 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-10-05 08:01
Sorry ahead of time but I'm going off of memory since I don't have a program to the concert.
I am happy to say that I've returned tonight from a concert featuring Paquito D'Rivera. Saturday at 8 PM Eastern Time at Ramapo College in NJ. Sadly to say however, he only played 2 pieces featuring clarinet, and about a dozen featuring himself on the sax. He was a guest artist of Oscar Feldman and his band. The repoirtoire featured I would guess to be about 1/3 of Oscar Feldmon's compositions, 1/3 of duke ellington, and the rest of miscellaneous
Although he only played two songs, he did show his great proficiency on the clarinet. I read a few older posts and the general consensus seemed to be that he was much more preferred on sax than on clarinet. Maybe I'm just not experienced enough in hearing live clarinet playing, but I saw nothing wrong with it and thought it sounded great. I do think that he was an AWESOME sax player, but didn't hear enough clarinet to really make a judgment.
I wish I could be more specific, but I would like to know what the first song was he played. He introduced it with how his mother used to tell him about a large black man about ten feet tall who used to play flute. Apparently this song was inspired by this tall tale (pun!) and it was a piece with clarinet and piano. The clarinet started, then stopped as the piano came in, they did a little mimicking, then it was both together. Perhaps someone more familiar with his music and pieces that he might favor that could shed some light on this (although I know it's very vague, but hopefully it gave you SOMETHING to work with).
In a short summary, I had a great night and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was close enough to count the stubbles of hairs on his head! (he forewent the hat tonight, although Oscar Feldmon was sporting a wonderful purple velvet hat, cocked to one side). Paquito amazed me and the combinations of rhythms and nonstop action that he could whiz through his fingers and head was dizzying. And, if I was correct in my super sleuth analysis, he was sightreading many of those songs right there up on stage except for the improv sections (of course). I noticed him, as he was playing, looking intensely at the music on the stand unless it turned out to be a tune he knew.
For anyone else that might have been a part of that 120 person audience, feel free to share your thoughts and include stuff that I've missed or correct stuff that I may ahve mis-remembered. Otherwise, I look forward to a little discussion of his music and technique as well as hopefully discovering that flashy duet's name. Thanks all.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-10-05 18:39
I heard him [and Brazilian? group] on NPR - Perf. Today!, KRPS a few days ago, for about an hour. GREAT, and WOW, technique/feeling. One of our present day best. Check schedules for repeats [requests?]. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-10-06 14:40
I've always preferred Paquito's clarinet playing to his sax playing (and I've said so before on both this BB and the Sax On The Web BB) --- ain't he fabulous? He's also written at least one piece for clarinet choir (the group I'm in performed it on our last concert). His sax playing I find to be a little out-of-control, too much undisciplined screaming and too much 'lazy' straying from the chord progression --- but I have nothing but praise for his clarinet playing.
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2003-10-06 20:04
My favorite Pacquito clarinet piece is a waltz, with string accompaniment, called Seresta, recorded on one of his older items.
I had read a while back, I believe on this forum, that he suffered a stroke or heart problem. Evidently he's recovered?
Steve Epstein
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-10-06 20:57
Quote:
I had read a while back, I believe on this forum, that he suffered a stroke or heart problem. Evidently he's recovered? If his playing was any indication, then yes. He's recovered.
And yes, I thought I did notice him being a little "lazy" in his improving, but then again, just who the heck am I to criticize a man like him on his sax playing? However I do feel that with his talent he really could've rocked that sax a little more than he did. But it was still GREAT to listen to. And during the final song, "Perdido", he called off the band and improved with just him and Oscar Feldman. For sixteen bars just two saxes. At first I thought it was crazy, but it sounded great and they played off each other well.
Nothing like a good concert to inspire someone to practice a little harder. I needed that!
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2003-10-07 02:41
Not to get political, but when Castro goes and Cuba opens up, there are going to be hoarde of fantastic musicians coming to the shores of the developed world.
I may have misinterpreted, but I understand that they teach jazz, classical and folk music all on equal footing in Cuban conservatories - it's all just music to them. At a Pacquito concert of about ten years ago, he introduced Jorge Somebody - or - Other, an oboe player who had just fled Cuba and been in the US for only three weeks. The guy played "Danzon" with Paquito's band. Never heard an oboe sound so full, so big, before or since.
Steve Epstein
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