
Just before social distancing started, I played a big wedding for a couple of Mexican descent at Blue Night Banquet Hall in Escondido, California. The groom, who found my sax page on Facebook, was from Tijuana and the bride from San Marcos. As the day approached, the groom kept adding to his list of special requests. When he asked me to play Forever In Love by Kenny G for their first dance, I told him I normally don’t do Kenny G and suggested a romantic ballad in my wheelhouse. His comment was, “A saxophonist who doesn’t play Kenny G?” I always aim to please, so I spent the time learning the song, which involves hours listening to it over and over, to understand what the artist was trying to convey, the mood, the feeling, the nuances. It came out well, and afterwards I got a standing ovation. As a musician, it’s helpful to know other languages, and I enjoyed practicing my Spanish that evening! The wedding schedule was not carefully scripted, so I got asked several times to play extra songs here and there, including during a slideshow of memories and open couples dancing. I roved the crowd, interacting with guests old and young. Kids are my favorites! Hopefully I get more footage, but here is one photo from the first dance.