Pete: I didn't include any mention of economics (mainly because I am not an economist and could very well be wrong). But, I will say this . . . I think the increasing economic vitality throughout that period (say after WWII up to now) had a bearing on how many sopranos were sold. I know that as I aged and improved at my adult career, my spendable income increased a lot.
When I was a young policeman, I lived paycheck to paycheck and buying any saxophone was a BIG event. But as the years went on, I become more able to afford to "play" and bought and sold a large number of instruments, increasing my experience and knowledge levels. I suspect many others were in a similar boat. To many, a soprano saxophone is an extra horn and the ability to buy one is a benefit of increased spending power.
To me, Kenny G is a recent phenomenon, but his popularity certainly cuts across the limited numbers of trad-jazz and modern jazz fans. I'll bet more of the general public knows about Kenny G than both trad and modern jazzers combined. DAVE
When I was a young policeman, I lived paycheck to paycheck and buying any saxophone was a BIG event. But as the years went on, I become more able to afford to "play" and bought and sold a large number of instruments, increasing my experience and knowledge levels. I suspect many others were in a similar boat. To many, a soprano saxophone is an extra horn and the ability to buy one is a benefit of increased spending power.
To me, Kenny G is a recent phenomenon, but his popularity certainly cuts across the limited numbers of trad-jazz and modern jazz fans. I'll bet more of the general public knows about Kenny G than both trad and modern jazzers combined. DAVE