the LGX Ligature. Pure power without losing the quality of your tone. Just go to www.rovnerproducts.com for more info and to purchase.

Level up your sax experience!

Experience the thriving energy of The NAMM Show 2024 at its peak, where I seized countless interviews with various saxophone companies, and I'm thrilled to share the exclusive content.

Unlock the benefits of becoming a Patreon, gaining early access to all all NAMM Show 2024 episodes. Plus Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, searchable transcripts, and an array of bonus content unavailable anywhere else.

Head on over to our Patreon Site and support the show.

Saxophonist Educator and Composer, Dr. Woody Witt, is a Professor of Music at Houston Community College and is the Instructor of Saxophone at the University of Houston Moores School of Music. 

He got his Masters degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, where he taught saxophone and jazz methods.

As a jazz artist, Woody has had the opportunity to perform and record with Randy Brecker, Billy Hart, David Kikoski, and Tim Hagans among countless others.

In Fall 2023, Witt released his first book/video project of standards based jazz etudes, Stream of Consciousness, inspired by techniques he uses for himself and his students.

Woody has been a performing artist for Eastman Saxophones since 2018, and was integral in the design and testing of the Eastman Saxophones Rue St George and the new 52nd Street 852 model with Bob Mintzer and Ryan Richmond.

The link to his full biography, along with more links for this episode, is on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

• How Woody got into music
• Improvisation tip
• Importance of melody audience connection
• Effects of social media on music
• The process of writing a dissertation Sonny Stitt
• And more!

Did you know you can get a complete listing of all our shows, as well as Bonus videos and searchable transcripts?

All you need to do is become a Patron!

Patrons play a huge role in helping to defray the costs of storing each episode’s video and audio, and producing and hosting the show.

And, with their small monthly donation of $2 or more, they help keep the great interviews coming.

If you want to become a patron and support the show, head on over to our Patreon site.

Sylvain Carton, originally from France, is a multi-instrumentalist (woodwinds, guitars) and composer currently residing in Los Angeles. He has recorded and performed for numerous groups, including Aly and Aj, Beats Antique, Tenacious D, and Lord Huron, among others.

Sylvain is a composer and producer, crafting music for films, commercials, documentaries, and various other mediums. His big band compositions have earned him a prestigious "Subito" grant from the American Composer's Forum.

In addition to performing and composing, Sylvain is a Vandoren Performing Artist and Artistic Advisor.

Founded in 1905, Vandoren has emerged as a leading manufacturer of reeds, mouthpieces, and accessories for clarinets and saxophones. With a strong commitment to quality and innovation, Vandoren now exports 90% of its products to over 100 countries worldwide.

We talked about:

• Vandoren Profile Series of Classical mouthpieces
• The New TP4 and BP3 mouthpieces
• Difference between T75 and T75+
• Extra tip from Donna

You can catch their Bio, and all of their links on our site.

This episode was proudly sponsored by Rovner Products, creators of fine ligatures for saxophone and clarinet for almost 50 years.

If you perform in Rock, Blues, Marching Band, Military ensembles, and are tired of getting drowned out by all the other instruments, you need to try Rovner's latest offering, the LGX Ligature. Pure power without losing the quality of your tone. Just go to www.rovnerproducts.com for more info and to purchase.

Level up your sax experience!

Experience the thriving energy of The NAMM Show 2024 at its peak, where I seized countless interviews with various saxophone companies, and I'm thrilled to share the exclusive content.

Unlock the benefits of becoming a Patreon, gaining early access to all all NAMM Show 2024 episodes. Plus Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, searchable transcripts, and an array of bonus content unavailable anywhere else.

Head on over to our Patreon Site and support the show.

At 22 years old, Austin Gatus has had many accomplishments in his young career. 

Austin has performed with Dave Koz locally here in Los Angeles, as well as on the Dave Koz Jazz Cruises to Europe and Alaska. He sat in with the Average White Band a couple of times on a recent tour, and was a featured artist with Kenny G with the Orange County Symphony and San Diego Symphony. In a recent appearance, Austin joined Harry Style’s band as part of the horn section headlining Coachella

Austin, a cancer survivor, performs at charity events helping to fight kids’ cancer, having performed for the Starlight Foundation and Rady’s Children’s Hospital.

Austin does additional work in film & theatre composition. He was recognized as the winner of the 2021 Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards in the “Musical Theatre Composition” category presented by Tony Award winner, Idina Menzel

Austin is endorsed by JodyJazz and Rovner Products

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

We talked about:

• Performing with Harry Styles at Coachella 2022
• The new adventure Austin has been on since our last episode with him
• Austin's new music coming out soon

This episode was proudly sponsored by Rovner Products, creators of fine ligatures for saxophone and clarinet for almost 50 years.

If you perform in Rock, Blues, Marching Band, Military ensembles, and are tired of getting drowned out by all the other instruments, you need to try Rovner’s latest offering, the LGX Ligature. Pure power without losing the quality of your tone. Just go to www.rovnerproducts.com for more info and to purchase.

Level up your sax experience!

Experience the thriving energy of The NAMM Show 2024 at its peak, where I seized countless interviews with various saxophone companies, and I’m thrilled to share the exclusive content.

Unlock the benefits of becoming a Patreon, gaining early access to all NAMM Show 2024 episodes. Plus Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, searchable transcripts, and an array of bonus content unavailable anywhere else.

Head on over to our Patreon Site and support the show.

Emerging from their lively Kent base in the UK, TJ saxophones had their beginnings in the early 1990s. Over the years, these instruments have transformed into a globally respected brand, celebrated for their excellence in Student, Step-up, and Professional horns.

Learn more about these amazing saxophones in this episode from the NAMM Show 2024, featuring my conversation with Sandro Massullo. 

We talked about:

🎷 The New Intermediate Saxophone Models, EVO
🎷 New Intermediate EVO Tenor Sax
🎷 New Intermediate EVO Alto Sax

You can catch their Bio, and all of their links on our site.

The new Intermediate EVO Models that were featured in this episode will be COMING SOON. You're getting a First Look at them here!

This episode was proudly sponsored by Rovner Products, creators of fine ligatures for saxophone and clarinet for almost 50 years.

If you perform in Rock, Blues, Marching Band, Military ensembles, and are tired of getting drowned out by all the other instruments, you need to try Rovner's latest offering, the LGX Ligature. Pure power without losing the quality of your tone. Just go to www.rovnerproducts.com for more info and to purchase.

The NAMM Show 2024 was back to its full capacity and better than ever. I was able to capture tons of interviews with many saxophone companies that I am super excited to share.

If you want access to those videos, sign up now by clicking HERE.

Pianist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and conductor - whatever it is Gordon Goodwin touches, it’s all about his love of music.

Gordon was born in Wichita, Kansas, and Goodwin’s parents moved to Southern California when Goodwin was four.

He completed his formal music education at Cal State University-Northridge, and began working as a live performer at Disneyland.

In 1999, Gordon founded the Big Phat Band for what he thought would be a single performance at his alma mater Cal State at Northridge. Since then, the Big Phat Band has recorded 10 albums, and in the process received 25 Grammy® nominations. Goodwin won a Grammy® for ‘Best Instrumental Arrangement’ for “Incredits” for the film The Incredibles and has been honored with 3 Emmy awards for his work on the Steven Spielberg-produced shows Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain.

His work has been featured/utilized in more than 80 film & TV productions spanning the gamut of pop culture: amplifying the likes of National Treasure, Star Trek: Nemesis, Snakes on a Plane, Get Smart, Remember the Titans, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Majestic (starring Jim Carrey), The Lion King, The Incredibles and Ratatouille.

Gordon has won four Grammy® Awards and three Daytime Emmy Awards and has received twenty-five Grammy® nominations for his compositions and arrangements.

He has been nominated for 3 Grammy awards this year (2024):

• Best Jazz Vocal Album: Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - For Ella 2.

• Best Instrumental Composition: Quartet San Francisco Featuring Gordon Goodwin's 18-pc Big Phat Band - Cutey and The Dragon.

• Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals: Patti Austin ft. Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - April in Paris

Gordon is also the host of the popular long-running radio program, “Phat Tracks with Gordon Goodwin,” airing for 5 years on KJAZZ

The link to his full biography, along with more resources for this episode is on our website.

We talked about:

• How his 1st piano teacher had him composing music at the age of 5
• The impact of writing music for animated productions on his writing for Big Band
• The advice about orchestration that changed his approach forever
• Phil Woods’ impression of Gordon’s saxophone playing
• Gordon’s advice for self-taught musicians
• The one word multi-instrumentalist James Morrison taught him not to use
• Working at Disney with Eric Marienthal and Sal Lovano
• The pure genius of Patti Austin that contributed to the most recent Grammy nominations
• Podcast supporter questions answered!
• And more!

Wanna support the show?

Become a Patron, and for as little as a $2 donation each month, you get searchable transcripts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!

For the second time, we are featuring New York-based saxophonist and composer Sam Newsome on this episode.

Sam Newsome often works in the medium of solo saxophone, and has released several critically acclaimed solo saxophone CDs.

Since we last spoke to Sam in episode 106 in 2021, he has won the Soprano Saxophone category in the 15th Annual International Critics Poll, been nominated in 2023 for the SOPRANO SAXOPHONIST OF THE YEAR by the Jazz Journalist Awards.

In addition to his solo work, Sam also performs in his own Trio and Quartet, as well as the Chaos Theory Unit Saxophone Quartet.

His latest recordings include Soprano-Logues, a digital-only recording with Dave Liebman, and Cosmic Unconsciousness Unplugged, a duet with pianist Jean Michel Pilc.

You will find Sam's links and full resources on our website. 

In this episode, we listen to, and talk extensively about that recording, along with:

• Why Sam thinks every musician is an improviser
• Embracing simplicity and clarity in improvisation
• The importance of surrendering to the moment and not having expectations
• How playing live and recording in the studio have different energy and mindset requirements
• The challenges and rewards of playing solo, including adaptability and maintaining flow
• Exploring fiction writing during the COVID-19 pandemic and Sam’s future plans
• And much more!

Pave the way for a richer saxophone experience!

Become a Patron now to enjoy early releases of Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, exclusive searchable transcripts, and a wealth of bonus content. Uncover the hidden gems others won’t see – join us on Patreon today!

In this episode, we are featuring one of the Pop/Rock world’s most recognizable saxophonists, John Helliwell.

If you’ve ever heard The Logical Song, or Take the Long Way Home, Give a Little Bit, or It’s Raining Again by Supertramp, you’ve heard saxophonist and woodwinds specialist, John Helliwell.

Born in West Yorkshire, England, John’s first instrument was the clarinet.

After hearing Sidney Bechet and Cannonball Adderley, he saved up his money to buy an alto saxophone at age 15, and never looked back.

John played with many bands (The Dicemen, Alan Bown Set, and many others), and in the summer of 1973, got a call from the band, Supertramp.

They made the album “Crime of the Century” and began the long climb to international success, moving to California in the process.

“Breakfast in America” was the biggest selling album in the world in 1979!

Helliwell has been with the group for 50 years, and now also plays music based on his many inspirations - including jazz, funk, blues, soul and rock. 

He has a jazz group - “Crème Anglaise” and also plays around Europe.

The link to the full episode is on our website.

We talked about:

• Getting his first saxophone after being inspired by Cannonball Adderley
• How he taught himself jazz and learned on the fly, playing with many different bands
• The story behind joining the legendary Pop group, Supertramp, and how he’s stayed with them for 50 years 
• The stories behind his iconic sax solos with Supertramp
• Why his solos have stood the test of time
• His equipment
• New projects
• And much more!

Be a part of the rhythm in 2024!

For just $2/month, you not only support our current endeavors but also ensure the creation of great content as we journey into 2024 . Your contribution plays a vital role in the continued growth and excellence of our podcast.

You'll enjoy early episode access, searchable full transcripts, exclusive bonus interview content, and a handy Podcast Directory for easy episode browsing.

Just CLICK HERE to become a part of our community today, and enhancing your podcast experience!

A native of New Orleans, the birthplace of America’s music, Victor Goines is an accomplished composer, musician, and educator.  

He serves as the president and chief executive officer of Jazz St. Louis. 

In 2016, his composition Untamed Elegance, a tribute to the Jazz Age, was performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Other commissions include Suite for Bird for the Music Institute of Chicago, Crescent City for JALC, and Benny: Then, Now, Forever for the Louis Armstrong Foundation.

Goines has been a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra since 1993, as part of the saxophone section, in addition to being featured on the clarinet.  

He served as the Director of Jazz Studies at Northwestern University and was the Artistic Director of the Jazz Studies Program at the Juilliard School.  

He has recorded and performed with Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Dizzy Gillespie, Dianne Reeves, Willie Nelson, Shirley Horn, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, and a host of other renowned musicians and ensembles. 

Goines composed the Woodlawn Suite in recognition of celebrating the legendary jazz artists buried at Woodlawn Cemetery. 

For the audio portion of the podcast, songs featured were Raise a Glass to Dorothy and Madam CJ Walker, both featured on Victor’s latest CD, The Woodlawn Suite.

The link to his full biography, along with the resources for this episode, is on our website. 

Our sponsor for this episode is Rovner Products, makers of fine ligatures for over 50 years.

The new Deep V Series of mouthpieces for alto and tenor saxophones, redefines tone quality by enhancing the player’s clarity and presence.

We provide the tone, you provide the character.

We talked about:

• The importance of active listening and finding something new in the music each time.

• The significance of communication and listening in improvisation, comparing it to having a conversation.

• Victor's journey in jazz, starting in New Orleans and eventually moving to New York to pursue his musical career.

• The impact of studying with Ellis Marsalis on Victor's development as a musician.

• The importance of continuous learning and striving to improve skills as a composer and musician.
  
  
• And so much more!

Show Your Love For Our Podcast

Patrons get early access to all Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, plus searchable transcripts and lots of Bonus content not seen anywhere else. Go to Patreon website to get access now!

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, interviewed New Orleans Saxophonist, Jason Mingledorff, for Episode 190.  

We spoke about:

• What made Jason want to pursue improvised music

• How he met Sax Gordon
• How Jason taught himself how to listen
• A Blues tune that’s a masterclass in Blues soloing
• Why we transcribe and how to do it
• Jason’s resource for learning tunes & a tip from Jason to appreciate Standards
• What defines New Orleans saxophone style
• Jason’s new album, Start It & the fun mashup he created
• And Much More!

Jason Mingledorff is one of the most versatile and in-demand saxophonists playing in New Orleans’ eclectic, thriving music scene.

After earning a Bachelor of Music in classical saxophone at the University of Alabama, Jason moved to New Orleans in 1995 to study under jazz patriarch Ellis Marsalis at the University of New Orleans.

He has performed with Clint Black, Dr. John, Harry Connick, Jr., Papa Grows Funk, Galactic, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, The New Mastersounds, The O’Jays and many others.

He won a Grammy award with the band, the New Orleans Nightcrawlers in 2021.

Jason started teaching at Loyola University in 2006. 

In 2012 he wrote a series of articles on New Orleans grooves for the Saxophone Journal, and currently he runs Loyola’s saxophone department and is finishing up an innovative book aimed at big band directors called Warm-Ups for YOUR Big Band. 

He has appeared on over 100 recordings, and has now released an album of his own music entitled, Start It!

It features nine original compositions performed by a top-notch band of seasoned veterans – Brian Seeger on guitar, Joe Ashlar on piano, Ed Wise on bass, and Doug Garrison on drums.

You can find Jason’s full Bio on his site. The link is on our website, saxophonepodcast.com. 

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsor

Our sponsor for this podcast is Rovner Products, makers of fine ligatures for over 50 years. The new Deep V Series of mouthpieces for alto and tenor saxophones, redefines tone quality by enhancing the player’s clarity and presence. 

Want to support the show?

Patrons get early access to all Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, plus searchable transcripts and lots of Bonus content not seen anywhere else. Go to www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone to get access now!

This is a Bonus episode! (This is the type of Bonus content that Patrons get on a regular basis. For more info on becoming a Patron, Click Here)

There was so much positive feedback from our 2 previous episodes with Pedro Eustache (episodes 187 & 188), we decided to add a 3rd episode.

In this Bonus episode with the world-class woodwind specialist, Pedro Eustache, we wound up talking about: 

• How he transports all his instruments when performing with Hans Zimmer

• How Pedro creates new instruments

• How to play what you hear in your head 

• An improvisation tip about playing conceptually and a Coltrane example 

• Pedro’s 3 principles for transcribing

• An exercise to play through the changes

• And more! 

In case you did not listen to Episodes 187 or 188, here’s a brief Bio on Pedro… 

Pedro, widely known as Pedro Flute, is an award winning world-class flute/winds/wind synthesist/electronics soloist; composer, lecturer, educator, and researcher.

Pedro is a founding member of El Sistema's “Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra” (Venezuela). 

He has a collection of around 600 musical instruments [both acoustic,& electronic], which includes many uniquely designed/built by himself.

Pedro is the winds featured soloist with "Hans Zimmer Live", and held the same position with New-Age super star Yanni from 1995-2006.

He has also performed with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir John Williams, Herb Albert, Alex Acuna and countless others.

The link to his full Bio is on our website - https://saxophonepodcast.com

Our sponsor for this podcast is Rovner Products, makers of fine ligatures for over 50 years. The new Deep V Series of mouthpieces for alto and tenor saxophones, redefines tone quality by enhancing the player’s clarity and presence. We provide the tone, you provide the character.

This episode is Part 2 of a 2-part series with the world-class woodwind specialist, Pedro Eustache.

In this episode, we talked about:

• How he came to the sax from the flute

• The effect of Joe Allard & Dave Liebman on his playing

• Why Pedro plays all those instruments & how he finds the time to practice all of them

• Pedro’s background with jazz improvisation & 1 tip

• How Pedro got the opportunity to perform with Hans Zimmer 

• Challenges of playing to MIDI tracks

• And much more!

Pedro, widely known as Pedro Flute, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and has been a US citizen for decades.

Pedro’s beginnings were marked by a rich musical culture inspired by his family, and in particular his brother, who exposed him to all types of music at a very young age.

Since that time, Pedro has become  an award winning world-class flute/winds/wind synthesist/electronics soloist; composer, lecturer, educator, and researcher.

Pedro has more than seven years of Orchestral Symphonic experience (founder member of El Sistema's “Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra” (Venezuela). 

Wind instruments acoustic research has led him to a collection of around 600 musical instruments [both acoustic,& electronic], which includes many uniquely designed/built by himself.

Pedro is the winds featured soloist with "Hans Zimmer Live", "Game of Thrones-Live Concert Experience" & "The World of Hans Zimmer" since 2017. He held the same position with New-Age super star Yanni from 1995-2006.

He has also performed with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir John Williams, Herb Albert, Alex Acuna and countless others.

The link to his full biography is on our Saxophone Podcast site.

Our sponsor for this podcast is Rovner Products, makers of fine ligatures for over 50 years. The new Deep V Series of mouthpieces for alto and tenor saxophones, redefines tone quality by enhancing the player’s clarity and presence. We provide the tone, you provide the character.

Show your love and support for the show by becoming a Patron!

Patrons get early access to each episode, searchable transcripts for the video episodes and Bonus content and tips.

For more info, head on over to www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone

This episode is Part 1 of a 2-part series with the world-class woodwind specialist, Pedro Eustache.

Pedro, widely known as Pedro Flute, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and has been a US citizen for decades.

Pedro’s beginnings were marked by a rich musical culture inspired by his family, and in particular his brother, who exposed him to all types of music at a very young age.

Since that time, Pedro has become  an award winning world-class flute/winds/wind synthesist/electronics soloist; composer, lecturer, educator, and researcher.

Pedro has more than seven years of Orchestral Symphonic experience (founder member of El Sistema's “Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra” (Venezuela). 

Wind instruments acoustic research has led him to a collection of around 600 musical instruments [both acoustic,& electronic], which includes many uniquely designed/built by himself.

Pedro is the winds featured soloist with "Hans Zimmer Live", "Game of Thrones-Live Concert Experience" & "The World of Hans Zimmer" since 2017. He held the same position with New-Age super star Yanni from 1995-2006.

He has also performed with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir John Williams, Herb Albert, Alex Acuna and countless others.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsor

Our sponsor for this podcast is Rovner Products, makers of fine ligatures for over 50 years. The new Deep V Series of mouthpieces for alto and tenor saxophones, redefines tone quality by enhancing the player’s clarity and presence. 

We talked about:

• How Pedro became comfortable performing in public
• How Pedro dealt with performance anxiety
• The need to be creative
•  Pedro’s audition for Yanni
• Yanni’s influence on Pedro’s studio work & getting back into saxophone 
• What Yanni said to Pedro that raised the level of his performance
• The influence of his jazz heroes, especially Michael Brecker
• and more!

Wanna support the show?

Become a Patron, and for as little as a $2 donation each month, you get searchable transcripyts for the episodes, Bonus videos with extra tips and content, a full Podcast directory, and the ability to suggest future guests.

Go to our Patreon site for more info.

We truly appreciate our supporters, who help keep the podcast running!

Latin Grammy Award Winner, Dr. Ed Calle,  is one of the most versatile saxophonists in the world.

Having been born to Spanish parents in Caracas, Venezuela, he showed tremendous musical potential at an early age, developing his own distinct sound (which many have said is part of his DNA).

Dr. Calle can be heard on over 1,700 albums, and over 10,000 singles, having performed with such legends as Randy and Michael Brecker,  Gloria Estefan, Arturo Sandoval, Frank Sinatra, Carlos Santana, Ricky Martin, Tito Puente, Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, and numerous others.

Dr. Ed Calle is a Latin Grammy® Award winner for Best Instrumental Album (2015) with Dr. Ed Calle Presents Mamblue,and is also a five-time Grammy® nominee.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

Our Sponsor:

Victory Musical Instruments, the maker of The Growling Sax brand, is one of the fastest-growing instrument brands in the industry.

They supply great quality instruments for beginners to advanced players and have been awarded the prestigious ‘Music Inc. Magazine Editor’s Choice Award’ for three consecutive years at the NAMM Show.

If you’re looking for great quality instruments, make sure to visit their website at www.victorymusical.com.

In this episode:

• Ed shared his personal stories about Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, John Coltrane, working with The Bee Gees and Barbra Streisand, to name a few

• He gave tips for tone and breathing that have helped him recover from an injury sustained from overblowing

• Advice for all sax players on dealing with performing loud music

• His mic recommendations, and the new mic he is raving about 

• How long it takes for material we’ve worked on to show up in our playing

• His impressions about the new Growling Sax Uprise model for Soprano Sax

• How JodyJazz mouthpieces helped Ed be able to maintain his high performance level even with his injury

• Ed’s views on practicing

• And a ton more!

You're gonna LOVE this episode!

We hope you get so much value that you will want to support the show and become a Patron.

For as little as $2/month, you can keep the epic episodes coming.

Just go to www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, went on location to the Jody Jazz Factory in Savannah, GA to film a saxophone mouthpiece masterclass by Jody Espina, Founder of Jody Jazz Mouthpieces.

Even if you are not an equipment geek, this episode will answer all your saxophone mouthpiece questions. 

The link to this episode, along with more Resources, is on our website.

This episode was sponsored by Jody Jazz Mouthpieces, world-famous saxophone and clarinet mouthpiece makers.

Visit www.jodyjazz.com to see why artists like Kirk Whalum, Tom Scott, Andy Snitzer, George Garzone, Jeff Kashiwa, Claire Daly, Ed Calle, Derek Brown and so many others play Jody Jazz mouthpieces.

Jody went into great detail about:

• A possible reason for why your low notes do not come out 

• How the facing curve affects your sound

• The best strength reed to play altissimo

• How to choose your tip opening

• How to choose your reed strength

• A common misconception when buying mouthpieces  

• Avoid this massive mistake when trying out mouthpieces

• High baffle or no?

• Advice for self-taught musicians searching for a saxophone mouthpiece

• Should you play the mouthpiece model your idol uses?

• And SO much more!

Want to show your love and support for the show?

Patrons get searchable videos, transcripts, and Bonus content not seen anywhere else, PLUS early access to each episode.

Head on over to our Patreon site for more info and to support the show.

As always, please Like and Share the podcast and video for our episodes with your saxophone-loving friends.

In this 2nd episode on location from Savannah, GA, you get to see how each Jody Jazz mouthpiece is made.

From the bar stock, through the CNC machinery, through the buffing and detailing...every step along the way.

Whether you are an equipment geek or not, everyone will get something from this episode.

We strongly encourage you to watch the video for this one on our website: https://saxophonepodcast.com

This episode was sponsored by Jody Jazz Mouthpieces, world-famous saxophone and clarinet mouthpiece makers.

Visit www.jodyjazz.com to see why artists like Kirk Whalum, Tom Scott, Andy Snitzer, George Garzone, Jeff Kashiwa, Claire Daly, Ed Calle, Derek Brown and so many others play Jody Jazz mouthpieces.

Want in on the supporter action?

Patreon supporters are getting a special bonus! I filmed a few videos of the Jody Jazz Band rehearsing. Patrons get to be a “fly on the wall” and watch as these pros tear it up.

Go HERE to become a patron of the show to keep the episodes coming.

You get first access to episodes, plus access to searchable transcripts from many of the episodes and bonus material not seen anywhere else.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like inside a factory producing saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces, you will want to listen to and watch our new 4-part series documenting a day in the life at the Jody Jazz Factory.

Donna was invited down to Savannah, GA to see how JodyJazz mouthpieces are made, start to finish.

In this episode, you will get to know Jody Espina and his motivation for starting his Jody Jazz mouthpiece company.

The link to his full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

This episode was sponsored by Jody Jazz Mouthpieces, world-famous saxophone and clarinet mouthpiece makers.

Visit www.jodyjazz.com to see why artists like Kirk Whalum, Tom Scott, Andy Snitzer, George Garzone, Jeff Kashiwa, Claire Daly, Ed Calle, Derek Brown and so many others play Jody Jazz mouthpieces.

We talked about:

1. What motivated Jody to move from NY to Savannah, GA 

2. The beginnings of the Jody Jazz Factory 

3. 3-D Printing vs hand facing 

4. The facing curve is everything 

5. How Jody’s thinking has helped the company thrive 

6. Why Jody can relate to beginner saxophone players 

7. and a whole lot more!

Patrons get early access to all Everything Saxophone Podcast videos, plus searchable transcripts and lots of Bonus content not seen anywhere else. Go to www.patreon.com/everythingsaxophone to get access now!