CLARENCE CLEMONS | A profile Sax man for The Boss returns to show off another side

By DEBORA SHAULIS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Saxophonist Clarence Clemons came to Boardman two summers ago to perform, not to fuel urban legend.
The latter happened anyway. After a concert by Clemons, rumors were rampant that his sometime boss -- The Boss, rocker Bruce Springsteen -- had shown up unexpectedly at B & amp;B Backstage to play a few tunes with him.
When you're a member of Springsteen's E Street Band, such yarns are inevitable, Clemons says. Adding fuel to the fire is that, occasionally, Springsteen does show up somewhere unannounced.
For example, Clemons and his Temple of Soul band released a new CD, "Live From Asbury Park, Volume II," last January. While they were recording it, Springsteen dropped by the studio, Clemons said. Springsteen contributed vocals and music to four songs, only one of which was included on the CD. That's Springsteen singing on "Raise Your Hand."
Look for Clemons, not Springsteen, this Sunday at B & amp;B Backstage.
When he goes on a solo tour, "I forget about that side of my life and enjoy this side," said Clemons in his deep-pitched but soft voice.
"This side" is his 12-piece "metro rock" band that fuses blues, jazz and Latin elements to a rock 'n' roll core. It's horn-driven, of course. It's an outlet for "my own feelings, my own ideas," he added.
Musical influences
Clemons, who at 62 says he's "a little older than rock 'n' roll," remembers the early days of rock when the saxophone had a place in most bands. "It was something that was very magical for me," he said.
He also was influenced by his southern and Baptist upbringing. He went to church with his grandmother. "When the choir sang, I saw what music did for people," he recalled. "You move people with music. The sax became my way to do that. It's about the emotions that the sound creates."
"You're a Friend of Mine," his 1985 duet with Jackson Browne, may be the best-known song that bears his name. It's also a prime example of how he gravitates toward bright, uplifting vibes. "My purpose is to bring joy to life," Clemons said.
Clemons came into the E Street Band fold in the early 1970s and became known as "The Big Man" for his large stature and big saxophone sound. Asked how he's grown musically in the decades that followed, he replied: "I've learned that you never stop learning. Every day you wake up, there's a new idea and new possibilities."
As for his saxophone-playing technique from then to now, he said, "When I first started, I had to work real hard. As I grew older, I found that it was already in there. I relaxed and let it come out."
A bit at a time
Unlike the last few extensive tours of Springsteen and the E Street Band, Clemons breaks up his own tours into smaller segments. "I'm not trying to make a lot of money [but] create what I want. I'm lucky I have a job that allows me to do this," he said.
There's one more thing that Clemons has learned when it comes to Springsteen, the E Street Band and the possibility of yet another concert tour:
"Never say never," he said.
shaulis@vindy.com