by I’ve seen the Bamboo Saxophone a few times in cultural exhibitions such as Sabah Fest and Kaamatan (Harvest Festival). At first I thought it’s just to show the excellent craftsmanship of our local handicraft makers, only a toy meant to impress tourists, a none-serious stuff. “Nice try!” I laughed.
Then one day I saw someone played music with this bamboo saxophone, and the performance was so good that it didn’t sound like a “play-play” stuff.
So, Bamboo Saxophone Vs Brass Saxophone, which one sounds better? I got a video below. Just listen and tell me what you think.
Actually, this bamboo saxophone is only one of the bamboo music instruments being used in this bamboo music show. They also play music with drum, xylophone, guitar, sompoton and flute, all made of bamboo. The bamboo music orchestra is so unique and successful that the team is invited to perform in many occasions. One music instructor from China told me that he was so impressed and said this was a must-see.
The Inventor of Bamboo Saxophone
This amazing bamboo saxophone is invented by Philipus Jani from Tambunan town of Sabah. In the past, he couldn’t afford a saxophone and had to borrow it from his friend. It’s a sad feeling to return the saxophone every time. All he had was the excellent skill to create bamboo crafts, so he decided to make a saxophone for himself with bamboo pieces that only costed him a few bucks.
Pic: in the middle is Philipus Jani, the inventor of bamboo saxophone
Now he can create a bamboo saxophone in four days. Not only that, he invents a total of 12 types of musical instruments such as flute, drum and electric guitar! Each creation can be sold from RM500 to RM4,000 depending on the instrument type. Below is the contact of Philipus Jani if you are interested in ordering the instrument from him:
Mobile Phone: +60 13-8776286
Address: Kampung Kepayan Lama, Tambunan, Sabah, Malaysia.
Many music instruments in Asia are made of wooden materials. There is a tagline by a music school that says “play the music, not the instrument”, so any object can be used for making music. Very true indeed.
Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo
