The Devil's Horn: The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to King of Cool (Paperback)

by Michael Segell (Author)
Key Phrases: saxophone instruction, concert saxophone, altissimo range, New York, Adolphe Sax, Charlie Parker (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The saxophone has come to be synonymous with 20th-century music, not to mention all things cool: jazz, cocktail lounges, hip cats and the like. Segell (Standup Guy: Manhood After Feminism) traces the instrument back to its eccentric Belgian creator, Adolphe Sax, an acoustical craftsman who survived disease, accidents and even assassination attempts from his instrument-making competitors. Just 10 years after Sax completed the first prototype of the saxophone in 1843, the shining horn had traveled all over the U.S. and throughout Europe. Music would never be the same again. Like its creator, the sax was revolutionary, an instrument whose very sound—which has been described as "carnal" and "voluptuous"—caused it to be banned by Nazis and Communists; religious leaders—including the Vatican—deemed the instrument "profane." As Segell recounts the saxophone's history, he simultaneously illuminates many of its renowned players, namely jazz greats Benny Carter, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz and Branford Marsalis. An amateur musician himself, Segell has a personal relationship with the horn, which adds a stirring sense of immediacy to the narrative.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"A minor miracle. . .a book that will appeal to both jazz musicians and jazz lovers alike." -- Rob Fishburn, The Roanoke Times

"A story as much fun to read as listening to a sax master." -- Kirkus Reviews

"It's clear [Segell] grasps the jazzman’s dictum that it’s the journey, not the destination." -- Dave Itzkoff, The New York Times Book Review

"What a splendid tribute Segell has written to that time-bending musical continuum that still holds so many in its thrall." -- Tom Nolan, The San Francisco Chronicle

"[A] historical and deeply personal tribute to the saxophone." -- Jonathan Bor, The Baltimore Sun

"[Michael Segell] guides us on an entertaining journey." -- Matt Schudel, The Washington Post Book World --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Picador (August 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312425570
• ISBN-13: 978-0312425579
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #140,649 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great story on the saxophone, November 16, 2005

By	Antonio C. Nolan "antonics" (Houston,TX, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Devil's Horn: The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to King of Cool (Hardcover)

Am about 80% done with this book. Great book shows history of the saxophone from Adolphe Sax's humble beginnings to the latest sax variation called the aulochrome (double-soprano sax welded together?). I liked the Personal Sound section of the book. Very informative and helpful. Buy it!

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars saxophonia proliferated, January 28, 2006

By	Gordon Samuelson (Maui, Hawaii) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Devil's Horn: The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to King of Cool (Hardcover)

As an "old pro" who has played my Selmers next to lots of familiar names, I feel this book is MUST reading for anyone serious about the instrument (...even just as a listener). I had to laugh out loud at some of the 'holy' schemes hatched against Adolphe Sax and his legacy, and I loved the passionate quotes and reminiscences gathered from many of the top hornmen around Manhattan.
More surprising yet are sensously scientific details about how quickly the new brassy/windy sound caught on, forcing innumerable clarinetists and violinists everywhere to switch instruments, or quit. Reading the book out here in the middle of the Pacific, I suppose even my own album, "sax hawaiian style", proves the author's point that this sultry 'devilish' voice was destined to invade practically every musical style and culture worldwide. I can hardly wait until some saxophonist conquers a juicy stake in Rap, or in middle-eastern music, or in whatever genres someday arise!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love that Sax!, May 27, 2006

By	Paul A. Dunphy (Bogota, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Devil's Horn: The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to King of Cool (Hardcover)

Michael Segell has written a book which is brimming over not just with the enthusiasm of a convert but also with some very solid scholarship. The reader can't help but be caught up in the world which has evolved around this much maligned but fascinating instrument. What the book needs is a bit of condescension to those not familiar with the saxophone's parts and some jazz terminology left me in the dark. A glossary and diagram of the instrument's parts would help.