 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: FrankM
Date: 2010-05-26 11:30
I was listening to a jazz station on the radio yesterday and heard some interesting jazz clarinet. I listen to lots of jazz sax and clarinet players, and often play the game of trying to identify the player (Remember the old Blindfold Tests Leonard Feather used to conduct in Downbeat?) After just a measure or two I realized this was someone I’ve never heard before…the sound was so different from any jazz clarinetist I’ve ever heard. My first thought was Jimmy Giuffre…then Tony Scott, then I gave up. Finally the DJ announced the player…It was Lester Young! Now I listen to lots of Prez on tenor, and I knew he played clarinet, (I think I read once his preferred clarinet was a metal one) but for whatever reason, none of my cds or vinyl collection has him on clarinet. Talk about an original approach…which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise! I wonder if any all clarinet Prez CDs have been released?
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-05-26 15:45
Jazz musicians lived hand-to-mouth during the "golden age." There are stories of instruments held together with adhesive tape, and of instruments being pawned to feed a drug habit.
I had assumed that Prez played clarinet because one was given to him, and that he couldn't afford to buy another after it was stolen. Then, again, he may not have cared much about clarinet and played it only because it was there. Does anyone have the real story?
Ken Shaw
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Author: JEG ★2017
Date: 2010-05-27 02:04
I think you also need to take into account the probability that in 1958 Lester Young's chops were not what they once were. The amazing thing is to listen to the ideas coming out of the horn in spite of his physical limitations. I must admit that I haven't heard these particular recordings before, but to my ears it sounds like Lester Young on the clarinet. Also, I recommend checking out the clip of Prez and Billie Holiday doing "Fine and Mellow."
Lester Young's birthday anniversary is on August 27, and in his honor the Columbia University FM station, WKCR, plays his music on that day around the clock into the next day when it begins playing the music of Charlie Parker, whose birthday was August 29. That's where I first heard Prez playing clarinet. If you're not in the NY area you can get it on the Web at wkcr.org. The station has all kinds of jazz, also classical and ethnic music.
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Author: ned
Date: 2010-05-27 05:32
I have one mr. band nerd ''Someone actually has a metal clarinet?''
It's a one piece Boehm system Noblet.
It's not a lamp and it sounds pretty much like a wooden one actually.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-05-27 05:48
I have a metal clarinet which I consider a student model (by today's standards at least, maybe it was considered better when it was amde, probably the 50s). It sounds not nearly as good as my main clarinet, since it's just not as good. It sounds better than some wood and plastic models I've tried, since they were worse.
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Author: Chris J
Date: 2010-05-27 05:59
Band nerd
Here are some internet resources about metal clarinets:
http://www.hnwhite.com/Clarinets.htm
http://www.clarinette-metal.fr
http://www.silver-clarinet.com/
translated link:
http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.clarinette-metal.fr/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=7&ct=result&prev=/search?q=clarinette+metal&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:eek:fficial&hs=HbP
In the french web site, if you click "Some examples of music" you will find some MP3s there to hear what they sound like. Not surprisingly, they sound like clarinets.
I have a Silver King and a matched pair of Selmers in my little collection
Chris
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Author: justme
Date: 2010-05-27 06:45
When you click on the http://www.silver-clarinet.com/ link, you'll hear a file playing with metal clarinet, it's at the bottom of the page on the right side and the name of it is:
Frederic Fabre plays a Silva-Bet in "Oublie" by laminederien.
I like the sound of that one versus the French examples (of course I believe that in the French examples they are using Pedlers versus the Silver-Bet in the silver-clarinet.com link. I like the sound of the Silver-Bets and the Silver Kings much better, but that's probably just me).
Justme
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-05-28 08:14
I have a Conn metal horn that I bought for small change at a garage sale. With a clean-up and a repad it plays quite well. Probably not as good as a good plastic or wood horn, but I wouldn't be ashamed to play it in public.
Tony F.
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