 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2006-02-06 20:11
I just received two CDs with clarinetist Michel Portal and Richard Galliano, The latest "Blow up" and "Concerts". This some of the most outstanding playing I've hear anyone do on a clarinet. If you haven't heard this guys playing, you will hear it and realize you've been missing something.
I've looked around on the Internet and it seems he's recorded alot of classical music, I'm going to make sure I get some of those CDs also. It is so rare that I hear someone on a clarinet sound like they've gotten to the center of the proverbial tootsie pop, without biting that when it occurs I feel I need to shout it from the highest digital rooftop. The sound he gets on the clarinet is beautiful, squeally and sometimes just plane haunting. The bass clarinet sound is amazing as is his soprano sax playing. And he can play the Bandoneon, you've got to be a madman or rocket scientist to figure out that squeeze box!
Tom Puwalski, former soloist with the US Army Field Band, Clarinetist with Lox&Vodka, and Author of "The Clarinetist's Guide to Klezmer"and most recently by the order of the wizard of Oz, for supreme intelligence, a Masters in Clarinet performance
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2006-02-06 23:12
Michel Portal is very well known in France and is a bit of an Eddie Daniels character. He has been doing mostly Jazz but has a classical background and quite a few recodings of the "clarinet classics", look for his discounted recordings on Harmonia Mundi. He also has a duet album with Paul Meyer, very much like the Daniels/Combs CD.
I like his Jazz stuff quite a bit, but I am less excited about his tone in classical setting. There is a haunting breathiness in his sound that some find seducing, but I think it sometimes lacks focus.
Just my own 2 cents.
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Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: W_Wysocki
Date: 2006-02-07 03:08
Mr. Pulwaski,
On a note completley unrelated to Michal Portal, I look forward to hearing your group at the Peabody Conservatory on Feb. 26th. Eddie Palanker has given you nothing but praise to his and Steven Barta's students.
-William Wysocki
Peabody Conservatory
Post Edited (2006-02-07 03:08)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-02-07 16:31
I bought both Cds Tom mentioned about a year ago, and they are great. I like Michel Portal's sound both in jazz and in classical playing.
Just to say a little about the CDs, Blow Up is a live recording (as in a studio recording but with audience) and is excellent and very professional. Concerts is a live concert recorded and is more spontenious but not as perfectly played (for example they are not together rhythmically sometimes) which has advantages and disadvantages. I think both CDs are excellent.
Tom, if you liked Michel Portal (which is an amazing player) you will be speechless when you hear Louis Sclavis, in my opinion simply the best and most interesting jazz clarinet/bass clarinet player today.
Post Edited (2006-02-07 17:12)
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2006-02-08 11:08
I especially like their tangos, covers and originals.
They stretch out abit, and doing something new is always tough...
On Galliano's "Laurita" Portal plays some amazing Bass clarinet stuff, certainly a departure from the familiar "Warner Brothers" school of cartoon soundtraks.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2006-02-08 13:34
I secind clarnibass, Sclavis is one heck of a player.
-s
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Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-02-19 16:57
Yesterday I was at a concert of Richard Galliano. He played some pieces with orchestra - concerto for accordion and a piece he composed, and also some solo pieces. His playing was even better than the CD!
Some parts that sound completely improvised on the CD I found are actually not improvised, when he played it exactly the same live.
Hope other board members will get the chance to hear him. Galliano and Portal had a duo concert here a long time ago, before I even knew that type of music or heard of them so I missed it....
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