[Dixielandjazz] Cornet vs. Trumpet

[Jim Kashishian]

RickyZ wrote:
>So, I am perplexed by the fondness for the sharp tone of the trumpet, and I
wonder why anyone would play trumpet, if they could sound like BIX???

Here we go with the "vs." thing again! Why does it have to come down to
that?  There's enough folks in the world for both instruments to coexist.
Some people want to sound like themselves, not like Bix.  

I personally like the sharpness of a trumpet when played by someone with
real chops.  Along with the sound of my trombone, a trumpet is what works
for us. Other things work for other bands.  We use piano, bass & drums,
instead of banjo & tuba.  Different?  Yes, but not bad, just an alternative.

Band leader Clarke (from my hometown!), was...shall we say, sort of stuck in
his ways.  Now adays, with all the means we have at hearing all types of
music at the flick of a finger, we can & should be more open minded about
what is out there.

We had a Cuban kid in as a sub on trumpet a couple of weeks ago.  He had one
of those weird Marsalis trumpets.  It weighed in at 4 kilos!  Sounded more
like a flugel than a trumpet.  It was soft sounding, but didn't have that
big/soft sound that the flugelhorn has. Not to my liking, but we still had a
lot of fun.  He was a real laugh, with long, fast phrasing, then long pauses
to get ready for the next blast. Certainly not Dixie! 

At one point, he started what I thought was texting on his phone while we
were playing!  As it turned out, he had some standard's chords written into
his phone, which he put on a music stand.  I could barely see the phone, let
alone see the chords!

Anyway, it's all changing, but it's just great to see so much talent in such
young people. 'twasn't my sound or my style, but it sure was fun & he sure
could play!

Jim