African American Jazz Musicians in the Diaspora

Photo Gallery and Play-Tests (Under Construction, Note: remember to refresh your browser to see the updates.)

Beaugnier, Paris Antoine Courtois Professional Alto Saxophone s/n 67xx:

This is one of my favorite horns of all-time! It has in INTIMATE dark tone, but it has cut-through highs as well! I have three of these in my collection. Antoine Courtois successfully sued Adolphe Sax (credited with inventing the saxophone) for patent infringements, in the 19th century... (photo on home page)

Dr. Larry Ross Plays Ruby, My Dear 03 Sophisticated Lady Jazz.mp3

Dr. Larry Ross Dr. Larry Ross Plays Ruby, My Dear 01 Ruby, My Dear Jazz (2).mp3

R. Malerne, Paris "Airflow" Professional Tenor Saxophone

This horn was play-tested with a Meyer 4M & a La Voz Medium reed, and the tone of the horn is quite exceptional! I always key some R. Malerne, Paris horns in the collection for that reason.

This is a SINGING saxophone, and one of the most versatile-sounding horns that I have ever had in the collection, and I am quite sure that it is a Malerne Artiste stencil, because with the Selmer, Paris George M. Bundy mouthpiece and La Voz medium reed, you can get THE DARKEST TONE ON THE PLANET! (Reeds included.)

That was a characteristic of the Malerne Artiste that I once had in the collection, and it was uncanny! However, by changing the reed to a La Voz medium hard, the horn's tone is transformed to a cut-through roaring-tiger tenor!

By using the Buffet Crampon mouthpiece and a Vandoren Java 3 reed, you get another huge, cut-through tone with this horn!

../media/Dr. Larry Ross What Is This Thing Called Love- 01 What Is This Thing Called Love- Jazz.mp3

Ida Maria Grassi Majestic Professional Tenor Saxophone s/n 135xx:

Below is an Ida Maria Grassi Majestic Professional Tenor Saxophone, Made in Milan, Italy about forty years ago; I play-tested it with a Meyer 4M & a La Voz Medium reed. Most saxophonists have heard of Grassis, but they have never actually played one! This is because Grassis copied Selmer's 'look' to a great degree, and we never bothered to try them since Selmer's were not too costly back then: how things have changed... Today (6/20/09) I had SOME REAL FUN play-testing this horn with a Brilhart Tonalin 2 & Vandoren, Paris Java 3 reed! This combination gave me a dark 'big band era' tone, but it sounds much different with my Meyer 4M (more cut-through). This is TOTALLY improvisational, and I just let the horn take me wherever...! On 6/24/09 I did some improvisation on Joe Henderson's Punjab with this horn using the Meyer 5M & La Voz Medium reed, and you can hear a different sound!

../Dr. Larry Ross Improv on Joe Henderson's Punjab 10.mp3

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Improv on Joe Henderson's Punjab 10.mp3

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Dr. Larry Ross Infant Eyes Improvisation 01 Infant Eyes Improvisation 1 Jazz.mp3

Ida Maria Grassi, Italy Stencil Tenor Saxophone 64xx:

This tenor saxophone has a low s/n and it may have been made in the early 1960s or so; I did some improvising using a Meyer 4M mouthpiece and an old Vandoren, Paris Java 2 1/2 reed on 6/26/09.

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Solar & Punjab Improvisations 01 Grassi Solar Improv Jazz.mp3

Armstrong 3008A Alto Saxophone, Rolled Tone Holes 7456xx:

This Armstrong 3008A sounds good with a Meyer 4M and a Woodwind Paris Classique reed, which was used for the quick play-test that I did below.

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Dr. Larry Ross Armstrong 3008A 01 Armstrong 3008A Play-Test 1 Jazz.mp3

Guban Luxor Solo Professional Alto Saxophone (Timisoara, Romania)

Beaugnier, Paris Antoine Courtois 'Portrait' Professional Alto Saxophone:

Below is a play-test of this Beaugnier, Paris Antoine Courtois "Portrait" that I did on 6/22/09, and you can hear how this horn projects with a Keilwerth mouthpiece & Fred Hemke Premium 3 reed.

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Dr. Larry Ross Plays Tadd Dameron 02 Lady Bird 2 Jazz.mp3

This horn is an updated version of the Beaugnier, Paris Antoine Courtois model, and it has a slightly 'more modern' tone.

B&S Germany Handmade Professional Tenor Saxophone (Markneukirchen):

Vento PO Alto Saxophone played with a Yamaha 4C Mouthpiece

Beaugnier, Paris Antoine Courtois 64xx:

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Acme Master Solar 02 Acme Master Solar Jazz.mp3

The R. Malerne, Paris Acme Master Professional Tenor Saxophone has a warm tone with a Rene Duval Paris mouthpiece (but these mouthpieces are rare, and hard to find: get one if you have a chance).

Giardinelli GS512 Alto Saxophone

This Giardinelli GS512 with the Silver Neck has a dark tone that is similar to the Beaugnier, Paris Antoine Courtois's!

B&S Germany Orpheum PRO Alto Saxophone

../media/B&S Orpheum Alto 09 B&S Germany Orpheum Play-Test Jazz.mp3

This horn has rolled tone holes, and it was probably made 50 years ago in Germany; note the inlaid pearl G# key, and it has a cut-through tone with a Brilhart Tonalin 3 & La Voz Medium reed.

Ida Maria Grassi PRO Tenor Saxophone

Although pictured with a Brilhart Ebolin, the play-test of this Grassi Pro Tenor Saxophone was done with a Brilhart Tonalin 2 & Fred Hemke Premium 4 reed.

../media/Joe Henderson's Pubjab 02 Track 2 Jazz.mp3

../media/Joe Henderson's Pubjab 04 Grassi, Brilhart Tonalin 2, Fred Hemke Premium 4 Test 1 Jazz.mp3

../media/Joe Henderson's Pubjab 05 Grassi, Brilhart Tonalin 2, Fred Hmke Premium Test 2 Jazz.mp3

../media/Grassi, Brilhart, & Hemke 06 Grassi, Brilhart, Hemke Test Jazz.mp3

../media/Grassi, Brilhart, & Hemke 07 Grassi, Brilhart, Hemke Test 2 Jazz.mp3

../media/Grassi, Brilhart, & Hemke 09 Grassi, Brilhart, Hemke Test 3 Jazz.mp3

Stephanhouser STS500SP Tenor Saxophone

../Punjab Play-Test with STS500SG 02 Punjab Play-Test with STS500SG, Brilhart Jazz.mp3
../Stephanhouser STS500SG 09 STS500SG Test 1 Jazz.mp3
../Stephanhouser STS500SG 03 STS500SG Test Jazz.mp3

Stephanhouser STS500VF & Brilhart Tonalin 2*, Fred Hemke Premium 4 Reed

This horn plays and sounds like a vintage Mark VI! The color is actually a yellow gold, and the horn really projects! (Stock photo, originals to come.)

Use arrow keys or thumbnails to view images. Click on image to close window

Use arrow keys or thumbnails to view images. Click on image to close window

../media/Dr. Larry Ross STS500VF1 Punjab 02 Punjab Improvisation Jazz.mp3
../media/Dr. Larry Ross STS500VF1 Punjab 08 Punjab Improvisation 2 Jazz.mp3
../media/Dr. Larry Ross STS500VF2 09 Recorda Me Improv Jazz.mp3
../media/STS500VF2 03 Infant Eyes Improvisation Jazz.mp3

Stephanhouser SAS1500VF Alto Saxophone

This horn has a great sound, and it is on the dark end of the tonal spectrum...

../media/Alto Saxophone Play-Tests 02 Stephanhouser SAS1500VF Test Jazz.mp3

Yanagisawa 6-Series Alto Saxophone

../media/Yani Stencil 6-Series Alto 02 Yani Stencil 6-Series Alto Jazz.mp3

../media/Yanagisawa 6_Series 07 Yani 6-Series Jazz.mp3

../media/Alto Saxophone Play-Tests 10 Yanagisawa 6-Series Alt Play-Test Jazz.mp3

This classic is from the 1960s, and it has a sweet tone with a Rene Duval Paris mouthpiece, and a Fred Hemke Premium 3 1/2 reed...

Steve Goodson Model Pro Alto Saxophone

This horn has a nice tone, and good speed!

Amati AAS62 Professional Alto Saxophone

This horn has a deep dark tone that is unexpectedly great!

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Amati Pro AAS62 Alto Test 03 Amati Pro AAS62 Jazz.mp3

../media/Amati AAS62 Saxophone 02 Amati AAS62 Saxophone Jazz.mp3

../media/Dr. Larry Ross Amati AAS62 Play-Test 02 Amati AAS62 Play-Test 1 Jazz.mp3

More horns to come! :)

Dr. Larry Ross Saxophone Play-Tests

This site is dedicated to the play-testing of vintage saxophones!