"Play to express, not to impress". Man that's great advice. So many players do the opposite. I've heard Joel play some super impressive stuff, but I have seen him express some seriously heartfelt, emotional stuff too. That's why he's one of the greatest players out there
Imho Joel is one of the nicest, most humble beings I know and at the same time a fountain of wisdom, full of amazing anecdotes and obviously a true master
I’ve read that the great Vido Musso said the same thing. Also, Phil Woods told me the same thing in person after he gave a master class. He gave out so much knowledge, my brain couldn’t contain it all. This was before iPhones were invented. I was so pissed. Two of the greatest melodic players ever
What a wonderfully informative interview! As great as Joel Frahm is, he's so down to earth and 'basic' in his approach to the jazz life. Excellent interview. Time well spent.
Another great interview, Jay! You always ask the questions I would if I were sitting there. The one that’s missing is one of you. It would be great if you would allow one of your guests to turn the tables and interview you and get you to tell your story.
This was an excellent, educational and warm-hearted interview! The talk about humor reminded me of something that happened to me - Back in the mid-‘80s I went to listen to my teacher, Jery Bergonzi, play with George Garzone at a Boston club called the Willow. By an incredible stroke of luck I ended up sitting with Joe Viola who had taught both Jerry and George. The first set was wild and intense and I was focused on the Coltranesque altered harmonies, passion and speed. At the break I felt almost exhausted, but heard an interesting sound close by. After a second I realized the sound was actually Joe Viola chuckling. I was confused and asked Mr Viola what he was laughing at. He said - “Those guys, Jerry & George - they’re so funny! Always telling jokes with their horns!” Man, did THAT every change my perspective!
As a sax player, I have for years found myself subconsciously doing the same thing with my hands that Joel does almost every time you talk in this video, Jay. Patterns, scales, etc… you can do them any time on or off the instrument! Thanks for the great interview!
I watched Nathan Graybeal’s (Saxologic) video of one of Joel’s masterclasses a handful of years ago. One of Joel’s gems he said has stuck with me and can be applied to nearly every facet of life. “Making the unfamiliar, familiar. It’s not difficult, it’s just unfamiliar. Look at it that way…nothing is hard, it’s just unfamiliar to you. It’s just stuff that you haven’t gone through…you haven’t made friends with it yet.”
Absolutely educational, unmissable from beginning to end. I felt identified by many situations told and the advice that Joel gave. You made my afternoon
Thank you Jay, incredible valuable interview for the saxophone community. I'll be relistening this for sure a few times as what Joel says really resonates with me and I've always loved his playing. "Baby steps" is the best advice ever, but I guess it's hard to get rid of our Giant Steps bias in jazz :) Great to hear the jazz philosophy interviews like this one certainly was along with Kenny Werner. Keep em coming! /Jorre
Bits of melodies, played slowly in different keys, all over the range as long tones exercices. Love it. Playing freely asking yourself which note I would really like to hear. Living the music!
The stuff he said on how to pick practice projects and journaling them was gold for me. I often feel like I just don't know where to start or how to focus my practice. His method seemed so organic
Such a fantastic interview Jay! Love Joel’s playing! It’s reassuring to see how Joel’s fingers are often doing saxophone fingerings during the interview. I’ve been doing the very same everyday of my life ever since I took up the saxophone at age 11. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one!
Hey Joel! Shout out from Racine! Have you ever been to River Bend Nature Center--it's just west of the airport? If you're ever back in town, stop in! Love your sound and seamless playing! Just beautiful!
Thank you Jay and thank you Joel. One of the best educators and one of the best perfomers in the same room. "The hang is more important than the gig" - I heard recently. You showed us one of those examples. I LOVE Joel's playing, especially the YT-Perfomances in Smalls and with the Spanish Sant Andreu Jazz Orchestra.
Man, thanks so much for this! I was lucky to see and hear Noel Frahm perform very close to my home town in Germany for two times not so long ago. He was so geniously and fluently playing tons of ideas on and on, just mindblowing. What a fantatstic player he is! ❤
So happy to see/hear this inerview! He's fantastic. Great player and a nice man. I met him at a Rotary fundraiser in West Hartford where he played both tenor and soprano. Usually see him on tenor, but if he hadn't already, he brought the house down on the one song where he played soprano.
Great video!!! Loved his advise about practice and allowing yourself to freely express yourself. Also smooth jazz is a field I would like to entertain. Great interview Jay!!! Wayne Pharo
jay good interview hes a nice man i play alto saxophone too when i practice i look at my song book and on the internet saxophone sites where theres songs that i can practice too i cant play stuff by ear or without a stand that has the notes with the fingerings on it i have to have it or i embrass myself he plays with the stand in front of him and thats awesome good for him have a great day. i can play part of tequila from memory but not all of the song is what im trying to say
I was at this concert in Copenhagen. Such a lovely jazz moment. I was so hoping we'd get an interview with Joel Frahm on the channel after seeing you enter Jazz Cup.
Play- stop - rewind - stop…Gawd do I ever remember THAT! Jay, to avoid the “record” issue ya gotta break the little tabs off at the upper edges of the cassette. That makes it so the record button won’t work! Also - the really trick set-up was one of those Super Scope decks with the 1/2 speed feature for transcribing the fast stuff. 1/2 speed took it down an octave. The only problem was when I used it to transcribe Pepper Adams and Nick Brignola on Baritone where 1/2 speed was REALLY low!
"Play to express, not to impress". I love this. A lot (most?) of jazz these days just seems like a technical exercise: how fast you can play; how high you can go; how complex the scale is; how numerous the chord changes are; how intricate the progression of the chord changes are; how complex the rhythms are; how obscure the musical callbacks are; etc., etc., etc. These all seem counterproductive to the production of music that is actually enjoyable to listen to, and a barrier for new fans adopting the music. Yes, some famously melodic and enjoyable to listen to jazz solos might be difficult to play, but that isn't the same thing at all. Seemingly writing and/or performing an unenjoyable bit of music just BECAUSE it is difficult to play is a big reason why I don't listen to a lot of jazz music. I can appreciate and be impressed by the technical virtuosity, but I don't want to listen to it.
i listen to certain songs that dont really have saxsolos but i go on saxplained where it has pop songs from like ed sheeran miley cyrus stuff like that and its how to play the sax during the whole song and ill listen to it a lot then i try to play it at the same time the song itself is playing ive practiced doing that alot sometimes i get it and if i dont i slow it down if i think its too fast and i practice the notes and fingerings that way
Yes!!! I’m embarrassed that I had brain freeze during that moment. My apologies, Charlie! By the way- I heard a cut from your son’s record recently and it blew me away. What a great player- like father like son!!!
I always learn better if I never write it down. Somehow I think about it differently. I do not see it, but only hear (which is what really counts, since you can’t see sound)
