(Posted 6 p.m., Oct. 10)
Clef-er
Orléans quartet hoping to spread a little Sax Appeal
By Anna Desmarais
Orléans Online
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Sax
Appeal consists of Jarrod Goldsmith (bottom
left) on baritone sax, J.F. Picard (top left)
on soprano sax, Mike Mullin (top right) on
tenor sax, and Dave Renaud on alto sax. Photo
by Sophie Renaud Multimedia
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When
one thinks of a jazz quartet, the first thing you picture
is one or two trumpets, a trombone, a saxophone and maybe
a French horn, or possibly a tuba.
Sax Appeal
is a break from the norm, combining four saxophones to come
up with a unique sound that has been impressing audiences
since the quartet was formed a year ago.
Started
in 2011 by local saxophone enthusiast Jarrod Goldsmith,
the group was created with a mission to promote live music
in the Ottawa region and provide a unique source of entertainment
for everything from weddings and receptions to large festivals
such as the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival where they
headlined this past summer.
Sax
Appeal is all about flexibility in terms of song choice
and the theme for any occasion. "We customize every
performance to specifically suit the particular event,"
says Goldsmith, who plays baritone sax in the group. "Normally
we do ambiance music but we can play anything from classical
music to reggae."
The
group of professional players in Sax Appeal has a wide
range of experiences and talents in the small world of
local music. Mike Mullin plays the tenor sax; Dave Renaud
plays alto sax and J.F. Picard plays soprano sax. Together
Goldsmith refers to the quartet as the Four Tenors of
the saxophone.
Sax
Appeal hopes to propel the saxophone quartet into the
spotlight as a viable business opportunity. Goldsmith
notes that he is "creating a niche in the market
for the saxophone quartet." While
they can play larger events, their specialty are weddings
and corporate events.
At
the end of the day, passion is what drives these musicians.
"We have to make this work, I can't think of another
way to earn a living" Goldsmith stated.
Watch
out for Sax Appeal at the prestigious 2012 Manning Innovation
Awards on Oct. 17 at the Ottawa Convention Centre, and
Oct. 24 at the Ottawa Book Awards at the Shenkman Arts
Centre.
For
more information about Sax Appeal visit http://www.saxappeal.ca.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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