Stephen Saxon: Press

"A superior basso voice!"

If you've noticed that the Trumpet Guy sounds pretty good, there's a reason. He's a musician, trained in classical, jazz and Klezmer music. He also sings.

If you're an A's fan, you know the Trumpet Guy doesn't just blow his horn or play "Take me out to the ballgame."

He makes musical commentaries, or quotes as he calls them, responding to what's happening on the field or communicating with the radio play-by-play announcers.

So when A-Rod - the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, the highest-paid player in baseball - comes to the plate, he plays "If I were a rich man."

My respect for this man's ability and musicianship grows with each successive listen; he simply is flawless.

It would be criminal to go much further without talking about Clockwork's bass, Stephen Saxon. As a vocalist, Saxon lays a rock-solid foundation... He also turns in some truly virtuoso vocal work on Moment's Notice and Rhode Island Is Famous For You that could easily rival the fretting of an actual bass player.

But it's as the group's primary arranger/lyricist that he truly shines. Saxon has the almost preternatural ability to craft arrangements of tunes made famous by the likes of Herbie Hancock, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and the Beatles, that make it sound as if those most-esteemed legends had Clockwork in mind when they penned their originals.

As a lyricist, Saxon churns out original lyrics that adhere to the music with wit and whimsy. The additional lyrics in D.C. Farewell are a perfect complement to the originals, adding postcard-like detail to Eddie Jefferson's already evocative lines. Donna Lee is the breezy tale of the imagined title character, whose comic exploits are certain to draw a chuckle from even the most stoic listeners.

The group's bass, Stephen Saxon, masterfully shows off his chops here with tonally perfect repetitions on the song's chromatically difficult and vocally taxing bass lines. He keeps a furious pace and drives the song throughout, never letting the energy down.

Saxon [has] an almost supernatural sense of pitch, incredible range, and an uncanny ability to stand like an upright bass. He never falters.

Check out Stephen's monthly "A Cappella Jazz" column on the website of CASA.org. Past subjects have included Walking Bass Lines, The Harmony Sweepstakes, and a cool two-part interview with Don Shelton (Hi-Lo's and Singers Unlimited).