The couesnophone, also known as the goofus or queenophone, is a free-reed musical instrument resembling a

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

harmonicor. Its reeds vibrate when the desired keys are activated and the player blows through a tube. "Best described as a mouth-blown accordion,"Rosenkrantz, Timme (2012). ''Harlem Jazz Adventures: A European Baron's Memoir, 1934-1969'', p.52. Scarecrow. . "it sounded like a cross between a harmonica and an accordion." French manufacturer Couesnon was awarded patent no. 569294 in 1924 for an instrument that was described as a ''saxophone jouet'' ( fr. "toy saxophone"). However, the couesnophone is a polyphonic instrument, while the saxophone is

monophonic Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction (often shortened to mono) is sound intended to be heard as if it were emanating from one position. This contrasts with stereophonic sound or ''stereo'', which uses two separate audio channels to reproduc ...

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The couesnophone's keys are set in a

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

with a layout similar to that of the

Hohner Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a German manufacturer of musical instruments, founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner (1833–1902). The roots of the Hohner firm are in Trossingen, Baden-Württemberg. Since its foundation, and though known ...

early melodicas, in parallel rows corresponding to the white and black keys of a

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

. Its rubber mouthpiece allows the horn be held and played vertically like a saxophone or horizontally like a

melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usua ...

Performers

The couesnophone was introduced into

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

and America by bass

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pro ...

and

vibraphonist The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist,' ...

Adrian Rollini, though he is sometimes credited with its invention. The term "goofus" might have been coined by jazz musicians such as Rollini, or Ed Kirkeby, because it is easier to pronounce. Recordings with Rollini on goofus include The Little Ramblers' "Deep Elm"; The Goofus Five's "Everybody Love My Baby" and "Oh! How I Love My Darling";Stockdale, Robert (2008). ''The Dorsey Brothers: That's It!'', p.1-3 and 193. Lulu.com. . the Varsity Eight's "How I Love That Girl", "Doo Wacka Doo", "Oh! Mabel", "Happy (Watchin' All the Clouds Roll By)", "Ain't My Baby Grand?", and "I Ain't Got Nobody to Love"; and Joe Venuti and the Eddie Lang Blue Five's "Raggin' the Scale".

Don Redman Donald Matthew Redman (July 29, 1900 – November 30, 1964) was an American jazz musician, arranger, bandleader, and composer. Biography Redman was born in Piedmont, Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. His father was a music teacher ...

played the goofus on "You'll Never Get to Heaven With Those Eyes", "A New Kind of Man (With a New Kind of Love for Me)", and "Cold Mammas (Burn Me Up)".Magee, Jeffrey (2005). ''The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz'', p.61. Oxford University. .

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References

Further reading