Klarinet Archive - Posting 000654.txt from 1997/06

From: fgarcia@-----.edu (Frank Garcia)
Subj: Re: Inspirations
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 1997 08:39:16 -0400

Artie Shaw was the most influential clarinetist to me. When I was a
beginner, my teacher told me to get some Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Pete
Fountain records (remember those vinyl things?). Artie's music appealed the
most to me when I was first starting. There was something sort of suave and
elegant about his arrangements that I found most appealing. I used to drop
the needle on solos, trying to pick notes off the record. I would spend
hours each day trying to sound like him, play his notes and swing like he
did. When there was a note out of my range, I went to my teacher and asked
"how do you play that note?". I learned how to do a gliss when I was 10
yrs. old because of Begin the Beguine.

With all of this "ear training", I developed a very good sense of relative
pitch. His playing motivated me to play faster and higher, with elegance
and conviction. I owe a lot to the virtuostic playing of Artie Shaw. I am a
clarinetist because of his records.

Frank Garcia

>> Kathi A wrote:
>>
>> Was there a particular clarinet player that made any of you love the
>> clarinet? Or maybe even a certain composer?
>>