SAXOPHONIST JOE HOUSTON : R&B; VETERAN ON HOLIDAY BILL

Behind such well-known ‘50s pop names as Big Joe Turner, Johnnie Ray, Bill Haley and Ray Charles lay a whole brotherhood of session musicians whose work, sweat and energy made the hit records of those days the sweet successes they were.

But for the most part, these musicians, such as rhythm-and-blues saxophonist Joe Houston, are as unknown in these days of pop music revisionism as they were in their heyday. Houston, for one, says he’s not bitter about the near-anonymity he’s received for his efforts.

“In a way, it’s a good kind of musical compliment--people hear my sax sound and say, ‘Hey, I know that sound.’ It’s better than being bugged for an autograph in some bar or something,” Houston said.

Houston will join the bill for today’s City of Santa Ana oldies concert/fireworks display Fourth of July celebration, to be held from 5 to 10 p.m. at Santa Ana Stadium. Other ‘50s acts to be featured include the current editions of the Moonglows and the Platters, and City to City, formerly El Chicano.

Houston, who’s in his mid-50s and has been playing the sax since age 11, has played with them all: Turner, Charles, Cannonball Adderly, Nat King Cole and even John Coltrane. Houston was born and reared in Austin, Tex., known for its honking blues tradition, and his sax stylings on cuts such as Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Flip, Flop and Fly” helped establish the fat, almost rude saxophone sound favored to this day in rock and funk records.

Houston began as a jazz saxophonist, hearing and being inspired by Coleman Hawkins and, later, Charlie Parker. But when Turner asked Houston to record with him in New Orleans in the late ‘40s, Houston went along.

“He was a hard man to say no to,” he recalled with a laugh. “And after I gigged with him, I started playing around a lot--with Ray (Charles) and Nat Cole. It seems like I’ve been with everybody. I’d stay with somebody for a while, then I’d move over to some other thing. I was jumpy, I was young, and everybody wanted me.”

But individual fame eluded Houston, though he worked steadily through the ‘50s and ‘60s. Unlike his bill mates for today’s concert, Houston didn’t top a bill or make records under his own name. He added that he is currently talking with Massachusetts-based Rounder Records about an all-new LP.

“I worked on what seems like hundreds of tunes’ worth of material over the years, and I got bunches of my own tunes I’m playing in concert--I’d love to record some of them,” Houston said, wistfully. “But at least when I take them into the studio, they are gonna be rehearsed !”

Houston comes to Southern California for today’s show via Europe, where he has played for several weeks. Stops included London and some of the suburbs, several cities in Sweden, and Paris, where some of his classic sides have been re-released in an LP called “Earthquake.”

“I been playing the college circuit some too, and that’s really fun,” Houston said. “Some of these kids’ parents were babies when I was working, but they are curious all the same. They know from books and stuff what they’re going to hear, but when they come and hear me they go away really fired up on real, old-fashioned R&B--they; say it’s one of the better lessons they ever had.”

Houston learns something from his juniors, too: a fine appreciation of current trends and sounds in pop music.

“I dig the hard rock groups too, though I myself stick a little closer to the roots,” he said. “I try to sit in with the rockers whenever I can, gig with those young guys. Because they need to learn the real roots of this music. And I dig their energy, man. It’s fantastic.”

He also enjoys teaming up with other “nostalgia” acts and says he’s looking forward to today’s show, which he is scheduled to open.

“It’s beautiful to be out there with all those people from back when--they’re all trying to sound good, stay full of energy. They like for me to open the show--I can wake the house up, so then when the acts follow me up, the audience is all warmed up for them. And me, I get to sit there and listen . . . and learn.”