 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Charles Ellsworth Russel
Date: 2013-11-27 01:25
In the mid 90's, swing and jazz was very popular and common to be played for a clarinet ( Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Pee Wee Russell, etc...) but now it seems like all of that is gone... for some reason I don't hear anybody playing anymore those styles with the clarinet. It looks like now is all about classical music. What happened ?
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-11-27 02:46
I seem to recall a "swing music" craze around that time that centered around dancing. As I recall it was sparked by the popularity of Jim Carey's movie "Mask" and the associated soundtrack.
Those of us who always loved old jazz music still listen........we just have fewer people to share it with.
...................Paul Aviles
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-11-27 12:35
Paul is right about the swing revival with a lot of great music in the 90s. Three bands immediately come to mind, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Cherry Poppin' Daddies (remember Zoot Suit Riot?), and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I think these bands are still around and are somewhat successful, but it's not like it was in the 90s.
As far as I can remember, none of these bands used clarinets.
The clarinet is still used in jazz, although it isn't like it used to be. There's Anat Cohen, Eddie Daniels, and Don Byron, and I'm sure others will be able to mention more names.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2013-11-27 12:39
People still play Jazz, it's just different styles. The clarinet became less prominent in the new jazz styles and the saxophone because more popular. I think it's because everything is amplified so much (too much) these days and the sax cuts through more even when the clarinet is miced. There are still good clarinets Jazz players today, just not like the good old days and it's not "swing" like the good old days.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2013-11-27 14:24
The good old days ... and today's news reports the death of one of the great musicians, one of my personal favorites, cool jazz drummer Chico Hamilton. He lived to be 93 and kept on performing and recording well into his 80s. (So much for the slander that jazz musicians all burned themselves out early with booze and drugs. ) I heard him play with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and others in California in days of yore. R.I.P.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Wicked Good ★2017
Date: 2013-11-27 16:35
Actually, Karl Hunter of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy does play the clarinet (and quite well) on several of their tunes. I believe that he plays all Selmer saxes and clarinets. His huge tenor sax sound knocks me out.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2013-11-27 18:25
It's got a lot to do with dancing....or the lack of it........
Bob Draznik
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2013-11-27 18:46
I think it also had a lot to do with jazz becoming more of an intellectual pursuit than a visceral one.
B.
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Author: MSK
Date: 2013-11-28 01:06
I know of two teenage clarinet players that wanted to play in the school jazz band and were told that they would have to learn (and let I might add purchase) sax to join the group. Both certainly have the skill on clarinet.
In the late 1980s I played in a swing dance band on clarinet. Very few pieces had sheet music for clarinet, but the group was perfectly OK with me playing the tenor sax part on my clarinet. It may have helped that they lacked actual tenor sax.
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Author: christian
Date: 2013-11-28 13:04
I still listen to trad jazz and hope to get a band together
Good programme on American PBS channel calledjazz
Lots of old films of the 1920 and on of the famous jazz and swing bands with history and biogrphy
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2013-11-28 13:32
>>I know of two teenage clarinet players that wanted to play in the school jazz band and were told that they would have to learn (and let I might add purchase) sax to join the group. Both certainly have the skill on clarinet.
>>
Nuts to whoever told those kids such a thing. I hope they form their own jazz band and compete with the "official" one. I wonder what would happen if the non-official band barged right into a performance to jam it, old-style. Start a cutting contest. Nah, in real life, that would probably get the kids expelled, so I'm not actually *advocating* it, mind you ....
![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: John Morton
Date: 2013-11-28 17:45
Here it is, more than you ever wanted to hear about it:
The clarinet was prominent in jazz from the very beginning (~1900 or so) up until the end of WW II. "Swing" ruled American popular music from the mid-1930's, an era which saw some of the most important bands led by clarinet players. However that's a small part of the story.
Here's how it breaks down for me (strictly one man's opinions):
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Cherry Poppin' Daddies etc. are focused on the late swing era and the jump blues craze that followed. Louis Jordan represented that trend - no clarinet, a rocking R & B sound, but with a beat that encourages jitterbugging. Big bands like the Blasters are included.
Modern "dixieland" bands (Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Dukes of Dixieland, Firehouse Five, Jim Cullum Band) stem from what is usually called the Dixieland Revival of the 40's, continuing a repertoire of pre-swing standards combined with swing chestnuts favored by dancers. These bands hold sway on the dixieland festival circuit, but their audience is older and I see it melting away. The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee was the biggest one, and the changes in their roster reflect this trend.
There are bands who specialize in the time of swing's peak popularity, e.g. Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Dorsey Bros., Bob Crosby, Basie. Those artists' arrangements require big payrolls, so look for them at big city New Year's Eve gigs. Much of the same repertoire is great for small combos, and to my mind that's some of the best jazz being played today. Howard Alden, Scott Hamilton, Warren and Allen Vache, Ken Peplowski, Dan Barrett, Becky Kilgore - anything connected with those guys. Lots of improv solo time for them, not like a big band where you get 8 bars.
My personal favorite is something else, usually called Hot Jazz, Classic Jazz, Trad Jazz. There is much argument over these labels. It stems mostly from the 20's, a time before "jazz", "swing", "blues" and "dixieland" became separate things. A standard bearer of this approach is Vince Giordano and His Nighthawks, who have endured to see it spread to young players all over. Influences here would be Jimmie Noone, Earl Hines, Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Fletcher Henderson, early Ellington, Bennie Moten, the Bix Beiderbecke combos, and the early blues artists. These folks had mostly adopted "swing" in the mid-20's, meaning the swing feel for eighth notes.
For this last item, here's a good piece about the trend:
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2013/08/hot-jazz-new-york
Also, check out any recent YouTubes from Tuba Skinny, Little Big Horns, Loose Marbles - all young New Orleans street bands.
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Author: William
Date: 2013-11-28 18:28
Here in the Madison, WI area, big band jazz is alive and well. Several groups play regularily, including All that Jazz, Madison College Big Band, Ladies Must Swing (all female group) and the band I play with every Monday afternoon, the Retro Swing Band. Our band is directed by UW-Whitewater retired jazz professor, Frank Ferianno, who writes all of our arrangements--currently well over 125 selections. All of the mentioned jazz ensembles are 16 to 18 members strong and feature saxophone players who double on clarinet. And when you add to the list of public and private schools in the Madison area that have student jazz ensembles, it is obvious that jazz is still popular. But I do agree that it is hard to find clarinet jazzers that rise to the level of Artie or Benny, especially style wise. Personally, I would not include Eddie Danials in that list of "early greats" as he is more technique than music, to my ears anyhow.
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-11-29 13:04
Very interesting comments, everyone! I learned a lot reading them.
Wicked Good, thanks for mentioning Karl Hunter. If I'm not mistaken, clarinets are sometimes used as well in the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
To those of you who you who mention a preference for the older jazz styles--I agree completely.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2013-11-30 03:18
The culture of the USA has changed and continues to change, as does it's music.
Many new immigrants do not have the musical culture related to swing and jazz, which have significant American, European, and African roots. In California, the Latino population is now about the same in number as the Caucasian population. There are many Asian immigrants as well, which do not generally bring a swing and jazz culture with them.
New forms of entertainment have been developed which don't include much jazz or swing. Those wedding gigs seem to be mostly in the past and people are watching their 50 inch TVs instead of going out to dance.
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Author: bbillings
Date: 2013-11-30 13:46
In our community, the community college Swing band disallows clarinets and suggests they play Saxophones. Seems like a preference from the director (a tuba player and bass player who also teaches Jazz history). Its the only explanation I can come up with since we have a much higher level of clarinet playing than saxophone playing. I personally think it is a shame because it limits the repertoire available. There were many great pieces of swing music on clarinet. But then again, I am biased. He could at least allow doubling as the lead alto saxophonist and the baritone saxophone players were both relatively accomplished clarinet players! The last point I'd like to make is how it stunts the growth and creativity of the students who join by limiting their exposure (most of the swing band is older). I'd appreciate a more inclusive environment. Just my thoughts.
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