Author Archive: Zach Sollitto
Hailing from sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Zachary Sollitto is a man of many skills and many passions. Since picking up the saxophone in sixth grade, he has gone on to become a marketing major with a minor in music at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). Influenced by saxophone titans such as Seamus Blake, Eric Alexander, Antonio Hart, and Vincent Herring, Zachary's love for playing jazz is paralleled only by his passion for the world of saxophones and saxophone gear. Perhaps more than just about any saxophonist you're likely to meet, he maintains an up-to-the-moment awareness of the latest and greatest products hitting the market for saxophonists. Whether it's saxophones, mouthpieces, neck straps, or just about anything else, Zach is the man you want to talk to. Companies looking to have their saxophone products reviewed can reach him at zach@bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com.
Sax Virtuoso Rick Keller Shares Tips for Better Sound, Rhythm, Improvisation, and More
Tweet Rick’s Official Bio Rick Keller continues to explore and develop his musical voice. Both a sought after sideman and an artist, Rick is constantly composing and pursuing his own projects which define his commitment to creative expression. He has been inspired by music from many countries as a result of playing in concerts and [...]
Category: Best Saxophone Players
Can the Marmaduke Line of Mouthpieces Replace the Classics? Plus, Lupifaro Reeds.
Tweet While at the 2013 NAMM show, I ran into a gentleman by the name of Alex Miyatake. I met Alex at the R.S. Berkley booth while trying out various Virtuoso tenor saxophones. Alex told me to try out his Marmaduke line of mouthpieces. I have heard and seen these mouthpieces on Sax.co.uk and have [...]
Category: Saxophone Product Reviews
Are these Horns by Selmer and Yanagisawa All that They’re Cracked Up to Be?
Tweet Introduction For years and years now, Conn-Selmer has been manufacturing some of the most popular and highly regarded woodwind and brass instruments on the market. I was recently contacted by Derek Bowen over at Conn-Selmer, and he was nice enough to send me a Yanagisawa 992 tenor, Selmer Reference 54 tenor, and a Selmer [...]
Category: Saxophone Product Reviews
Can a Saxophone Neck Strap Cure Neck Strain While Playing?
Tweet While visiting the MACSAX booth at the 2013 NAMM show, the booth to the left was that of the saxophone accessory company, Jazzlab. At this booth, I found a new neck strap called the saXholder (yes, that’s the spelling that the company uses). Benefits of the saXholder I was able to talk to Silvin Jancic, [...]
Category: Saxophone Product Reviews
An Evaluation of Vandoren’s Hottest Products
Tweet Introduction Vandoren is a name that many saxophonists have come to swear by. I have tried many of Vandoren’s reeds and saxophone accessories for soprano, alto, and tenor. David Gould and Andy Blanco over at DANSR were nice enough to send me some of their most popular Vandoren products. I am going to be [...]
Category: News, Updates, and Brand Overviews, Saxophone Product Reviews
A Sneak Peek at 2013′s Hottest New Saxophones
Tweet After attending the NAMM 2012 trade show and being blown away by the amount of artists, vendors, and enthusiasts who showed up, I knew I had to go back next year. NAMM 2013 was another great year full of new equipment, great artists, and more vendors showing off their latest products to help musicians [...]
Category: News, Updates, and Brand Overviews, Saxophone Product Reviews
Reviewed: Greg Fishman’s “Hip Licks for Saxophone” Volumes I and II
Tweet The first time I saw Greg Fishman was when I attended Jamey Aebersold’s jazz workshop. Since then, Greg has come out with multiple educational books for saxophone such as Jazz Saxophone Etudes, Jazz Phrasing for Beginners, Tasting Harmony, and a good number more. The two books (to date) that make up Fishman’s newest series, [...]
Category: Saxophone Product Reviews
Reviewed: A Collection of Rico Products You May Not Have Tried Yet
Tweet Over the course of my playing career I have tried countless saxophone accessories and reeds from many manufacturers. The first box of reeds I ever played on was a Rico orange box. I later moved on to the Rico Royals and then continued to try more and more reeds from different manufacturers to see [...]
Category: Saxophone Product Reviews
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