Saxophone Duets: 2 Saxophones Book & CD

Pauer gives saxophonists real jazz vocabulary to work with, not simplified etudes masquerading as jazz. The genre variety across six pieces means you can program duets that match your ensemble's interests, whether that's reggae, salsa, or straight-ahead swing. Best of all, the included CD lets students hear themselves alongside a professional saxophonist, creating an immediate aural model for tone, articulation, and phrasing.

These duets swing with authentic groove. From the reggae shuffle of the opening track to the bebop complexity of the closing pieces, you hear Pauer's ear for how two saxophones can blend, trade, and sparkle. The salsa and samba selections carry real rhythmic drive, not decorative percussion sounds.

Intermediate to upper-intermediate saxophonists who want to explore jazz styles beyond classical technique. This works equally well for students in a jazz ensemble context, as supplementary material in band, or for private lesson partners building sight-reading and stylistic fluency together.

• Use the stereo balance to isolate each part and learn by ear, then switch back to the full mix to lock in ensemble balance and response time.
• Listen to the recorded versions multiple times before rehearsal; students who know what they're aiming for will nail intonation and rhythmic precision faster.
• In pieces mixing alto and tenor saxophones, pay attention to the natural register differences. The duet should feel conversational, not forced into unison sonority.
• Apply the rehearsal suggestions in the book as a roadmap for sectional work, but don't skip past the rhythmic foundation. Most intonation issues in jazz duets stem from loose time, not faulty embouchure.

Build a short duet recital or concert segment around these pieces, arranging them by style so the program tells a story: reggae to calypso to salsa, then shift to the blues and swing material for the second half. They also work beautifully in rehearsal as sectional warm-ups that teach stylistic language alongside fundamental skills.

• Phrasing and articulation in jazz idioms (swing, bebop, blues, salsa, reggae)
• Listening and responding to a duet partner in real time
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythms in various genres
• Intonation control across different registers and dynamic levels
• Ensemble balance between alto and tenor saxophone sonorities
• Interpretation of style-specific rhythmic feels and groove