[Dixielandjazz] Clarinet Question

[RoddyTpt at aol.com]

Hi, 
Regarding the Dixieland clarinet players: 
1.   Sidney Bechet was an American clarinet player and whilst in  London, 
picked up a soprano sax in a second hand shop. He had it overalled and  it became 
his main instrument. What make of instruments or what mouthpiece  or reeds he 
used on either instrument, I have no idea. 
2. I am not familiar with Bobby Gordon. 
3.   Archie Semple I believe was Scottish but other than that I  know very 
little about him. 
After the Second World War, a few small bands did become very popular such as 
 Sid Phillips, Harry Gold and Harry Parry.   Then the Trad Jazz Boom  came in 
such as Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk,. Chris Barber, The Clyde Valley Stompers  and 
various other groups . Up until the l920's you had people such as Bix  
Beiderbeck , The original Dixieland Jazz Band and Louis Armstrong etc. 
Up until the l930's most clarinettists would have used the simple system  
clarinet, even though the Boehm system was invented many years earlier. This was  
because jazz as we know it was developed in New Orleans and the French Army  
would have left behind the band instruments.  Lot of the endemic population  
picked these up and started to play blues and jazz. Largely after the l930's  
most people picked up the Boehm system clarinet such as Benny Goodman and Artie 
 Shaw. A lot of the original players stuck by their old instruments. 
Paradoxically, a lot of modern classical players have reconstructed  
instruments of the type that would have been around in the days of Mozart.  
Incidentally, Sid Phillips played a simple system clarinet with covered tone  holes. 
My motto is, that if you have a French clarinet such as Selmer or Leblanc you 
 should use a French mouthpiece. Similarly, ifyou have an American 
Saxophone,you  should use an American mouthpiece.   If you have a Japanese Sax, like  a 
Yanagisawa, you should use their mouthpiece. 
Regarding reeds: I personally use the Canadian Legere Polypropylene reeds. I  
find them suitable for all purposes and are highly recommended by many 
leading  players both in jazz and in classical music. 
Personally I do not get hung up on what instruments the players of the past  
used. They would have probably played with something entirely difrferent if 
they  were around today. Hope this helps. 
Regards 
Ray [UK]  --- _raypjd at tiscali.co.uk_ (mailto:raypjd at tiscali.co.uk)