Sweet sax tunes come to DPAC | Arts & Entertainment

From wedding ceremony receptions to artwork exhibits to common restaurant gigs, Tommy Gassaway has performed at all types of occasions, though he’s higher identified by his stage identify Tommy G.

This coming Thursday, Gassaway is performing a live performance lecture on the Dadeville Performing Arts Middle. As a saxophone participant, most describe Gassaway’s music as easy jazz, however he does way more than that. 

“I in all probability cowl 90 years of music (within the live performance) from Stardust 1927 to perhaps Ed Sheeran’s Good in 2017,” he stated. “I’ll be doing pop and R&B tunes from the 70s and 80s. Possibly some soul music from the 60s.”

Whereas Gassaway is well-known within the Lake Martin space, he acquired his begin in the highschool band again in Mississippi. After enjoying in highschool, he joined some bands at Mississippi State and carried out at fraternity events on the weekends.

He would later get his diploma in electrical engineering and go to work for Alabama Energy. When Gassaway was nonetheless a junior engineer, he had the time to nonetheless play with a band, however as soon as he acquired promoted, the saxophone was put up. 

For 20 years, it stayed in its case. Within the early 90s, he acquired the sax again out to mess around the home. Round this time Kenny G was excessive on the charts and Gassaway went on to buy a soprano sax to play together with Kenny G. 

Gassaway stated early on he knew he performed greatest by ear reasonably than by studying music. 

“While you play by ear, you’ll be able to simply put your self within the music and don’t even have to consider it,” he stated. “If I’m studying (music) then I’m all uptight.”

Quickly after, Gassaway regrouped with a highschool pal and began enjoying in a band known as Completely happy Dayz commonly. With Completely happy Dayz, Gassaway performed everywhere in the east coast and even at Lake Martin a few instances. 

After Completely happy Dayz died down, Gassaway performed with Montgomery’s Metropolis Slickers and now performs with SOUL Tymes NINE. Gassaway does a whole lot of solo performances too, which he first began doing in 2007.

He performs solo commonly at Opelika’s Botanic, inside each Friday from 5 to eight p.m. Plus, he goes round to a few native nursing properties to carry out for the residents.

For this upcoming live performance, people should buy tickets forward of time on DPAC’s web site for $10 or on the door for $15. The live performance begins at 6 p.m.