We celebrate the 50 best jazz saxophonists of all time.
Published on
February 2, 2024
By
Charles Waring
Photo: William Gottlieb/Redferns
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There’s no doubt that, if he were alive today, 19th-century Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax would be extremely surprised – and pleased, too, no doubt – at how the saxophone, which he invented and then patented back in 1846, has become universally popular, and was crucial in defining the sound of a 20th-century-born musical style called jazz. Its status as one of the genre’s most important instruments is undisputed; even the most cursory glance at the list of musicians hailed as the best jazz saxophonists of all time is essentially a list of the most famous saxophone players ever.