[Dixielandjazz] Bechet's main instrument

Andy.Ling at quantel.com Andy.Ling at quantel.com
Tue Nov 13 03:29:51 PST 2007


Steve Barbone said :-

> Being the devil's advocate, IMO Bechet's main instrument was the Soprano
> even though he first learned on Clarinet and played it exclusively until
> about 1920. He bought the "low pitch" horn during that year in London 
and
> had it modified with a a double octave key.
> 

I'm with you Steve. I guess it depends how you define "main instrument"
I would guess he played clarinet longest and Bob Smith's reply pretty
much confirms this, but I wonder which he recorded most.

I think he is remembered most for the Soprano, so does that make it
his "main instrument"?

I wonder what would have happened if the quiz contestant had
answered Soprano sax? Unfortunately the quiz was a re-run
of a program recorded in the 90s, so there is little point
in writing in and complaining.

> According to Bechet (from John Chilton's Bio)
> 
> "Some of Bechet's colleagues in London regarded the purchase as a mixed
> blessing, but Sidney was determined to achieve prominence on the 
instrument
> and began featuring himself on the tune 'Song of Songs'. . . he was 
aware
> that there was opposition to his new instrument and said later : ' Boy, 
when
> I first started that Soprano, I'm telling you that the guys used to tell 
me,
> Please play the clarinet. I used to say, Please leave me alone'"
> 
> Bechet later gave his reason for preferring the soprano saxophone to the
> clarinet: "I could express myself, and I had a better audience."
> 
> IMO, since Bechet is best known for his Soprano work, and he preferred 
the
> instrument to clarinet, and for the last 35 years of his playing life 
played
> it much, much more often than clarinet, it should be classified as his 
main
> instrument. Especially since Bechet had a dominant personality. The Sop 
Sax
> enabled him to dominate in a band setting. It suited him perfectly.
> 

These quotes seem to suggest Bechet thought of the Soprano as his main
instrument in later life. I guess there are really two answers and it all
depends.

Andy Ling


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