Klarinet Archive - Posting 000298.txt from 1995/04

From: Russell Wayne Householder <rhouseh@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Contralto in jazz
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 1995 13:57:05 -0400

On Fri, 14 Apr 1995, Lee Callet wrote:

> J Alan wrote:
> "......I was invited into our second jazz band for a chart titled "Lonely
> Carousel". It calls for six woodwind parts. All contain some sort of
> sax, and some sort of woodwind including 3 flutes, a clarinet, a bass clar,
> and a contralto clar.
>
> THe contralto is just a beautiful blend with the bari sax...you almost cant
> hear it...you feel it.
>
> J Alan
> Low Clarinet Lover"
>
> The composer-arranger is Bob Florence, who writes for and performs with his
> own big band in Los Angeles. He has numerous albums of his music available
> on record. He has always used six saxophones (woodwinds, really): two altos
> (one doubling soprano), two tenors, and two baritones (one doubling bass
> clar, the other contra-alto.) Lee Callet
>

Thank you. I was never allowed to play in jazz band when I was in High
School because they said there was no repertoire for the instrument. I
said I could just read a tenor or bari part but they objected. You've
given me hope that somewhere, somehow there are low clarinets playing in
jazz bands.