Jazzman Sanders finds fresh wind on Melbourne journey

Andra Jackson courtesy of The Age

Arts & Culture
Andra Jackson

FOR American jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, knowing when not to play is as important as knowing when to play. Speaking on how he interacts with pianist and long-time colleague William Henderson, he said: "Sometimes I might get in his way," adding, "You don't want to overplay. You want the music to flow."

One way to achieve this is "we try to feel the music". That guides them on when the sax should come in or when the piano should lead explorations.

Sanders, who has an early album called Wisdom Through Music, imparted just that in a weekend masterclass in which he illustrated his approach as much by playing as by talking. 

His Saturday class, one of a series as part of the Melbourne Jazz International Festivalwas packed. Those listening attentively in the BMW Edge auditorium at Federation Square included some of Melbourne's leading sax players, such as Julien Wilson, Andy Sugg, Phil Bywater, Martha Bartz and Mal Sedergreen.

Also drawn by the rare opportunity to hear the musician who had played with jazz giant John Coltrane, were musicians on the festival program such as American pianist Jon Weber. Others were music students (one with manuscript paper at ready).

Elaborating on the interplay between himself and Henderson, Sanders said their meeting point was "a common head of chords" and "we can use that as a skeleton to move on".

Opening with The Light at the End of the Tunnel, Sanders demonstrated his majestic sound with a tone that had clarity, warmth and resonance. He inserted fast runs, lingered over rhythmic patterns, summoned high, lush notes and played breathy phrases, taking the sound down to a hovering hum.

The audience was treated to nearly an hour of playing as the pair displayed their respective explorations of tunes such as My Favourite Things where Sanders used his famous split reed technique to conjure a wild, African jungle-like sound. In response to a question, Sanders said he tried to blow as straight as he could into the instrument so he could listen to what he was playing. "I feel like I'm the player and the audience, and if I don't like it the audience won't."

Among his musical journeys Sanders has recorded with Moroccan musicians and he likes to engage with indigenous musicians whenever he travels. He had another cultural exchange at the workshop when local didgeridoo player Joe Geia joined him. Sanders listened intently to the drone before opting for a rhythmic response.

As well as giving something to Melbourne through his Saturday night Hamer Hall concert and the masterclass, Sanders in turn took away a piece of Melbourne in the form of a Temby Australian tenor saxophone.

He visited The Music Place in South Melbourne and tried out the local saxophone and fell for its "warmth of sound".

To the astonishment of local sax players he traded his "venerable" Selmer Mark Six 1961 saxophone, which he had played for years, for the Temby.

The Melbourne saxophone designed by David Temby is handcrafted with silver for the plating and black nickel for the body. Mr Temby said Sanders was so thrilled with the instrument that he used for the workshop and concert that he offered to be his agent in New York.

Andra Jackson courtesy of The Age