Klarinet Archive - Posting 000279.txt from 1995/07

From: Sal Lozano <Solzano@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Saxophone Players who St...
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 1995 18:25:15 -0400

Remember this topic, John?
Finally I'm responding after too long of an absence.
John wrote.....
"Sorry Sal, I have to disagree. I've seen it happen too many
times. The summer after I learned to play sax I started
high school. In the school band my sophomore year I ended
up at the end of the first section of six clarinets, but we had
a dance band in which all the high school sax players joined
and I sat first chair, ahead of 3 seniors and several juniors who
had played nothing but sax for years."

John, my view of this subject goes beyond high school level and even college
as I will later point out. Although high school is an important period in a
musician's life. Deciding on whether or not to continue music studies in
college, private lessons, dating,(oopps sorry, got carried away).

In my high school, I sat 1st chair ahead of several upper classmen too. That
doesn't matter. To get saxophone up to the level of clarinet or vice versa,
takes a lot more. Remember we talked about embochure and tight versus loose.
Even that doesn't matter. There is still an element of concept that needs to
be addressed. I too have seen it happen many times. I see it now in
professional settings. One way or another, a clarinet player gets put into a
situation where the person has to sax. It just doesn't make it unless that
person has the concept of style that the situation calls for. I don't feel it
would be far to site examples. Then they half to know how to apply it and
that doesn't mean just rounding out your embouchure.

You also wrote......"My clarinet buddy stayed on clarinet until college, when
he
taught himself alto sax. Up until this time, he was only
interested in the classics, but when he started on sax, he
quickly got into Jazz and then rock and roll. He went off
to Hollywood to be a star. It never happened, but he did
make a very good living as a studio musician for several
years. I would put his ability right up there with the best
of them."

I would love to ask this guy exactly how he made his living. By playing solo
alto things, or sax section dates, on lead or in the section, or clarinet
with a little sax, flute, oboe, etc., or just clarinet. Also when he did this
would really figure in considering the demand of woodwind players here in Los
Angeles today.

Finally......you said:
".Another clarinetist from our high school, who was two years
ahead of us in age and light years ahead of us in talent, ended
up first chair clarinet at MSU (that's Michigan State, not the Screaming
Eagles). Six months after taking up tenor sax, he
blew away the whole section at MSU."

Again, the college environment, although demanding in it's own ways (and
rightfully so), is far more forgiving than a professional situation.
A clarinet player playing sax or a sax player playing clarinet is always
under the microscope. Or at least they should put themselves under it only to
be self critical and hopefully better themselves.
Both instruments are important in music and should be studied accordingly.
Finally, I must say that this does pan out and there are alot of people who
can do it all. Blast out Benny Goodman, ( or Stolzman) HA HA.
And play in the top big bands in the world. Or in the top stage band in high
school or college.
Hope this little message finds you well and enjoying your summer.
Sal Lozano