Blessing Co., both long-standing, household names in the world of musical instruments, anticipates making deliveries of the new alto saxophone before the first of the year. Powell Flutes, which recently acquired E.K. "This is kind of Mike's dream saxophone," Wasser says.Ī prototype of the Powell Silver Eagle saxophone. Smith's current role is that of artist and design consultant with Powell. "Now we're in production with the alto," Smith says. "Each member of that team contributed design ideas to this instrument," Wasser says, which led to their first prototype. His determination to resuscitate the instrument led him to engineer John Weir, Toronto, Ontario and Steven Wasser, owner of Verne Q. "In the last thirty years there hasn't been an American-made saxophone," Smith says. "I thought it was a good time to bring an American made instrument back."Ī collector of vintage King Super 20s, Smith describes how the cost of manufacturing in America led to the eventual phasing out of the iconic King Super 20. "I always thought this was a great instrument," Smith says.
"To build an instrument that is built on a famous old saxophone called the King Super 20."Īccording to Smith, the American-made instrument, popular in the 1940's, 50's and 60's, was used by many famous sax players such as Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley.
Then go practice.Saxophonist Mike Smith Photograph courtesy of Powell FlutesĬhicago-based saxophonist Mike Smith, 55, has performed and recorded with such jazz greats as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Natalie Cole. Last tip is to use a softer than average reed with your Meyer and Super 20, to get that open, reedy, instant response that you hear in the video below, and on all of Cannon’s recordings.
The original Meyer Bros NY in a 4,5,6, or 7 tip opening have gotten too expensive for many players, but this mouthpiece really does play just like the one Cannonball used, and it is made of the best materials by the best mouthpiece maker in the world (himself a King Super 20 player), Ted Klum. Luckily, on the mouthpiece front, there is now a modern mouthpiece that plays just like the sort of Meyer Bros that Cannonball played.
I estimate from watching gaps in saxophone serial numbers that only about 1/10 of King’s overall production was Super 20’s, meaning there are only around 3400 ‘series 2’ full pearls Super 20 saxophones that were made at best. (People outside the USA have often never played a King, so I can’t blame them.) These early 50’s King Super 20’s are about 10x more rare than a 5-digit Selmer Mark VI, because King used its serial numbers for all its instruments – student saxophones, trumpets, trombones and everything is included in that serial range from 308k-342k. They are my favorite all-around alto saxophones, so I try to buy them whenever I can, and I try to keep a few in stock even though Selmers are still more popular. These have the ‘full pearls’ on side keys, palm keys, and G#, double socket, solid silver neck, and very good intonation.
Will there ever be a more recognizable and attractive alto sound than Cannonball with his King Super 20 and Meyer Bros alto mouthpiece? If you’re wanting setup details, Cannonball Adderley played a variety of King Super 20 saxophones over the years, and he played more than one mouthpiece, but most recognizably, it would be a ‘full pearls’ King Super 20 from the 50’s, particularly between serial 308xxx and 342xxx (the so-called Series II Super 20’s, though this naming is not really accurate).