This has been a very stressful, costly, and now depressing week. It should have been so different, what with my favorite (only ;o) sister visiting and a great trip to Jazz Alley. But Saturday I touched my soprano sax and it fell before I could grab it. It was in a floor stand too and fell on the rug. I took it in for repair and found the whole horn to be warped with five or more tone holes torqued.

 

Then last night as we crowded into the pit band loft at the Second Story Rep somehow my other soprano sax got knocked over; it was also in a floor stand. I couldn’t play it for the solo and had to use tenor instead. The soprano was similarly mashed and is in the shop for emergency repairs. Thank God for Steve Nelson, my favorite repair tech. If anyone can make this right before the show starts, it is him.

 

Folks, guess what, the soprano sax is very fragile. I have read a lot of pro’s touting a heavier floor stand and know I know why. I’ve been using a clarinet stand until my new sop stand comes and that isn’t safe enough. Further, I should tape the stand to the floor for better protection and use bubble wrap around the horn when I’m not in my chair.

 

To get to our seats in the pit band loft we have climb a ladder, I kid you not, up and then limbo under three pipes spread about two feet apart and only 3.5 feet high while carrying our instruments. And the cases don’t even fit up there. I’m doing this with a bari, tenor, and soprano sax.

 

That said the show is funny, quirky, and cute. We are enjoying the show very much as long as I don’t dwell on my two babies.