I thought it would be nice to add a poll to this subject to see what comes out top overall.

It depends on what you mean by 'ultimate'.

Yes i see what you mean Duke! Hmmm? I guess they are not not one and the same are they? For me the one instrument that has dominated jazz would be the saxophone followed by the piano. However personally i really love the sound of the jazz trombone but i could'nt say this has been a dominant instrument in jazz only that it has made it's presence known.

Further to my original post i just noticed i was member 27 to this forum, gee that means i was their right at the start.....Kool!

Obviously the ultimate jazz instrument is going to be influenced by personal preference, that goes without saying.

I voted for the saxophone.

I did see a someone playing a penny whistle with a jazz group a while ago, and that was ok.

Well I THOUGHT I had voted for 'other', but it came out as "bass". No I don't think the bass it the ultimate instrument in jazz.

By the way, I think piano is the ultimate instrument. In ANY genre except jazz, cause I think voice is my ultimate jazz instrument.

I don't think there is an ultimate jazz instrument. Anything can sound good if the musician is good enough and motivated enough. On one of my John Coltrane Cds there's a tuba solo and it sounds quite good!

I'm sorry Jazzman, but thats utter rubbish. Given the opportunity to listen to a jazz quartet for a few hours headed by a tuba or worse bagpipes than say a trumpet or sax i know what i would choose.

Ok maybe not bagpipes but the tuba was pretty cool

drum kit is important in jazz music... isn't it?

QUOTE (ping-lee @ Jul 4 2004, 07:54 PM)

drum kit is important in jazz music... isn't it?

Yes i think so too. However for latin jazz, percussion is more useful esp if playing in an acoustic setting. Imagine playing acoustic guitar with drums

favourite instrument? Saxophone, such a b.e.a.u.tiful sound!

QUOTE (violingirl @ Jul 19 2004, 06:07 PM)

Saxophone, such a b.e.a.u.tiful sound!

yes yes i agree!! i love my sax!

I voted for Other. I'm thinking of harpsichord.

QUOTE (Yogesh @ Jul 23 2004, 02:38 PM)

I voted for Other. I'm thinking of harpsichord.

Another odd jazz instrument the harpsichord, along with the harmonica and accordion.

I voted for saxophone, but I'd like to be a little more specific... Alto sax! Its lovely lyrical yet powerful tone gets me every time, unlike the soprano sax which is kind of shrill and doesn't really do it for me.

Someone also mentioned voice, I'd like to second that. Not that I'm biased towards voice or anything, oh no not me...

singingsiren
xx

Jools Holland played harpsichord in one of his songs when i went to see him in concert. He just got up in the middle of a song and walked over to his harpsichord!!!

After careful consideration i feel that the ultimate jazz instrument and i say this for its sublime beauty is the tenor trombone. It is not as fast as say the sax or piano but its tonal and lyrical qualities are quite incredible. I'm entitled to my opinion and i feel justified with it too. If any of you forum viewers ever have the golden opportunity listen to J J Johnson and you will know what i mean. He is the golden age for us trombone players.

I feel the biggest problem with Jazz is the poor recording quality of many CDs prior to the 60s and 70s - However much I know people like Dizzy Gillespie and Loius Armstrong are, they automatically rate less than modern artists due to the recording quality - since Saxophone is currently the most popular Jazz instrument, it's got the most recordings and hence I listen to it more than anything else, as I'm fussy about my recordings.

I agree with Tenorclef about J J johnson - He was a brilliant trombonist.

it's gotta be FLUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flutes are amazing!!! especially for improvising.
Alex
xxxx

what - no piano?