I had a conversation with a bass trombone player the other day. It was my opinion that bass saxophone doesn't exist merely to extend the range of the saxophone family downward.
When you consider that the bass saxophone (well, most of them, anyway) only goes a major third lower than a baritone sax with a low A, It's almost not worth it to haul all that metal around for four extra notes. Stan Kenton probably used the bass sax to extend the range of his band, but there weren't many others.
Often it's the VISUAL impact of the instrument that encourages its use. That's not why I play it, but pulling out a bass offers instant celebrity status. Others might call it gimmick status.
But I think the real reason for the bass saxophone is its sound, as much in the upper register as the lower register. It reminds me of Bobby Bland's husky voice singing the blues, or maybe a distant train whistle. Anyway, nothing else sounds like it.
When you consider that the bass saxophone (well, most of them, anyway) only goes a major third lower than a baritone sax with a low A, It's almost not worth it to haul all that metal around for four extra notes. Stan Kenton probably used the bass sax to extend the range of his band, but there weren't many others.
Often it's the VISUAL impact of the instrument that encourages its use. That's not why I play it, but pulling out a bass offers instant celebrity status. Others might call it gimmick status.
But I think the real reason for the bass saxophone is its sound, as much in the upper register as the lower register. It reminds me of Bobby Bland's husky voice singing the blues, or maybe a distant train whistle. Anyway, nothing else sounds like it.