[Dixielandjazz] Cornet vs. Trumpet

[Gary Lawrence Murphy]

here's another bit for the mix: I heard that the rise of the small bar
bands in the early jazz days demanded the louder brass lead instruments
because the purpose of the music, so far as the venue was concerned, was to
attract attention.  So it may make sense that the trumpet would be
preferred not just for rising above the combo in a small venue, but because
the piercing sound might be more audible *outside* the club.

Then, so the story goes, with Prohibition, the clubs had to become more
discreet, and this lead to the preference for the quieter, gentler
saxophone as the lead instrument of the speak-easy combo, and the
subsequent falling from grace for the trumpet until the softer sounds of
Miles Davis and Chet Baker etc -- in an alternate universe of the power-pop
big bands we did see the likes of Maynard Ferguson and Don Ellis et al
reaching for every higher concert-hall stratospheres, but even there the
music eventually gave way to the Easy Listening sounds of Al Hirt, Herb
Alpert; Chuck Mangione's flugelhorn was a *massive* commercial hit.

So perhaps there's something to be said for the effect of the popular venue
of the day, from the open-air of Dixieland to the roaring Roaring Twenties,
then into the subdued Speakeasy and finally into the world of LP records
and FM radio heard mostly in the privacy of one's home while not alarming
neighbours? In our modern times a lot of jazz is geared again to the
concert halls and especially to the outdoor festivals and dance halls, and
so we see the big bands like Maria Schneider and Darcy Argue still
featuring trumpets (using flugelhorns for effects) and dance halls being
wowed by Kool and the Gang and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.

On Mon, Oct 29, 2012 at 8:42 AM, Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com> wrote:

> Armstrong played trumpet, and so did Red Allen.
> 'Nuff said?
> Cheers
>
> On 29 October 2012 02:15, RickeyZ <rickz at usermail.com> wrote:
> > I can't play horns.... to my distress, I've never been able to play a
> bugle,
> > much less anything else.
> > Never the less, I LOVE BIX.  And I have always loved the fluglehorn!!
> > Another alternative, eh?
> >
> >  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???
> > RickeyZ
> > Colorado Springs
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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
>



-- 
*Have Blog, Will Travel: blog.teledyn.com*
*A Serviceable Substitute: post.teledyn.com*
*eso: **EighthStreetOrchestra.posterous.com*