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

~ (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.
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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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (September 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374159386
• ISBN-13: 978-0374159382
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #267,592 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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)

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)

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!

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Easy and Delightful Read, January 21, 2006

By	John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

How can one not be interested in a musical instrument banned by Nazis, Communists and the Catholic church and played by President Clinton. It's also just about the newest of the major musical instruments, dating from 1843 when Adolphe Sax built the first one.

This book is basically a love affair with the Sax. It's part history, part stories, part nostalgia for the greats of the past, part just plain good writing about a thing the author clear loves. The author is a professional journalist, an amateur musician and he has combined these two interests together in this book.

It's an easy and delightful read. It's kind of fun to have a book like this that is something other than how much one political party hates the other, the war, oil prices and all the other things that you see getting published today.