For most people, Lenny Pickett is the unmistakable saxophonist leading the band on Saturday Night Live.
He’s held that role for decades, becoming one of the most recognisable musicians on American television.
But by the time he first appeared in Studio 8H, Pickett was already one of the most admired saxophonists in popular music.
His reputation had been built years earlier with Tower of Power.
Joining the Oakland funk pioneers in 1972, Pickett became part of a horn section that musicians still regard as one of the greatest ever assembled. Alongside Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka and the rest of the band, he helped define a sound that blended soul, funk, jazz and astonishing technical precision.
What made Pickett stand out wasn’t simply his incredible range — although his command of the saxophone’s altissimo register remains extraordinary — but the way he combined virtuosity with groove. No matter how high he climbed, every note felt musical rather than merely impressive.
Tower of Power: The Years That Built His Reputation
The television performance below captures the qualities that first made Lenny Pickett such an exciting player.
It’s not a featured solo or showcase performance. Instead, it shows him exactly as audiences first experienced him: as part of one of the tightest, most exhilarating live bands of the 1970s. Listen for the huge sound, the effortless projection and the flashes of brilliance that would soon make him one of Tower of Power’s defining voices.
Those performances established Pickett as one of the finest saxophonists of his generation. Over the following decade, he became an in-demand session musician, performing with artists ranging from David Bowie and Talking Heads to Elton John, Joe Cocker and many others.
Then came the opportunity that introduced him to an entirely new audience.
From Tower of Power to Saturday Night Live
In 1985, Pickett joined the house band on Saturday Night Live. Ten years later, he became its musical director, a position he continues to hold today.
For millions of viewers, that became their first introduction to his playing.
For musicians, however, he’d already been a legend for years.
His remarkable technique, unmistakable tone and fearless improvisation hadn’t appeared overnight — they’d been forged on stages with Tower of Power long before television made him a familiar face.
The Sound That Hasn’t Changed
One of the most impressive things about Lenny Pickett’s playing is its consistency.
The performance below was recorded decades after his Tower of Power years, this time alongside Bill Holloman, David “Lefty” Foster and the Mohegan Sun All-Stars in Connecticut.
The setting is different, but the qualities that first made him famous remain unmistakable: the enormous sound, astonishing upper register and complete command of the instrument.
Whether you first discovered Lenny Pickett through Tower of Power or Saturday Night Live, it’s easy to understand why he’s remained one of the most respected saxophonists of the past fifty years. His career spans funk, soul, jazz, rock and television, but the qualities that earned him that reputation have remained remarkably consistent from the very beginning.
