[Dixielandjazz] Bob Wilber's Clarinet Sound

[Robert Newman]

Many years ago our band, the Fulton Street Jazz Band, was playing a set at the Sacramento Jubilee when Bob Wilber walked in to listen to us.    I saw Wilber and asked him to sit in with us.     He said he didn't have a horn with him but he'd borrow one of our clarinets.   I was playing alto and Walt Kunecke was on tenor so Wilber picked up Walt's clarinet.    We played Wilber's arrangement of "Under The Moonlight Starlight Blue" so Wilber played the whole two - chorus solo on Walt's clarinet.     Miraculously Wilber sounded exactly like Bob Wilber although the setup of Walt's horn was obviously totally different from Wilber's.     His tone, his touch, his phrasing -- shockingly perfect.

Conclusion -- If you want to sound like Bob Wilber or Benny Goodman or Antti Sarpila, forget about your setup -- be Bob Wilber or Benny Goodman or Antti Sarpila.

Bob Newman