The Saxophone Video (DVD)

It would be hard to imagine music today without the saxophone, particularly in the jazz and rock genres. Yet, if you lived prior to the 1840s, that's exactly what you would have found.

The instrument was developed in the early 1840s by the son of a woodwind maker, Adolphe Sax, after whom it was named.

That's just one of the many fascinating facts you'll be exposed to. As you watch, you'll also discover:

• Why classical music was slow to accept the saxophone
• The differences between jazz and classical sax
• When the sax was first used in jazz
• The evolution of the instrument in jazz thanks to such revolutionaries as Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman

To round out this thorough overview, you'll experience performances of Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood", along with "Ragtime for 12 Saxophones".

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