What goes into developing a professional saxophone, and what does a player look for when testing a new horn?
In this episode of the Everything Saxophone Podcast, host Donna Schwartz talks with Grammy Award-winning saxophonist, composer, and educator Alex Hahn about his experience testing and developing the new EAS 852 alto saxophone.
Alex has performed and recorded with renowned artists including Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Bob Mintzer, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Peter Erskine, and many others. He has also recorded on three of Michael Bublé’s Grammy-nominated albums and is an accomplished studio musician in Los Angeles. He has appeared on recordings, commercials, television, and film, including Bad Trip and Coming 2 America, and was featured on the Emmy Award-winning television series Glee.
A highly accomplished musician, Alex is a six-time DownBeat Magazine Award winner and won the 2019 Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition at the Red Sea Jazz Festival. Alongside his performing and recording career, he is also a passionate educator and currently serves as the Director of Jazz at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
Alex also taught master classes and clinics at universities and schools around the world and maintains a private teaching studio with students from countries including Egypt, South Korea, Australia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, and New Zealand.
Throughout his career, Alex has also released five studio albums of original music: Traveling (2014), Emerging (2017), New Flight (2019), Second Wind (2021), and Colors (2023). His music combines strong, singable melodies, groove, and creative improvisation while exploring a variety of genres and instrumentation.
And during the conversation, Alex takes us behind the scenes of the brand new Eastman Winds EAS 852 alto saxophone, discussing its origins, the process of testing prototypes, and how the new horn compares ergonomically to the first version and other saxophones. He also explains the importance of the saxophone neck and shares his process for getting his equipment properly set up.
In this episode, Alex Hahn shares about:
00:00 Origins of the EAS 852 alto sax
02:11 The process of testing out the new prototypes
04:19 The importance of the saxophone neck
12:31 His process in setting up his equipment
14:46 Ryan Richman’s goal for Alex
19:10 EAS 852 in a action
24:29 Testing the prototypes
27:43 The ergonomics compared to the first version or other horns
33:49 Alex as an educator
40:06 Upcoming projects
Watch the full conversation with Alex Hahn and get an inside look at his approach to this new saxophone:
Alex Hahn’s Links:
- Alex Hahn Website
- Official Promo video for the Eastman EAS 852
- Alex Hahn Facebook
- Alex Hahn Instagram
- Alex Hahn YouTube
- Eastman Winds Website
- Eastman Winds Instagram
- Eastman Winds Facebook
- Eastman Winds X
- Ryan Richman Podcast: Bringing Eastman Winds to a whole new level – Episode 156
- Ryan Richman of Eastman Winds Podcast; Meet the New, Revolutionary 52nd Street Tenor Saxophone – Ep 178
- Modern Artist Jazz Intensive
- Alex Hahn – Childhood Memories – Isn’t She Lovely
- Alex Hahn – This I Dig Of You featuring Jazz Expedition
- Long Beach Woodwinds
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