Check out Banta Boxes!

Alden Banta is a fantastic baritone saxophonist and doubler (many times over) in the New York City area. He plays just about all of the woodwinds and can often be seen inhabiting the pit at a Broadway musical, or holding down the baritone chair in some of the city’s finest big bands. On top of all that he is busy with another new little project – his Banta Box.

I recently ordered one of his Banta Boxes from him. These are small open-topped wood boxes that very securely clip onto a music stand (see the pictures below). They are perfect for keeping all of the little accessories that often float about a music stand in a convenient location – reeds, caps, phones, pencils, metronomes, tuners, headphones, …beverages? If you suffer from WMS (Wandering Metronome Syndrome) like I do, then this accessory will really help.

After living with and using the Banta Box for a couple weeks now I am thrilled with it. It keeps the music stand clear of everything that would normally be constantly falling off or blocking the music and keeps me focused on the task at hand. The construction is quite sturdy, yet the whole thing is very light. While its a little large to travel with to every gig, for an at home music stand or perhaps longer engagement (especially one that involves doubles) its a valuable tool. The felt on the bottom of the inside is an especially nice touch as it prevents any noise and clanking when dropping things in,

They are individually signed and numbered, and built to order by Alden himself. He offers two sizes 6×12 and 6×15, and you can even pick the color of the felt.

If you’re interested in one contact Alden – abanta71 @ gmail.com

Andrew Hadro
Curator, JazzBariSax.com

 

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