TIVERTON — Music isn't all just high-dollar record contracts, TV cola endorsements and sold out arenas. True music — the expression of emotion, the painting in notes of stories that can't be told in other ways — runs much deeper. Countless musicians run just under the surface, unseen by most but nevertheless committed to their art.

Dave Sandler is one of them, a true fan and player who turned his love into a career that not only keeps him around music but helps him turn others on to its power. The Tiverton resident owns Friends Music, which specializes in the repair of brass and woodwinds instruments, offers lessons and rents out to high schools, colleges and other groups around the area. A long-time clarinet saxophonist, Mr. Sandler also does a fair bit of playing himself.

Tiverton resident Dave Sandler tends to a saxophone at his Westport store.

How did you get into repairing? I had some influences, my uncle Abraham Schwadron, who was the chair of the music department at RIC and the director of music at UCLA, and Dr. Robert Perry, the music director at Somerset High School. I started playing when I was 14; it was part of the curriculum at school. I was going to go to Berklee (School of Music in Boston) to study but my uncle saw that I had a talent for repair. I ended up going to Western Iowa Technical College; after that I did an apprenticeship in Bangor, Maine, then went to work in Massachusetts.

When did you open Friends? I actually did repair work for it before; it was in Somerset. Then it moved to Westport. I took it over in 1981. Now I specialize in repairing, mostly for beginner and intermediate musicians. We also do rentals and lessons. I have 11 teachers.

Do you ever regret not going on to study at Berklee? No. I enjoy this. We service for college, schools, the Armed Services. But we cater to children; I want to see young people get involved in music education. It's so important. It's strong in some towns but in other places it's not really supported as much as it could be."

Tell me about some of the first concerts you saw. Do you remember? The first? That was Jefferson Airplane, the original Airplane, at the old Boston Music Hall. They were just your hardcore psychedelic rock band, with all the psychedelic light show on the wall behind the stage. That was probably in 1969.

Any others? There were so many. Bob Dylan, Santana. I saw Santana way back before anyone knew who he was. Bob Marley, I saw him three times, and a lot of reggae bands. But I like jazz the most, I think.

Reggae and jazz are totally opposite. Why jazz? I think just because I'm a horn player. There are so many jazz greats. Charlie Parker, people like that.

And do you play now? I do. We have Sophisticated Swing. It's a big ballroom dance band. We play Benny Goodman, all the classics. We do anything from ballroom dances to playing for nursing homes. We actually have a concert this Sunday.

What is in your CD player today? Actually, it's a CD from The Biggest Little Jazz Band in the World. They're local musicians. The CD is sort of a tribute for Al Olivera, a clarinet sax player who died a few years ago. It's also a benefit (CD) used to offer students who should be able to take lessons but can't afford it.

How can people get it? They can call the store.

So what are your days like? They consist of repairing eight to 10 hours a day. I really enjoy it. We service a lot of different musicians. There is such a big music (scene) around the area. A lot of good players, and a lot of people who just love music.

Okay, final question. If you could jam with any musician, alive or dead, who would it be? There are so many. I think, maybe, I would like to have met Charlie Parker and Benny Goodman. And from the rock end, I would have loved to have met John Lennon.

By ted hayes

thayes@eastbaynewspapers.com