Conn Curran and the Rob Bennion Jazz Band
Holiday music and jazz go hand in hand . . . check out some of the christmas and holiday music we have recorded over the past few years, and drop me a line if you are interested in having us play for your holiday party or event!
Over the years I have travelled all over the US and abroad with my saxophone, from London to Tokyo.
I would never in a million years check my $3k saxophone in to be tossed and squashed by the airline’s baggage employees. As you know now all the major airlines charge a fee for your checked bag, which means everyone is bringing oversized carryon bags, which means that getting on board and finding a spot to place your instrument in the overhead bin can be nearly impossible.
Here is my advice to anyone traveling with a saxophone, guitar, or other expensive instrument that they want to have intact when they arrive in their destination:
1. Check the specific airline policy. Often this can be found on their website. It will probably tell you that your instrument case is too big to fit in the specific size allotment on the aircraft. Don’t let that stop you from bringing it on board!
2. Take it to the gate anyway. Even if your airline tells you the instrument case is too big for the overhead bin (they are allowing each person to take up only 1/3 of the available length) your instrument will fit in there sideways, as long as the overhead bin has enough room and isn’t taken up by other passengers yet.
3. At the gate, they will either let you on board with your instrument, or they will make you gate check it, i.e. check it for you at the gate. Either situation is much better than checking your musical instrument at the counter, where it will be tossed, squashed, dropped, and otherwise banged up repeatedly before it even makes it to the airplane. A gate checked item will be placed at the forward part of the cargo hold along with strollers and car seats and will be there for you at the airplane door when you get off the plane.
4. Try to get priority boarding somehow . . . or arrange your seat so that you board first. Choosing a seat further back on the aircraft will allow your “zone” or boarding area to be called first, in which case you will be getting on the airplane when all the bins are empty: perfect to sneak you saxophone in before there’s no more room in the overhead bins.
5. As you walk past the agent taking tickets, try slinging your sax/guitar on the opposite shoulder from the agent, to see if you can make it past without them noticing it is bigger than the size allotment. I have never been stopped in all my years of traveling.
6. If they do stop you and tell you to “gate check” the musical instrument, have no fear. They will put a little tag on it, and you leave it with the strollers and carseats at the aircraft door.
7. Some aircraft still have a small closet in the first class cabin which they use to place coats and items for the first class passengers. As you board the aircraft you may be able to sneak your sax into the closet or ask the flight attendant to put it in there for you.
A big key to all this is that you want stay under the radar, don’t attract attention to yourself or your instrument. 9 times out of 10 if you ask someone whether or not you may bring on your instrument they will tell you no, because technically your musical instrument is probably larger than what they allow on board in their overhead bins. Just check in, wait, and board as you normally would and nobody will probably notice a thing. Happy flying!
Traveling with your saxophone can be tricky . . .
The Rob Bennion Band consists of only the finest jazz musicians in the Salt Lake city area.
Rob returned in May 2007 from Japan where he was artist in residence performing 6 nights a week in a luxury club outside of Osaka.
Rob’s groups have performed all over the state at high class venues including the Red Butte Gardens, the Salt Palace, the Devereau House, the Grand America Hotel, the Joseph Smith Memorial building downtown, various Marriott Hotels, the Gallivan Center, Thanksgiving Point, the Riverside Country Club, the BYU Museum of Art, the Tabernacle on Temple Square, the University of Utah Stadium, the Rose Sachs Gardens, the Hotel Monaco, the Sundance Resort, and many other small reception centers; as well as restaurants and night clubs ranging from Park City’s high-end Shaboo restaurant to the Port ‘O Call sports bar of downtown Salt Lake City. He’s performed at numerous outdoor festivals including both Salt Lake City’s and Provo’s “First Night” celebrations, the University of Utah’s May-Fest, the Crescent Jazz Festival, Ogden’s Harvest Moon Festival, and the Salt Lake City Arts Festival. Rob was even invited to perform one night on top of a mountain in pitch black during a meteor shower for an organization’s annual party!
Rob’s client list includes Novell, Tahitian Noni International, Countrywide Financial, Ballet West, Xango, Hindsight Trading, Omni-American Bank, and the Park City Jazz Foundation among many other smaller companies and private parties. He’s performed at wedding ceremonies of local celebrities like Terry Wood of Channel 4 News and has traveled for performances all over the United States and abroad, from Vancouver to Miami Beach and everywhere in between. Please read reviews written by past clients here.
An event can include light dinner and cocktail jazz followed by more upbeat music for dancing. The Rob Bennion Band isn’t afraid of getting down and funky if the event calls for it, of course always using taste and discretion to make sure that the music is appropriate for the setting and your desires. The appearance of the band is very important as well, the band can wear your specific colors, suits, or tuxedos; you decide how they will look at your event.
Please if interested go to http://www.robbennion.com for contact details