Klarinet Archive - Posting 000109.txt from 1995/01

From: Piotr Michalowski <piotrm@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Jazz Bass clarinetists
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 1995 09:55:49 -0500

There have been more bass clarinet players in jazz than most people
usually know about. Harry Carney, the great baritone sax player in
DUke's band played it very well, and Buddy de Franco played it for a
while in the fifties; there is an interesting recording of him as a guest
with Art Blakey's Jazz Messenaegrs. He did claim that he really was not
all that fond of it, and it was his manager's idea, but the results were
interesting. The person who really put it on the map in jazz was Eric
Dolphy, who played most of the reeds, but concentrated on alto sax, flute
and bass clarinet.
Since then, many have taken it up as a double. A few, such as
Manfred Piltz and Walter Zuber Armstrong, have made it their main horn.
David Murray, the tenor sax virtuoso, has made it a second horn equall to
his first, and even put out an albu of ballads recently on which he only
plays the bcl. Others, such as Vinny Golia, have made great statements
on the horn. This is only a bare outline; others will undoubtedly
provide more. I could write a longer message, but the system I am on
right now is giving me trouble (I cannot correct typos, so please be
tolerant), and I will have to add more anon.