Invented in the early 1840s, the saxophone was a relative latecomer to music—and to jazz. But starting in the mid-1920s, with the rise of the big bands, the instrument slowly but steadily evolved from ...

Unlike the structured precision of a piano-driven quartet, saxophone-guitar albums thrive on spontaneity. Imagine a smoky jazz club where the deep, soulful wail of a saxophone weaves effortlessly with ...

Almost no other instrument seems so synonymous with jazz as the sax. Listen to some classic alto playing from Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Stitt and more greats. Credit...Illustration by ...