THE STORY OF THE SAXOPHONE, by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome, Holiday House, March 28, 2023, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 6-9)
Learn the story behind the creation of the saxophone and how it rose to popularity in The Story of the Saxophone, by Lesa Cine-Ransome and James E. Ransome.
You may think that the story of the saxophone begins with Dexter Gordon or Charlie Parker, or on a street corner in New Orleans. It really began in 1840 in Belgium with a young daydreamer named Joseph-Antoine Adolphe Sax — a boy with bad luck but great ideas.
Coretta Scott King Honoree Lesa Cline-Ransome unravels the history of how Adolphe’s once reviled instrument was transported across Europe and Mexico to New Orleans. Follow the saxophone’s journey from Adolphe’s imagination to the pawn shop window where it caught the eye of musician Sidney Bechet and became the iconic symbol of jazz music it is today. —Synopsis provided by Holiday House
Written and illustrated by the wife and husband team of Lesa Cine-Ransome and James E. Ransome The Story of the Saxophone is a fascinating picture book that is sure to appeal to musicians and lovers of history and biographies.
Cline-Ransome’s melodious text is accessible and informative. She makes you want to keep turning the pages and learn more. Ransome’s beautiful illustrations are full movement and emotion. You can practically hear the saxophone playing out of his images.
End pages feature well-known saxophone musicians and inside the jacket is a poster featuring iconic jazz musicians Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon and Cannonball Adderley.
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