80’s Sax Solos

The popular music of the 1980’s carried with it a powerful legacy for us saxophone players.

Unlike the pop music of today, much of which is sampled, sequenced, and looped, the music of the 80’s made frequent use of the saxophone solo. Classic solos on songs such as “Careless Whisper,” “I Can’t Go for That,”  and “Caribbean Queen” helped to plant the saxophone smack-dab into the musical mainstream.

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The Ultimate Guide to Saxophone Sound Production

Of course, some of these solos were downright lame, but there were a few gems such as Michael Brecker’s solo on Donald Fagan’s ballad, “Maxine.”

But let’s face it – most of these solos fell into the “downright lame” category.

For those of us saxfolk who can appreciate the pop sax solos of 80’s, I’ve come across a website – or rather, a web-page just for you. On this page, you’ll find an exhaustive list of that decade’s signature solos, each solo complete with audio sample, letter grade, brief commentary, and a variety of grading criteria such as “Vibrato Overuse,” “Middle School Level,” and “Good Continuity” to name just a few.

To vist the site and quench your rabid hunger for sax solo action from the era of Ronald Reagan and feathered hair, click yourself on over here.