 The Ethnic Clarinet
|
Author: buedsma
Date: 2004-10-29 20:05
I'm just curious about where and how poeple are using the clarinet in a non-classical environment.
I'm playing in a two different groups
one plays western-european folkmusic with flute , accordeon, guitar,violin , percussion and of course clarinet/basscl
The other one plays with jazzguitar, contrabas, perccussion and of course
In belgium , clarinets are mostly found in woodwind/brass orchestra's called "fanfare" or "harmonie". They have quite a history and were originally founded to keep the poor workman from drinking and to educate him :-) Googled Belgian beer gives you some clues about this fascinating subject.
As do ggoled belgian fries , because they are the belgian national food and NOT FRENCH ! Just to educate ... No,no no , we don't go that way
Anyway, where are clarinets used for ethnic music , where does it work etc
Please don't give me the standard stuff about bulgaria, servie etc
I really mean : what are YOU doing that plays and works well?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2004-10-31 11:30
I am not an expert, but it can really fit into places you might not think. I am currently in three groups:
1) Jewish weddings: clarinet, mando, voice, piano, bass, guitar. If the mando can't make it, we play with 5 people or sometimes substitute fiddle (great for me to have another sustaining rhythm instrument.) We play for dancing - traditional tunes, klezmer, and some standards.
2) Ethnic band - four players: accordion, clarinet/dumbek/frula, mando/guitar/tambura/dumbek/bass, bass/fiddle. Balkan, Israeli, Greek, and many other ethnic tunes. We play some concerts, but mostly for international folk dancing events.
3) Contra dancing: fiddle, clarinet, trombone, mandolin, banjo, guitar, accordion, hammer-dulcimer/flute/recorder, piano, bass. The trombonist is the leader, and will stick klezmer tunes in the middle of a dance - this works so long as the tunes are "square" (32 bars).
There are a lot of cross-over bands popping up, and their use of the clarinet can be innovative. Clarinet can be used for dramatic contrast, but also the instrument can fit into some surprising places in the hands of the right player.
A fascinating album I got recently after hearing a cut on CBC2 was Rabih Abou-Khalil's "Morton's Foot", a mix of middle-eastern and jazz and many other influences that defies description. Amazing clarinet solos in a couple of cuts. Tunes have wierd names like "Waltz for Dubya", or puns in French. Lots of what they do defies description (liner notes are an artistic statement - no help here either). Wonderful CD.
CBC2 in the last year has also played cuts from Margot Leverett's "Klezmer Mountain Boys" CD, which mixes bluegrass and klezmer.
What other innovative CD's including clarinet have people heard recently?
Regards
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: buedsma
Date: 2004-10-31 13:21
anouar brahem on the thimar cd
John surman plays wonderfull bassclarinet
I know khalil - amazing music indeed
Would ver much like to hear about other cross-over stuff with clarinet in a prominent role
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kalakos
Date: 2004-11-01 06:53
In my Greek folk band, we have the klarino (Albert clarinet, mostly a C, but sometimes A); violi (violin); laouto (Greek lute); guitar; defi (Greek tunable hand drum like a large, heavy tambourine but with low pitched brass jangles).
Alternatively, for seaport tavern music (rebetika), we use bouzouki, violi, 2 guitars (sometimes a baglamas) and defi.
Kalakos
Kalakos Music
http://www.TAdelphia.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: buedsma
Date: 2004-11-01 12:49
farantouri and zulfu livanelli once had a record ( 1985 ) whith only a little bit of wind instruments , but very impressive ( became recors of the year in 1982 )
some titles : leimlei , hiroshima , miroloi, karli kayn ormani
Do you know of other records with a bit more clarinet ( not the real ethnic stuff , because that is rather difficult to learn without help of an experienced native player - very often not to weel played /or recorded also)
By the way , my sister was working in Greece for a few yeras , before returning to Belgium ( she also studied greec - obviously an advantage , as did my brother in law )
Another sister is working now in japan and korea for the last two years - didn(t hear anything yet about ethnic clarinet from that part of earth
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kekuja
Date: 2004-12-30 23:10
>I'm just curious about where and how poeple are using the clarinet in a
>non-classical environment.
i play a fusion of african and middle eastern music.
i often play with two drummers on a variety of african
and middle eastern drums.
obviously i have a capable amplifier :-) i use a reverb unit live.
i play for belly dancers and belly dancers who do a fusion of
belly dance and african.
we just recorded several hours of our music live at a restaurant we
are playing at in California USA.
i also play my horn into loop based software with all kinds
of other inputs like synths and samples.
k
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2004-12-31 01:29
k,
What kind of microphone or pickup do you use?
I'd also appreciate comments on the other gear involved.
Regards ,
Ralph
|-(8^)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dano
Date: 2005-01-01 22:36
I am Argentine and have played Tangos on clarinet with groups since I started playing about 40 years ago. There are many of us. I think that it fits into Tango music almost like a Bandeoneon which is the main instrument you hear in Tangos. I now mostly play what has been described as Theloneus Monk with a big tablespoon of Mozart. I think there is always room for clarinet. Convincing others is the hard part. Once they hear the clarinet fit into their music, they want more.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: buedsma
Date: 2005-01-11 08:40
could you give me some references ( manuscripts etc ) with tango music ??
I'm playing in a group where the contrabas did study tango at the "conservatoire" ( professional music studies in europe , don't know how they call that in other countries - heard about major and minor etc etc etc )
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kekuja
Date: 2005-05-02 17:27
i use a roland mike - nothing special it might as well
be a shure 57.
i use a digitech vocal 300 with reverb and echo to warm the sound up.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
