The flexible, voice-like tone of the saxophone has made it a prominent jazz instrument since almost the very beginning of jazz. A member of the woodwind family, the saxophone is actually made out of brass. Its tone is created by blowing into the mouthpiece, on which a reed made out of cane vibrates.
The saxophone family includes the tenor (pictured) and alto saxophones, which are the most common, and also the soprano and baritone. There are saxophones that are higher than the soprano and lower than the baritone, but they are rare. The saxophone is a monophonic instrument, which means that it can only play one note at a time. This means its role is usually to play the melody, or "the head," of a song, and also to solo.