Jazz Musician Mel Martin has establish an enormous following on his Saxophone Forum. It is located on Facebook and it is actually public! It is also important to note, Mel is rather serious to a point, concerning the rules of engagement. The members (940 and rapidly growing) are not subject to any strict restriction at all but need to follow a few simple rules. They are listed at the top of the forum and read as follows:
“This is a forum for fans and performers of real Jazz saxophone. Discussions are expected to be civil, intelligent and real. No smooth Jazz posts, Jam of the week posts or trolling. Looking forward to some great interaction about Jazz saxophone players and playing. Not a technical forum so please don’t go on about setups, reeds, m’pieces etc. NO ADS, LISTS or SPAM! Please avoid any “gossipy” or speculative posts discussing the personal or supposedly perceived emotional issues of any player, living or dead. This only leads to more speculation and personal opinion. Back stories, factual statements and personal insights are certainly welcome. Keep it real!”
“The spirit of the MMJSF – Great Music, Great Players!”
Simple enough to follow and actually represents the attitude and behavior for members of ANY forum to follow. Mel’s forum is rather specific though, since it concentrates on the saxophone and the talented jazz musicians who master it. Not only does it deal with the well known Tenor and Alto Saxophones but is equally represented with the Baratone and Soprano Sax also. By no means, does it eliminate the other instruments, they are equally admired as well since they are part of the music that broadcasts there. Oh yes, you will hear quite a bit of incredible recordings there, that’s actually what the forum is about! The atmosphere is very professional and at the same time, very educational. The conversations can range from interactions between two or more established jazz musicians conversing about other jazz greats, to interactions between new curious followers of jazz who are hungry to learn more about this thing called “Jazz.” Its a lot of fun and I recommend everyone of ALL ages to visit. You can’t go wrong and most importantly, will never feel intimidated, so go to Mel Martin’s Jazz Saxophone Forum (MMJSF) and have some real fun!
