Memories of Al Cobine, or Making Music a Lifelong Friend

Nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Baukoff. Today, I would like to share a story from my days studying music abroad. I might be rambling a bit, but I would be happy if you could bear with me for a little while.

I started my overseas life, which would last for 18 years, by transferring from the music department of a former faculty of education at a certain Japanese university (though it had already been reorganized at the time and was no longer a faculty of education) into the school of music at a certain US state university. This happened during my first year there.
Even though I was transferring from a music department, I didn't have much confidence in my playing compared to other international students coming from places like Tokyo University of the Arts. Although I had cleared the English exams required for studying abroad before departing, my experience with conversational English was practically zero. Since I was invited to parties as a "wild-card international student who speaks in broken English and occasionally says outrageous things," I made friends quickly, but it was a time when I lacked peace of mind due to various anxieties.

Just across the street from the music school's practice building, there was a certain bar (unfortunately, I heard it closed down in 2022). I believe it was every Thursday that live jazz performances were held there.
After paying a music charge of about 5 dollars to enter the back room, a narrow stage came into view. A rich variety of performances unfolded every week, with up-and-coming student musicians playing the latest jazz, or veterans who had been active locally for a long time, music school professors, and even retired former professors playing orthodox bebop.

On that day, I think it was a veteran combo consisting of five or six members. As their set expanded around standard tunes, an elderly man sitting in a seat close to the stage was introduced midway through.
“Come to think of it, there’s a tenor saxophone sitting on the stage that nobody has touched.”
Just as I thought that, the old gentleman was urged to head up onto the stage, and he slowly approached it in a wheelchair. With the help of people around him, he sat on the edge of a chair that had been placed behind the tenor saxophone. I believe that process took a good five minutes.
Even so, both the performers and the audience were all waiting with smiles on their faces. I was the only one feeling anxious, thinking, "Uh, is that old guy going to be okay...?"

However, the moment the performance began, the atmosphere completely transformed.
His tenor saxophone literally spun out sounds with total freedom. High, low, roaring, like a whisper, sweetly, passionately.
At that moment, everyone in the audience must have forgotten that he was an old man in a wheelchair. Because inside the music, he could truly "go anywhere with absolute freedom."

That man's name was Al Cobine. While remaining deeply rooted locally for many years, he was a legend who handled arrangements for big stars like Henry Mancini, Johnny Mathis, and Elvis Presley, and occasionally supported them with his own big band.

At the end of the set, the band leader passed the microphone to Al. Until then, the leader had sung all the vocal tracks himself while mixing in clever impressions, but he entrusted the final song to Al, saying this:
"There isn’t anyone else besides this man who should sing this song here today."
The song that began in that way was the masterpiece known for Louis Armstrong's rendition, "What a Wonderful World."

On the way back, I slowed my walk to cool down my flushed face. At that moment, when I casually looked up at the night sky, a sky full of stars was spreading out, standing among the most beautiful I had ever seen. In that town, you should have been able to see that kind of starry sky every single day as long as it was clear.
It was only at that moment that I realized for the first time that, up until then, I hadn't known left from right and hadn't even had the peace of mind to look up at the sky.
Even now, every time I see a beautiful starry sky, I recall the performance from that evening. While thinking that now, Al is probably flying around freely among the stars, playing something like "Stardust" by his fellow alumnus and senior, Hoagy Carmichael.

[Video] Click here to see the big band bearing Al Cobine's name performing in "that room."

Making Music a Lifelong Friend: Recommended Cellos

Now, from here on, let's include a little bit of promotion. There was another legend who took me under his wing regarding jazz back then, a man named Professor David Baker.
Originally, he was active as a trombonist in groups like the George Russell Sextet, but he encountered an accident and had to give up the trombone. Afterward, while returning to his alma mater to nurture numerous younger generations, he studied under his colleague and cellist, Professor János Starker, and continued to perform as a cellist at the previously mentioned bar and other venues.
No matter what difficulties arose, I was deeply moved by his figure, changing forms yet continuing to love and play music.

In this era of an ultra-aging society, string instruments are a wonderful choice in terms of becoming a "partner you can comfortably get along with for a lifetime." Therefore, this time, I will introduce two cello models that I recommend.

1. The Rich Resonance of a Solid-Wood Body at an Accessible Price

PLAYTECH / PVC244

For those who want to enjoy an authentic acoustic resonance. This is a model with outstanding cost performance.

2. Practice at Night Without Any Hesitation

PLAYTECH / PEC100BR (Electric Cello)

Recommended for those who are concerned about their practice environment at home, or those who want to connect effects pedals and challenge themselves with new sounds.

The Playtech string and wind instruments introduced this time can actually be held and viewed in person at the "Sound House Wind and String Instruments Showroom (Narita City)," which just opened this year.

Please come and find an instrument that will become a "lifelong friend" for you.

News:
Sound House is pleased to announce the opening of a new orchestral instrument showroom, created to introduce the appeal of orchestral instruments to a wider audience. The showroom offers a relaxed environment where customers can browse and select instruments, with a focus on string and wind instruments...