 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-06-02 13:35
Some primarily jazz saxophonists had an interesting sound and style on the clarinet. Here's a short list: Lester Young (He played on a metal clarinet that he bought in a pawn shop), Phil Woods (a really woody sound; no pun intended.) There's Johnny Hodges at the start of his career. And there's Paul Desmond, whom I heard playing clarinet on the radio once. I wish I could get hold of that recording! Would you care to add to the list? These days, there is my friend Aldevis Tibaldi, an Italian player that works in London; a fine clarinetist that studied a bit with Tony Coe. His main instrulment is the tenor sax.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: rebecca45bell
Date: 2025-06-02 14:22
That’s a fantastic list! Many jazz saxophonists have had a unique voice on the clarinet, often bringing their saxophone phrasing and tone to the instrument. Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw are obvious giants, but Sidney Bechet deserves mention for his powerful, expressive clarinet playing before he became more known for the soprano sax. Jimmy Giuffre also had a fascinating approach, blending cool jazz and folk influences. Your friend Aldevis Tibaldi sounds like an intriguing player—his connection to Tony Coe, another master of both sax and clarinet, suggests a deep musical lineage. If you ever find that Paul Desmond clarinet recording, it would be a rare gem!
Post Edited (2025-06-03 08:57)
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-06-02 17:11
I've never heard Paul Desmond play the clarinet, though Brubeck worked a lot with Bill Smith (William O Smith) and Smith (a classically trained clarinet player) filled in for Desmond in the quartet when Desmond wasn't available...
Here in NZ most of the Jazz sax players just sound bloody awful when they play clarinet (as an example, an Auckland Jazzer plays Bass clarinet on the Aldous Harding track "The Barrel", you can hear this on youtube, the bass clarinet sounds like he wouldn't get into a US high school concert band).
There are a few exceptions... Mark Dennison for example primarily plays Jazz/Rock sax with a nice versatile tone but also plays clarinet with a clear focused tone quality that isn't too rigid, nor too wild.
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Author: Mike M
Date: 2025-06-02 17:27
Dick Johnson. Damn-great player (he is a Boston, MA legend). He lead the new (revival?) Artie Shaw band as THE clarinet soloist in the 80's until his retirement. Excellent tone/articulation/intonation AND was also a great bebop sax player. He was Down Beat (magazine) noted in the top-three for years. I gigged with him several times: a total gentleman.
Allegro Chamber Players
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2025-06-02 19:01
Nick Brignola
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
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Author: paulyb
Date: 2025-06-02 20:19
Art Pepper can sound great on clarinet:
https://youtu.be/MZIwfvlkfO4
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-06-02 20:43
paulyb: Thanks for mentioning Art Pepper! How could I have forgotten him?
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-06-02 20:51
Most of these people that we have spoken about actually started out on the clarinet when they were children: Tony Coe, Sidney Bechet, Art Pepper, etc.. Some sound similar on both instruments: Lester Young. Jimmy Hamilton was primarily a clarinetist, but when he played tenor sax, he was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! His clarinet playing was refined and just about Classical. His tenor sax playing was gutsy Texas tenor. The two instruments brought out two different aspects of his personality.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: kilo
Date: 2025-06-02 21:41
Al Cohn, Gerry Mulligan, Bob Mintzer (bass), Buddy Collette, Eric Dolphy (primarily bass), David Murray (bass), Paquito D'Rivera
Post Edited (2025-06-02 21:53)
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Author: hans
Date: 2025-06-02 21:45
Ross Wooldridge and (the late) Tom Colclough deserve to be on the list I've seen/heard both in live performances.
Hans
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-06-03 01:07
Speaking of Phil Woods, perhaps best known for his saxophone track on Billy Joel's break thru hit "Just the Way You Are," I found it amusing, reading his bio recently, that "his friend, Joe Lopes, coached him on clarinet as there was no saxophone major at Juilliard at the time and received a bachelor’s degree in 1952."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Woods
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2025-06-03 06:10
The other Lester:
Lester Bouchon
Can't find any of his best stuff on YouTube, but here's a solo example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LvkJ2u6w0I&t=113s
His clarinet solos sound like clarinet solos!
I miss Seabreeze on these topics. (If you happen to be lurking about reading these, Seabreeze - a heart-felt "Hello!")
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2025-06-03 06:23
I played in concert bands with Aaron Sachs in NYC & Westchester. He played sax with Goodman. He took a jazz clarinet solo in one band I played in and man was it smooth. Aaron passed away a few years back.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2025-06-04 06:06)
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Author: Nelson
Date: 2025-06-03 11:32
I stand to be corrected but I have a feeling that John (Johnny) Dankworth studied clarinet at the Royal Academy in London under Reginald Kell and frequently went onto clar when working alongside Cleo laine till the end..
If anyone can confirm the Reg Kell bit, I'd be grateful
Nelson
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-06-03 12:32
Secondtry: I think Phil Woods learned more on 52nd Street than at Julliard!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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The Clarinet Pages
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