Saxophone Family Tree

I had the chance to talk to my college saxophone professor and put together this family tree of teachers I’ve worked with. I studied with both Randy Smith and Tim AuBuchon at Truman State as well as José and Neil throughout my time in high school and college.

I find it interesting that all of the players seeming from Eugene Rousseau play Yamaha saxophones while all of the players on the right side from Fred Hemke play Selmer saxophones (with the exception of Randy Smith, who owns both.)

Larry Teal wasn’t really a saxophonist, more of a doubler, but was the first official saxophone teacher in the US while Rousseau and Hemke traveled to France to study with The Godfather, Marcel Mule. This pink book by Larry Teal is used by most young saxophone players as the holy text of all things saxophone.

All in all, in 2021, I don’t feel that far removed from Paris 75 years ago laying the groundwork of modern saxophone…meanwhile the likes of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and others are making careers in the 40s and 50s without much formal training. Crazy. JG