[Dixielandjazz] Bechet and Noone and Dodds--lower register

[Charles Suhor]

On Apr 12, 2015, at 2:22 AM, Bill Haesler wrote:

> Dear Charlie,
> I am sure you are right about clarinetists taking advantage of the microphone for low register playing.
> As to not happening in noisy dance halls, I refer you to Johnny Dodds, one of the earliest (and best) RECORDED exponents of low register playing, accentuated in no small way by his strong natural vibrato. Listen to his work on the 1923 King Oliver RECORDS  made in the pre-microphone era.
> Particularly under the driving cornets of Oliver and Louis. "Canal Street Blues" and "Working Man Blues" immediately come to mind.
> 

Hello, Bill--

I've put RECORDED and RECORDS in caps to re-make the point of my speculation. Once in the studio, clarinets could be near enough to the mike to not have to blow their brains out to be heard within an ensemble, and could even use the lower register and be heard. I wonder how strongly the development of clarinet improvisation was effected by the microphone and recording studio as liberating factors. This is even more true of what became common as sotto voce playing behind vocalists. 

Charlie