[Dixielandjazz] Why Saxophone? - Was Hardest Instrument

[Stephen Barbone]

Kash opined that the trumpet players get all the girls, and that reed
players have an easy time of maintaining their lip compared to
trombones, (or something like that). And so their are few trombone
players out there. He then said: (polite snip)

"Ever wonder why there are so many saxophonist out there, and so few
good 'bones?"

Perhaps because the saxophone in mainstream jazz, like the trumpet in
Dixieland, is the lead horn. The main man. The guy with all the
testosterone. He is THE MAN. So now a days, all the young players who
want to play jazz, pick those two instruments. Just as a rock wannabe
goes for the guitar.

Me, I took up clarinet because Artie Shaw and Sidney Bechet got all the
girls in my formative years. They and Benny Goodman were the main men
back then and figured I could earn the admiration of ladies like Lana
Turner and Ava Gardner (Shaw) and all those girls who hung around
Bechet.

Ah, sweet youth. :-)

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. However a good 'bone man who makes a proper ritual of emptying his
spit valve, now that's an attention getter. :-)