Saxomaphone

As things are at a bit of a holding pattern for our move, I thought I’d jot down some thoughts I have on Saxophone, and why I love (and often hate) the instrument and why I connect with it, why I never truly pursued a career with it, and what the future holds for my relationship with it.

I must have been 4 or 5 at the time. I was home watching Sesame Street. Kermit may have just finished his news rundown for the day, or Grover did something silly. Then, they cut to one of their segments in the “real world.” They took us to a saxophone factory. I don’t recall if they mentioned which specific company, but there we were. Bells being pressed into shape, the body tube formed, key holes drawn. Then at the end, one of the craftsmen played a brand new saxophone fresh off of the assembly line. That was it. I was hooked. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to play saxophone.

Fast forward a few years to fourth grade. This was our first year of being able to choose an instrument for elementary school. We were offered violin, clarinet, trombone or trumpet. What?!?! No Saxophone?!?! I was distraught. All I wanted to play was saxophone. I knew I didn’t want to play any of the other instruments, but I had to make a decision. I reluctantly chose trumpet, partly because Dan, my older brother, had played it. So I got through 4th grade. I remember not hating it, but I couldn’t get saxophone out of my mind.

Fifth grade finally came along, and saxophone was now available to me! Woohoo!!! I was so excited. But my excitement was almost extinguished again. We were informed that in order to play saxophone, I would have had to play clarinet in 4th grade to get started in the woodwind family. I was devastated. My dream I’d held for so long and was so close, was now looking like it may not have been possible! I spoke to my parents, and my father, who always seemed to be willing to be the squeaky wheel, went to the school to talk personally to the head of the music department. He spoke to them, and they relented and let me switch from the brass family to woodwinds, and specifically, saxophone.

I remember going to Central Music Supply (if I remember the name of the music store correctly) and renting a clearly well used instrument a few weeks before school started. I can vividly recall opening the case and just gazing at the instrument for what felt like hours, curious, excited, and intimidated. All these keys! What did they all do? And what is this smaller metal part that looks like a pipe? And what is this other plastic thing? How does it make a sound? I did this everyday until school started and we had our first lesson.

There were three of us, if I remember correctly, myself, one person who I can’t recall, and Jon Gala, who remains one of my closest friends to this day. Ms. Posomoto (I can’t recall if this is how to properly spell her last name. I hope I got it right!) was the woodwind teacher for the school. I remember her being a wonderful teacher. She was always in a good mood, very supportive and encouraging, especially for beginners.

She carefully walked us through the process of carefully taking our instruments out, putting our neck straps on, and clipping the instrument to the neck strap. Then, as it turned out, that smaller metal part that looked like a pipe, was the neck! We carefully placed the necks onto the body of the instrument and tightened the screw to keep it in place and prevent it from swiveling. Next, the mouthpiece, and finally, the reed. Soak the reed in your mouth first to get it wet, then place it onto the mouthpiece, and place the ligature onto the mouthpiece securing the reed in place. Now, tuck your bottom lip over your teeth, put the mouthpiece into your mouth, gently place your top teeth on the the mouthpiece, and BLOW!!!

SOUND! I MADE A SOUND! It was thrilling! So exciting! My journey had begun! Little did I know, it would carry me all the way to today.

She showed us some notes, and had us play them, gradually working up to a C major scale.

I took to the instrument pretty naturally. I was able to produce a solid sound (for a beginner) almost immediately. Reading music came pretty quickly for me, as well.

After a few weeks, the rental instrument I was using was giving me lots of problems. My grandfather, who was my only living grandparent, who I rarely saw, was kind enough to give me the money to purchase a brand new Bundy II student model saxophone. It felt like I just got a new Ferrari. I had a new instrument that felt a lot better to play, and didn’t give me any of the issues I had dealt with on the rental.

In the spring we had the NYSMA competitions/auditions. I made all county band! It was so cool! Looking back, it feels like it happened long after I had started; I only now realized it was during my first year of learning the instrument! Pretty crazy!

My parents realized I had a natural knack for the instrument, and promptly signed me up for private saxophone instruction at Nazareth College Preparatory Department. I started studying classical saxophone with Corinne Africano. She was a fabulous classical saxophonist and went to Indiana University, which is a highly regarded classical program. I studied with Corinne through either Sophomore or Junior year of High School, and became a pretty solid classical saxophonist. My parents didn’t know anything about jazz, and didn’t realize at the time of signing me up for lessons, I would have likely benefited from studying with someone that had a jazz background, as that was more of what I was interested in. Corinne was a fabulous teacher, and I learned a ton from her, as well as developed a very solid technical proficiency on the instrument from working on several challenging classical pieces, but studying strictly classical for that long puts your playing in a very confined box, and it takes years to expand your sound and other aspects of your playing to become a versatile saxophonist.

In either Freshman or Sophomore year of High School, as I had already decided I wanted to go to music school, I realized it was time to move up from my trusty Bundy II alto that had served me well. I was deciding between a Selmer Paris Super Action 80 Series II and an American Selmer professional model. I eventually chose the American Selmer, which was a massive step up from the Bundy, which was clearly showing its limitations. I used inheritance money my grandfather had left me when he passed away shortly before that, as my parents didn’t have the money to afford a brand new professional level instrument. In my senior year of high school, shortly after my father passed away, using some of the life insurance money he left me, I purchased a Selmer Series III soprano saxophone in black lacquer. It was a wonderful instrument, and a way to remember my departed father.

I was introduced to the trumpet virtuoso, Paul Smoker, in the early fall of 1994 at the start of my Senior year. Although not a saxophonist, he was and remains the most important teacher I ever studied with. I auditioned at Eastman, which was an utter disaster, as I had only started learning jazz a few months earlier with Paul, but waited on applying to Berklee. I ended up spending my first semester of college at Monroe Community College, and continued studying with Paul, but applied to Berklee in that time. In January of 1996, I packed my bags, and headed off to Boston.

After my first few weeks at Berklee, fellow students were giving me info on who to study with, what kinds of things to look out for, good times to get practice rooms, etc… Everyone I met quickly found out I was a Coltrane fanatic. My obsession in late High School shifted from Jimi Hendrix to John Coltrane after I started studying with Paul. A few people said I needed to check out George Garzone.

He was playing at Willow Jazz Club, I think at the time, with his long standing trio, The Fringe, with himself, John Lockwood on bass, and the late Bob Gullotti on drums. The first time I saw him play was with this electric guitar player, who was insanely loud. But the moments I heard George cut through, hit me like a ton of bricks. This was the guy. He was the one. His sound. his time. His unabashed creativity.

I studied with Fred Lipsius during my first semester, but was able to sign up with George for my second semester. I wasn’t ready, though. I hadn’t developed enough to really get anything from what George offered. He was teaching concepts that were far beyond what I was able to grasp yet.

During my first semester studying with George, in one of my first lessons with him, he told me I should get a new horn and a new mouthpiece, specifically a Mark VI. He said I didn’t have a strong enough sound and my American Selmer wasn’t cutting it. I went over to Rayburns Music, and asked Emilio Lyons to show me the Mark VI’s he had available He showed me a few, but picked one out in particular that he told me I should get. It was sparkling new looking, which was surprising for a vintage instrument. He was honest with me, and told me it was a relacquer. The others weren’t, but they were far more beat up and not nearly as good. This was the oldest of the bunch, made in 1957, and had been taken good care of. It leaked like crazy, so I couldn’t get a good feel for it. But I trusted Emilio. He was revered in Boston, and around the world, and George told me to trust him, so I did. I traded in my American Selmer, Emilio did the overhaul on the horn, 28 years later, I still have that horn. And it’s the best alto I’ve ever played. It’s starting to show its age in a few places now, but it’s still playing in tip top shape. When I purchased that horn, I also got a Meyer 7 mouthpiece with a long facing. It suited me pretty well, and I used that piece for almost 20 years.

For my third semester at Berklee, I signed up with a new teacher, in her first semester teaching at Berklee. Shannon LeClaire. This was the best possible thing that could have happened to me at Berklee. Shannon is a phenomenal saxophonist. Classical, jazz, you throw anything at her, she’ll kill it. But she’s also an amazing teacher. She laid things out in the most clear way anyone ever had for me before or since. I’d actually love to reconnect with her and take some lessons with her again! This was a turning point for me.

In my first semester, I met one of my very best friends, drummer Derek Landel. He and I played jam sessions at night at school at least weekly from then on until Derek finished the program in 1998 and moved back to New Jersey. But Derek and I were always hanging out, listening to music together, and most importantly for me, playing duo together. He was ALWAYS in a practice room. So multiple times a week, I would bring my horn to his practice room, and we’d just play duo for an hour or so. No songs, no form, just time. I remember one day we did this, and something clicked for me. It was the first time I remember really feeling and understanding the quarter note pulse of swing. I could hear it and lock to it in a way I never had before. Soon thereafter, I started noticing the subtleties and nuances of what made a good jazz saxophone sound. I could hear the differences between an undeveloped beginner, and someone who had developed a strong, supported sound. It was liberating. It was revolutionary for me. It also set me up for my time studying with Shannon.

I studied with Shannon for a couple semesters before going back with George for the rest of the time I was there. During my time with George, the lessons I hold closest are sound and time. Sound and time. If you have a good sound and a good sense of time, the notes you play won’t matter. If you have a good sound, and you’re swinging your ass off, people will like it and latch onto it. The notes are secondary. Also, don’t use your damn tongue. That’s one I’m going back to right now.

Thinking back to my time at Berklee, it was really a remarkable time to be a student there. My classmates included Bob Reynolds, Jaleel Shaw, Dayna Stephens, Walter Smith III, Patrick Cornelius, Eli Degibri, Miguel Zenon, Jeremy Pelt, Avishai Cohen (trumpet player), Charles Haynes, Kendrick Scott, Antonio Sanchez, and so many others I’m not listing here. It’s crazy the talent that was there at the same time as me. I couldn’t help but improve just through osmosis and being around these guys all the time.

As a saxophonist, one of the hardest things to NOT do is compare yourself to other horn players. I was heavily afflicted with that while I was at Berklee. But each of these guys mentioned above are the absolute nicest people. I would try to hang with Jaleel whenever I could. Walter Smith III would drag me out to jam sessions at Wonder Bar often. I was nervous as could be, but he’d push me to do it. I can’t imagine he remembers those moments, but they mean the world to me.

My senior recital came, and was pretty successful and well received. So that was a boost to my confidence. I graduated and moved to New York City on August 27 of 1999.

In my Junior year of college, I went back to Rayburns to buy a tenor. I tried a bunch of Mark VI’s, and ended up settling for a 1956 horn that showed its age. Emilio told me it was original lacquer, which I later found out was not the case. I don’t know if Emilio simply made a mistake when looking at the horn, or was less than honest. In any event, I never got comfortable on that instrument. Around 2003 I sold the horn, and purchased a 61,XXX Mark VI that had been stripped of its lacquer from Roberto in New York City. He also assured me that while the horn had been stripped, it was still original and had not been re-lacquered. He, too, was wrong. Upon further inspection, it had clearly been relacquered at some point prior to having the lacquer removed.

I moved to New York after graduating Berklee, as aspiring jazz musicians do, to test the waters. I gigged occasionally, around the city, at clubs like Detour, 55 Bar, and my favorite club, Smalls. Unfortunately, only Smalls survives. But I was only called as a side musician a handful of times. Not surprising considering my lack of work I had put into really learning the music and preparing.

I chased the dream for a few years, but it was exhausting. Especially when I was working a full time job, and had somehow transitioned into becoming an accountant. I had recorded two CD’s but neither went anywhere. Then I met my wife, fell in love, and music took a further back seat. We got married, moved to New Rochelle, had our first child and I put my horns away for about three years until we moved to Northern Virginia. I have my own music room in my house, which I soundproofed. I even got a drum kit in there, along with my guitars and a small scale bass. I’m going to be sad to not have that room when we move. It’s kind of my fortress of solitude.

I love the saxophone. I feel a connection to the instrument. The shape of it is so sexy and beautiful. I love the mechanical movements of all the keys, and how they are all so interconnected. It’s really quite fascinating. I love the feel of it in my hands. It is such a natural feeling to hold one. It rests so perfectly in my grip with no discomfort or contortions. The best part of saxophone for me is fueling the sound with my own breath that connects me to the instrument. You are literally breathing life into the instrument. I don’t feel anywhere near as connected to guitar or drums as I do on saxophone. Granted, I’m a pretty bad guitar player, and even worse drummer. But the physical connection you form with saxophone is a special thing. I love that each instrument (alto, tenor, soprano, baritone) has its own distinct sound and characteristic that can be utilized to create different emotional responses.

I also love that small equipment changes can have a profound effect on the way an instrument plays. Different mouthpieces can make your sound dark and subtle or bright and edgy or even harsh. Reeds can do the same thing. Ligatures (the thing that holds the reed to the mouthpiece) can even have subtle effects on the horn! Then there is the snake oil gadgets like heavy mass neck screws, or other silly crap people put on their instrument. I must confess, though, that I do use a heavy mass screw on alto. I was a doubter. I could never possibly begin to explain how this thing works, but it makes the instrument feel more lively. I don’t think the external listener could possibly tell the difference in sound, but as the player, it is noticeable.

I love trying different instruments and mouthpieces out. It’s fun and exciting to see what new products are out there. The best part is trying different instruments and always coming home to the ones I have. Granted, I just sold my vintage tenor Mark VI and Series III soprano in black lacquer and replaced them with John Leadbetter’s JL Woodwind Artist Edition saxophones. I’ve written elsewhere about my thoughts on vintage vs. new instruments. I’ll keep my vintage alto as long as it plays the way it does. But these new instruments from John are so amazing to play. They resonate through my whole body. They’re incredibly comfortable. They have so much depth to their sound. And they are beautiful. John is OCD when it comes to making sure his instruments are set up perfectly before he sends them out to his customers. There are a lot of other great instruments on the market right now, but I don’t know of any that can boast the quality of set-up when they leave the shop. John is a wizard, as far as I’m concerned, and the saxophone community is immensely fortunate to have him.

Another similar craftsman is Ted Klum. A few years ago, I took a trip up to New Jersey with a couple friends to visit Ted Klum’s workshop. I tried a few different mouthpieces, and came to realize what I had been missing. I had no idea playing and creating a sound could be so effortless. I purchased a brand new alto and tenor mouthpiece from him that day and have been on them since.

Saxophone, however, is a fickle bitch. Random tiny little leaks in the pads can render the instrument almost unplayable. Reeds are the worst part of it all. Weather has huge impacts on the playability of the instrument. If it’s too dry, the reeds don’t work right. If it’s too humid, they feel stuffy like you have a sock in the horn. If the reed isn’t lined up exactly right on the mouthpiece, the horn becomes far less responsive. But when you find that good reed, and the horn is sealing top to bottom, and you feel the horn resonate through your whole body, the feeling is indescribable.

So why didn’t I have more success as a professional musician? In one word: work. I never really put in the necessary work. I’m not sure what it is with my friends who have that drive and dedication. I don’t know where it comes from. Is there some innate personality trait? Is it just something they discovered and love more than me? I can’t answer that question. What I do know is that they all worked a whole hell of a lot harder than I did. They were in the practice room for longer than me. They went to the jam sessions. They utilized the teachers more. They transcribed other saxophonists. They put together clear practice regiments. All of it. Bill Pierce was the head of the woodwind department when I was at Berklee! I never talked to him. What a missed opportunity of an incredible resource I had! I didn’t work hard enough on ear training. Harmony came relatively natural to me, but I wasn’t at a level on my instrument to incorporate it into my playing or composing yet. I’ve now forgotten all of that knowledge, which really bums me out. This is a common theme in many areas of my life. I’m a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none. I find I have a decent amount of natural aptitude for many things, but I never seem to have the motivation or drive to truly master the craft. Weather it’s music, or cooking, or photography. But I’m content, and as I reflect on my life, know that I enjoy the creature comforts and love of my family. That is more than enough to sustain me.

What now? I’m practicing more than I have in a few years. I actually have some things I want to start working on. Namely transcribing. I’ve only transcribed a handful of solos in my whole life. There is no better ear training than transcribing solos. So that’s what I want to focus on for the time being. An hour of practice lately only feels like enough time to warm up. It’s hard deciding which instrument I’m going to work on each day as each one is so enjoyable to play right now. I’m really in saxophone heaven for the moment.

As I have no plans of what to do with my life when we move to Bangkok, other than the normal family things, I want to see what the jazz scene is like. My understanding is they have a decent scene going on. Apparently, the previous King was a saxophonist and loved jazz! I’d be thrilled to meet fellow musicians and get involved. I definitely miss playing with other people. I was getting out to jam sessions in DC the first couple years I was here, but when my son Miles was born, things slowed down, them the pandemic hit, and I’ve been a hermit since. Hopefully moving overseas will spur me on to get involved with playing with other humans again.