My saxophone is a very special instrument.
It is a Conn alto sax from approximately 1933, one of the rare "transition"
period horns wherein Conn attempted to regain marketshare lost in the depression
with special innovations. Among these features are a swiveling thumb
rest and a G# trill key.
My horn is a bright brassy color, but the laquer is wearing away in some
places allowing the natural metal to shine through. I love its sound.
It belonged to my Uncle Eddie, who died in 1989 when I
was in fourth grade and nine years old. I suppose I never really
knew the man, and I wish I had. But I know his saxophone. I
can imagine where it's been and what it's played...
I have two mouthpieces I consistently use, a Selmer C*
and a Meyer 5M Jazz mouthpece. My ligature is a Rovner, dark.
My reeds are Vandoren, 3.
Here's a picture of my horn. It looks weird because I
tried, kind of successfully, to remove my hands from the picture.
My Saxophone teacher throughout high school was David Sanchez,
a great player, a personable guy and a wonderful teacher.
My junior and senior years in high school, I also played
a Soprano sax on occasion. I was decent.
Fall semester 1997, I was in campus band here at MSU.
I played Bari sax along with a flute cum Bari player named Connor.
As a section we rocked. Especially in Danzon, by Leonard Bernstein.
This year, I play alto sax in the prestigious Spartan
Marching Band.
To
Wombat Underground...