Ahhh, the Saxophone. That sultry wail on a mist-ridden street, the seductive tones of Kenny G, and the rich warm sound of a jazzy riff. These sounds truly capture the heart and imagination of their listeners, and have since the instrument first came on the scene. From professional musicians like the jazz legend Johnny Hodges, to Bill Clinton, the former president of the United States, the Saxophone knows no boundaries of class or race. If you’ve never really taken the time to enjoy the beautiful music of this instrument, Saxophone Day is your time to indulge.

History of Saxophone Day

The Saxophone is a woodwind instrument that was developed by a second generation Belgian instrument designer by the name of Adolphe Sax in 1846. His goal was to create the most powerful and adaptable brass woodwind instrument to fill the perceived gap between their respective sections. While it was initially developed to be used in classical music, the diversity of the saxophone has found its way into just about every type of music you can imagine.

From its creation, there have been multiple derivations of the saxophone, from the Alto (being the most common) all the way up the scale to the Sopranissimo (a very high pitched instrument) all the way down to the Subcontrabass (the deepest throated of the saxophones). Though developed to be the balancing point between brass and woodwind instruments, the saxophone is classified, officially, as a woodwind.