An ode to the Monroe Park saxophone man and Richmond’s street artists

Kylie Grunsfeld, Contributing Writer

If you have spent time in Monroe Park, you have probably heard Bradyn Barr — better known as the “Saxophone Man” — playing his eponymous instrument.

I first heard Barr in the park last year, and I am impressed by his commitment to making Monroe Park a jazzier place. His motivation to play day after day — especially in such a public place — is truly admirable.

Barr, a second-year student at VCU studying music performance, confirmed he chose Monroe Park — specifically near the gazebo or World War II memorial, as his stage due to the high foot traffic. 

“I honestly think there is a specific benefit, and it’s not the tips,” Barr said. “It’s more so that I’m getting myself more relaxed in a public environment.”

Despite his academic concentration on the jazz trombone and ability to play several other instruments, Barr identified the saxophone as one of his personal favorites to play. You will often find him in the park practicing with headphones in, playing along to various tracks. 

As a musician myself, I often shy away from opportunities to play if I do not feel polished enough. I practice in my bedroom with the door shut and my sound machine on. 

What makes Barr so impressive is that his practices are his performances — he doesn’t wait until he is on a proper stage to share his music with the people. It takes guts to play for an audience, let alone to practice a piece in front of hundreds of passerbys that traverse through Monroe Park every day.

While he mostly gets positive feedback, sometimes people have some choice words for Barr that are not always the kindest. Barr said that heckling won’t stop him.

“I haven’t listened,” Barr said. “That honestly hasn’t stopped me. The only thing that stopped me is my inconsistency with scheduling. But I will try to be out in Monroe Park as often as possible.” 

You can get a front row seat to one of his performances in various places around Monroe, and you might even start seeing him at Triangle Park. 

Suffice to say, Barr is a great example of putting yourself out there despite the constraints of being a college student. When you go to school full-time, it’s challenging to find a suitable time or place to showcase your creations. But that is the great thing about Richmond and VCU — there are, quite literally, opportunities at every corner. 

In general, the artists most worth commending are those who make art purely out of a love of the process. These kinds of artists help make Richmond the vibrant, authentic place it is — the Carytown buskers, the “Belvedere break dancer,” the bucket drummers and each and every person who sells prints, portraits or jewelry in the park. 

You don’t need to book a concert venue or an art gallery to be seen. All you really need is a desire to create — and, if you stick with it like Barr, you might just become a local legend.