 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2003-12-03 01:19
Just got correspondence from Riccardo Clericci at Pomarico in Italy. They're manufacturing and marketing a new crystal mouthpiece. Simply called the POMARICO JAZZ. Haven't tried it, but if it's like any of their others that I have, I'm sure it's going to be HOT. The literature Riccardo sent shows the MPC as having a long facing, 19mm, and the most open tip they've made so far. 1.38mm. Not as open as the Vandoren 5jb, but certainly a bigger tip than they're largest to date which is the Diamond plus at 1.25mm. I have that one, and it plays better than any other MPCs I have. very responsive in all registers. Easy blowing with a Mitchell Lurie Premium 2 1/2 strength reed.
Anyway, thought I'd pass on the info to those wanting to try a JAZZ type MPC in crystal.
John Gibson
PS.....they also have a POMARICO JAZZ for bass clarinet.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-12-03 13:32
I've been playing bass clarinet for about 30 years, and serious jazz for about 25, and I'm still waiting for my first paid bass-clarinet-jazz gig......so I think I can go a few more days without the new Pomarico jazz bass clarinet mouthpiece. Possibly. But maybe Don Byron, Bob Mintzer, Marty Ehrlich, and two or three other cats will buy them................
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-12-03 14:28
Aw, come on, Dave, SPEND!, tis the season! I too am looking for a paying bass cl gig or so. My good buddy , best on tenor, a kereoke [sp?] usually, wants me on bari to play Al Beletto arr's., but is in worse physical shape than I, SO---. Tho having 2 good [old] Poms, Im still tempted to "try" the jazzer, maybe even a sop glass also! My jazz is with our comm band's Hi Hat, 16-20 bar solo, where I try to add well-known-tune snatches for variety, like "old times"?? Keep tooting. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-12-03 15:03
Don, 'tis the season to spend on the Kids, the Wife, and maybe the Donkey, not myself! (But maybe Santa will bring me a new crystal Pomarico for Christmas??????).
Semi-seriously, though, most of the jazz applications I've run into on bass clarinet have been "color" passages which I found were most effective using a classical-type sound. The guys who play SERIOUS bass clarinet jazz (such as the three I mentioned, or our own Robert Small) might well benefit from a purpose-made jazz mouthpiece such as the Pomarico. Pardon my facetiousness --- it's a way of life..........
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2003-12-03 19:42
Dave, are you ever getting crotchety.....
By the way.....In fairness to Pomarico.....I just re-looked at the flyer Riccardo sent.....and each of the MPCs has 2 versions....and the Bb is available in a 21mm facing with a tip opening of 1.48mm, so it is BIGGER than the 5jb.
Dave, how much do you charge for a bass clarinet jazz gig?
JG
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-12-03 20:07
john,
Yes I am getting crotchety (my kids tell me so) ---- I blame the 3-4 hours of commuting in traffic I have to do every day --- takes away all my Baermann-III practice time, dontcha know!
If I ever actually get a 'bass clarinet jazz gig', I'll let you know what I charge for it.......I've often brought the b.c. to big band or combo gigs as a double, and of course used it in pit orchestras for shows, but I've never played a paid jazz gig with b.c. as my primary instrument. I used to bring it sometimes to jazz jam sessions and that was lots of fun, but of course it didn't pay. Come to think of it, back then I DID have a mouthpiece I'd specially set up for jazz, quite open and with a bit of a raised baffle added....So maybe this Pomarico idea isn't so far-fetched...........
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-12-03 22:16
Rec'd my brochure, if anyone is brave enough to try this MAX, 31 mm/2.58 mm tip, please tell us about it!! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-04 01:59
David, Don and John: - I really don't know much about crystal mouthpieces ... people seem to be polarised by them. I certainly remember when I was a student I didn't own one and didn't need one ... maybe I should give them a go? Do you think it's affect on tone is measurable compared to plastic/wood? (honest question).
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-12-04 14:27
diz, I may be the only person in the world who believes this, but it is my humble opinion that, ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL, the material of which a clarinet mouthpiece is made has no audible effect on the sound. I won't bother going into a physics spiel, because that would be inconclusive and incomprehensible to nearly everyone (myself included) ----- so instead I speak from empirical evidence: I have refaced (and modified other parts of) hundreds of mouthpieces over maybe 20 years, and I've worked with every material available --- hard rubber, various plastics, grenadilla wood, crystal, aluminum, brass-type metals and stainless steel. By working on JUST the facing (with maybe a bit of interior work to finish things off) I can, and have, made mouthpieces of any of these materials sound like any of the others. Currently, I'm trying to choose which of four clarinet mouthpieces I like better for my own use, so I'm playing all four and swithching back and forth (at home and in rehearsals) --- each of these four is made of a different material! One is a white plastic (possibly acrylic), one is crystal, one is wood, and one is hard rubber. I GUARANTEE that if you or any other clarinetist were blindfolded listening to me play, you would NOT be able to tell with any repeatability which mouthpiece of which material I was playing on.
Sorry for the long ramble --- my point is that no, I don't think crystal makes any audible difference per se. I like crystal because (a) it feels comfortable in my mouth, (b) it's easy to keep clean (like washing glassware!), and (c) the material is very stable dimensionally and won't warp or change with temperature. Of course it's quite fragile, that's the downside --- and harder to reface than any other material except stainless steel.
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Author: William
Date: 2003-12-04 14:50
For the record, I agree with David on the material having no effect of the quality of the sound of the mouthpiece--and (IMNSHP) this also goes for the clarinet itself. Wood, rubber, plastic--it doesn't matter. The only thing that does (like in mpcs & barrels) is the configuration and design of the bore. But this is another story that many of us only agree to disagree about............
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-12-04 15:15
Well put, Dave and Wm, I also agree. To me, a cl'ist will sound like him/herself almost no matter the equipment. There is the psychology [sp?] question tho, where playing on the "best", may sound the best. I recall a record-cover with Pete Fountain blowing on a crystal mp, it encourages me!! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2003-12-04 19:26
Don....
Pete Fountain has always used a crystal. I can't recall him using anythng else.....and I go back to seeing him in concert in 1960.
JG
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-12-04 20:37
I'm sure yur rite, John, a showman would play on a "showy" mp! Sadly, I have to recall his appearances with Lawrence Velk, the only PF LP I have found [so far], a 2 record DSXE 7-210, just shows the bell, fingers and face, no mp! I've been trying to recall what mp Questa played later with L W. They must have played on Hard Rubber at some time in their careers!! I have a couple of Artie Shaw's LP's loaned out, a glass may be shown there?? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: JimV
Date: 2003-12-05 07:48
I like to see Pete's name show up in a post as I feel I can help out a little. I first meet Pete in 1963. I asked the bar tender what time he usually got to the club to do his show (at 800 Rue Burbon, last joint comming from Canal street) and made it a point to be there and got introduced. While Dad and I sat in his dressing room listening to Bob Crosby w/Foz softly in the background on a small record player and had general conversation with Pete. I asked him if they still had Jam Sessions any more in New Orleans after hours. He said not much anymore, they usually went to a local bar and had a few drinks. Since it was show time I asked if we could meet him later and talk more, he said sure, go over to 'The Living Room' on North Rampart. We did and what a night to remember, when we got there Pee Wee Spitalara (spelling? Al Hirt's clar player) and Pete's bass player Oliver 'Stick' Felex were already there, Stick introduced us to Pee Wee. While listening to 'While We Danced at the Mardi Gras' on the junk box Pete comes in and sneaks up behind Pee Wee and starts messaging his neck, Pee Wee says "Hey man, where did you get such strong fingers?", Pete says "from playing clarinet". We sat in 'The Living Room' drinking and talking and Pee Wee telling a story about Pete being a speed demand with his sports car until 5:00 AM. I asked Pete all about his set up. He was playing a LeBlanc Dynamic H - 15 mm big bore with a O'Brien 4* with the tip opened a little and D. Bonade 2 1/2 reeds. I have seen Pete many times since that night, was at the Hilton when he ended his lease with the Hilton. He really misses the Bonade reeds, currently uses Marca 2 1/2 and the same mouthpiece even though a few years ago it slipped while washing it and knocked a chip off it. The chip was appoxied back on. His mouthpiece guy has given him new back ups but he still likes the orignal one the best. The one he made all the recordings with. Trust me, he has a good sound man but in the 60s, 70s and 80s he could project standing way back by the drums or even the back line. I've gone on rambling enough.
Jim (PS: home of Bix)
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Author: William Hughes ★2017
Date: 2003-12-05 14:19
David S.
Add Rudi Mahall to your list of jazz bass clarinetists. A brief quote from a publicity piece: "Rudi Mahall is considered one of the most innovative bass clarinetists since Eric Dolphy. Born in Nürnberg, Germany in 1966, Mahall studied classical clarinet at first and subsequently began exploring twentieth century music and free improvisation. He has also absorbed the music of Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Eric Dolphy. " I heard him this summer and he is amazing.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-12-05 14:27
WOW, What an experience, Jim, The best are nice guys, almost always! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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