If you’ve been following this series, or my music in general, the name Courtney Fadlin will definitely ring a bell. He’s the mind behind the online concert ‘Sax Interpretations – Ladies Edition’, in which I participated back in 2020:
As I mentioned in my entry about Mark Bunney, attending one of Courtney’s concerts when he toured the UK many years ago blew my mind. Technology at the time wasn’t yet at the point where online lessons were viable, but even if he introduced me to Mark so I could continue my process, we didn’t lose contact.
Through the years, I wrote to him multiple times, asking about all sorts of things related to the saxophone. He’s very amicable, and his advice has always been helpful. He specialises in gospel music and jazz, genres that I play and enjoy too. Although he plays a range of saxophones, he prefers the soprano sax. I favour the alto, but I’ve played the soprano too and it’s been very interesting. What we have in common and what makes us different has only enriched our lessons and conversations.
Eventually, 2020 came with its catastrophic global pandemic. As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. In the case of lockdown, it was the boost to communication technologies. Through platforms like Zoom, I finally could play in one of Courtney’s concerts (as seen above) and have lessons with him. He helped refine my sound. We went back to some fundamentals, like the quality of tone, and also to practical knowledge, like how to choose reeds.
Above all, Courtney’s music and artistry keeps inspiring me. He’s truly a heavenly player with captivating tone and style. Have a listen below, and if you enjoy it, be sure to follow him on YouTube and Facebook.
This is how we arrive to the end of my mentors’ series. Each one of these people and their teachings are with me whenever I pick up my sax. Thanks to them, I am the musician that I am today. For that, I am forever grateful.
The importance they have had on my music career also motivates me to give back. Knowing how vital a mentor can be, I’d love to pass along their and my knowledge to saxophonists who are advancing in their journeys. If you are such a person, and you’d like to have lessons with me, you can do so clicking here.
