[Dixielandjazz] Re: Turk's Horn?

Wed, 11 Sep 2002 13:37:15 EDT

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In a message dated 9/11/02 8:28:08 AM Central Daylight Time, 
briantowers@msn.com writes:

> Cary,
> 
> The photos do not indicate that his horns are particularly big, that I can
> tell.   I think the truth lies more in his mouthpiece, his chops and a huge
> lung capacity but I am only guessing.
> 
> Kid Ory's horns in photos always look like small bore to me and he had a
> lovely wide tone too.
> 

   Turk Murphy played a Conn 32H.  The 32H was a large bore tenor trombone 
that Conn stopped making many years ago.  It was a damn good horn but a bore 
size more used by symphony trombonists that jazz guys. I found that out the 
hard way.
A dealer friend of mine found one in good shape and I took it to play on a 
recording date.  I had played around on it briefly and it felt good and had a 
good slide.  The recording date was going along fine and I was playing 
decently when all of a sudden the larger bore hit me.  I had to really dig in 
and sweated getting through the rest of the session. 

The larger bore size is not necessarily a problem as it is mainly a matter of 
getting used to it.  I have found that larger bore horns work better in 
concert hall situations where you have good accoustics and resonance and 
smaller bore horns work better in clubs which have, usually poorer accoustics 
and less resonance.

Another dealer friend of mine once acquired a mint 32 H trombone and I called 
Turk and told him about it as I knew that he would pick it up.  He did...for 
$400.

Turk played an old Conn mouthpiece that I suppose originally came with the 
horn.  It is a little unusual and fairly deep.  I found one a few years back 
and gave or sold it to Tom Barlett.  I Forget the exact name of it.

Kid Ory played a Williams Model 4 trombone.  Williams was a small company 
that made three models.  They had great slides and the bell was set a little 
closer so that theoretically you can hear yourself better.  I always wanted a 
Williams because two of my fovorites, Ory and Teagarden, both played the 
Williams model 4. Old man Williams died and his son Bob took over.  He then 
died and that was the end of the Williams until about 12 years ago.  A young 
classical trombonists, Joe Armstrong, fell in love with the Williams, 
contacted the family and puchased the remaining parts, plans etc.  He started 
making the Willams again and the reports on the new Williams were very 
favorable.  I called Armstrong up and found that the price was $1200.00 and 
the only made so many models a year.  The price was stiff for me then  but I 
got it together and bought one. It was and is a delight...the best slide I 
ever had and slides are an ongoing problem to trombonists.

Spiegel Willcox used to come in Chicago and would always come and play with 
my band.  He fell in love with the Williams trombone.  He is now in his 80s 
and he is going to buy a new trombone?  I gave him Armstrong's number and a 
few days later Speigel called me, raving that the price of the Williams had 
gone up to $1800.  Speigel never did buy one.  The price went up even higher 
and a few years later and then Joe Armstrong stopped making the Williams.  I 
understand the the Callichio trumpet Co. now makes them.

The question remains...why would anyone want to play a trombone?

Jim Beebe

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<HTML>In a message dated 9/11/02 8:28:08 AM Central Daylight Time, briantowers@msn.com writes: 
 
 
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Cary, 
 
The photos do not indicate that his horns are particularly big, that I can 
tell.&nbsp;&nbsp; I think the truth lies more in his mouthpiece, his chops and a huge 
lung capacity but I am only guessing. 
 
Kid Ory's horns in photos always look like small bore to me and he had a 
lovely wide tone too. 
</BLOCKQUOTE> 
 
&nbsp;&nbsp; Turk Murphy played a Conn 32H.&nbsp; The 32H was a large bore tenor trombone that Conn stopped making many years ago.&nbsp; It was a damn good horn but a bore size more used by symphony trombonists that jazz guys. I found that out the hard way. 
A dealer friend of mine found one in good shape and I took it to play on a recording date.&nbsp; I had played around on it briefly and it felt good and had a good slide.&nbsp; The recording date was going along fine and I was playing decently when all of a sudden the larger bore hit me.&nbsp; I had to really dig in and sweated getting through the rest of the session. 
 
The larger bore size is not necessarily a problem as it is mainly a matter of getting used to it.&nbsp; I have found that larger bore horns work better in concert hall situations where you have good accoustics and resonance and smaller bore horns work better in clubs which have, usually poorer accoustics and less resonance. 
 
Another dealer friend of mine once acquired a mint 32 H trombone and I called Turk and told him about it as I knew that he would pick it up.&nbsp; He did...for $400. 
 
Turk played an old Conn mouthpiece that I suppose originally came with the horn.&nbsp; It is a little unusual and fairly deep.&nbsp; I found one a few years back and gave or sold it to Tom Barlett.&nbsp; I Forget the exact name of it. 
 
Kid Ory played a Williams Model 4 trombone.&nbsp; Williams was a small company that made three models.&nbsp; They had great slides and the bell was set a little closer so that theoretically you can hear yourself better.&nbsp; I always wanted a Williams because two of my fovorites, Ory and Teagarden, both played the Williams model 4. Old man Williams died and his son Bob took over.&nbsp; He then died and that was the end of the Williams until about 12 years ago.&nbsp; A young classical trombonists, Joe Armstrong, fell in love with the Williams, contacted the family and puchased the remaining parts, plans etc.&nbsp; He started making the Willams again and the reports on the new Williams were very favorable.&nbsp; I called Armstrong up and found that the price was $1200.00 and the only made so many models a year.&nbsp; The price was stiff for me then&nbsp; but I got it together and bought one. It was and is a delight...the best slide I ever had and slides are an ongoing problem to trombonists. 
 
Spiegel Willcox used to come in Chicago and would always come and play with my band.&nbsp; He fell in love with the Williams trombone.&nbsp; He is now in his 80s and he is going to buy a new trombone?&nbsp; I gave him Armstrong's number and a few days later Speigel called me, raving that the price of the Williams had gone up to $1800.&nbsp; Speigel never did buy one.&nbsp; The price went up even higher and a few years later and then Joe Armstrong stopped making the Williams.&nbsp; I understand the the Callichio trumpet Co. now makes them. 
 
The question remains...why would anyone want to play a trombone? 
 
Jim Beebe</HTML>

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