Klarinet Archive - Posting 000656.txt from 1999/12

From: ShawThings@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] circular breathing
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 08:23:11 -0500

For those who've not been following it, the "circular breathing" issue came
up because of a reference (via a daily newspaper) to an article in the
British Medical Journal (BMJ) of 18th Dec entitled "Unsafe Sax" in which the
authors, Sanjay Kinra & Mona Okasha, attempt to show that circular breathing
allegedly practiced by by many great - (or at least sufficiently notable to
be listed in bio-discographies) jazz saxophonists - contribted to their
premature death.
BMJ is available free online - http://www.bmj.com - and the full text of the
article (BMJ 1999; 319:1612-3 of 18th Dec) really deserves a look, along with
some of the responses. It/they should have been published on April 1st!
A couple of respondents point out (?with deadpan seriousness) other risk
factors such as "toxic" metal mouthpieces and narrow neck straps.
The authors' reply " Famous saxophonists use circular breathing to produce
long solos which would also increase the exposure to copper" (from mpc) "...
There is anecdotal evidence of ... this ... John Coltrane once told his boss
(Miles Davis) that once immersed in a solo, he didn't know how to stop.... '
Try taking the saxophone out of your mouth' said Davis. This suggests an
astute early awareness of public health issues in Mr Davis."
Honest, this is a direct quote!
Klarinet list postings, which verge on the ridiculous at times, pale into
insignificance beside this!

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org