Mananaland finds my brother but he is no slacker..
It is with great pleasure I offer a small tribute to my brother, Bert Campbell. Bert got me started in the saxophone business about 10 years ago. He has always been there with encouragement and a helping hand when necessary.
My brother loves music — after 35 years in the business I think he has paid his dues. Bert has been involved with a number of bands over the years — mostly in Northern Arizona. If you ever head up Sedona or Flagstaff way just ask about “Toucan Eddy” at any of the big “watering holes.” Bert has anywhere from 7 to 10 members in the band depending on the occasion. The folks really get excited when he shows up for the 4th of July or New Year Eve’s celebration. Believe me when I tell you this, “these guys can rock the house.”
Bert’s got saxophone and brass players that get in the groove real fast. I love country music and whether Bert wants to admit it or not, he always ends up crying the “tunes” with a story, usually about a woman — you know — “She’s never been to Colorado on the back of a Harley” — “I like Spicy Women” — “It’s Motel time” — well Bert, it’s the truth!
My brother has written and produced 100’s of songs but I have an all-time favorite — it’s called “My Heart, My Soul.” This beautiful song always cheers me up; it’s a great dance tune with fantastic music and lyrics — plus it has some bitchin’ horns it. Give a listen. It is uncut and unedited, about 5-1/2 minutes long — if you really love it drop me a line. I keep telling my brother this song is one of his best “defining moments.”
I love you brother –
Bob
My Heart, My Soul — Perfomed by Toucan Eddy — Written and Produced by Bert Campbell — Lead Vocal: Bert
You can visit Bert at MySpace
Did you know South Jersey has a SAX SHED?
Posted by topsax in Friends, General Info on February 16th, 2009
I have been in the saxophone business for a number of years. I truly enjoy this business. When I built the Topsax Weblog I had a primary goal in mind. I wanted to talk about my friends, associates and customers that I personally know or do business with. I really get excited when these people send me sound tracks, links or articles relating to their love of saxophones.
One such friend is Skip Spratt. I love his website. Skip calls it the SHED. What do I enjoy about the site? For starters, it is full of information.. just like a great website should be. The Shed is designed to help people who want to learn the saxophone, get involved with transcriptions, read cool interviews and find other saxophone links.
The SHED also has a great section housed under “tools.” Just to name some of the categories there’s: Basic Scales, Study Guides, Practice Helpers, For Doublers, Jazz Scales, .. and more!
On a personal note, Skip is a BIG Facebook fan. I think he went skiing this weekend.. at least that is what is facebook page says!
If you looking for a fun website (Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet and Drums.. yes, he has other Sheds) then you can visit this link. I have been all over Skip’s website.. I ran across this neat photo.. It shows you what the SHED really looks like.
Skip, just one question? You look so organized.. how do you do that? 
Cheers,
Bob
Topsax Norway delivers the Bass Saxophone
Posted by topsax in Friends, General Info on February 11th, 2009
My friend and dealer in Norway (Runar Tveten) had an interesting proposition for me about 4 months back. He wanted to find a Bass Saxophone for a customer. Now that is a pretty tall order considering I didn’t know a single factory in China that made the “huge” Bass Saxophone.
It just so happens I was going to the China Music Show the following week and guess what? I saw the most beautiful Bass Saxophone on display at one of the factory booths. This thing was big, it was solid and it was gorgeous. The finish was an Antique Silver plate (looked like a shiny pewter with gray antique highlights.. buffed with a “brushed” finish). I was really impressed.
I made a deal with the factory and custom ordered the horn with the Legend name on it. Surprisingly they finished the horn up in about 2 months and shipped it to my office in China. When I got the box I was amazed at the size. I mean this box was very large — about 6 feet long and 2 feet wide.
I wasn’t worried about the quality — I could tell right-a-way this horn would make the grade. Of course the final opinion would come from the customer. I was delighted to hear from Runar that the customer was “extremely” happy. I have posted Runar’s letter in the Feedback section.
One last note: I was worried about the size of the box. All I could think about was the DHL Express shipping cost was going to be expensive. I am happy to say that I am a very good DHL customer in China so they gave me a “special rate” for the oversized box. Thanks to Jiangyong Jiang (Lilly) at DHL for all her effort on this project. Things went smoothly with Chinese Customs and the horn was delivered within 3 days of boarding a plane headed for Oslo, Norway.
Now if any of you folks out in saxophone-land are interested I have a very GOOD source for the Legend Bass Saxophone. You can save lots of money compared to buying a Bass from Germany — plus, I don’t think the German Bass has anything more to offer than the Legend at about 1/2 the price.
Thanks for stopping by,
Bob Campbell
topsax
Frank van Helvoirt playing the Blues with his Topsax
Posted by topsax in Friends, General Info on February 8th, 2009
I have a very good customer in Amsterdam, Netherlands who loves Silver horns. He purchased a Topsax Designer Series IV Alto and Saxello (both Silver Plated with Gold keys) from me about a year ago. I visited with Frank recently and was delighted to hear he is in good health and spirits. He constantly reminds me the TOPSAX “kicks ass.” Frank is no slouch at playing saxophones. You can tell by listenting to this great “blues” Mp3 track.
“Silver” Alto in this soundtrack.
I asked Frank to send me (in his own words) a short “bio” about himself and his passion for playing horns:
FrenQ is an unconventional composer and artist who plays in Western Europe. Mostly Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Emotion is the keyword. The European public knows FrenQ as a live beast on saxes. Even after hitting fifty years of age, FrenQ is still full of energy. Screaming saxes are combined with alternative romantic and instrumental compositions. The minor 7/9/13 chord is FrenQ’s lead in all he does.
FrenQ plays a Topsax Alto and Saxello live and sometimes a Alto Selmer Balanced action. He also has an Alto SML Gold Medal and Tenor Yamaha. He occassionally plays a Walstein Bauhaus Soprano but the Topsaxes are his first love!!!
Hey Frank.. it was wonderful hearing from you. Thanks so much for the great soundtrack.
Take Care,
Bob
Super Cool Book from Eric Daniel - Saxophone Survival KIT
Posted by topsax in Friends, General Info on February 2nd, 2009
Hey Guys, you have to check this out! Eric Daniel in Rome just gave me a download link to a really nifty book.
I downloaded it yesterday and started reading it. I am really impressed to say the least. This book is just what an aspiring muscian is looking for. It covers everything from A to Z about the business. Below is a short synopsis about the book.
The Saxophone Survival Kit (Eric’s new book)… is Available now as a FREE Download (until February 28th).
Description: “The purpose of this book is to help you better understand how to prepare yourself to become a professional sax player.”
You’ll discover that many types of playing situations are discussed in detail (”Live” playing, Studio work, TV work, touring of all types, musical preparation, etc) and with the insight gained from 35 years of professional saxophone playing in exactly these kinds of situations!
Hopefully, after reading this little book you’ll have a much more clear idea of how to proceed day by day toward your goal… It’s full of tried and true concepts that will definitely help you improve your chances for… Saxophone Survival!
This book will answer many of your questions about the world of Professional Saxophone Playing…so it’s up to you… Will you act now, or will you miss this great opportunity to discover all you need to know to get ready for a satisfying pro career?
For those of you that don’t know, Eric Daniel is one of the most respected saxophone players in the business. He knows what he is talking about and can help you. This book is priceless.. don’t let this opportunity pass to get your FREE copy. Use the download link above and you will be smiling.
Don’t forget to check out Eric’s hangout at MySpace.. he has some cool soundtracks you can listen to at the same time.
Cheers,
Bob
Freeblowing.com: Jazzy Topsax Dealer from the Netherlands
Posted by topsax in Friends, General Info on January 28th, 2009
I have a good friend in the Netherlands. His name is Henk Jelsma. Henk and I go way back. I remember when he started selling Topsax products in Europe. I remember Henk saying,
I am looking for a good quality saxophone that I can sell in Europe. Do you suppose I could offer your Topsax products on my website?
Doing business with Freeblowing has truly been a blessing. The folks in the Netherlands seem to really like my Legend Series IV saxophones, especially the Patina Matte model, more affectionately referred to as the “Reference 54″ finish.
I asked Henk to send me a short letter about his Freeblowing business. I have posted it below for everyone to enjoy.
Thanks again Henk — it is always a pleasure doing business with you — Bob
Located in the Netherlands my business is engaged in “selling and repairing” saxophones. Recently I started a small school to actually teach folks how to “shop” for a saxophone. My first 4 students enrolled this January and we had a fun time. It was really exciting to listen to and answer all the questions. Everyone got to try different saxophones, learn a few playing techniques, compare quality and prices without having any kind of sales pressure. Some of my students are already busy looking in music stores and second hand shops to take advantage of what they learned. My next class is already completely sold out!
Early on I was selling second hand saxophones which I would then do an overhaul on each instrument. I discovered TOPSAX at Ebay and was immediately interested in these saxophones. I could see right a way there was a good potential for these quality products in my area. I am particularily fond of the LEGEND saxophones and the TOPSAX Gold Plated mouthpieces.
So these days I only sell new saxophones from Bob. If you live in one of the European countries, you might consider buying a TOPSAX or LEGEND from FreeBlowing — I have already paid the Taxes for you !
Take care and keep blowing!
Paul Jimenez - Latin Flavor from San Diego
Posted by topsax in Friends, General Info on January 26th, 2009
My new friend is Paul Jimenez from San Diego. Now if you are an Arizona boy like myself then you know San Diego is God’s Country when it comes to climate and beauty. Every spring there is a mass exodus of Arizona folks to this wonderful seaside city.
Paul has a nice YouTube website which is where we met. He goes by the handle of SDSaxMan on the web channel.
The SaxMan has a vivid history. In his words,
I grew up listening to Big Band music that my Father always had playing on his record player. As I got older I got into Classic Rock from the 70’s & 80’s and R&B Soul.
Paul loved hearing the saxophone in many of these bands and decided it would be cool to learn to play the horn. He started with band in middle school and stayed with it for a couple of years until the kids he was running with in High School thought he was not so cool. Later in his life he realized that he had given up something he really loved.
Paul started playing sax again in 1996 around the time his Mother passed away. He found that playing the Sax helped him through the pain of his loss. A girlfriend took him to a family reunion in Palm Springs and entered him in a talent show.
When I heard all the people clapping and cheering for me, I knew I wanted to play on stage in a band. So I later joined a few bands where I played at some local events and street fairs in San Diego.
Some of his most memorable gigs were playing at the BB Kings Blues club in Hollywood, and Opening for Morris Day and the Time who starred in the Prince movie Purple Rain.
Paul sent me a soundtrack which I embedded here for your listening pleasure. It is titled, “Siempre Hay Esperanza.” Enjoy!
Joe Edmonds - Fantastic Saxophonist from Canada
Posted by topsax in Friends, General Info on January 22nd, 2009
I met Joe Edmonds about 5 months ago. I had this gorgeous Silver “Burst” saxophone on eBay and Joe made an inquiry. I didn’t think much of it but was excited about the possible new sale.
Here’s a nice website with bio and photos of Joe Edmonds
We made a deal and I shipped the horn DHL Express to Canada. Joe was delighted with his new horn (actually it would be a backup for Joe.. he wanted something for doing a little studio and gig work without having to bang around his more expensive horn). Well Joe ended up telling me how sweet this Silver sax was. Naturally I was sold on Mr. Edmonds and I couldn’t wait to “beg” for one of his soundtracks.
Joe was most cordial when it came to helping out. He sent me a soundtrack playing the Silver beauty and a new relationship was begun.
To make a long story short Joe ended up buying a couple more horns from me (Alto and Tenor). The Alto was a Series III Topsax Ultimate, set-up just perfectly for Joe. What came out of this exchange was another killer soundtrack. I love this sound, I love this horn.. I tell people all the time, “this Ultimate beats the crap out of anything you can buy in the music stores for $2,000.00.” It is that good and it will last a lifetime if taken care of.
Here’s the track and a couple of photos of Joe’s Altos (ps: I think he sold the Silver beauty because he thinks the Ultimate is the next best thing to cotton candy).
Thanks Joe — It is an honor to know you!
Silver “Burst” Alto
Topsax “Ultimate”
The Bass Saxophone has arrived.. next stop: Norway!
Posted by topsax in General Info on January 19th, 2009
A good friend of mine (and Topsax dealer), Runar Tveten, contacted me awhile back and asked if I could get a Bass Saxophone for a customer. Well, it just so happens I saw a really nice Bass at the China Music Show this year. I said, “yes, I think I have a very good source.”
Now for those of you that don’t know much about Bass saxophones, for starters, they are HUGE. This baby stands about 4 feet high and weights about 40 pounds (I am guessing on the weight). They are also pretty expensive, but a hell of alot cheaper than a Bass from Germany (supposedly the best source for the big saxophones).
Believe it or not, the quality is really good. The German made Bass is probably better but then again I am not so sure. I am impressed with the looks, details and finish on this horn (Antique-Silver brushed). People know that I don’t fool around when it comes to quality. I looked long and hard at this product before deciding to purchase it.
Anyway, the Chinese New Year is upon us and I cannot ship anything until the end of January when the holiday is over. If you ever tried doing any business in China around the New Year just forget it. Things do not get done — a shipment will just sit on the dock until the party is over.
Around the 2nd or 3rd of Febrary I will ship the Bass to Norway. I can’t wait to find out what the customer thinks. The sax will go by DHL Express — pretty fast, about 4 or 5 days. When I hear back from the customer I will update everyone on the blog.
Until then — Bob signing off with a CHINESE NEW YEAR firecracker..
PS: the Chinese love firecrakers — they will set them off at 3AM in the morning right outside your door just to wake you up!
My hometown is Phoenix, AZ and the Cardinals are headed to the Super Bowl
Posted by topsax in General Info on January 18th, 2009
Now I know this has nothing to do with saxophones but I just couldn’t resist posting a few words about our NFL team in Phoenix — the Arizona Cardinals.
It is hard to believe but the last time the Cardinals were in playoff contention was 1948 (the year I was born in Phoenix). I am now 60 years old and for the first time in my life I hail from a hometown that will field a Super Bowl team.
This is certainly wonderful news. Best wishes to all the players, coaches and fans in Arizona. One more game to go!
Happy New Year,
Bob
