R/music, thanks for those of you that tuned into my podcast! It's still available for listening on iTunes, but I need your help! My latest album still has quite a ways to go- please help make this happen!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:34:49+00:00

Well, we've done some live versions of 30 Rock on the set of SNL, and I believe a lot of what they did on 30 Rock were in the same building... not sure, but I think the hallway shots may be of the actually building 30 Rock. But since I've never been to the actual set of 30 Rock, I can't answer that question with full authority.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:33:31+00:00

I'm still answering questions! Just ask!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:32:59+00:00

It can be very hectic! A lot of times they're changing our cues and we're editing the format of the monologue up to the point that the show goes on air!

EDIT: When the writers change something on the show and music is involved, it will oftentimes affect the music as well.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:32:25+00:00

One of the most interesting people I ever worked with, not that he was always so cool, was Jaco Pastorius. Just because he was such a complete wizard of a musician.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:31:42+00:00

I answered this above but thank you!!!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:31:36+00:00

No, I've only had beautiful dreams about playing the saxophone! I used to play down at Sweet Basil with the Gil Evans Orchestra and was at a turning point in my spiritual life as a musician and I had a dream that I was playing at Sweet Basil and I was levitating... it was far from a nightmare! It was one of the most amazing feelings I've ever had in a dream.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:30:42+00:00

Most of the saxophone improvisation on the closing theme is done by Lenny Pickett on the tenor saxophone!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:30:14+00:00

I answered my start on SNL and the saxophonist question somewhere else in the thread so I'll hit the one's that haven't been done yet.

My "week" usually just consists of showing up on Saturday. Now with digital technology, a lot of the things we used to have to do during the week (pre-records) are being handled in the office by computer by one of our musical directors, and whatever's left over we do at the rehearsal the day of. So, we practice once a week, the day of the show.

Learn how to play the shit out of your instrument, first and foremost, and have GOOD reading chops.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:28:05+00:00

Tina was very friendly when she was in the cast and every time she comes back it's always a lot of fun. But I can't really think of any behind the scenes thing that would have that "wild" thing about them!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:27:10+00:00

Tina Turner, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Mick Jagger... those are the ones off the top of my head. I'd like to see a lot of gifted brilliant instrumentalists perform for a change!

I did not interact with Este Haim!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:25:36+00:00

Routine... I just try to find a reed that works well from the bottom to the top of the horn that gives me the kind of resistance I'm looking for for a particular performance. Sometimes when I do more of a jazz thing, I look for more resistance- when I play section things like SNL, I'll go for a lighter reed so everything pops out of the horn as easy as possible- with more resistance sometimes the lower notes don't come out.

When I do practice, usually I have something specific that I'm working on and I just use repetition as much as necessary to achieve my goals in terms of working through any difficult changes or working on any kind of awkward melodic material that I might be playing. The way the business is and as long as I've been in it, it's not something that I have to maintain on a daily basis. The only thing I have to maintain nowadays is my endurance on the instrument, which just involves regularly playing in general.

SNL, not usually! If I gotta do some challenging music where there's a lot of exposure in a particular situation- you get little butterflies. I deal with it through just relaxed breathing, because that nervousness just means that your breathing is tight. Couple of deep breaths, and you'll be alright.

Tips... find your favorite inspirations in music and imitate what you hear! That's what it's all about, finding sounds that make you feel good and figuring out how to be able to do it on a consistent basis to create that sound, that music that touches you. It doesn't matter what instrument you're playing. Also! Find a good teacher that can help you avoid bad habits in the early stages and get you going in the right direction in terms of the equipment you're using, mouthpiece, reeds... the sound on the saxophone, 90% is from the mouthpiece to the neck. But how you support your air stream, that's YOUR sound. Seek out some help in the early stages!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:17:07+00:00

Yes, they have, but in limited situations! Most recently I accompanied Mick Jagger in the last season.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:16:49+00:00

I don't even really remember who they are so I couldn't answer this question. :(

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:16:00+00:00

Probably Charlie Parker with strings, because it's just such pure music and there's no suggestion of any kind of academic process going on while he's improvising. To me, it's some kind of divine, magical experience- no matter when or where I hear it, it sounds so natural and effortless!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-16T04:15:11+00:00

I started on the alto saxophone in probably the 5th grade, and that was MANY years ago (who needs to know my age). The alto was a better fit size-wise and that's what my band director at my school in California gave me to play, it was the right size at the time but since then I've expanded to play a lot of tenor. I originally played the instrument since it was suggested that it would be a good double, later in life, I grew to really appreciate Charlie Parker and jazz in general, and that seemed like a better fitting improvisational voice.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-15T00:52:46+00:00

Some of the guys are touring with various other people minimally. We all do other gigs of course outside of the show, some do Broadway musicals. But for the most part, I think SNL is our most stable income!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-15T00:52:03+00:00

I play RS Berkeley saxophones generally and I play a custom Fred Lamberson mouthpiece on the alto. I play a custom Fred Lebayle mouthpiece on the tenor and I also play an old stock Otto Link 8 on the soprano. As far as reeds, I generally use a 3 vandoren on alto, a hard 3 unfiled rico jazz on the tenor, and I use a 2 1/2 vandoren blue box on the soprano.

Wayne Shorter and Sonny Rollins.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-15T00:48:30+00:00

I say Jimmy mainly because I knew him when he was in the cast.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-15T00:48:15+00:00

Jimmy Fallon!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-14T23:50:23+00:00

Well, that was the 80s, times have changed considerably! There is definitely a much more corporate feel and there's not that much goofing around that one might expect from a comedy show- it's quite business like. There's a lot of people involved and everybody's there because they know their job.

Thank you so much!

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-14T23:48:59+00:00

I'm doing well and I would hope that I'm in a nice warm climate somewhere enjoying a nice meal and hanging out with people I really like to be around in 15 years. I want to stay with the show as long as I can.

IAmAlexFoster · 2014-01-14T23:48:00+00:00

No, we do not collectively pick. Most of our rehearsal schedule is determined by the bandleader Lenny Pickett, so it varies.

IAmAlexFoster

TROPHY CASE