Best Honking
Illinois Jacquet (1922-2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist associated with swing, jump blues, and early rhythm and blues. His forceful 1942 solo on Lionel Hampton's recording of Flying Home became an influential example of the honking tenor style, combining repeated notes, emphatic rhythms,...
Why this score?
Flying Home solo was hugely influential on R&B saxophone; broad reputation strong, though jazz-critical ranking varies.
Scoring methodology
Big Jay McNeely (1927–2018) was an American tenor saxophonist who became a central figure in the rhythm and blues honking sax tradition of the late 1940s and 1950s. His 1949 instrumental "The Deacon's Hop" topped the R&B charts, and his extravagant, physically acrobatic showmanship influenced the de...
Why this score?
Showman and honking R&B pioneer with strong influence; critical jazz valuation lower than historical entertainment impact.
Scoring methodology
