Klarinet Archive - Posting 000445.txt from 1995/02

From: Syd Polk <jazzman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: The Jazzless Age
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 1995 14:20:54 -0500

The main reason trumpets and saxophones were the primary bebop instruments
was because Dizzy Gillespie played trumpet and Charlie Parker played
saxophone. Since these two basically invented the genre, everybody
emulated them. If Bird had been a clarinet player, things would be
different.

For those of you who poo-poo the influence of two men, keep in mind
that soprano saxophone in modern jazz was unheard of until John Coltrane
recorded an album where he played it ("My Favorite Things"). Suddenly,
everybody and his dog were buying sopranoes.

Syd Polk