[Dixielandjazz] Bechet's Main Instrument

[Paul Edgerton]

Well, Robert, I wouldn't have much confidence in that third-hand bit
of remembered hearsay. For one thing, a sarrusophone uses a double
reed like a bassoon. It sounds to me like you might be confusing the
sarrusophone with the ophicleide or possibly the serpent.

Soprano saxophones were fairly common in the twenties, and clarinet
players typically played one or more saxophones. Some of the stock
orchestrations of that era even called for all three of the
saxophonists to double on soprano.

It doesn't seem too strange that Bechet might have played trumpet
early on, at least until he discovered he could have much better
facility on reed instruments. On the soprano, he came pretty close to
matching the power of a cornet. So I agree with the view that
saxophone was better suited to his personality.

-- Paul Edgerton