Jazz Saxophone Listening List

Twenty jazz albums selected for saxophone students, in four groups from first listens to more adventurous ones. Links go to Odesli (album.link), so you can choose your streaming service.

Intro to Jazz Saxophone

• Stitt Plays Bird by Sonny Stitt
• Cannonball Takes Charge by Cannonball Adderley
• Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
• Dexter Calling by Dexter Gordon
• Inspiration by Max Ionata
• The Inside of the Outside by Jeff Coffin

Next Steps

• Blue Train by John Coltrane
• Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
• Wish by Joshua Redman
• The Magnificent Charlie Parker by Charlie Parker
• Two of a Mind by Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan

Gettin’ Weird

• Giant Steps by John Coltrane
• Inner Urge by Joe Henderson
• The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman
• Out to Lunch by Eric Dolphy
• Looking Forward by Miguel Zenón

Going Further

• Directions in Music by Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and Roy Hargrove
• Gratitude by Chris Potter
• Gratitude by Dick Oatts
• Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets) by Steve Coleman