SAL-VA-TION: by grace

E-LEV-EN: children from 1984 to 2006

HOME-SCHOOL-ING: since 1990

DOWN-SYN-DROME: susie and gabe

GRAND-CHILD-REN: since 2010

FAITH-FUL-NESS: my steadfast rock, my biggest supporter, my leader, my friend, my love, my husband

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Jazz Mama

Now I have no excuse. For years when Keith or the children would ask me to play my saxophone I'd decline because it just didn't sound good. I have an old student Buscher that I learned on and later used for outdoor marching band. The sound is awful, the upper range is out of tune, and the high G just doesn't want to play. When I was 15 my parents bought me a better sax at a second hand store. That "better" sax was a Selmer Mark VI and the sound was wonderful. I didn't appreciate just how wonderful it was until many years later. Even so, I've never regretted selling it to a good friend who went on to major in music.

Keith decided, however, that I needed a saxophone that I could play and last weekend he surprised me with one! It's another Selmer and, while it's not a Mark VI, it sounds good. Even with decades of time off and a stiff, dry reed I could tell that this horn can play.

My fingers are stiff, my mouth is weak, and my diaphragm is underused; but I can't believe how good it feels to play again. Now, I just have to schedule some practice time.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Did you know that Abby is playing (perhaps on your old Selmer...we borrowed it from their old babysitter who got it used) the saxophone? Second hand store, hmmm... she does need a better one. Enjoy making music again.

Lynn