TOP 10 SOPRANO Saxophone Players of all Time

Jay Metcalf lists his top 10 soprano saxophone players. #bettersax #saxophone #sopranosax

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[flatchkob]

Wayne Shorter's tone is full of mystery and emotions. Definetely my favorite one. Great video btw. Cheers from France and check the Emile PARISien work too ;)

[jenniferannison]

One of your best videos! I wish this was a full length documentary. The old footage really elevated the content! 🙌🏼

[okkietrooy]

I love the album Officium of Jan Garbarek. Very special, kind of etheric quality that I did not expect from a saxophone at that time.
I haven't listen to his music for a long time since there is so much great music to listen to and to discover.
I am now inspired to listen again to his music.

[zangsax]

Sydney's vibrato clearly gives away his clarinet roots

[olafstenzel]

Branford Marsalis is my favorite too. Especially on „Englishman in New York“ with Sting.

[dionabraham]

Great list.. Dave Koz is one of my favorites on soprano

[jerih.]

George Howard, in my opinion, was ahead of his time when it came to playing the soprano sax. He made the instrument his own. There was a lot of emotion and intensity that came from his playing. May he rest in eternal comfort and paradise.

[salahazzam]

George Howard is one of the best soprano sound I've ever heard followed by the best r'n'b soprano sound Najee !

[michaelmullmusic]

Jerome Richardson is maybe not for this list, but nonetheless very important for any big band saxophonist. His soprano lead with Thad Jones is a key part of the lineage. Following him, Jerry Dodgion and Dick Oattes

[SharpElevenMusic]

Great list Jay, love me some soprano sax. I fell in love with it as a youngster (age 12 or so) as I was mesmerized by Branford's playing on English Man In New York. Nice to see my transcription used and credited, thanks!

By the way, I want to include a honorably mention for Eric Marienthal's soprano playing. That sound

[cyrusacre]

Branford is a BEAST on the Soprano - my favorite is his playing on Sting's Love Is The Seventh Wave - WOW!! You hear him dancing through those changes?!!?

[martyjourard]

Great roundup. I am completely in agreement about Branford. Hearing him perform live is astounding, and boy can you hear him. The best soprano player on the planet---now that Shorter has passed on.

[armthealiens]

Pretty good list.
I miss John Surman and Joe Farrell.
And of course Chris Potter is a beast of a soprano player too - special mention goes to Archie Shepp whose expressive range on the instrument goes unsurpassed.

[harrywoodell]

So now I set down the Bari (playing it in a Cello vs. Bass piece) to work on mu Soprano tone. Thanks for the stimulus, and the discography.

[KIBEJA]

Jane Ira Bloom and Paul McCandless - wonderful players and innovators!

[chribm]

Thanks for the additiion of Grover Washington. Been listening to him since high school in the late 70's. He's definitely one of my favorite players. I also really enjoy Spyro Gyras, Jay Beckenstein. He doesn't primarily do soprano so understand why he's not on the list, but he's also had impact on my playing as well as Kenny G. It's odd to me why Kenny is treated the way he is by some because he is very talented and I love his tone. I have worked very hard to have a similar sound. If nothing else he has brought the Soprano a great deal of attention. More people know what the Soprano is today because of him.
Might I also mention the late and great David Sanborn. Again, I know he was more alto than soprano, but he has picked up the soprano too and does a great job on it.

[RobHilliard]

Great grouping!
Grover is my all time favorite, really on all three horns…

But I also love (not in your list):
-Zoot Sims
-Kirk Whalum
-Sam Levine

Oh, and Lee Konitz on *The Soprano Sax Album* is fantastic too!

[mrsaxophoneperson]

Gerry Niewood was the person who inspired me to take up soprano. Loved his sound.

[T.H.W.O.T.H]

Check out UK soprano specialists Lol Coxhill and Evan Parker, both of whom have done pretty unique things with the instrument.
French sopranoist Olivier Franc is keeping the tradition of Bechet alive, along with his Swedish acolyte Nana Carling - and of course you can't mention that tradition without talking about Bob Wilbur and Kenny Davern.
Within the smooth jazz camp the Jamaican Ariana Stanberry has a warm, emotional sound.

But the player who I really think should've made the list is Rahsaan Roland Kirk, who's approach to the instrument was as individual as his approach to the music. A true genius imo.

[stevekeiretsu]

I've been a huge fan of Herbie Hancock, esp Headhunters era, for far longer than I've been a sax player, so despite listening endlessly over the decades I've never consciously considered which sax(es) were being used at any given point. But listening to a lot of the examples here makes me realise Bennie Maupin must've spent a great deal of time on soprano, because I was reminded of him super vividly at several points in this video. So, he can get my hat tip for someone you 'missed'!