Miller and My Saxophone Experience

In his article, "The Moan Within The Tone...", Doug Miller accesses the reasons of why the saxophone, once a pure Western Classical military instrument, was and continues to be incorporated into African-American popular music. One of the key points in his paper highlights the unique physical aspects of the saxophone in regard to vocalization of pitch. He writes that as a result of the characteristic structure of the saxophone and nature of a performer - the reed used, the embouchre, the voloume and column of air - unlike other instruments, the saxophone can be utilized to produce incredibly high pitches, bend pitches or flutter pitches. The nature of the instrument, therefore, provided a means by which African American sax players could break away from the confines of Western Classical music (which stressed a rigid embouchre and being in tune).
After I read these examples I could not help but completely identify with Miller's assessment in regard to my own musical background. I began playing the piano at the age of 7 and, like most practicing piano students at that age, wholly and completely stuck to playing the 'essentials' - Classical music that would establish my ability to sight-read, internalize rhythm, and establish dexterity. However, similiar to my piano-playing peers at the time, I truely hated playing said pieces as well as my instrument - I found that I could not relate to the music I was playing nor give my performances any piece of my own personality.
Now during my third grade year in elementary school, I went to an assembly where the band director gave a musical tutorial of all the instruments available in the band, hoping to recruit some new members. I watched my teacher play the flute, trumpet, drums, and clarinet and was not very impressed. He then picked up a tenor saxophone and played the sweetest, fat, jazzy, bluesy riff I had ever heard, exentuating each 'blue' note and adding his own dazzling personal timbre. At that moment I knew I had to play saxophone. The prospect of not having to stay within the confines of an eight note scale on the piano (through pitch bending and additional vocalization) excited and inspired me to establish my own sound.
From that year on I played alto saxophone in every band, marching band and jazz band I could be a part of and to this day, I revel in the fact that my saxophone is uniquely 'mine' and can only sound the way I want it to - something I'm sure the African-American jazz performers of the 40s and 50s would agree with.