CHARLES
SWANSON
A MAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION
BY JOCELYN WHITFIELD-BABCOCK
Researching Charles Swanson produces multiple sources that state:“ A Man Who Needs No Introduction.” With a 30-year saxophone-playing career in the Spokane area, how well do we really know this local legend? Sitting at a bistro table inside the Spokane Gallery, Charles gestures and mimics, Robin Williams-style, fellow musicians he has met over the course of his profession. The challenge is to give authenticity of voice to a remarkable and animated story.
His Facebook page likens his career to“ Jedi Master”, a reference dating back to his childhood. As an avid science-fiction fanatic, young Charles read in Starlog Magazine that a movie called Star Wars would soon be released in theaters( 1977). He told the neighborhood kids it“ would change the world.” Everyone, including his peers, blew it off as a childhood exaggeration. As Star Wars fever spread across the nation, those same kids coined him a Jedi for his“ Force” vision.
Charles’ s after-school screen time consisted of reruns from Star Trek( the original). He crafted the Enterprise from paper plates and paper towel tubes. That was the start of building model spaceships, a collection that currently breaches three hundred.
A lover of all things sci-fi, big bug movies, and hard pulp is not the only way to characterize his childhood. Growing up, Charles was surrounded with musical influences. His mother played a silver trombone in an all-women’ s big band during World War II. She traveled around, playing blues and swing music. Her record collection represented a broad repertoire, which included artists who swung a little harder, such as Duke Ellington.
Extracurricular activities in school were limited to sports or band. Obviously, Charles chose the latter.“ I was fortunate to get to pick the Alto sax as my first instrument, without being forced to play something I didn’ t want.” We discussed the current method of requiring would-be saxophonists to begin with the clarinet because it is believed to be the best route for a reed player, and the importance of letting kids choose the instrument that calls to them.
As for musical aptitude in the fifth grade,“ I did okay,” he says. He was not first chair, nor did he have aspirations to be. He watched several students who were proficient and technical with private lessons, burn out by junior high school. This was around the time, during a session of private lessons from Mike Fuller at Clark Evans Music, that Charles’ s father noticed that the learner had become the master. Over the next three-to-four years he perfected his art. He enjoyed harmonizing and improvising over practicing technical mastery, emulating influential saxophonists such as Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley.
High school came and went in a blink. Charles planned to enter the work force with his friends. But, it seemed“ the Force” was strongly moving Dave Weatherred, the West Valley High band director. One relaxing summer day, out of the blue, Dave called Charles and asked about his intention to continue music. When he discovered Charles planned to quit, he told him to grab his sax. Mr. Weatherred picked him up and drove him to an impromptu audition with Gary Edighoffer at Spokane Falls Community College.“ I bombed it. I hadn’ t practiced all summer.”
The“ Padawan” [ Jedi in training ] was nevertheless recognized for his musical gifts. He was accepted at SFCC and offered a partial scholarship for music theory to study jazz – a His mother gifted him a new sax, the one he plays to this day. Without Mr. Weatherred, Spokane would be short a gifted saxophone player!
Photo Credit: Chandra Dee Photography
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