WELCOME TO WEIRD WOODWINDS AND JAZZ!!
These are my favorite families of instruments to play, and the more oddball, the better! Weird, Wicked, Wacky, and Wild is Wonderful!!
Jazz and Rock Improvisation, Arranging and Composition, and K-12 through College and beyond, Music Teaching and Performance!!
If you have enjoyed my page, please consider making a small donation, so that I can keep updating the information, and add sound files and more pictures to make this page informative and educational!! Even a small donation is extremely welcome and helpful in keeping the page online and updated!!
You can use PAYPAL (paypal.com), and send the donation to my email address (allreeds@hotmail.com). Thanks in advance!!!
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I was a college professor at a small jazz-commercial music college on Long Island, in New York, for 11 years, since 1992 (Five Towns College, Dix Hills). (Prior to that, I taught public/private/parochial schools K-12, and at Suffolk Community College, all in various music departments since 1978.)
At Five Towns College, I coordinated (read that: conducted, arranged and composed for) ensembles (especially the stage band) and organized the private woodwind instruction at the college. The Stage Band had the honor of performing on the main stage of Carnegie Hall, in NYC, and also in NYC at the Hotel Roosevelt for the International Brass Conference (with Mike Vax{trumpet}, and Mike Fahn{trombone} as soloists with our jazz band.) (Both events were back in 1994.)
This experience was wonderful for the students.
In 1999, I had been promoted to director of Long Distance Learning, and Online Courses, where I designed and taught online multimedia courses in The Swing Era, History of Rock and Roll, Medieval, Baroque, Renaissance, Classical and Modern Music. We used BlackBoard, E-Learning, and Jenzabar online software(see the link to my resume later down the page)... BUT, I have moved to upstate New York, the Finger Lakes region, as of 5/2003, and am looking for work in a public/private school, or at a college, as well as new playing engagements with any type of ensemble.
Professionally, I play all the woodwinds, piano, banjo, guitar and bass guitar. With a 19-piece band as my usual group to perform with, I play upwards of 15 woodwind instruments(on the Tenor Sax 2 chair)!!
I also have written approximately 275 charts for this group in the past 18 years, to feature our 'extended' reed section. The other woodwind players, also enjoy the chance to do THEIR 'doubling'!!! Our brass players are also into the 'family' of horns 'act'. Trumpets doubled flugelhorns, and the 'bones' doubled either euphoniums {euphonia?) (baritone horns), or tuba.
That group was the Hal Hoffman Band/Orchestra and it lasted for almost 20 years, from 1978-1997 playing sometimes as many as 4 times a week!!
Unfortunately, the leader (Hal Hoffman) had passed away as of December 1997, *SAD*, and the band has not continued... A picture of the band is at the following link:
THE HAL HOFFMAN BAND!!
As of May 2003, I moved to Geneva ,NY (in between Rochester and Syracuse,NY in the "Fingerlakes" region), and am living with a wonderful, loving woman, Joan, and her son, Jeremie. Joan has a married daughter and two grandaughters that live in Connecticut, whom we get to see on rare occasions. My own daughter, Judith, lives with my ex-wife on Long Island, but I get to see her from time to time, on vacations, holidays, etc. Everything is calm and copasetic, so far!!
NOT NEW NEWS!! I have purchased a SOPRILLO saxophone (in Bb) an octave above the Soprano sax!! Squeak machine time!! I am going to practice it and compose and arrange for it with one of the big bands I work with...I still need to put some sound files up...that is my next project for fall 2008!! Check back for new info , pics, etc.
SOPRILLO SAX INFO, PICTURES, AND SOUNDS!!!!
SOPRILLO SAX HOME!! by Nigel Wood
Use your browser's BACK button to return to this page.
Here's a video of some rare saxophones in concert. They are being played by Rob Verdi, who has CD's and videos available.
Here's a youtube video of me with the GFLJO playing at the EastView Mall in Victor NY, playing tenor saxophone on Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!
Enjoy!!
Christmas tune at Mall
Since my relocation, I have performed with the Great Finger Lakes Jazz Orchestra, Southern Tier Jazz All Stars, and For Dancers Only (Big Bands), Agonal Rhythm (a rock band of medical doctors from the local hospital), as well as pit orchestras in the Smith Opera House in Geneva,NY. I have also done numerous local high school musicals on multiple woodwinds.Recently, I performed as a pit orchestra member at SUNY Geneseo, playing the show "The Three Penny Opera". I also have performed at Christmas time on oboes, and the recorder family with the choir at Monroe Community College doing Renaissance/Medieval music. I also play solo and with a duo/trio using backup tracks I have created using Band in a Box software, at small coffeehouses and other venues. I have taught in three local music stores, giving lessons on woodwinds, piano, banjo, guitar and bass on a one to one basis for half hour lessons. I am also currently an adjunct music professor at Hobart/Willam Smith college, teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation to a number of students each semester. I am also fortunate to be teaching the two young daughters of the President of the college, as students. I am still looking for full time teaching work...but I am hopeful...!
See my RESUME
See my bio-page from Hobart/William Smith College!!
HWS BioPage!!
Picture this!
CLICK HERE TO SEE LOTS OF SAXES!!
My own personal instruments include:
A lot to carry!! At home I have more of the clarinet family, some other oddball
saxes, as well as double reeds. (A total of 90 horns !!!!)
I am interested in new techniques for the woodwinds: multiphonics, extended altissimo,
quarter and micro-tones,etc. I would be interested in hearing from anyone sharing
these interests. I am currently producing an educational video of these 'oddball'
woodwinds--if you are interested in purchasing a copy--e-mail me. (Address at bottom of page.)
I am also writing a book on advanced techniques for saxophone altissimo, quarter and micro-tones, lip-trills, etc.
Check out the NEW LA SAX WEB SITE!! STRAIGHT ALTOS AND TENORS!!
Here's a picture of those GREAT Saxes!!
Sopranino, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, and Bass, and some pictures of SAXELLOS!
Information, pictures, and sounds of the Bass Sax!!!!
The EEb Tubax!! Pictures, info and sounds!!
The BBb Tubax!! See pictures on this page, info and sounds, also see Jay Easton playing it below!!
Tubax AND Soprillo with Big Band!! Click on the link to go to the video. Use your browser's BACK button, to come back here!
Eb contrabass saxophone. Range Bb0-F#III. Sound DbI-A0. New high register key to BIII, sound C#I. 1 octave below baritone saxophone. Baritone or bass saxophone mouthpiece. 3 automatic octave keys. Reasonable overall height (114cm = 45in) by a completely new body design. Narrow bore for less air consumption. Same fingering as any modern saxophone.
A SOPRANISSIMO!! sax (also called the SOPRILLO sax) -- an octave ABOVE the SOPRANO!! And a half octave ABOVE the SOPRANINO!! -- Konus Corp/Benedikt Eppelsheim.
There IS a G(!) mezzo soprano sax (straight model) that I discovered as a you tube video...sounds a lot like the F mezzo, but is pitched in G. Check out the video!!
FYI - the reason for the English Horn name, is , it's a mis-translation of Cor Angl� {bent or angled horn), became Cor Anglais {English Horn}, and that's how it got its name!!!
There is a SECOND contra video also on this page--look for it too!!
Jay C. Easton , master of multiple woodwinds has some rare pipes of his own! Here are a few pictures of the 'straight' baritone sax!
Thanks to Dr.Jay C. Easton for the following saxophone pictures. Please visit his site:
Dr. Jay Easton's Website
The CONTRAFORTE (a new contrabassoon) info, sounds, pictures!!!
Albisiphone - a vertical bass flute!!!
Click on the link to hear the sounds of these beauties! Use your broswer's back button to come back here!
A funkin' (please read that word CAREFULLY! it's NOT what you think I wrote!!) contrabassoon!!! CONTRA-jazz!!! (Youtube video!)
EXTENDED BASS SAX -- REACHING LOWER LIMITS -- BUT EEb and BBb TUBAX ARE LOWER!!
LEBLANC CLARINET FAMILY -- AND ALL THE RELATIVES!!!
Click on the link and use your browser's BACK button to come back here.
The basset horn (not a 'horn' at all, curved clarinet in F, similar in shape to an Eb alto clarinet)
The basset clarinet (a straight clarinet, long and extended, and pitched in the key of A, was the original clarinet for Mozart's Clarinet Concerto K622)
Hear a recorder CONSORT!! (ensemble)
Consort!
Click on the play button of the "Consort!" link: (upper left, TRIANGLE button: to play, and towards the center, SQUARE button: to stop, use your browser's BACK button to return to this page)
The smallest recorder, in C, the 'garklein'!!
The largest recorders, the contrabass, and the subcontrabass recorders!!
Click on the link to go to the video, and use your BACK button on your browser to come back here!!
The website can be found at:
SAXOPHOBIA.NET (click on this link)
A Sarrusophone SECTION!!! (1942? according to Dr. Jay Easton)
The sound of the CONTRABASS SARRUSOPHONE!! Click on the link, then use your browswer's BACK button to come back here.
If there are any outdated or 'bad' links, please email me and let me know!! THANKS!
My email address is at end of page!
More later.... (updated 6/18/2008)
Flute Societies, Professional Organizations,
Publishers, Flute Makers, Historic Sites, Educational Sites Clarinet Societies, Professional
Organizations, Publishers, Clarinet Makers, Historic Sites,
Educational Sites Saxophone
Societies, Professional Organizations, Publishers, Saxophone
Makers, Historic Sites, Educational Sites
Please feel free to click on SIGN GUESTBOOK, and tell me a little about yourself, as well as VIEW GUESTBOOK, and see who else has been here. Also feel free to click on and discover interesting information on any and all links you may find on the page!!! Thanks!!
SIGN GUESTBOOK
VIEW GUESTBOOK
Please peruse, perambulate, meander, wander, mosey, amble, stroll, and saunter through my page of woodwind pics and info!!
There are links to other pages, and "you tube" videos throughout my woodwinds page--please enjoy them! They should be underlined to make it easier to find the links!!
Hi! and welcome to my page!!!
Educationally, I have a BA in music from SUNY Oswego, an MA from SUNY Potsdam in Music History and Literature, (as well as a K-12 New York State Teacher's License in Music), an MA in Jazz Performance and Composition/Arranging from CUNY Queens, and a DMA (doctorate) in Jazz Performance and Composition/Arranging from the CUNY Graduate Center in NYC. Please see the link to my RESUME, further down the page!
Two Eb Sopranino saxes (straight and curved),
The following pictures are of an alto with LOW A!!(1963), a comparison between an alto(Eb) and a MezzoSoprano sax (curved), and a larger picture of a curved mezzo soprano sax.
Double reeds! Oboes {from the French "hautbois" or "hautboix"}, English Horns(which are neither 'English', nor a 'Horn', Bassoons, and their ilk.... Ahhhh yes....Ill winds, that NOBODY blows GOOD! Or, if you like, 'REED' them....and WEEP!!!(...ok...ok...I know...BAD PUNS!! *sorry*)
The instrument that Jay is playing is a BBb Tubax (an octave BELOW the Bb Bass Sax),
the one on the right is a CONTRAFORTE (a redesigned ContraBassoon--see a link for it below).
Here is the BBb Tubax in concert! An octave below the Bass Sax, and 4 octaves BELOW the Soprillo Sax!!!
Links to MANY other sites on the Web
Websites Dedicated To The Flute
Websites Dedicated To The
Clarinet
Websites Dedicated To The
Saxophone
