The couesnophone, also known as the goofus or queenophone, is a free-reed musical instrument in a saxophone shape, patented by French instrument manufacturer Couesnon in 1924. Its reeds vibrate when the desired keys are activated and the player blows through a tube. It has been described as a type of mouth-blown accordion, [1] with a sound somewhere between that of a harmonica and an accordion. [2]
Couesnon was awarded patent no. 569294 for an instrument that was described as a saxophone jouet (lit. 'toy saxophone'). Unlike the saxophone, the couesnophone is a polyphonic instrument with a set of single reeds, one for each of the notes produced, similar to a melodica. The keys are set in a keyboard with a layout similar to that of the early Hohner melodicas, [3] in parallel rows corresponding to the white and black keys of a piano. Its rubber mouthpiece allows the horn be held and played vertically like a saxophone, or horizontally like a flute or melodica.
The couesnophone was introduced into jazz and America by bass saxophonist and vibraphonist Adrian Rollini, though he is sometimes credited with its invention. [1] The term "goofus" might have been coined by jazz musicians such as Rollini, [4] or Ed Kirkeby, [5] because it is easier to pronounce.
Recordings with Rollini on goofus include The Little Ramblers' "Deep Elm"; [6] The Goofus Five's "Everybody Love My Baby" and "Oh! How I Love My Darling"; [7] 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"; [7] and Joe Venuti and the Eddie Lang Blue Five's "Raggin' the Scale". [7] Don Redman 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)". [8]