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incredible way that it can channel the human voice and convey
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Saxophone Technique pieces, or ballads as they are often called.

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Video

One would be hard-pressed to find a saxophonist’s album without at

least one ballad on it, and they should be a part of any good, balanced
set of music. Surely, experienced players will tell you that they are one
of the most challenging and rewarding things to play, and not just for
the adulation that might be bestowed upon you by your listeners…

Here are ten essential jazz ballads that every saxophonist should have
in their repertoire:

1. Body and Soul

The ultimate ballad for any saxophonist. It’s a relatively simple 32 bar
AABA form that lays just about perfectly on the saxophone and gives
room for infinite variations. Virtually every tenor player in jazz has
recorded a version, and Coleman Hawkins’ version is said by many to
be the beginning of modern saxophone playing.

Suggested listening:

Coleman Hawkins – Body and Soul

John Coltrane – Coltrane’s Sound

Joe Lovano – From the Soul

2. In a Sentimental Mood
One of the many great and unmistakable ballads written by Duke
Ellington. The simple six note pick-up gives room for endless
expression, and the harmonies of this one are relatively simple for the
beginning player.

Suggested listening:

John Coltrane – Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

Sonny Rollins – w/ the Modern Jazz Quartet

3. My Foolish Heart
One of the great ballads from American popular song, composed by
Victor Young. It’s commonly played in Bb concert, but you’ll hear it
played in some other keys as well. A beautiful, simple and lyrical
melody with some great chord changes, with lots of room for bluesy
playing in it.

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4. Moonlight in Vermont
This one might not make a lot of top ten lists, but it’s a favorite of mine.
Penned by the little-known John Blackburn, the A sections are a rare
6-bars, and it is one of the first popular American songs that doesn’t
have lyrics that rhyme. (As a side note, it is particularly important to
know the lyrics of any ballads that you play. They are are a great guide
for your approach and phrasing.)

Suggested Listening:

Stan Getz – Getz for Lovers

George Garzone – Alone

5. Round Midnight
There’s a little debate over who actually wrote this (both Thelonious
Monk and Cootie Williams are credited), but for our purposes it’s one of
the most recognized jazz ballads you’ll ever find, with lots of
interesting dominant chord movement and an ingenious harmonic RECENT COMMENTS
shift from minor to major. And dig how the melody of the bridge
Tim on Making the Case for “Shredding”
comes directly out of the last two bars of the A section, a technique
Monk used in many of his tunes. Music School El Dorado Hills - Mr. D's Music School on
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And if you haven’t watched it already, the movie that is named after
this tune that stars Dexter Gordon as the main character is well worth Jasmine Belle on 7 Tips to Keep Your Lower Lip Pain-
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Suggested Listening:

Gerry Mulligan – Mulligan meets Monk

Art Pepper – Art Pepper + Eleven

Dexter Gordon – Round Midnight

6. These Foolish Things

Written by Jack Strachey, this very simple AABA song has been
recorded by just about everybody. The melody is very repetitive, which
leaves lots of room for variation, and the simple harmonies leave lots
of room to stretch.

Suggested Listening:

Lester Young: These Foolish Things

Dave Brubeck Quartet (feat. Paul Desmond): Jazz at Oberlin

7. Embraceable You
One of the many classic Gershwin tunes, this is one you can spend
hours with exploring the rich harmonies and the subtle way that the
melody builds. Also, check out the Charlie Parker’s Quasimodo, which
is based on the changes to this tune.

Suggested listening:

Frank Wess: Magic 201

Zoot Sims: Zoot Sims and the Gershwin Brothers

8. I Can’t Get Started

Written by Vernon Duke, this one is an absolute essential. Dig the
descending ii-V progressions in the third and fourth bar that are
usually played.

Suggested listening:

Lester Young – The Complete Savoy Recordings

Lee Konitz – with Warne Marsh

Joe Lovano – Quartets (Live at the Village Vanguard)

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9. Sophisticated Lady
Another of Duke Ellington’s great ballads, tailor-made for the great
Johnny Hodges’ unique style of bending into notes. Lots of descending
dominant chords in the A section to tackle, and the bridge has some of
the most luscious eight measures of music ever written, great for
developing your subtone.

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Suggested listening:

Duke Ellington – The Best of the Centennial Edition

Ben Webster – Sophisticated Lady

10. Loverman
Written by George Gershwin, this was one of Charlie Parker’s signature
songs. And make sure to listen to Billie Holiday sing it. There’s a special
cry to this song that’s very special.

Suggested listening:

Charlie Parker: The Essential Charlie Parker

Lee Konitz: Strings for Holiday

Honorable mention:
My One and Only Love, Infant Eyes, Peace (Horace Silver), Darn That
Dream, Easy Living, Georgia on my Mind, When I Fall in Love, Misty,
Chelsea Bridge, Prelude to a Kiss, You Don’t Know What Love Is, When
Sunny Gets Blue, Angel Eyes, Skylark, Imagination, Blue in Green, My
Romance, But Beautiful.

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As I’m sure many of you realize, there are lots of amazing songs that
are not on this list that might be among your favorites. As I was putting
together this list I discovered so many more great songs that I hadn’t
played in a while, so please feel free to add your favorite ballads or
recommended recordings in the comment section below.

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Sam Sadigursky
Sam Sadigursky is a freelance musician and composer in New York
City. He has released three albums as a leader and appears on over
twenty CD's as a sideman, and has also published two books of
original clarinet etudes for advanced players. He is available for
private online lessons via Skype and also teaches saxophone, flute, clarinet, and
improvisation in New York. For more info, please visit www.samsadigursky.com.
→ Sam Sadigursky

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21 Comments

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REPLY
Doron
JUNE 18, 2014 @ 5:22 PM

This is awesome, thanks, Sam!

REPLY
Larry Weintraub
JUNE 21, 2014 @ 8:45 AM

Some ballads I like to play that were not mentioned are Polka Dots
and Moon Beams, Try A Little Tenderness, Spring Can Really Hang You
Up The Most, I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry, Stardust, Angel
Eyes, My Old Flame, A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square and
Everything Happens To Me among others.

REPLY
Kyle Lesh
MARCH 15, 2015 @ 10:04 AM

Stormy Weather is also really awesome.

REPLY
Igor Markovic
MARCH 16, 2015 @ 3:18 AM

Nice list. As it happends I know of a good version from 1961 of

In A Sentimental Mood by one of the best former Yugoslavian
saxophonists Eduard Sadjil so I’d like to share

Eduard Sađil – In A Sentimental Mood (U Sentimentalnom

Raspoloženju): https://youtu.be/m1KR7NavUuo

REPLY
Rowland Jones
MARCH 16, 2015 @ 7:02 AM

Are guitarists allowed to contribute? “You don’t know what love is”

REPLY
Andrew Houston
AUGUST 2, 2016 @ 1:41 AM

only if they turn down ;)

REPLY
Jan Klincewicz
MARCH 16, 2015 @ 2:11 PM

Nice article.. But “Loverman” was not Gershwin. It is attributed to Roger

“Ram” Ramirez and Jimmy Sherman.

REPLY
Perry Conticchio
MARCH 24, 2015 @ 7:25 AM

wonderful thoughts. I just want to comment on tune “My Foolish

Heart”. Sometimes we shouldn’t just listen to sax players. I can’t
imagine playing that tune w/o listening to Bill Evans playing it first.
(and for saxophone, Stan Getz on Label M-My Foolish Heart, Live at

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Left Bank Jazz Society will BREAK your heart) Also, there are SO many
great tunes, this was an admirable task to undertake.

REPLY
Autumn
JUNE 28, 2015 @ 5:41 PM

You should of included some pieces from James Carter.

REPLY
Shirish MALHOTRA
DECEMBER 7, 2015 @ 5:15 PM

Soul Eyes is my No.1 favourite ballad… also like Days of Wine and
Roses and If you could see me now

REPLY
Henry
DECEMBER 12, 2015 @ 11:49 AM

Leaving off “Cry me a River” is just a crime.

REPLY
Daniel
JANUARY 13, 2016 @ 10:22 AM

Jungleland best sax solo ever by Clarence Big Man Clemons

REPLY
David
JANUARY 17, 2016 @ 6:41 AM

One of my favorite are: Everything happens to me, Here is that rainy

Day and I fall in love too easily :)

REPLY
Joe
MARCH 30, 2016 @ 9:46 PM

How about Lush Life and Soultrane?

REPLY
Graham Millar
AUGUST 2, 2016 @ 9:29 AM

Three ballads I love to play are ‘You belong to me’ , ‘Sleep Walk’ and
‘Unchained Melody’ beautiful on the tenor sax,????

REPLY
Ade
AUGUST 27, 2016 @ 1:06 PM

Great to see ” my foolish heart “. The Sam Buyers version evokes a

whole era. IMO, I would put stardust in place of loverman. But hey,
they are all great.

REPLY
Ade
AUGUST 27, 2016 @ 1:08 PM

Predictive texting….aaagh !! Sam Butera

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REPLY
Ade
AUGUST 28, 2016 @ 12:50 AM

the Getz take of ” My foolish Heart ” ; not one to argue, but I find his
tone unbearable. Really no idea what was going down on that night.
Any thoughts. Modern ballads ? Lilac wine ; Love is a losing game….etc.
More coffee, its too early for such stressful disciplines as thinking. Ho
ho ho.

REPLY
Ade
AUGUST 28, 2016 @ 10:43 AM

Just finished for today. I have been mentally wondering. So ; off of the
top of my head

1. Stardust
2. Body and soul
3. I love you Porgy
4. In a sentimental mood
5. My foolish heart.
6. Lush life
7. In the wee small hours
8. Goodbye pork pie hat
9. Folks that live on the hill
10. Moon river.
These will change on a daily basis. As long as your playing, its all
GOOD

REPLY
Kenny
MAY 11, 2018 @ 2:03 PM

Another great ballad for the Saxophone is “The End of a Love Affair”
by the Stan Kenton Orchestra.

REPLY
sharon spring
NOVEMBER 11, 2018 @ 1:17 PM

Please correct your article. Ram Rameriz wrote Lover Man NOT George
Gershwin

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