 |
Lenny Pickett, tenor saxophone and musical director
|
|
Lenny Pickett, tenor saxophone and musical director
|
Lenny Pickett joined SNL as tenor sax soloist on the 1985 season premiere
and has played on every single show since, perhaps the longest streak of consecutive
appearances by a SNL Band member. Lenny was perhaps best known in his pre-SNL
life as a member of the fabled Tower Of Power horn section. His incredible sax
improvisations and remarkable, almost unbelieveable upper register work have become
the trademark of the SNL Band sound. Lenny was promoted to Musical Director in
1995, replacing G.E. Smith, and has also subbed for Leon Pendarvis as conductor.
Upon the retirement of Cheryl Hardwick after the 1999-2000 season, Lenny Pickett
became SNL's sole Musical Director and the band's frontman.
Lenny first appeared on Saturday Night Live on February 16, 1985, playing sax with Power Station on the tune "Some Like It Hot".
Lenny passes along this information about his equipment, in response to numerous inquiries: "I play a Selmer Paris Mark VI tenor (circa 1970) with a Berg Larsen 130 over 0 (SMS) mouthpiece and a number 3 Van Doren (blue box) bass clarinet reed."