Klarinet Archive - Posting 000587.txt from 2005/06

From: "danyel" <rab@-----.de>
Subj: Re: [kl] metal clarinets
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 18:32:48 -0400

Apparently Prez lost the first metal clar. or left it with Basie. Oddly
enough, on his last studio date in Feb. 1958 he once more played two tracks
on clarinet, and again on a metal instrument. This time he is struggling
with the instrument but that is certainly due to his very weak physical
condition. His playing is very moving though.
The story goes, btw., that Prez was given a keyed (wooden) clarinet by his
father in who's band he played as a child (and from whom he seems to have
inherited the oblique way of holding the tenor) and that he did not like it
at all.

Best wishes,
danyel

www.echoton.de/clar.html

----- Original Message -----
From: <jcblegen@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 8:47 PM
Subject: Re: [kl] metal clarinets

> I'm a little late in reading the list this week, but this thread caught my
eye. To my
> knowledge, the only recordings of Lester Young playing clarinet have him
using a
> metal clarinet that was apparently a collective possession of the Basie
sax section.
> The sound is unusual, but that's probably more Lester than the metal.
I've seen this
> quote attributed to both Goodman and Shaw: "Lester Young plays better
clarinet
> than a lot of people who play better clarinet." Goodman was so impressed
that he
> gave Prez an expensive wooden clarinet. Which Prez never used.

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