I love skylines. I love smooth jazz. I love the beautiful blue old CD, Skyline Sax, by Lifescapes. This is a family classic. When my brother was an infant, my father would use this CD to put him to sleep, propping the baby-seat between the old worn couch and the wicker arm-chair. When I discovered the baby-beloved album a couple years ago, I became hooked and wanted to listen to it ALL the time.

My favorite track is called “Waltz of Life,” followed by “Promenade,” “Scenes from a Year,” “Miss You,” and “Brooklyn Bounce.” These songs were more than nameless jazz tracks playing in the background. They brought color and rhythm to my life the summer of 2020—the weirdest summer I’d ever experienced, being shut in the house most of the time. My only escape was camping and taking long bike rides on country roads. No matter where I was, Skyline Sax was always playing in my ears.

I don’t know how to describe how I love this album. I love the variations on piano, flute, sax, drums, and sound effects (the awesome sound of a waterfall in the track “Old World.”) Every track has a unique mood and motif. I’ve written song lyrics to many of the tracks, and I sing them in my head as I listen to them.

Skyline Sax has always been there for me, whether I am lying still in bed, walking, riding a bike, painting a picture, slaving at algebra, taking a road trip, or writing a novel. I know I will continue to love it all my life. It is the soundtrack of my existence.