Regular readers of this blog know that I'm fond of smaller line-ups, chamber jazz, with two or three instruments (and I also like lists, unfortunately). I like these settings because they're direct, unadultered, unfiltered, immediate, true, authentic, intimate - music stripped to its barest essence. True musicianship is needed to bring duos or trios to a good end. So, when someone asked whether I could recommend any piano-sax duets, I drafted the list below. I'm sure there are many more CDs that are worthwhile listening to and I would be glad to hear some suggestions (with thanks to Pim for the question and to Tom for the initial ideas). The reason I used the cover of Aki Takase and Rudi Mahall's "The Dessert" as illustration, is because the music on this album perfectly illustrates the power of the this combination : ranging from joyous unisono melodies, simple swing, over more sensitive romantic passages, to more experimental sonic explorations. And of course because it's nice artwork.
Sax & Piano Duo
Aki Takase & Rudi Mahall - The Dessert
Aki Takase & Rudi Mahall - Duet For Eric Dolphy
Aki Takase & David Murray - Blue Monk
Aki Takase & Silke Eberhard - Ornette Coleman Anthology
Anthony Braxton & Richard Teitelbaum - Live At Merkin Hall
Anthony Braxton & Marilyn Crispell - Vancouver Duets
Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron - Left Alone Revisited
Archie Shepp & Horace Parlan - Reunion
Archie Shepp & Siegfried Kessler - First Take
Armen Donelian & Marc Mommaas - Album Title #1
Dave Liebman & Bobby Avey - Vienna Dialogues
Dave Liebman & Mike Nock - Duologues
Lee Konitz & Allan Broadbent - Live-Lee
Marc Mommaas & Nikolaj Hess - Balance
Ran Blake & Anthony Braxton - A Memory Of Vienna
Rob Brown & Matthew Shipp - Blink Of An Eye
Rob Brown & Matthew Shipp - Sonic Explorations
Matthew Shipp & Evan Parker - Abbey Road Duos
Mike Nock & Marty Ehrlich - The Waiting Game
Marty Ehrlich & Myra Melford - Yet Can Spring
Marty Ehrlich & Myra Melford - Spark!
Rudresh Mahanthappa & Vijay Iyer - Raw Materials
Joe McPhee & John Snyder - Pieces Of Light (synth)
Ned Rothenberg & Slava Ganelin - Falling Into Place
Nicolas Simion & Mal Waldron - The Big Rochade
David Liebman & Marc Copland - Bookends
Mark Copland & Greg Osby - Round And Round
Mark Copland & Greg Osby - Night Call
Evan Parker & Greg Goodman - Abracadabra
Borah Bergman & Evan Parker - Live In Bolzano
Borah Bergman & Evan Parker -The Fire Tale
Borah Bergman & Frode Gjerstad - Rivers In Time
Evan Parker & Agusti Fernandez - Tempranillo
Steve Lacy & Michael Smith - Sidelines
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Snake-out
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Herbe De L'Oubli
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Japan Dream
Tchangodei & Steve Lacy - The Wasp
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Let's Call This
Steve Lacy & Ulrich Gumpert - Deadline
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Sempre Amore
Gil Evans & Steve Lacy - Paris Blues
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Hot House
Steve Lacy & Eric Watson - Spirit Of Mingus
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Let's Call This ... Esteem
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Live At Dreher, Paris 1981 Vol. 1
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - I Remember Thelonious
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Live At Dreher, Paris 1981, Vol. 2
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Communiqué
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron: At the Bimhuis 1982
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron: Live in Berlin '84
Steve Lacy - Five Facings (with Fred Van Hove or Marilyn Crispell or Misha Mengelberg)
Ran Blake - That certain Feeling (with Steve Lacy or Ricky Ford)
Frank Gratkowski & Misha Mengelberg - Vis-à-vis
Geri Allen & Charles Lloyd - Live At Cully Jazz Festival
Joseph Jarman & Marilyn Crispell - Connecting Spirits
Marilyn Crispell & Stefano Maltese - Red
Marilyn Crispell & Tim Berne - Inference
Herbie Hancock & Wayne Shorter - 1 + 1
Lol Coxhill & Howard Riley - Duology
Lol Coxhill & Veryan Weston - Boundless
Lol Coxhill & Veryan Weston - Worms Organising Archdukes
John Taylor & John Surman - Ambleside Days
Stan Tracey & John Surman - Sonatinas
Ken Vandermark & Pandelis Karayorgis - Foreground
Marilyn Crispell & Tim Berne - Inference
... and while surfing the internet, I came across this extensive list here which I will not copy because it's too long. Apparently somebody asked the question before...
