Saw Notes
A Resource for Musical Saw Enthusiasts
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Jim Turner is a well-known saw player who appeared on the Johnny Carson Show in the 1970s. He put out a popular saw record called “The Well-Tempered Saw” in 1971. He played with symphonies and bluegrass bands and taught classes in creativity at Colorado University. If you look carefully at […]
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It’s not every day that you see the musical saw used to woo a person, but in this scene from Steamboat Round the Bend (1937), we see John McGuire playing the musical saw for his sweetheart Anne Shirley. McGuire was an actor for over two decades, and you might recognize […]
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Happy News! The International Musical Saw Festival in Felton, California is returning after a two year covid hiatus. Here’s the latest from the organizer: “Dear Saw Players and Friends, The California Musical Saw Festival is back this year! Please join us on Sunday, August 14th, 10 am – […]
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Guy Bellingham, otherwise known as Dennis Teeth, was a member of the Hot Potato Syncopators until they disbanded last year. They were a fun vaudeville type act out of England, and they played at ukulele festivals around England. Mr. Bellingham is an excellent ukulele and saw player. In the following […]
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Gene Rodemich was a fine orchestra leader and piano player who worked in the 20s and 30s. His band included many great musicians of the time, and he became well-known for his involvement in early animation. He provided the music for over 100 cartoons. Here is a marvelous recording by […]
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Many have speculated about the origins of the musical saw. The Hyde Park Herald, August 27, 1926 included this article explaining how it all happened: “First ‘Musical Saw’” “The idea of extracting music from such an unlikely medium as an ordinary steel saw is said to have originated more than […]
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