REVIEWS

My goodness. While there have been several books on saxophone playing and teaching that I enjoy and have used, I have never encountered one that just floored me with the level of detail, erudition, and the high quality of the publication the way this extensive work of research from Dr. Mark Watkins of BYU-Idaho has. This is just absolutely incredible.

Across 300+ pages that represent decades of work using almost 70 subjects, including full color photos and analyses of fluoroscopic and X-Ray imagery of saxophone performance, Dr. Watkins along with consultations from various other scientists has presented the definitive analysis of the physiology behind much of what we do as performers.

I have long used Ray Wheeler's early work on the subject (which was one of the principal inspirations for Donald Sinta's famous Voicing book) as a starting point for my own interest in the subject followed by the incredible online resource produced by Steve Jordheim, "The Saxophonist's Anatomy."

Subjects covered include Vocal Tract Physics, Mouthpiece Pitch, Pitch-Bends, Altissimo, Low Register, Embouchure, Vowels, Articulation, The Larynx, and Overtones.

Works like this are absolutely indispensable simply because they allow us as performers and teachers to use much more informed language as to the areas of performance that remain mysterious to our own sense while playing. Not a tract set to overthrow any one way of teaching, Watkins presents what physically must be happening, and examines the best ways to communicate these ideas meaningfully, while also providing a smattering of exercises to tease them out.

This is a book I have spent a few weeks with, purely to be sure I could use his ideas and examinations in my own practice and I must say it fits with much of what I already was attempting to feel/move while performing. However, the depth of analysis he presents will completely overwhelm you for a time especially if this is an area you have ignored or don't consciously think about while practicing, hence the need for extended study.

I could exhaust my supply of superlatives even further but I will simply conclude with: Every saxophonist of the jazz, classical, rock, pop, and any genre (or combination thereof) should own this book. Also, be sure to check out his catalog of video examples of these studies and see the changes for yourself in real time (somewhat gross but incredibly informative) here: https://content.byui.edu/s/markwatkins (less)