< back

The Joy Of Sax

3x30'

The saxophone established a convincing voice for itself in jazz music and went on to make its mark in popular music and culture. So much so that it is easy to forget that the instrument languished in obscurity for decades before taking off. In this three part series Courtney Pine presents a personal history of the instrument he loves. He even gets out his favourite antique Selmer to play a specially composed signature tune for the series.

Programme One
Programme One explains the origins of one of the most recently invented instruments in western music. Created by Adolphe Sax, it was taken up as a vaudeville instrument in the early 20th Century, but its fortunes were transformed by the genius of Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young.

Programme Two
In Programme 2 Courtney analyses the great Charlie Parker and the Bebop revolution, when Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and many others battled for solo time.

Programme Three
In this programme Courtney Pine brings his personal history of the saxophone up to the present. Tracks include the brilliant Eddie Harris and the extraordinary Indian saxophonist Kadri Gopaldath.

Producer: David Perry
Presenter: Courtney Pine
Executive Producer: Bruce Hyman

Broadcast:
26th March & 2nd and 9th April

(Rpt. 8th, 15th and 22nd April 2006)

Broadcaster: