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Clarinet Recommendation?


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My best friend's 12-year-old daughter started in on the clarinet about 2 years ago. I'm going to be swinging by his place in NY in a couple of weeks and thought I'd bring her a cd. Last time they came to visit I made a burn of a DeFranco Mosaic disc and she seemed to like it (maybe just being polite? :) ). Anything else out there other than Benny Goodman that is accessible (and that I can find at a Tower or Borders)? Thanks.

Edited by Son-of-a-Weizen
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I know Goodman might not be to "hip" these days, but if you write him off, you're writing off a lot of excellent music.

That said, maybe try some Phil Woods, though you're not likely to find more than a few clarinet cuts on any one of his recordings. He has some very nice clarinet work on Mike Melvoin's new cd "It's Always You" but he's only on a few cuts.

One of my favorites is Paquito D'Rivera, who is a highly underrated clarinetist, he has complete mastery of the instrument, and has a nice modern conception.

Peploski also has a recent cd out on Nagel Heyer, with some nice Strayhorn material as I recall, and a nice band (I think w/ Lewis Nash).

And then there's always Jimmy Hamilton's work with Ellington!

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I know Goodman might not be to "hip" these days, but if you write him off, you're writing off a lot of excellent music.

No, not writing him off....it's just that her Dad has already picked up a couple of Benny Goodman discs for her because that's all he really knows. I need to play(ie...pretend :g ) the hip 'uncle-in-the-know' and bring in some new material.

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Hey, let's not forget Tony Scott. The best of them all. His RCA albums have been

reissued by Fresh Sounds. FS also reissued (a double-CD) the sides Tony Scott

recorded with Jimmy Knepper and Bill Evans).

Also Jimmy Giuffre. The Atlantic albums were gathered by Mosaic.

Must-listen music.

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That's cool, I stayed away from Goodman for a long time, and when the Charlie Christian box came out last year, it really changed my opinion of his music. It's almost unfair to call it the Charlie Christian box, there's so many great musicians on those sessions.

Also, try checking out some Artie Shaw, I think Bluebird has but together some nice reissues/comps in their new incarnation in the past couple of years.

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Pee Wee Russell. Get something with Big Tea on vocals and everyone will have a good time. I love the Edmond Hall disc that BN put out a few years ago, too.

Almost all of the Giuffre Atlantic titles are available from Collectibles. Western Suite is awesome.

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Why not be a friend and give her some Ellington overview thing? That's a band that between Bigard, Hamilton, & Procope has enough distinctive varied clarinet stylings to capture the imagination. And there's so, SO very much more. ;)

Nobody's recommended Eddie Daniels? COOL! :rsmile: :rsmile: :rsmile:

Of course, if you want the kid to be a total failure as a clarinet student but have an awareness of just how heavy a personal expression MUSIC can be, there's the version of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" from this album:

e02677op0w9.jpg

But you can say that about MOST jazz clarinet. I was required to take two years of clarinet in college, since saxophone was my first instrument, and every, EVERY teadher I had would rag endlessly about jazz clarinetists. This was before Daniels made the transition from ultra-hip Joe Henderson wannabe tenorist to godawfully squeaky clean jazz clarinet technician supreme. Even Goodman got dissed for being, "Better than most, but still sloppy". His cllassical recordings were regarded as a noble joke by these cats.

So tell her to switch to tenor befire it's too late. :rfr

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Perry Robinson .:. Funk Dumpling

Great playing by all involved (Kenny Barron, Henry Grimes, Paul Motian) plus she'll like the title! Very enjoyable music, and rereleased on CD fairly recently!

Hey, if we all join together, we can make middle school clarinetists the coolest kids in school!

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Pick up David Murray's "Ballads For Bass Clarinet"! That's a great one to introduce someone who likes the sound of clarinet (abeit lower in tone) to the inner & outer aspects of its sound... and John Hicks plays great on it too.

Later,

Kevin

I would pick this up too, if I could ever find it, that is. I have never even SEEN this sucker, and I have been looking for about 5 years. :(

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  • 1 year later...

Funny enough, couw, I just found both that Shaw 2-disc LAST SESSIONS set as well as the MORE LAST SESSIONS 2 CD set that came out somewhat later used a few weeks ago and have been enjoying the hell out of both.

Mysterious forces are at work in the universe... :rolleyes:

Edited by DrJ
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