September 2019 educator catalog

August 2019 855-450-3680

Grammy Award-Winning Saxophonist Kirk Whalum talks gear, musical approach and more

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"I have gone back to the fundamentals, like practicing really simple diatonic exercises.

It’s all about all 12 keys."

Gear, Growth and Practice: Kirk Whalum’s Journey From humble Memphis roots to having played the most listened-to saxophone solo in recorded history (“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston), Kirk Whalum never forgets where he’s been, or where he’s going.

WWBW: When you were preparing for a life in music, did

you can be you, with no forceful aspect of the instrument

you study classical saxophone?

guiding your sound.

KW: In college mostly, and I fell in love with it. Etudes are

WWBW: Do you have a reed preference?

a big part of my practice. It seeps into my jazz playing,

KW: I play Royal by D’Addario, number 4.

especially Slonimsky and other stuff jazz guys borrow

WWBW: Have you experimented with the new super high-

from the classical world.

end mouthpieces?

WWBW: What was your university experience like?

KW: I stay away from those because I like being able

KW: When I went to college, jazz programs weren’t

to recommend a mouthpiece to a young musician who

considered legit. If you got a degree in Performance, you

doesn’t have a lot of dough. I love the JodyJazz HR8.

were going to be playing classical music.

WWBW: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our

WWBW: Did you put your jazz learning on hold at

saxophone customers?

Texas Southern?

KW: In the last few years, I’ve gone back to the

KW: Absolutely not. I was fortunate to hit a brick wall

fundamentals, like practicing simple diatonic exercises.

named Arnett Cobb. Arnett, on a personal level and

I think it’s good to come up with exercises yourself. It

musical level, inspired me and taught me a lot.

will take you your whole lifetime to do it, but along the

WWBW: How did you get started?

way you’ll be a better musician because you internalize

KW: My Uncle Peanuts was the first guy I ever heard play

concepts and move them through all 12 keys.

saxophone. I must have been 13. My earliest influences

WWBW: You mention all 12 keys. Is that something you

and my biggest influences to this day are the Black

apply religiously?

musicians in church when I was growing up in Memphis.

KW: Absolutely. That comes from my classical training,

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WWBW: I understand you’ve made a change in equipment. but it’s all about all 12 keys. That's a Sonny Stitt thing.

KW: After 30 years of playing Keilworth, I played a friend

That's where he was coming from. It's just great because

of mine’s P. Mauriat 66R. It’s the transparent sound of it.

it makes you get over those barriers and hurdles.

Transparency is the most important thing, because then

Read the complete interview online at WWBW.com/url

Kirk's Gear List: P. Mauriat PMXT-66R Series Professional Tenor Saxophone H72352 | $4,599.00

JodyJazz HR* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece 471631 | $199.00

JodyJazz MT1 Gold Power Ring Ligatures J51029 | $95.00

D'Addario Woodwinds Select Jazz Filed Tenor Saxophone Reeds 462677 | Box of 5 | $25.99

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