Musician

Musicman Play that Song

For some fifteen years, Aaron Hamner, was the seventh of ten children to play a musical instrument other than drums. He maintained the middle ground between gospel, jazz and rhythm-and-blues with great style and grace. Ever since Aaron started playing at a corner church in Lockland Ohio, he was a force to be reconded with. He joined Bassman Records in July 2008 and released a few singles for your musical enjoyment.

Aaron says, "I think any music that I play is GOD inspired, so it's all Gospel to me. Lack of practice and commitment was one of his greatest set backs in the beginning days of playing. Anything is easy if you commit to practice." These are the words that echo as we spoke with him during a Kentucky meeting.

Aaron started playing saxophone almost by accident. His first sax was purchased from a local pawnshop for his younger sister. She did not continue with the instrument after she completed her music course in school. I guess she did not have the discipline for this instrument. The saxophone was passed on to him so that it would not get returned to the local pawnshop. The sax was a 1925 Brass Alto C. G. Conn. "This sax has very nice tones and a warm sound that enabled me to accomplish things musically that I have attained."

Aaron's early influence on sax was Grover Washington Jr. He started with two of Grover's hit records of the 1980's. "What drew me to his music was his simplistic and strong sound," Aaron recalls. Later, this music would have a profound effect on the way he approach music interpretation. He was mostly ear trained by playing during church services and by playing tunes from the radio.

Finally, he was working to master an Antigua Winds Soprano Saxophone; which he managed to achieve.