Jeremy Gutoski sits on a rock at Riverside Park in Kamloops playing an alto saxophone, Monday, July 15, 2024.

(SHANNON AINSLIE / iNFOnews.ca)

Visitors to Kamloops' Riverside Park might be familiar with the soothing notes of a saxophone resonating through the air, lending a downtown city ambiance.

Jeremy Gutoski regularly plays his alto saxophone at the park with a recording of rhythm and beats, and despite some people stopping by to give him money, he isn’t a busker.

“I just love doing it, it’s good for my mental health and it’s a great way to connect with the community,” he said. “Some people walk on past without looking and some offer me money, but often people stop to say hello and we have a conversation, that’s the best part.”

Gutoski was perched on a flat rock in the park's lower parking lot on a hot afternoon on July 15,  playing a relaxing tune in front of the river while people passed by. He greeted iNFOnews.ca with an open, friendly manner. 

Gutoski said he has a knack for music and plays guitar and drums. He picked up the saxophone during the pandemic and taught himself how to play a wide range of music from every era.

“I was living in northern BC and the sax was too loud for the neighbours so I had to go to a local park to practise, the geese there loved it,” he said. “I have seven hours of different songs I can play.”

Gutoski has lived in downtown Kamloops for three years. He is missing a leg that was irreparably damaged when he was T-boned by a drunk driver at the age of 18 and later removed due to unbearable pain. He rides a motorized scooter to the park to unwind.

“I enjoy playing in the evenings but not during the summers when Music in the Park is happening, I don’t want to take any attention from that,” he said.

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He also plays at local seniors’ homes and fundraisers.

“The seniors love the songs from the 50s and 60s, it’s always a positive experience,” he said.

Gutoski doesn’t have a set schedule for playing at the park, but if anyone sees him there, he is happy to chat and meet members of the community.

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