Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax was born on November 6, 1814, in Dinant, Belgium. An accomplished clarinetist and instrument maker, Sax sought to bridge the acoustic gap between woodwinds (which were nimble but quiet) and brass instruments (which were powerful but rigid). In 1846, he patented the saxophone in Paris. While initially adopted by French military bands and classical composers like Hector Berlioz, the saxophone found its ultimate home in 20th-century African-American jazz, championed by giants like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins.
Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax was born on November 6, 1814, in Dinant, Belgium. An accomplished clarinetist and instrument maker, Sax sought to bridge the acoustic gap between woodwinds (which were nimble but quiet) and brass instruments (which were powerful but rigid). In 1846, he patented the saxophone in Paris. While initially adopted by French military bands and classical composers like Hector Berlioz, the saxophone found its ultimate home in 20th-century African-American jazz, championed by giants like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins.
