Jazz/Wordplay Query

[Brian Olewnick]

OK, I'm working on an annual puzzle thingy and the following question appears:

Replace the first letter of a saxophonist's last name with another, and his last name would be river A. His name spanned (RL) forms river B. Name this saxophonist and the rivers.

Explanation:

1) ie, if there existed a saxophonist with the last name of "Judson", you could get Hudson, Lambezi - Zambezi, etc.

2) By "spanned (RL)", it means that certain letters which span his first and last names could be rearranged (Rearrange Letters) into a river. ie, Darrin Elwood would give you Nile.

It doesn't specifically say "jazz" saxophonist, so I guess anything from Clarence Clemons to John Harle is in play.

T'anks.

[jeff54]

How about Ron Blake

Snake
Ebro - a river in Euope

[Brian Olewnick]

You can only replace the first letter of the last name, so if there was a Slake River, that would work. Also, "spanned" means consecutive letters, so in this case Blano, for instance, would be ok, but not Ebro.

Incidentally, it's likely that the answer has at least some degree of general name recognition so John Butcher, say, isn't in the running.

Keep trying!

[Douglas]

Dexter Gordon (Jordon/Gore) - if you allow obscure rivers would work

[Brian Olewnick]

Could be. I thought of Dexter re: Jordan, which obviously doesn't work. Anyway, that's the best for now. Thanks!

[Sergio Zamora]

Cigris Oginoco

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Acker Bilk/ Milk River (Montana & Alberta)

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

And there's an Irbe River in Latvia.

[Brian Olewnick]

Jeez, talk about obscure! Irbe, indeed.

I bet the expected answer is something other than Dexter, though alternative (justifiable) responses are expected.

Someone slap OZ.

[Boris Badenov]

If Irene Kral had played sax, she'd work: Aral and Kern.