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I've been playing saxophone for a long time. I started in junior high school.
During the summer between 7th and 8th grade, I convinced my
parents that switching from the clarinet to the alto sax would be good thing so that I could
join the jazz band. So, for $500 (a lot back then), they bough me my student model Conn alto saxophone. I mostly
taught myself. It was much easier than the clarinet. Sure, I've taken a few lessons here and
there over the years, but that summer it was just me and that horn. I played in concert, marching
and jazz bands throughout junior high and high school.
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Where's Cynthia?
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I briefly thought about studying music in college, but decided to study something a bit more
marketable for finding a 'real' job. I literally put down the horn for over seven years. Then I ran
across an ad in the Austin Chronicle from a band looking for a sax player. I called and
hooked up with Carl Normal of Stretford and ended up playing sax with the band for six years.
The music is very high energy, with pop and punk influences. Carl describes the sound as
'horn-injected, fasthardcatchypop'. I agree.
At first I only played alto sax along with the two trumpet players. I then decided tenor sax
would contrast better with two trumpets. So, I played both the alto and tenor for a while, then eventually played
only the tenor sax. On almost every song that the horn section played, I did arrangements for the
three-piece horn section. It was a worthwhile, enjoyable learning experience.
With Stretford, I've played on two full
length albums, one E.P., and various other compilations.
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Stretford in 2000 (photo by Carmen Retzlaff)
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While Stretford was my main band for so many years, I did a few 'guest' appearances for other bands.
One of my favorites was playing on a song called 'Under City Lights' on the Dead End Cruiser's
Patron Saints of Wheless Lane CD. I've known the Cruisers for quite a while. Stretford
has done many gigs with them, and I'm a fan of their music.
So, I was quite excited when they asked me to play on one of their songs. My playing is a bit more
bluesy than what I had been playing with Stretford. I actually have had the opportunity to
play this live with the band at a gig that Stretford and the Cruisers did together back in
September 2000 at the Room 710 club in Austin. That show was a blast!
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Dead End Cruisers (photo by Katie Brown) |
| Another group I've had the opportunity to play with is Dust Revival. Stretford's
last guitarist, Mike Macicak, has his own recording studio and asked me to play on track called
'Under The Sun'
for their Exiles On Earth E.P. that he was recording. I really don't know too much about the band, but the experience
was a bit unique. The sax chart that the songwriter had written was a bit funky, which was also
pleasantly different from Stretford.
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Exiles On Earth CD art |
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Another group that I've had the pleasure with recording with is the Media Kreeps
on their first
album. Guitarist Dave Soule, who was also one of the past guitarists for Stretford,
asked me if I would want to
play on their 'Krusty Girl' track. I had a lot of fun doing the recording gig, but if you ask me,
I think the sax part got mixed down a little too much. Oh well. C'est la vie.
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Media Kreeps |
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I've also played with a few bands live, mostly at hoot nights. I've played with both
the Wannabes and with Stinky Del Negro. In addition, I've played with a few community bands
here in the central Texas region: Austin Community College
and Hill Country Community Band and, currently,
the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble.
Right now, I'm just playing a few gigs here
and there, both live and recording. If you've got a project, drop me an
email.
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