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RE: support your local jazz clarinetist...

Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2001-09-16 19:32

I'm glad that you're taking your improv class on clarinet, Danielle.

Jazz clarinet is around, and is better than ever, but is simply not in the public eye.

Several reasons -

1 - In the days before state-of-the-art sound equipment, saxophones were better able to compete with trumpet & trombone volume in the big bands.

2 - Clarinet technique is far more difficult in tough keys than saxophone technique. Bebop seriously exacerbated this situation as it evolved in jam sessions where the core players used faster tempos and more difficult keys to weed out weaklings in their midst.

3 - The 1920's and 1930's saw an out and out revolution in how the saxophone is played, exploding its expressive range as a solo instrument.

But don't loose heart -

Practice your jazz activities on clarinet. The fingering is much more difficult, and you will be well rewarded for tackling it. If you are a good sax player, you'll be able to do the patterns much faster on your sax with little practice.

Remember that any number of jazz and pop saxophonists may actually be clarinetists or flutists. A recent article in Windplayer quoted a number of Hollywood studio doublers as advocating a strong foundation as a clarinetist.

Why aren't young clarinetists encouraged?

Probably because band directors find it difficult to include players in jazz band activities that are outside of normal big band instrumentation.

Other band directors are not comfortable with jazz, or feel that big bands are a distraction from their overall band program. There is some justification for this feeling.

What can we do about it?

1 - Accept the fact that most woodwind players interested in jazz and pop music eventually must double on saxophone. I see a lot of teenagers wasting time and breath fussing and fuming about it. Most schools have a bari sax sitting around. Pick it up and show the band director what you can do.

2 - Include basic theory and ear training in private lessons, and constantly review technical basics. My high schoolers do a 13-measure set of exercises in each key which they have transposed and written themselves from a model in C. This is far more effective than Rubank Advanced, and they are READY for Klose once they've done it.

3 - Send a curious young clarinetist that you know to http://www.jamschool.net. Most kids who are curious about this don't know where to start. I provide some activities online to get them going.

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