Went to Ernie Tollar’s show tonight. He has a beautiful tone and a beautiful sense of melody and excellent facility. Growing up I loved the Keith Jarrett + Jan Garbarek records and when Ernie plays saxophone I hear that power I associate with Jan Garbarek. I never played sax, I have no idea why that sound is so unique to only a few people, why Wayne Shorter’s tone always sounds distinctive on those Weather Report records or why Coltrane does too but they are unique. Ernie has it down. I had the fantasy more than once tonight to invite myself to sit in, to have an impromptu improvisation but I stayed in my seat at the back. I don’t have the nerve to try that and it would be too horrible to be wrong about it such assumptions but one time, maybe 8 years ago, I walked in on his band at the time. I think they were called One Giant Song and I watched the show. I didn’t know if he recognized me but after a little while, from the stage surprisingly he said “do you want to sit in?” and I looked around “me?” he nodded at the upright. It was so enjoyable. I don’t remember how we met but it was the 80s. It is even more magical to know someone over decades.