Smoking (cigarettes) and playing the saxophone
MMacqu2070
after hearing of a recent bout of respitory problems with Joe Henderson, I
wondered if he still smoked. So many of his early albums showed him either
smoking or holding a cigarette. I am not being critical or judgemental here,
just wondering about it, and a little surprised. I quit a year ago, but still
want to smoke very badly. I remember that when i did smoke, the crud I used to
clean out of my mouthpiece looked like it came out of my nose instead of my
mouth. Now that I don't smoke, this is no longer the case. I mention this,
because it makes me wonder if playing a horn helps to clean out the lungs.
Also, I am curious about what players do smoke. Did Dexter smoke to the end of
his career? I know Trane did, though he switched to a pipe? How bout Rollins
(I doubt it), Jackie Mac, Brecker, etc.
I don't mean to invade anyone's privacy or expose any personal habits, no
harm intended, just curious about smoking and playing. If playing the horn
clears the lungs, does this mean I can smoke again?
Would like to see more about playing and health. Had a brain aneurism a
year ago, brain surgery a year ago this week. Some suspected hard reeds open
mouthpieces a contributing factor, other (in medical field) said, naw...
Leon Mack
Keith Henson
> Would like to see more about playing and health. Had a brain aneurism a
> year ago, brain surgery a year ago this week. Some suspected hard reeds open
> mouthpieces a contributing factor, other (in medical field) said, naw...
> Leon Mack
from an article from my web site:
WARNING: Smoking dope and playing the saxophone may be hazardous
to your health...The March 1997 issue of Scientific American has some
critical information for aggressive saxophone players. In an article
entitled, "Anti Gravity Body Blow" by Steve Mirsky, we learn of a recent
case published in the British Medical Journal of a man who
forcefully blew up some balloons and a few days later experienced
crackling under his skin--the result of trapped air. According to the
treating physician, Dr. Elborn, "To develop subcutaneous air
collections, you need to have a leak from your lung for some reason."
And the reason was the Valsalva.
Valsalva is the action of taking in a deep breath, then trying to exhale
forcibly without opening the glottis. According to Mirsky, "careless
Valsalva can burst some of the lung's alveoli, the tiny air sacs where
gas exchange actually occurs." Pinpointing one high risk group, Mirsky,
according to Elborn, warns that, "Air trapped under the skin is well
documented among saxophone players, whose aggressive style probably
makes them more susceptible than other wind instruments."
Saxophone players aren't the only ones at risk to find themselves
crackling. Marijuana smokers attempting to hold the fumes unwittingly
perform the Valsalva.
At greatest risk then are marijuana smoking saxophone players. Thank
goodness there are few of these. (Bill Clinton comes to mind, but as we
have all heard him say, "I didn't [Valsalva].")
Though the balloon blower soon recovered, (the air diffused into the
capillaries), his experience is a warning to all aggressive saxophone
stylists: "Clearly, if you have any pain or discomfort when [playing the
saxophone], you should stop. It might be better to use a pump."
Keith Henson
khe...@accessone.com
http://www.accessone.com/~khenson/
Nikko Fallangel
biggest problem isn't so much in tone, but breath support. You cant hold you
breath for as long and steady if you smoke anything. Sure, Trane and all
those other cats could play like hell, but they would have played even
better if they didnt smoke. Why do you need to smoke? Music should be your
drug. - Nick
Ulrich Lang
MMacqu2070
Joe? Anybody know if he still smokes? What about Berg? Why do so many
saxophonists smoke, when one would assume that they, more than other
professional groups, would know the ill side-effects?
Leon (again)
Andy Harman
The same reason that anyone smokes. They are ADDICTED. Ain't no big
mystery there.
Andy
-------------------------------------------
Please reply to aharman at hhcustom dot com
-------------------------------------------
KSQ
>
> Also, I am curious about what players do smoke.
You probably meant specific players, but I thought I'd offer this anyway
--
When I was at the conservatory, the rule was, almost without exception,
that the only students who smoked were jazz players (including plenty of
saxophonists) and some string players. I can think of only one
classical saxist who smoked, and as it happened he started out as a jazz
violinist! There *were* a *few* classical wind players who smoked, but
it was a rare sight. Most of the people hanging around outside and
having a smoke were jazzers.
Again, no judgments being made here (please don't read any into the
above!); just calling it like I saw it.
-- Sam
Terry Cutshall
KSQ
>
> Wow, I can't say that I've ever heard a jazz violin.
>
There have been a surprising number of them, and good ones too. Check
out Joe Venuti or Stephane Grappelli for a traditional-jazz approach,
or, for a "contemporary" twist (read that as you will), someone like
Jean-Luc Ponty or... uh-oh, brain freeze... John Blake? I think that's
his name.
If this is too decidedly-off-topic, my apologies for bringing it this
far.
-- Sam
Paul Lindemeyer
> Wow, I can't say that I've ever heard a jazz violin.
One of the most thankless tasks in music. Outsider to jazz AND
classical, but a beautiful thing when anyone does it well.
Someday I think I might learn to fiddle and revive the long dead
tradition of hotel sax players who doubled on cat guts. What's the age
limit for Suzuki class? ;-)
--
Paul Lindemeyer <pau...@cyburban.com>
CELEBRATING THE SAXOPHONE: The Book
100 YEARS FROM TODAY: The Record
C.G. CONN Saxophones "Choice of the Artist"
Mitch
Paul Lindemeyer wrote:
> Terry Cutshall wrote:
>
> > Wow, I can't say that I've ever heard a jazz violin.
>
>
> One of the most thankless tasks in music. Outsider to jazz AND
> classical, but a beautiful thing when anyone does it well.
>
> Someday I think I might learn to fiddle and revive the long dead
> tradition of hotel sax players who doubled on cat guts. What's the age
> limit for Suzuki class? ;-)
>
I checked out a tenor owned by an old timer a few months ago. We chatted
for hours about the "good old days" in NY. He had played on cruise ships
in the '40s and '50s and brought the best cigars and booze back from Cuba
to grease the union bosses in NY City. The cruises weren't done for the
money - you had to come back with the goods to get the best gigs the rest
of the year.
Anyway, there was one type of gig this guy couldn't break into in 30 years
even though he was very Italian and well connected. The very best gigs
were at the "family" weddings. You could make a month's income in one big
blow-out weekend. These jobs went to the the "boys" that came over from
Italy just for these special occasions. At one hall, the band was seated
on a long winding stairway. These special players - three or five of them
would play their horns and fiddles with the rest of the band, and play
their violins during breaks while strolling among the tables - just like
in the movies.
Lindemeyer- hmm... maybe you could change that to Corlione???
Mitch
andy
> I saw on a recent (I think) Bob Berg CD that he was smoking a cigarette.
Also,
> after hearing of a recent bout of respitory problems with Joe Henderson, I
> wondered if he still smoked. So many of his early albums showed him either
> smoking or holding a cigarette. I am not being critical or judgemental here,
> just wondering about it, and a little surprised. I quit a year ago, but still
> want to smoke very badly. I remember that when i did smoke, the crud I used
to
> clean out of my mouthpiece looked like it came out of my nose instead of my
> mouth. Now that I don't smoke, this is no longer the case. I mention this,
> because it makes me wonder if playing a horn helps to clean out the lungs.
> Also, I am curious about what players do smoke. Did Dexter smoke to the end
of
> his career? I know Trane did, though he switched to a pipe? How bout
Rollins
> (I doubt it), Jackie Mac, Brecker, etc.
> I don't mean to invade anyone's privacy or expose any personal habits, no
> harm intended, just curious about smoking and playing. If playing the horn
> clears the lungs, does this mean I can smoke again?
> year ago, brain surgery a year ago this week. Some suspected hard reeds open
> mouthpieces a contributing factor, other (in medical field) said, naw...
> Leon Mack
After this thread started, there was a report in the British media saying that
a surprisingly high number of women smokers were affected by one particularly
virulent form of lung cancer. One theory was that women tend to smoke lighter
brands, and may inhale more deeply/sharply to get the nicotine's effects, thus
driving the smoke more into the folds/recesses of their lungs where this
particular cancer starts.
I guess the lesson is, if you do smoke and play the sax (like me), dont
smoke *at-the-same-time* as you're playing, as the increased pressure of the
trapped air/smoke in your lungs as you play may be doing even more damage than
regular smoking.
(There was a famous UK entertainer / TV personality and pretty good trumpeter,
Roy Castle, who never smoked in his life, and blamed his terminal lung cancer on
the smoky atmosphere at gigs.)
jesus, that's depressing.
I'll have to quit real soon.
Andy