[Dixielandjazz] Bechet on clarinet

Tue Sep 18 14:40:32 PDT 2007

Gee, I love the vibrato!  That big, living, vibrating tone, which
makes the clarinet sound almost like a string instrument.  To my ears,
that's what sets the jazz clarinet apart from the classical one.
Perhaps one of the reasons I don't like Buddy ce Franco and Tom Scott
very much.
I wouldn't know about the Minney Mouse vibrato - I don't listen to folk music.
Cheers
On 18/09/2007, Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis
<larrys.bands at charter.net> wrote:
> I have some of those recordings so I need to pull them out and re listen -
> Personally I like what he did but I find his vibrato irritating and try to
> listen past it for the meat of the  music.
>
> I am simply not a fan of the vibrato used by early jazz players in the same
> way I don't like the Minney Mouse vibrato that Dolly Parton uses and is used
> by women in Appalachian folk music.  Vibrato has gone through several style
> changes over the years and will most likely continue to change over time.
> Larry
> StL
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marek Boym" <marekboym at gmail.com>
> To: "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis" <larrys.bands at charter.net>;
> <Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 9:00 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Bechet on clarinet
>
>
> > Hello Larry,
> > I have no idea about mouthpieces (exept for the vague notion that they
> > exist)
> > However, I find it very difficult to believe that you could not have
> > heard Bechet on clarinet - he played it so much, especially on his
> > American recordings!  A casual look at the Sidney Bechet jazz Classics
> > on Blue Note (BLP 1201 and 1202) shows him on both clarinet and
> > soprano on 13 numbers, and on clarinet only on those with Bunk Johnson
> > (another 4).  Likewise, lots of clarinet on the Victor sessions
> > (listen to "Blues in Thitds" with Earl Hines!).  Also, he plays both
> > horns on "Really the Blues" on King Jazz.
> > Cheers
> >
> > On 17/09/2007, Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis
> > <larrys.bands at charter.net> wrote:
> >> I have never heard Sidney Bechet on Clarinet only Soprano Sax.
> >>
> >> I don't know if you are interested in trying to sound like them or not.
> >>
> >> I have been asked this question a lot of times about my mouthpiece / reed
> >> /
> >> horn by other players.  It's not a bad one as a starting point BUT unless
> >> you have the same facial structure, oral structure, ear and tonal concept
> >> of
> >> a player you will not sound like that player.
> >>
> >> Mouthpieces, reeds, and horns are a lot like tooth brushes.  Very
> >> individual.  What works for me may not be a good fit for you.
> >>
> >> While I was in the AF there was a tenor player that I wanted to sound
> >> like
> >> more than anything.  It just so happened that we had identical
> >> instruments,
> >> mouthpieces and reeds.  Why didn't I sound like him?  You just have to
> >> fall
> >> back on that facial structure, etc. and tonal concepts of the player just
> >> make it more than a mechanical thing.
> >>
> >> Does the mouthpiece / horn combination make a difference?  Yes but not as
> >> much as you might think.  You can't buy a sound.
> >>
> >> I think, at least on woodwinds, there are a lot of variables.  There are
> >> hundreds of different mouthpieces and many combinations with each brand.
> >> Couple that with slight differences of individual instruments of the same
> >> brand you end up with not the same thing.
> >>
> >> Another important consideration is your strength level.  On tenor I play
> >> on
> >> a Wolf Tayne 8 (they made a 9) which is a very open mouthpiece.  I use a
> >> 3
> >> 1/2 Rico Royal and my Tenor is a Conn 10M which is a fairly large bore
> >> horn.
> >> This combination is definitely not for a beginner and is a killer for the
> >> average player.  It takes chops and a lot of air but is capable of a much
> >> wider volume range and intonation can be controlled much better.   I
> >> tried
> >> and play on a Soprano mouthpiece recommended by a friend of mine who is a
> >> fantastic pro player.  It damned near killed me when I first started
> >> playing
> >> it.  I can now play it but it was a trauma for awhile.  We are playing on
> >> an
> >> almost identical set up but he sounds a little different from me.
> >>
> >> Another thing about mouthpieces and reeds is that what is good now may
> >> not
> >> be good a couple of years from now.  I have out grown my Alto mouthpiece
> >> and
> >> I need to try some others.  Because I'm not primarily an Alto player I
> >> took
> >> the recommendation of another player and bought a Meyer 5.  It's a good
> >> intermediate mouthpiece but is a little wimpy.
> >>
> >> I also played Oboe for many years.  On that instrument facial structure,
> >> oral cavity, correct embouchure, tonal concept, breath support and
> >> incredible facial strength make all the difference in good tone and
> >> overall
> >> sound.
> >>
> >> That's my opinion based on playing a lot of horns, trying mouthpieces,
> >> trying to sound like someone else and failing, having people try to sound
> >> like me and failing along with a lot of years playing.  All of these
> >> things
> >> are also true of the clarinet too.  I just try to make the best, in tune,
> >> sound I can.
> >> Larry
> >> St. Louis
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: <Jeffmatthews111 at aol.com>
> >> To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
> >> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> >> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 5:00 AM
> >> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Clarinet Question
> >>
> >>
> >> > Hello,
> >> >
> >> > I am interested to know if there is information on the make of clarinet
> >> > and
> >> > mouthpiece set up used by Sidney Bechet, Bobby Gordon and Archie
> >> > Semple.
> >> > Any
> >> > Ideas?
> >> >
> >> > Thank you.
> >> >
> >> > Jeff Matthews
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland Jazz
> >> > Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:
> >> >
> >> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Dixielandjazz mailing list
> >> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland Jazz
> >> Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:
> >>
> >> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> >> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> >>
> >
>
>
>