Before and after events at TD Garden, a familiar melodic sound greets the crowd on Legends Way. Cutting through the din of conversation from scores of fans is the saxophone of Joe Sparkes.
Playing an array of recognizable songs, Sparkes never fails to elicit excited reaction from passersby. After finishing his day job as a program analyst, he turns into a one-man jukebox outside the Garden, helping to hype the crowd before and after concerts, as well as Bruins and Celtics games.
He’s there rain or shine, through heatwaves and freezing weather. (Sparkes explained the challenges of the cold: “Moisture in the horn turns to ice, and as you can imagine, that’s very difficult to manage.