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Quiz about Legendary Sax Players
Quiz about Legendary Sax Players

Legendary Sax Players Trivia Quiz


This quiz covers many of my own biggest influences as a sax player, a list that I consider a virtual "Who's-Who" of great saxophone players.

A multiple-choice quiz by ben3. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
ben3
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
274,453
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
1142
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 68 (9/10), Guest 82 (0/10), Guest 90 (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. This Kansas City-born saxophonist is widely regarded as the greatest saxophonist ever. He was known by the nickname "Yardbird," or more frequently the shortened version, "Bird."
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. This North Carolina tenor man played with some of the most influential jazz artists of his era, including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Johhny Hartman. One of his biggest hits was "My Favorite Things." Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. This New Yorker is almost unanimously considered the greatest baritone sax player of all time. He played with countless big names, including Miles Davis, Gene Krupa, Dave Brubeck and Stan Kenton, and composed the classic jazz standards "Walking Shoes" and "Swing House." Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This Philadelphia native played with the likes of Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey, but gained widespread fame as part of Woody Herman's "Second Herd" band. He helped start the bossa nova craze of the 60's alongside Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. This alto saxophonist from San Francisco was known for his smooth, cool tone. He is widely known for his collaboration with pianist Dave Brubeck, and composed Brubeck's biggest hit, "Take Five."
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Although born in Buffalo, New York, this sax man was more closely identified with the city of Philadelphia, where he spent most of his life. A master of the funk style of playing, he also achieved great commercial success with tunes such as "Mr. Magic," "Winelight" and "Just The Two of Us."
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. This alto man from Massachusetts was greatly influenced by Charlie Parker, and is known for his excellent solo on Billy Joel's hit "Just The Way You Are."
Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. This legendary tenor player from New Jersey played with Art Blakey, Maynard Ferguson and Miles Davis before co-founding the seminal fusion group Weather Report.
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. This Fort Worth, Texas native was best known as a trailblazer in the avant garde form also known as "free jazz."
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. This alto/soprano sax prodigy from Brooklyn, New York has achieved universal acclaim with his legendary fusion band, Spyro Gyra.
Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 17 2024 : Guest 68: 9/10
Feb 11 2024 : Guest 82: 0/10
Feb 09 2024 : Guest 90: 8/10

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This Kansas City-born saxophonist is widely regarded as the greatest saxophonist ever. He was known by the nickname "Yardbird," or more frequently the shortened version, "Bird."

Answer: Charlie Parker

Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was a phenomenally talented alto saxophonist, who in addition to being considered the greatest sax man who ever lived, is also credited with creating the musical style of "bebop," along with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Sadly, heroin abuse took Bird from the world far too early, at the age of 34.

His musical influence still weighs very heavily on saxophonists today.
2. This North Carolina tenor man played with some of the most influential jazz artists of his era, including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Johhny Hartman. One of his biggest hits was "My Favorite Things."

Answer: John Coltrane

Coltrane, or simply "Trane," as he was often called, was one of the most influential tenor saxophonists in history. Miles Davis' sax man for the ground-breaking albums "Kind of Blue" and "Milestones," Coltrane struggled with drug addicition early in his career, as did far too many jazz artists of that era. He did finally conquer his addictions, only to die at the young age of 40, from liver cancer.
3. This New Yorker is almost unanimously considered the greatest baritone sax player of all time. He played with countless big names, including Miles Davis, Gene Krupa, Dave Brubeck and Stan Kenton, and composed the classic jazz standards "Walking Shoes" and "Swing House."

Answer: Gerry Mulligan

Mulligan is virtually synonomous with the baritone sax. He appeared at the very first Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958, was in the CBS "Sound of Jazz" TV special, and even appeared in two movies, "I Want To Live" and "The Subterraneans." He died of cancer in 1996.
4. This Philadelphia native played with the likes of Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey, but gained widespread fame as part of Woody Herman's "Second Herd" band. He helped start the bossa nova craze of the 60's alongside Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Answer: Stan Getz

Getz became a band leader himself in the 50's, discovering talents such as pianist Horace Silver. He would later experiment with piano-less quartets, delved into fusion with Chick Corea, finally returning to a more straight-ahead jazz style in his later years. He also discovered jazz singer Diane Schuur, and helped launch her into stardom. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 64.
5. This alto saxophonist from San Francisco was known for his smooth, cool tone. He is widely known for his collaboration with pianist Dave Brubeck, and composed Brubeck's biggest hit, "Take Five."

Answer: Paul Desmond

Desmond said his unique tone was "meant to sound like a dry martini." Many sax players refer to his trademark sound as "foof sax," for the airy tone quality he perfected. In addition to his extensive work with Brubeck, he also recorded with such artists as Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker and Jim Hall.
6. Although born in Buffalo, New York, this sax man was more closely identified with the city of Philadelphia, where he spent most of his life. A master of the funk style of playing, he also achieved great commercial success with tunes such as "Mr. Magic," "Winelight" and "Just The Two of Us."

Answer: Grover Washington, Jr.

Grover first cut his teeth in the music business as a teenager, in the band "Four Clefs." He worked with soul-jazz artists such as Charles Earland and Johnny Hammond Smith before breaking out on his own with the album "Inner City Blues." Equally adept on soprano, alto and tenor sax, Washington was an influential mentor for many acts, including Pieces Of A Dream. He died of a heart attack in 1999 at the age of 56 while taping a TV show.
7. This alto man from Massachusetts was greatly influenced by Charlie Parker, and is known for his excellent solo on Billy Joel's hit "Just The Way You Are."

Answer: Phil Woods

Woods studied at Julliard and the Manhattan School of Music, and has played with such luminaries as Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Barnet and Bennie Goodman. He is still a much in-demand session player, and has fronted his own quintet for more than 40 years.
8. This legendary tenor player from New Jersey played with Art Blakey, Maynard Ferguson and Miles Davis before co-founding the seminal fusion group Weather Report.

Answer: Wayne Shorter

While a member of Miles Davis' band, he composed many of the group's tunes, including "Nefertiti," "ESP," "Footprints" and "Prince of Darkness." In addition to his legendary work with Weather Report, Shorter was also a much sought-after session man, and contributed much of the great sax work on Steely Dan's magnum opus album, "Aja."
9. This Fort Worth, Texas native was best known as a trailblazer in the avant garde form also known as "free jazz."

Answer: Ornette Coleman

Coleman dubbed his unique style "harmolodics." In addition to his band Prime Time, Coleman has also worked with a widely diverse number of artists, including Pat Metheny and Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia. Artists such as John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy cite Coleman as a big influence on their own styles.
10. This alto/soprano sax prodigy from Brooklyn, New York has achieved universal acclaim with his legendary fusion band, Spyro Gyra.

Answer: Jay Beckenstein

First taking up the sax at age seven, Jay went on to study at State University of New York at Buffalo, and to a succession of blues and R & B bands in the Buffalo area. While attempting to establish himself as a record producer in a collaboration with drummer Rich Calandra, Beckenstein also founded Spyro Gyra. Their efforts did succeed in launching a major act - Beckenstein's own Spyro Gyra, who have enjoyed huge, worldwide success since the late 70's, and continuing on to this day.
Source: Author ben3

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ertrum before going online.
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