Klarinet Archive - Posting 000137.txt from 1996/03

From: merlin@-----.ORG
Subj: Intro
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 20:00:09 -0500

Hi all you avid clarinet players. My name is Merlin Williams, and I've
been following this list via the AFM BBS for a couple of weeks. I find
it very interesting that there is a lot more traffic here than on the
saxophone list. Could it be that clarinet players are more (computer)
literate?

My current activities include: bass clarinet/saxophones with the
Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra; bari sax/alto sax/bass clarinet with
the Canadian Tribute to Glenn Miller; and clarinet/bass clarinet/bari
with a jazz nonet called the Martinos, which I also co-lead and arrange
for.

I'm playing on a Selmer 10s clarinet that I bought in high school, a
Selmer Series 9 Bass, and somewhere in this mess in my office, I've got
a Noblet hard rubber(!) A clarinet with a swan's neck register key that
I use on the rare occaisions that I actually need an A. I'm using
Vandoren B40 mps, and Vandoren #3 reeds.

I found that after a while, my personal sound got so established, it
didn't seem to matter what I played on as long as the tuning was good,
and the resistance were right.

My primary goal as a clarinettist is to improve as an improviser. I'm
doing this by transcribing solos, and doing as much Aebersold material
as I can. My fave jazz clarinettist is Jimmy Hamilton, followed closely
by Barney Bigard. It's too bad there isn't more discussion about these
players on this list.

Keep on writin', I'll be joining in instead of just lurking from now on.

later,
merlin.williams@-----.com
merlin@-----.org