[Dixielandjazz] Sop Sax or Clarinet?

[Stephen Barbone]

> Brian Towers wrote (polite snip)
>
> Nothing is cast in concrete, however and some of the finest ensemble jazz
> ever recorded was played by the Clarence Williams Blue Five, with Armstrong
> (cornet) Bechet (soprano) and Irvis (trombone). Just listen to "Cakewalking
> Babies"
>
> So, if you want to play soprano sax, you need a very good sense of pitch and
> an proper understanding of the roles of the other instruments in the
> ensemble.

Amen brother Brian. Bechet also recorded some neat stuff with his Blue Note Jazzmen in 1949 that including a fantastic Cakewalkin
Babies. That one had Wild Bill Davison, cornet, Bob Diehl TB, Art Hodes, Pno, Walter Page, Bs and Slick Jones, dms.

Also with the Blue Note Jazzmen in 1950 was a great China Boy with Davison again, Jimmy Archey, Tb, Joe Sullivan, Pno, Pops
Foster, Bs and Slick Jones.

He took up sop sax because he wanted to be a lead horn. And he was. In the above, note how WBD plays a second part in many of the
tunes on the albums. Surprisingly it works great. So, not all Sop Sax guys are lazy bums. Some are "Leaders" and Bechet certainly
was. As was Davern who still is, even on clarinet.

So regarding the SS, if you are the band leader and you don't like it, fire the guy. If you are the trumpet player and he gets in
your way, but the leader likes him, sit down at a F2F and work out who will lead. If you are a band member and don't like it, but
the leader does, best to keep your mouth shut, find another band or form your own.

Cheers
Steve Barbone

PS. Love Bechet, Love Sop Sax, Don't play it any more, but have to tell you that seeing/hearing/jamming with and talking to
Bechet, hearing his stories live was always an out of body experience. The man could play, though he never bothered to "read"
music. Ain't none like him since and his wide vibrato covered the tuning deficiencies of those early poorly made saxes. He soared
above them all except Louis.