Member - North American Saxophone Alliance

Saxophone Books

(Updated 3 May 2012)

This is the front page for our saxophone items and is where saxphone books (and saxophone jazz books) are listed.
Click the drop down menus under the Saxophone menu for Music, CDs, Play Along CDs, and Videos. The jazz books are below the main listing.
These books are in order by title.

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Books marked "New!" in gold type are new publications. Books marked "New!" in teal type are new to our stock.

Saxophone Books

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	S020: Adolphe Sax & His Saxophone by Leon Kochnitzky with notes by Sigurd M. Rascher. Fourth edition, North American Saxophone Alliance, 1985, SS, 49 pages. This brief history of Adolphe Sax and his most famous instrument was originally published in 1949.	11.95
	S002: The Art of Saxophone Playing by Larry Teal. Summy-Birchard. 1963. SS, 111 pages. A comprehensive guide to the saxophone. Subjects include the instrument, the mouthpiece, the reed, playing position, breathing technique, the embouchure, tone quality, vibrato, intonation, developing technique, attack and release, phrasing and interpretation, doubling, the altissimo register, and selected literature. We also have the author's The Saxophonist's Manual which covers many of these concepts in briefer fashion and is more suitable for use during lessons.	17.95
	S012: El Arte de Tocar el Saxofón por Larry Teal, traducido por Raúl Guiterrez. Summy-Birchard, 1997. SS, 111 pages. Spanish translation of The Art of Saxophone Playing.	19.95
	S003: The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone by Richard Ingham. Cambridge University Press, 1998. PB, 225 pages. This is the first comprehensive guide to the saxophone, its history, technical development and repertoire. Contents: invention and development (Thomas Liley), in the twentieth century (Don Ashton), influential soloists (Thomas Dryer-Beers), the repertoire heritage (Thomas Liley), the saxophone quartet (Richard Ingham), the mechanics of playing the saxophone (three chapters), the professional player (three chapters), jazz and the saxophone (Richard Ingham), rock and the saxophone (Richard Ingham and John Helliwell), the saxophone today (two chapters), and teaching the saxophone (Kyle Horch).	35.95
	G131: Circular Breathing: a Method by Robert S. Spring. Windplayer Publications, 2006, SS, 31 pages. This book presents two alternative introductory methods of circular breathing. It also features exercises and advice from seven contributing experts for flute (Robert Dick), clarinet (Robert Spring), saxophone (Donald Lefevre), bassoon (Jeffrey Lyman), oboe (Martin Schuring), trumpet (Josef Burgstaller), and low brass (Samuel Pilafian), including recommended repertoire for each. We have finally (4/19/13) received this book which was ordered and paid for in January.	12.95
	S034: A Comprehensive Guide to the Saxophone Repertoire 1844-2003 by Jean-Marie Londeix edited by Bruce Ronkin. Roncorp Publications, 2003, HB, 646 pages. A new edition of this French/English book series which replaces 150 Years of Music for Saxophone. It includes more than 18,000 works of classical music for saxophone, cross indexed by composer and instrumentation (a very detailed breakdown). An indispensable reference guide for all saxophonists. Click on the book to see the full table of contents. Because of the weight of this book, Media Mail (bookrate) shipping charges will be based on the actual cost of postage.	69.95
	S242: The Devil's Horn by Michael Segell. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006, PB, 324 pages. Subtitled The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to the King of Cool, this book traces the 160-year history of the saxophone-a horn that created a sound never before heard in nature, and that from the moment it debuted has aroused both positive and negative passions among all who hear it. Segell outlines the saxophone's fascinating history while he highlights many of its legendary players, including Benny Carter, Illinois Jacquet, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Branford Marsalis, and Michael Brecker. The Devil's Horn explores the saxophone's intersections with social movement and change, the innovative acoustical science behind the instrument, its struggles in the world of "legit" music, and the mystical properties that seduce all who fall under its influence. Colorful, evocative, and richly informed, The Devil's Horn is an ingenious portrait of one of the most popular instruments in the world.	15.95
	S031: E.A. Lefebre: Preeminent Saxophonist of the Nineteenth Century by James R. Noyes. Doctoral dissertation, 2000, SB, 293 pages. The career of Edward A. Lefebre (1834-1911) is one of the most meaningful and substantial in the history of the saxophone. His monumental efforts to popularize the saxophone were felt, first in Europe and Africa, and eventually in the United States. He was a member of the Gilmore and Sousa bands and worked with C.G. Conn to improve the saxophone. This book covers his life and work in detail.	44.95
	S701: Eugene Rousseau: With Casual Brilliance by Thomas Liley. North American Saxophone Alliance, 2011, PB, 231 pages. Thomas Liley, presents the life and pedagogy of the internationally famous saxophone performer and teacher Eugene Rousseau (1932-). In addition to drawing on written sources for this book, the author has used his personal observations and the notes he has made since first meeting Rousseau in 1968.	24.95
	S474: Larry Teal: There Will Never Be Another You by Mary Teal, Thomas Liley editor. North American Saxophone Alliance, 2008, PB, 262 pages. This book traces the life of the Larry Teal (1905-1984), the first university professor of saxophone in the United States. The biography follows Larry Teal’s career from vaudeville, the popular music of the 1920s, theater and radio orchestras, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra through his groundbreaking tenure at the University of Michigan. Teal’s relationship with Bernhard Heiden, who wrote his famous Sonata for him is discussed, as well as Teal’s historic performances of Glazounov’s Concerto and the Concertino da Camera by Ibert. The soft cover book is 272 pages in length and is generously illustrated with 24 photographs. It provides a window to the history of the saxophone in the United States and how it was influenced by one of the instrument's most significant teachers.	24.95
	S035: The Original 1949 Saxophone Concerto of Ingolf Dahl by Paul M. Cohen. To the Fore Publishers, 1985. PB, 156 pages. Paul Cohen's definitive dissertation on the origin and history of the original (1949) version of the Concerto for Alto Saxophone, including correspondence with between Sigurd Rascher and Dahl, notes and sketches, history of the revisions, the relationship to the Sinfonietta for Concert Band, and a comparison of the original version to the published version. We have the current edition of this Concerto with a piano reduction.	29.95
	S616: Protocol: A Guide to the Collegiate Audition Process for Alto Saxophone compiled and edited by Larry Clark and Daniel Schmidt with a Forward by Jonathan Bergeron. Carl Fischer, 2009, SS, 31 pages (plus piano accompaniment 16 pages). The purpose of this book is to provide high school students with or without a private teacher with a comprehensive collection of materials that will satisfy the needs of most college music auditions. It includes information on how to take an audition, music placement exams, selecting a college, and repertoire of the most often requested material. This includes major and minor scales and arpeggios, Orchestral Excerpts (Intermezzo from L'Arlésienne by Bizet and Mussorgsky/Ravel The Old Castle from Pictures at an Exhibition), Etudes (No. 7 Largo and No. 12 Allegro furioso from Ferling), and two complete pieces with piano accompaniment (Eccles Sonata in G minor, LeClair Saraband and Allegro from Sonata Op. 1 No. 10). This book also has a list of repertoire included on most audition lists, all of which we carry.	19.95
	S011: Saxophone by Paul Harvey. Kahn & Averill, London, 1995, PB, 149 pages. A very useful reference book on the saxophone. It includes history, the saxophone family, parts of the saxophone, fingering, tone production, special effects, doubling, repertoire (orchestral, quartet, and solo), methods, influential saxophonists, discography, unusual saxophones, and the saxophone today.	18.95
	S958: The Saxophone Handbook by Douglas D. Skinner. Berklee Press, 2013, PB, 90 pages. A complete guide to playing and maintenance, this handbook offers essential information on all dimensions of the saxophone. It provides an overview of technique, such as breathing, fingerings, articulations, and more. Exercises will help you develop your sense of timing, facility, and sound. Extensive directions (with illustrations) on repairs will help you maintain your instrument and customize it to support your own playing style and preferences. You'll learn to fine-tune your reed, recork the keys, fix binding keys, replace pads, and many other repairs and adjustments. You'll also learn to improve your tone, intonation, and flexibility while playing with proper technique. While saxophone repair is only one of five chapters in this book, it does an excellent job of covering basic repairs and adjustments.	14.95
	S060: The Saxophone Is My Voice by Ernest Ferron translated from the French by Jacqueline Rose. International Music Diffusion, 1997, PB, 117 pages. Ernest Ferron has drawn from his experience as a master instrument maker and from his contact with leading instrumentalists to produce a synthesis of his knowledge. The first 48 pages covers how a saxophone functions with details on Adolphe Sax's parabola, the neck, bow, tone holes, bell, mouthpiece, reeds, and tuning. The rest of the book is on the tools and techniques of saxophone repair and adjustment.	32.95
	S606: Saxophone Manual by Stephen Howard. Haynes Publishing, 2009, HB, 164 pages. Written by a British saxophonist and instrument repairer this is a guide to: choosing and buying a saxophone, how the saxophone works and what can go wrong, lubrication and preventing wear, removing and refitting keywork, setting up the action, advanced repairs (replacing pads and springs), trouble shooting common problems, and major problems--when to call on a repairer. Profusely illustrated by color photographs (a few diagrams wouldn't have hurt).	34.95
	WW026: Saxophone Mouthpiece Selection by Robert Scarff. Jamey Aebersold Jazz, 2006, SB, 88 pages. This book contains information on mouthpiece parts and design, guidelines in selecting a mouthpiece for the type of sound you need, facing charts for commercial saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces, and chamber designations of some representative brands of saxophone mouthpieces. This book also includes guidance on reed adjustments, some maintenance tips, and some musician jokes. While this book is primarily oriented toward the saxophonist, clarinetists will also find useful information here.	9.95
	S137: The Saxophone Reed, The Advanced Art of Adjusting Single Reeds by Ray Reed. Infinity Publishing, 2004, PB, 215 pages. Los Angeles based saxophonists, Ray Reed, who started his career in the 1960s and has played with everyone from Stan Kenton, to Supersax, to Frank Zappa has written the longest and most detailed book on making and adjusting reeds we have ever seen. It covers nearly every conceivable topic in the single reed making universe. While this book is aimed at saxophonists, and includes many appropriate measurements, clarinetists will find much of value here as well.	34.95
	S400: Saxophone Studying Method by Jean-Marie Londeix. Lemoine, 1997, SB, 85 pages. This is not a method book in the conventional sense, but instead is a guide and text book for studying the saxophone. It is in four languages: French, Japanese, English and Spanish, each in their own vertical column. There are many specific references to books of study and saxophone repertoire. Subjects covered include basic techniques and equipment, etudes, and literature (both orchestral and solo). A very detailed book with many diagrams and musical examples.	37.95
	S059: Selected Saxophone Masterclasses from the editors of Windplayer. Windplayer Publications, 1998, SS, 31 pages. This book contains 15 brief masterclasses on wide variety of subjects such as tone, tonguing, altissimo, soprano pitch problems and baritone sound by well known saxophonists such as Buddy Collette, Lew Tabackin, Jackie McLean, Jack Nimitz and more. Click on the cover image to view Table of Contents. Use your browser's Back button to return. This book is temporarily out of print.	12.95
	S017: Tipbook Saxophone by Hugo Pinksterboer. The Tipbook Company, 2007, PB, 216 pages. A new and much longer edition of this interesting and well illustrated book that focuses on saxophone construction, selection and maintenance (including mouthpieces and reeds), resources for learning to play, and a fingering chart. It also has links to more information on the Internet. This book will be of interest to adult and teenage beginners and the parents of younger students. It will also be useful for band directors and music education students who aren't woodwind specialists.	14.95
	WW179: The Woodwind Player's Cookbook edited by Charles West. Meredith Music, 2008, PB, 178 pages. Subtitled Creative Recipes for a Successful Performance, this valuable collection of quick-to-read yet deeply insightful strategies is like finding expert trade secrets all placed in one convenient source. With outstanding records of performance, workshop clinics, recordings, research, composition, leadership and teaching, the 57 authors provide their favorite “recipes” that range from overviews of successful programs to specific topics that will inspire all levels and types of ensembles and performers. Sample “recipes” include: Developing Facility on the Bass Clarinet (J. Lawrie Bloom), Breathing Demystified (Leone Buyse), Recipe for Preventing Play-Related Health Problems (William J. Dawson, M.D.), How Should I Test a Saxophone Mouthpiece? (Eugene Rousseau), and many more. Click on the cover image to view Table of Contents. Use your browser's Back button to return.	24.95
	S684: Writing for Saxophones by Jay C. Easton. Baxter Music Publishing, 2006, SB, 302 pages + CD. Subtitled A Guide to the Tonal Palette of the Saxophone Family for Composers, Arrangers and Performers, this is a practical guide to understanding and effectively utilizing the sounds of this instrumental group as it advances into the twenty-first century. Over ninety printed solo and ensemble examples in the book have been recorded on the enclosed audio CD, which allows the reader to explore the distinct personalities of the various saxophones and integrate their individual musical characteristics into his or her tonal imagination. Saxophone performers and enthusiasts will find enjoyment and edification within these pages, and composers and arrangers who wish to explore the many possibilities offered by the saxophone family will find this book to be an especially valuable resource.	39.95

Jazz (Rock, etc) Books

	S014: Charlie Parker and Thematic Improvisation by Henry Martin. Scarecrow Press, 2001, PB, 155 pages. Martin provides a new overall assessment of the importance of Charlie Parker through an analysis of his improvisations in a variety of genres. Earlier studies of Parker argue that his style is based on an extensive network of melodic formulas that are combined to create solos. Because the same formulas appear throughout his improvisations regardless of the theme, these studies concluded that the solos do not usually relate to the original melodies. This book provides a much needed reassessment by showing that Parker's solos are often related to the original themes in unexpected and sometimes ingenious ways. The conclusion sums up features of Parker's style and discusses his contribution in the context of Western music history. Numerous transcriptions (in concert key) are provided. This groundbreaking technical study will be of interest to musicologists and serious students of jazz.	35.95
	S297: David Liebman: On Education, The Saxophone & Related Jazz Topics by David Liebman. Jamey Aebersold Jazz, 2003, SS, 51 pages. Here is a masterful collection of articles and papers written over the years summarizing thoughts on various topics related to jazz and education such as his educational concepts, jazz rhythm, the soprano saxophone, principles of breathing, playing solo saxophone, concerns for beginning saxophonists, and his personal view on what jazz means.. Each article is a worthy testament unto itself, but as a collection, they form an enlightening and insightful tool for every music educator and player in search of new ideas and fresh perspectives on teaching for the next century.	12.95
	S088: Take Five, The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond by Doug Ramsey. Parkside Publications, 2005, HB, 372 pages. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond is the story of a jazz artist who transcended genres to establish one of the most immediately recognizable sounds in all of music. It includes long, revealing passages from Paul's letters, hilarious accounts of life in the army and life on the road, his memos to himself about his artistic choices and his disagreements with jazz orthodoxy, his carefully crafted campaign to persuade Brubeck that he should be in Dave's band. Many of the book's nearly two hundred photographs have never before been published. Ramsey includes the story of how Brubeck's friendship with Desmond blew up and Brubeck's wry account of how Desmond repaired it. Dave and Iola Brubeck wrote the book's foreword. It begins, "Paul Desmond was an enigma." This fascinating book makes him less of one. Take Five also includes transcriptions of several of Paul's most brilliant recorded solos. It is luxuriously produced in large (10 x 11 inches) format on fine matte paper. The book is extensively illustrated with 190 photographs, most of which have never been previously published. Take Five contains 372 pages, end notes, an index and a complete Paul Desmond discography. Because of the weight of this book, Media Mail (bookrate) shipping charges will be based on the actual cost of postage.	44.95
	S321: The Vandojazz Etude and Exercise Book for Saxophone. Carl Fischer, 2007, PB, 120 pages. Subtitled: The Secrets of Ten Master Saxophonists. This new book contains etudes, exercises, scales, chords, and strategies for improvisation as well as the philosophy and explanation of what is in each chapter. The saxophonists are Don Aliquo, Frank Catalano, Jeff Coffin, Denis Diblasio, Gary Foster (go Gary!), Hayes Greenfield, Dan Higgins, Billy Kerr, Dan Moretti, and Harry Skoler. While this book is mostly music, we thought it included enough text to list in this section.	24.95

Bindings: HB: Hard Bound, PB: Perfect Bound (paperback with square spine), SS: Saddle Stitch (paper, folded and stapled), SB: Spiral Bound (plastic or metal)