Kendall, seems to me the key words in your post are "in the right hands." This goes for ANY instrument!

Even saxaphone. Granted, what one usually hears is honk, honk, gasp, rumble, squeak, honk. But if you listen to a properly trained classical saxaphonist (especially if he/she is French, for some reason) the sound is smooth and mellow.

Dave Oesterreich