113: History of the Saxophone

113: History of the Saxophone

From 500 Open Tabs by Kaveh Taherian & Hannah Hillam

April 15, 2026 · 51 min · Season 3 · Episode 113

About this episode

This episode explores the history of the saxophone and its cultural significance, alongside a listener's email about drug smuggling with bikes in the Netherlands.

This week we learn how a rejected Belgian inventor's obsession with creating new instruments eventually led to the creation of one of the great American art forms. A listener email explains how bikes were used to smuggle drugs in the Netherlands. Episode Tabs: It was banned by the Nazis, Stalin and the Vatican. This is the surprising history of the saxophone https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-25/saxophone-history-of-musical-instrument-brutal-and-beautiful/11960922 Listener Tabs: CONTRABAND AND SMUGGLERS’ OBJECTS https://www.bdmuseum.nl/en/collectie/smokkelobjecten/ Email your closed tab submissions to:  500opentabs@gmail.com Support us on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs 500 Open Tabs Wiki:  https://500-open-tabs.fandom.com/wiki/500_Open_Tabs_Wiki 500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide):  https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7 Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to  nebula.tv/500opentabs See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

People in this episode

Hosts: Kaveh Taherian, Hannah Hillam

Topics covered

  • history
  • music
  • invention
  • culture
  • society

Keywords

  • saxophone
  • history
  • Belgian inventor
  • music
  • drug smuggling

Sponsors

Nebula

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Nazis, Stalin, Vatican

Books & works: saxophone

Places: Belgium, Netherlands

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