Forget the Three Tenors - How About Twenty!

I am not talking about opera singers. I am talking about tenor saxophonists. As a former tenor player, I have a special fondness for this instrument. The list includes the holy trinity of tenor players: John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Dexter Gordon. For those of you who are not jazz fans, John Coltrane is the god of the tenor. The list starts with his classic "Giant Steps," for which he became famous for his sheets of sound. It proceeds to cover tracks by the rest of my favorites. One tenor player, who may not be so familiar these days, is Gene Ammons. Check out his version of "Angel Eyes." It is absolutely beautiful. The list covers a wide variety of styles from the swing era, bebop, hard bop, to avant garde. The list finishes with a cut from the album A Blowin' Session, which features a classic jam session between Johnny Griffin, John Coltrane, and Hank Mobley. Click here to listen.