Songs of the Good Old Days

Over the years Leonard Bernstein was one of my favorite conductors, but Leonard never asked to hear or see me perform. I played piano from the age of five, but was not good at practicing. Later I played the Saxophone at Junior High and Senior High School (Clover Park). I could play . . . and play well, but practicing always slowed me down.

Now that I’m getting older and would like to play as well as I could decades ago I’ve purchased an old Baritone Saxophone. The fingering has never left me, but the old mouth piece and reeds leave much to be admired . . . or is that desired?. In other worlds, I stink. I hate to give up, however.

My hero, Stan Boreson, King of Scandinavian Humor, passed away years ago, but I heard rumors that there were a couple of people around who performed much like Stan did. I found two such people and the first thing I asked to hear was “Who Hid the Halibut on the Poop Deck.” I paid the two people I had found and they both admired my Baritone Saxophone work . . . so I knew they needed money. We set up one practice night followed with one night of recording.

I made a dozen copies. My wife cried the most when I gave her her recorded version. She cried I think because she knew what it all cost. Each of the accordion players also got copies. I think they felt bad for having to charge money in the first place.

I wore my old big lapel music suit. Our grandsons and daughters were in attendance, but left as soon as they could sneak out. I can’t blame them, however they hummed the tune at our parties since, so I just feel proud that they might have understood part of what was going on.