Behind the Scenes of a Street Musician's Life in New York City | The New York Times

Isaiah Richardson Jr., of the Bronx, has been a saxophone-playing fixture in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, performing a repertoire ranging from Asian national anthems to Michael Jackson.
Related Article: nyti.ms/YcGalC
Subscribe to the Times Video newsletter for free and get a handpicked selection of the best videos from The New York Times every week: bit.ly/timesvideonewsletter
Subscribe on UA-cam: bit.ly/U8Ys7n
Watch more videos at: nytimes.com/video
---------------------------------------------------------------
Want more from The New York Times?
Twitter: / nytvideo
Facebook: / nytimes
Google+: plus.google.com/+nytimes/
Whether it's reporting on conflicts abroad and political divisions at home, or covering the latest style trends and scientific developments, New York Times video journalists provide a revealing and unforgettable view of the world. It's all the news that's fit to watch. On UA-cam.
Behind the Scenes of a Street Musician's Life in New York City
/ thenewyorktimes

[@CharlesJr1980]

I went to high school with him and he's actually really talented. GO ISAIAH!!! (^_~)

[@MrGeneaux13]

Shout outs to the people on the grind..all day every day

[@stillphil]

the natural "chorus" sound when he runs @ 0:19 is as sweet as a Leslie cabinet.

[@MagicPrezident123]

I saw him in front of the Metropolitan Museum!

[@taylorleb]

Very true. We saw this guy in new York, he was amazing!

[@emilyhancock3456]

This guy is awesome

[@Hammered001]

Anybody know what make sax he plays? Never saw one like it. Beautiful!

[@Yohyoh243]

They are making air of NY.
I love them.

[@concretesoulger08]

dont you hate when people hate on you for haven that much talent you can go far with and someone got to try a say you can dances you wont make it but you keep on doing you i hate the hater but then i love them cause they make me famous

[@xXGoingToTravelXx]

Hell yes it does.

[@Poornewman]

Shine your own shoes and let a Musician do what Musicians do!!!

[@ViperxXxteam316]

Laguardia represent

[@gregoryteter5823]

Be generous, share love, appreciate the situation. Peace. The Compass Comedian

[@jorossgamboa8804]

cool

[@xLoliChiDesuu]

I've seen him here!!! :D

[@xXGoingToTravelXx]

You have no idea how hard it is to play a saxophone, let alone running around and jumping around.

[@PutaMM]

He plays well :)

[@meyyoming]

his songs arent that hard, but being able to jump around and scream and dance while doing it needs some mad skills and nerves.

[@confoozled3737]

"Careless Whisper" by George Michael

[@BluezLPT]

I think its: Michael Jackson - Beat It and George Michael - Careless Whisper

[@jakedahooligan]

whats the last song he played?

[@greenmary6887]

no matter what he did contribute himself at that moment, it is pure and simple to entertain everyone there, includuing the UA-cam too.
go ahead to do what you think right. Thanks.

[@potlalatop3269]

can anybody tell me the names of all songs he plays?

[@bab1194]

WAIT. I think I saw this man on dec 1st when i was in new york. What is my life.

[@jansen_music]

Take that out o' tune sax out of my face...pleeze

[@Rube2zday]

Take the hate turn it into adrenaline, use it for your positive energy& pass that on & you will succeed :) ~*~

[@RubinoPride]

doin good

[@jansen_music]

Rocky

[@xXGoingToTravelXx]

yes i have but that doesn't mean it's any easier to play, so your comment is invalid.

[@xXGoingToTravelXx]

well i play the saxophone and that requires a lot of lung work to even play, well the alto sax at least. And running around just adds to that.

[@dzjackson]

woah man what's that guy been shedding?

[@mbs306]

cannonball

[@dawsonbug7954]

Damn Liberal New York Times (Old Man Laugh HeHeHe)

[@dmitrognatyuk690]

Not bad

[@AZERI1156]

what the music 2:12 ?

[@emilyhancock3456]

He's playing "Beat It" by Michael Jackson :)

[@siso9292]

his playing is terrible, but he can sure entertain, and that's fine. He's not at a concert, but making money on the streets
(and before anyone says its cause he's running and jumping around, the sax is one of the easiest instruments to play and not hard at all to play while running)

[@stephanienicole1301]

I WANT TO DIE sax is the easiest to make a sound out of but to master it is very difficult

[@zSonata]

he did a folow up interveiw where he said he did it for exstru money

[@officialsweetietalk]

Hell yeah...lotta lung work

[@WittmanRecords]

i love it! i search on my title and i discovered that there is a slight difference only mine is Behind the scenes of a Musician's life!! thumbs up for your video! in case Check out my vlog

[@tules3239]

I saw you play in July on the steps of the Met but I think you could do better if you could play some of your own or original works. Anyone can play someone else's compositions...

[@tjaypwns]

that dude is cool but kids got school

[@RippinStateCollege]

really? what interview? I've never heard of "extru." Maybe he could be doing it for extra money!

[@jaycrall69]

Saxophones are not hard to play but running around probably then.
This is coming from a clarinet player.Its not that hard

[@LydiaVeronikaKwano]

first

[@RippinStateCollege]

I don't know if he needs any exstru money... I bet he does it for extra money.

[@Scopps94]

he's weird

[@Marktheho]

Not true

[@tommie997]

Gahh, horrible, horrible, horrible, no wonder why he needs all the clowning around.

[@TOGTFOPLOX]

lol i guess you have never heard of marching band? lolfail