About
My journey on the alto saxophone started when I was 13, after the sudden death of my father.
Having little talent, I grinded away on the alto for hours every day. The Vice Principal at my high school somehow knew I was a messed up kid, and that I wasn’t happy at home. Because of this, he gave me a master key to any room in the school, and told me I could practice as long as I wanted. Oftentimes, I wouldn’t leave school until after 10pm.
Then, when I was 17, I got the chance to go on the road with a big band and tour Canada. I took a year off of school and travelled the country. It was a tremendous learning experience for me, as I learned the ins and outs of the music business, even becoming the leader of the band for several months.
Upon one of my quick returns to Vancouver, my best friend gave me a record of jazz alto saxophonist legend Sonny Criss. He told me, “You gotta hear this guy.” As soon as I heard Sonny play, I was hooked. Sonny’s sound spoke to me, and I made up my mind then and there to find him and study with him.
It took two more years to get to him, but finally, at age 19, I got to Los Angeles and met Sonny Criss.
What followed was eight months of pure joy and artistic awakening for me. While not a formal teacher in any sense of the word, Sonny taught me everything that mattered most about being a saxophonist and a musician. Loyalty, honesty, brotherhood, and total commitment to the music. It was as complete a jazz education as I could have possibly asked for.
But something else happened during our time together - Sonny and I became extremely close. For some reason, he took me on as a little brother and a friend. I was as green as they come, with no special gifts or musical talent, but Sonny didn’t seem to care about that. He just loved me, and that love made me feel like the luckiest person in the world.
Then, tragically, just after he turned 50 and before he was about to leave to play a tour of Japan (which he was very excited about), Sonny was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Unable to cope with this horrific news, Sonny took his life.
His death totally crushed me, having lost my own father to suicide just six years earlier, I felt as though I had lost two fathers. The pain was unbearable.
Somehow, some way, my mind went to Dick Grove. Dick ran a brilliant music workshop school in Studio City, where I had taken a few classes. I remember Dick telling all of us, “If you ever want to talk, about anything, my door is always open.” And so, not knowing what day it was or how I even got to his room, I suddenly found myself standing at his door.
As promised, Dick received me and I somehow got the words out about losing Sonny, after which I started crying. Dick sat there, looking at me. Oftentimes a hard ass, Dick had a soft, caring side which he rarely revealed. Finally, after what seemed like eons of time, he said, “Why don’t you try our man downstairs?”
That “man downstairs” was Phil Sobel. Phil was the opposite of Sonny - a tough, unrelenting, disciplined, “my way or the highway” kind of guy. Students flew from across the country just to get a lesson with him. He really knew his stuff, having played lead alto at NBC for eighteen years. And he was a brilliant teacher as well, having studied with the great Henry Lindeman in New York.
Despite the fact that it was almost impossible to get a lesson with Phil, with Dick’s help, a lesson was arranged. I will always be indebted to Dick for what he did in getting me to Phil.
What followed was many years of grueling work. Phil pushed me hard, harder than anyone had before, and demanded perfection. While Sonny taught me the soul of music, Phil taught me the soul of the saxophone. He was an incredible teacher, and I learned everything about the alto from him.
Eventually, like all students, I had to get out on my own to find myself as an artist, although it was an exceedingly difficult decision to leave Phil and Los Angeles. Eventually, I found the courage to do so, and moved back to Canada, where I began my teaching and recording career.
Looking back, I was more than fortunate to know and work with Sonny and Phil. Although they were the exact opposite of each other in every way imaginable, they were united in one very special way - they loved and cherished the alto saxophone. I cannot imagine getting a better education than I did from those two saxophone giants, and it goes without saying that every time I play my alto, I think of them.
