A couple of months ago I saw Randall Bramblett in concert playing a tenor saxophone. It made me want one. I had played alto sax in grade school, but always wanted a tenor - it's bigger, deeper, sexier. So I looked at pawn shops and music stores only to find even used instruments to be too expensive for my whim. Then I met Charles Harris. He and his dad, Charles Harris, Sr. operate Harris Band Instruments, a growing music instrument/repair/music lesson business in Covington. After telling him I preferred not to spend anywhere near $1,500 for a new tenor sax, I mentioned that my old grade school sax was just a tarnished piece of junk hanging on the bathroom wall.
He asked about the brand, and when I told him "Martin from Elkhart, Indiana" he perked up. "Very collectible" he says, "and repairable, too." It turns out that what I had was a vintage 1929 Martin Handcraft E-flat Alto Saxophone that Charles was willing to refurbish for me in return for advertising in my About Covington to Madison Magazine. You see the remarkable results in this photo. I have since gotten over my desire for the bigger, sexier tenor sax. This one is, and has always been mine. I now am cautiously relearning the skills of a sax player, though I certainly am planning on taking lessons from Charles. He's Covington's own Charlie Parker if you want to know the truth. Oh, and his business since he started advertising? It's up 150% or so. Need advice on musical instruments? See Charles, and tell him Reed send you.
