During the quarantine, I got hired by a gentleman to play sax on the sidewalk while he and his girlfriend shared a romantic dinner on his balcony in the Marina District of downtown San Diego. During dinner she kept mentioning the saxophonist and romantic music, and finally asked him if he knew anything about the saxophonist. He admitted that he had hired me, for her, for their romantic dinner, for him to ask her a big question. She said “Yes,” and I felt proud to play for the special occasion.
As I played, people started clapping and cheering after each song from their balconies in nearby high rises. It was so gratifying for me, as people said, “The beautiful live music is exactly what we all needed,” and, “This made my week!” Hundreds of people came down from their buildings to find out why I was there and ask if I could come every week. I now have a regular crowd each week and I’ve branched out to play in different locations. Amidst this pandemic, finding ways to spread the joy of live music and connect people is uplifting.
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