The Devil's Horn -- It has a catchy title don't you think? Michael Segell's 2005 effort described on the cover "as the story of the saxophone, from noisy novelty to king of cool." Didn't you do a review of that book Ed?
The Devil's Horn
- Thread starter Gandalfe
- Start date
Don't get your hopes up
I have, and my comments were not all that attractive.
The author took his journey into the world of things saxophonic (from a cold, tyro start) as the armature around which his story (such as it is) is woven.
There are sections on Sax and his history with the instrument, the American/French school of playing, various jazz folks and so forth. Most of this is from the point of view of an outsider looking in, and there's nothing new or exciting to be found in any of this.
(Most of the sections on styles of playing are like a dilute version of the usual "interview" style article in The Saxophone Journal.)
From the tenor of the sections pertaining to his pursuit of saxophone playing, you get the distinct impression that he was trying to get by with minimal effort. As I recall it, the author couldn't read music at all at the start of the process, and his "progress" was (like his effort) minimal through the course of the book.
I paid list price for the book with high expectations, and felt cheated once I had read it. Paul Lindemeyer's book is, while not "scholarly" by any stretch of the imagination, a far better value for the money.
I have, and my comments were not all that attractive.
The author took his journey into the world of things saxophonic (from a cold, tyro start) as the armature around which his story (such as it is) is woven.
There are sections on Sax and his history with the instrument, the American/French school of playing, various jazz folks and so forth. Most of this is from the point of view of an outsider looking in, and there's nothing new or exciting to be found in any of this.
(Most of the sections on styles of playing are like a dilute version of the usual "interview" style article in The Saxophone Journal.)
From the tenor of the sections pertaining to his pursuit of saxophone playing, you get the distinct impression that he was trying to get by with minimal effort. As I recall it, the author couldn't read music at all at the start of the process, and his "progress" was (like his effort) minimal through the course of the book.
I paid list price for the book with high expectations, and felt cheated once I had read it. Paul Lindemeyer's book is, while not "scholarly" by any stretch of the imagination, a far better value for the money.
Pretty much agree...and I thought the whole "Devil's horn" theme was pretty ham-fisted as well.
I really want to get Paul's book someday!
Paul Lindemeyer's charming book is largely pictorial, and more of a celebration of things Sax and Sax related than a lengthy treatise on the subject. It IS however very enjoyable and a must have for all Saxophonists.
The Devil's Horn was one of the few music/sax related books not in my collection, and I am disheartened to find that is falls so short of informative. Glad I did not order it after all.
The Devil's Horn was one of the few music/sax related books not in my collection, and I am disheartened to find that is falls so short of informative. Glad I did not order it after all.
There's a limited preview of The Devil's Horn on Google Books. (A "limited preview" is a book that's posted, but it's missing a few pages.)
I suffer financially so that others may benefit...
The further into the book that I got, the more angry I got. His tale of "learning how to play the sax" was so hokey that I wanted to grab him by the ears and shake him for about ten minutes. I've taught twelve year olds with a better work ethic (and more skills in the bargain). He is (or was, at least) the ultimate "wanna bee", looking for all of the cool with none of the effort.
The interspersed sections on the various topics (Sax, the state of jazz and so forth) were worthwhile, but only that. Even Paul's book, which as noted above was never meant to be a scholarly effort, does a better job on the topic.
The further into the book that I got, the more angry I got. His tale of "learning how to play the sax" was so hokey that I wanted to grab him by the ears and shake him for about ten minutes. I've taught twelve year olds with a better work ethic (and more skills in the bargain). He is (or was, at least) the ultimate "wanna bee", looking for all of the cool with none of the effort.
The interspersed sections on the various topics (Sax, the state of jazz and so forth) were worthwhile, but only that. Even Paul's book, which as noted above was never meant to be a scholarly effort, does a better job on the topic.
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I have it, but have not read it yet.
It came highly recommended to me however and it has now become mandatory reading for 1st year saxophone masterclass students.
I guess I will have to read it for myself and see.
It came highly recommended to me however and it has now become mandatory reading for 1st year saxophone masterclass students.
I guess I will have to read it for myself and see.