Christian Debecq, The Sax Players, Steve Houben - A Tribute to Sax (2014)

Tracklist

CD1
01. Duo concertant pour saxophones soprano, alto et piano, Op. 55: I. Risoluto
02. Duo concertant pour saxophones soprano, alto et piano, Op. 55: II. Andante
03. Duo concertant pour saxophones soprano, alto et piano, Op. 55: III. Allegretto
04. Fantaisie pastorale pour saxophone soprano et piano, Op. 56
05. Sérénade pour saxophone alto et piano, Op. 33
06. Concerto pour saxophone ténor et piano, Op. 57
07. Septième solo de concert pour saxophone baryton et piano, Op. 93
08. Premier quatuor pour saxophones soprano, alto, ténor et baryton, Op. 53: I. Andante - Allegro
09. Premier quatuor pour saxophones soprano, alto, ténor et baryton, Op. 53: II. Adagio sostenuto
10. Premier quatuor pour saxophones soprano, alto, ténor et baryton, Op. 53: III. Allegro vivace
11. Premier quatuor pour saxophones soprano, alto, ténor et baryton, Op. 53: IV. Allegretto

CD2
01. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
02. Out of Nowhere
03. All the Things You Are
04. Moon and Sand
05. Blue Daniel
06. A Time for Love
07. The Touch of Your Lips
08. I've Never Been in Love Before
09. Too Close for Comfort
10. People
11. It Never Entered My Mind
12. You Must Believe in Spring
13. Embraceable You
14. I Concentrate on You
15. As Time Goes By
16. You and the Night and the Music
17. My Old Flame
18. The Nearness of You
19. When the Sun Comes Out


Given that this year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Adolphe Sax, it is only fitting that Ricercar, with its history of familiarising the world with lesser-known musical instruments, should devote a CD to the genius who invented the saxophone. The instrument’s capabilities are demonstrated by two very different types of music, the first being exemplified by the Romantic works that were composed for the saxophone in Paris in the first years after Sax’s patent had been registered. It was jazz music, however— music which Sax could never have imagined — that gave the instrument and the saxophone family as a whole the fame it enjoys today. As is Ricercar’s custom, the CD’s accompanying booklet includes extensive liner notes. An article by Jérôme Lejeune describes the invention of the instrument and the first works that were composed for it in Paris, these dating from the time when Sax himself was touting for new works for the saxophone as well as publishing them, before his appointment as professor of saxophone at the Conservatoire de Paris. Jean-Pol Schroeder’s article is a highly interesting account of the history of the saxophone in jazz music. Saxophones made by Sax’s own atelier are used for the French Romantic pieces by Singelée and Demersseman, together with copies of the original mouthpieces. Their sound is indeed a revelation, for they are played without any trace of the vibrato that was traditionally applied to the instrument during the 20th century. The jazz standards recorded here were played by Steve Houben on a Selmer alto saxophone from 1957. Their clear and clean lines are performed without accompaniment and reveal the quality of the musician and his instrument. Some of the pieces make use of double-tracking to create a saxophone duo, whilst others have been given a delicate double-bass counterpoint by Michel Benita.The jazz selections were originally recorded in 1992 and 1999, the Romantic works in 2002.

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