The more I play this new instrument, an Eppelsheim Bass Sax, the happier I get with it. It has a weird cable running to the neck right below the mouthpiece. This is connected to a right thumb button. When pressed and fingering an F#, G, G#, A, A#, or B with the left-hand octave key, these notes jump an octave. I’m playing altissimo without the voicing challenges of of all of my other saxes!
Saturday I played it with a pickup group of players with quartet music and it was a nice addition even though I was playing a tenor part. I can’t wait to try this instrument playing bass parts. The jazz ensemble leader suggested we try the instrument on a song that features bari saxes called Honk.
The case for this instrument is huge too but comes, mercifully with wheels. Although the sax only weighs in at 23 pounds, (how’d you do that Benedikt?) it does take some getting used to. You can’t sit behind it because the upper tubing blocks your view of the music. So I’ve been putting it to my left and then right trying to find the sweet spot for both reading and maneuvering. It certainly is a labor of love and will give me years of fun. Oh, did I mention it is built like a brick house? It has bracing all up and down for the bell and such. Cheers.
The Bis Key Chronicles 