Inside the Jazzers Studio - Kelly Jefferson

First off, I have a confession to make. I kinda hate the saxophone. I know!  It's shocking.  It's just that they play so many notes and they're always trying to show off how fast they can play and they take up so many choruses at the jams.  Am I a jazz traitor?  Well, not completely because there are some shining exceptions to my saxophone rule: John Coltrane, Tim Ries (who I just discovered this year), Richard Underhill and Kelly Jefferson.  Here's what I believe:  Kelly Jefferson is to saxophone like Roger Federer is to tennis.  They are both real gentlemen, kind and unassuming but when they take to their stages you realize they are true masters.

When my producer Marc Rogers suggested we add sax to a few of the tracks on my album I started to tense up, until he qualified his suggestion with "'Cause I just think Kelly Jefferson would sound killer on these few tunes."  "Well, that's different then just adding sax. That's adding Kelly." I thought. "Having Kelly on those songs would just make me smile."  Now that everything is recorded, I can assure you Kelly does sound amazing and I'm so grateful for all of the insightful musicality he brought to my album.  You can hear him having fun on my version of Just a Girl on myspace.

1. What is your favorite word? Cake. (Just say it half a dozen times slowly...see?)
2. What is your least favorite word?  Jazz.
3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?  Jazz.
4. What turns you off? People who need to get on the subway car before
   letting the other people off. 
5. What sound or noise do you love?  The sound of a quiet night at the cottage.
6. What sound or noise do you hate?  Microphone feedback.
7. What is your favorite curse word?  I like most of the four letter curse words...like
   jazz...
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?  I'm still attempting my own, but I've always wanted to drive a Zamboni.
9. What profession would you not like to do?  Air Traffic Controller.
10. If Heaven exists, who's the first person you want to see in concert when you arrive? I'm not sure if I can narrow it down, (it would be one hell of a band!) but (today) I would have to say a 3-way tie between John Coltrane, Donny Hathaway and Glenn Gould.

Check out Kelly playing with Barry Romberg's Random Access Large Ensemble at the Rex Sunday, March 30th at 9:30.  This "big" band makes the most challenging but accessible music tune after tune.  Kelly will be playing alongside a score of players who are at the top of their game, including: Rich Brown, Jason Logue and of course, Barry Romberg.  It's worth showing up late for work on Monday because RA really is the hippest thing to hit the Rex.