[Dixielandjazz] Did Red Nichols play a mouthpiece solo?

[dingle at baldwin-net.com]

Bob Romans wrote:

>Hi Listmates...I got these two messages off of the TPIN...very interesting!
>Warmest regards,
>Bob Romans,
>1617 Lakeshore Drive,
>Lodi, Calif., 95242
>PH 209-747-1148
>www.cellblockseven2002.net
>
>
>Message: 11
>Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 16:54:32 -0400
>From: "Thomas Powers" <tom.powers at adelphia.net>
>Subject: [TPIN] Question on Red Nichols recording
>To: "'Trumpet'" <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
>I recently heard a recording of "Roses of Picardy" with Red Nichols on
>Cornet. It sounded like Nichols played his solo on the mouthpiece. Anybody
>else heard that recording? Is that what was going on there?
>
>Thanks, TOM
>
>M. Thomas Powers
>6351 Gemstone Dr
>Middletown, OH 45044
>tom.powers at adelphia.net
>(513)759-9506
>  
>
>Message: 19
>Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 21:42:19 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Paul McCue <trumq at yahoo.com>
>Subject: Re: [TPIN] Question on Red Nichols recording
>To: Thomas Powers <tom.powers at adelphia.net>, "'Trumpet'"
><tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
>Message-ID: <20060531044219.48191.qmail at web60123.mail.yahoo.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
>If it's the same version I have, that's Adrian Rollini (sp?) playing the 'hot fountain pen'-a sort of miniature clarinet which he invented, or was invented for him.  Rollini would have been playing bass sax through the rest of the tune, so that would have dropped out during the hot fountain pen solo, to be replaced by trombone or mellophone.
>   
>  Bass Sax, mellophone and hot fountain pen.  You just don't see that combination of instruments much anymore...
>   
>  Regards,
>   
>  Paul
>   
>  
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>  
>
As a student of and mentoree of Ernest Loring Nichols, I can attest that 
he could play a tune on a mouthpiece sans horn. Every brass man can -- 
even if they don't care to, and it is often a good way to warm up in 
close quarters. Those with the chops can play many tunes with decent 
intonation -- though often with a crummy sound for lack of plumbing and 
bell. But I have heard the recording in question and I subscribe to the 
fountain pen story -- perhaps proving that the "pen can be mightier than 
the sword" - if not pleasing.
Don (now where did I put away that horn last Labor Day?) Ingle