Sometimes life hands us unexpected gifts. My story began one night while I was asleep, and my good friend asked me questions I answered in my dreams.
She once whispered, “What would you want mosta Maserati or some other fancy car?” I just mumbled back, “A saxophone.” The next day, she told me about it, and that little midnight chat, small as it seemed, changed my life forever.
Id always been a huge fan of Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, and rock music was my passion. But the guitar never felt like *mine*. Music mattered, but the instrument had to be one that truly spoke for me. Then it hit me: *Why not the saxophone?* It seemed odd, but completely right.
From then on, everything shifted. I picked up the sax, attended masterclasses, and studied at the Royal Academy. Music became my true calling. Over the years, Ive been lucky enough to play with artists like Eric Broad and Jack Baker. Those gigs taught me that music isnt just about techniqueits a language, one everyone understands.
But lately, Ive spent my days playing on the streets of London, performing for passersby. These days, Im one of the last buskers left in England. Time was, street performances earned decent moneypeople stopped, listened, tossed a few quid. Now, most just walk past as if Im not there. Still, it wont break me. I keep playing because music *is* life.
At 72, Im still out there, sax in hand, even when the temperature drops to just above freezing. Youd think itd be hard, but theres harmony in itthe music gives me energy, and the occasional listener who pauses gives me the push to carry on. Every note, every breath through the sax, is a piece of my soul Im handing overeven if they dont realise it.
Music, especially the sax, has taught me patience, discipline, and honesty. Busking strips it all backno stage, no spotlights, just you, the instrument, and the citys rush. And in that simplicity, theres something beautiful: real connection, raw and unfiltered. It reminds me that music isnt about applause or trophies, but about touching hearts, even if just for a second.
I still think about that night I muttered “saxophone” in my sleep. Whod have thought one sleepy word could rewrite a life? It set me on a new path, made me a musician, gave me countless moments of joy and hundreds of brilliant encounters.
Maybe lifes not about what you *have*, but what you *do*. Sometimes the answer comes in a dream, a small sign, or through people who just *get* you. My saxophone story is one of passion, patience, and proof its never too late to follow your heart.
And even as the world changes, even as people notice less, the music stays. It brings us together, heals, inspires. Im lucky to still play, to step out onto the streetscold or notand see that tiny spark of magic reach someone. Because music *is* life, and as long as Im blowing notes through this sax, Im alive, full of fire and joy.
