Category Archives: Recording session

My “new” 57 year old Mark VI alto saxophone

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I can’t quite believe that this actually happened to me. These are pictures of my “new” Selmer Mark VI alto, #80xxx, made ca. 1958. Original lacquer – 100%(!); original pads(!), cork died (well, ok).

An older gentleman received this as a gift from his grandmother in 1958, he can no longer play it because of an injury but he wanted it to go to someone who CAN play AND is also a teacher. Teaching doesn’t pay particularly well but sometimes, just sometimes, you get these unexpected little blessings.

I want to thank the kind and sweet gentleman who chose to sell it to me at about 1/3 of what it could have fetched in the marketplace. I also want to thank my friend and former student John Avila for putting us together. It’s rare to get an instrument that you know you will never have to upgrade (‘cuz there ain’t ‘zactly an “upper” to upgrade to!)  Oh, by the way – throughout it’s long life, it has NEVER yet been to a repair person but plays as is anyway.  Weird.  Pads look new.  Can’t wait to get it playing perfectly – Valéri Ugorski is on that as we speak…

I usually play a lot of soprano on my b’nai mitzvah gigs and tenor on my corporate and private events.  I think I’ll have to figure out some cool ways to incorporate this bad boy into the active artillery.  Perfect for jazz gigs and SoloYo, for sure.

Alto 1 Alto 2 Alto 3 Alto 4