...and informal

I learnt the clarinet, piano and a little bit of flute at school and continued with them all at college. Towards the end of my college life I realised I would have to learn the saxophone if I wanted to do show work and teach woodwind. I borrowed an old alto sax and bought a well known tutor book. Shortly after this I got a gig. I say gig but it was a little theatre school pantomime for an MDing friend who got me to play because there was a lot of clarinet and only a little saxophone required. And because there was no money in it and I was keen and cheap. Knowing that I was just starting out the arrangements featured simple sax parts in just a few of the numbers. I practised these in advance and all was well. Inevitably at the first (and last) rehearsal another late number was produced which had a top D, a note I had not yet learnt. During a quiet moment I discretely looked at the fingering chart at the back of Learn As You Play and tried to work out which keys I needed to press to get D. The trumpet player saw me puzzling over the book and realised what I was doing. In no time the whole band was aware of what was going on and looked over in amusement as I tried to find the note. Caught in the act I pulled the book out, shoved it on the stand and set about playing the note. A honky squawk came out so I looked at the MD, said “Ready when you are” and we carried on. The panto went fine and I still know how to play top D. The MD was Stuart who has since gone on to greater things in the West End (no doubt a result of having to deal with risky players like myself) and today’s session is dedicated to Stu and his girlfriend Lizzie who herself is learning the saxophone. (I wonder if she knows what top D is yet…). As promised, it was a session messing around with easy pieces and not too much effort. I busked along to a CD and had a fun time playing in several more keys and getting used to the position of D major. A great day's playing and experimenting and although this hasn't made my list of other work related things for next week any shorter I find I am not too bothered. The weekend starts here.