We've started something here Skylark.
Your choice of favourite clarinettists - Sydney Bechet and Artie Shaw mirror my own tastes, but I prefer Bechet for his Soprano playing. That's not to say I don't like his clarinet too. Johnny Dodds is highly rated for his early work but I think Bechet was over looked for his later recordings with Ladnier & Spanier.
I prefer my New Orleans clarinets to be played aggresively, like trumpets, not in the classical tradition.
I am not so keen on the limpid styles of Jimmy Noone, Omer Simeon & Albert Nicholas.
When in a N.O. front line with two brass you need cutting tone & attack, otherwise your swamped.
Edmond Hall is a favourite and could have been influenced by SB
The top N.O. player in the Bechet tradition at the moment is Ivan Christopher.

Artie Shaw is unbeaten in the Swing style & though I like Benny Goodman also, I have a preference for their work in small groups like The Gramarcy Five & Goodman /Hampton Quintet.
Chuck Hughes from N.O. is carrying on the BG tradition & has a superb technique.

The clarinet is not an easy instrument to play well, but there are many excellent players keeping it alive in Jazz today

want to know more about jazz clarinetists

Monty Sunshine.

He had a lovely sound and some hit recordings while playing with the Chris Barber Band. Petite Fleur, The Old Rugged cross & Hushabye come to mind.
His technique was restricted by the use of an simple system clarinet, but within the style of music he played this did not make any difference. Monty could bend notes one whole tone, using embouchure alone, without having to worry about the restrictions of the keywork.
I learned to play on simple system and the tone seemed to be better,with an extra large bell, perhaps a large bore also.
Changing over to Boehm system later, set me back at least a year before mastering the different fingering .
I still use some of the SS fingering on my Boehm system clarinet today.

Johnny Dodds would be third on my list too, and I agree about Bechet - looks like we have exactly the same tastes Berg!


I so agree! I like clarinet in both classical music and jazz, but when used in jazz, yes it's got to make its presence felt! My favourite players on the New Orleans festival scene in this country (Keswick, Whitley Bay, Bude, might try Upton next year!) are all fairly aggressive - George Huxley, John Maddocks (the two playing together off each other is just brilliant), with Thomas Winteler from Switzerland being the best IMO, and he plays a lovely soprano as well. Another one I like but who has a softer style is Matthias Seuffert, from Germany.

[sighs, thinking about soprano sax, TW a la Bechet... I SO want next year to come...]


I've seen one of George Lewis's clarinets, now owned by Brian Carrick, which I think is simple system - it's certainly not like mine anyway! It's about 80 years old, all held together with rubber bands etc, but Brian still prefers to use this one and gets an amazing sound out of it. George Huxley also uses this type of clarinet, it was what he was brought up with and he's never switched.


What do you want to know pianoandflute?

An unashamed fan of Benny Goodman here. Like pretty much everything he's done, 'Flying Home', 'Slipped Disc' and (dare I say it in the jazz forum), the classical recordings he's made!

I do agree with the posts above saying that a good strong presence is needed for New Orleans clarinetting - I don't think it really works very well if you're too, well, 'nice' in your playing (can't think of a better word, I hope you know what I mean!).

Thinking of Artie Shaw, has anyone else here played his Clarinet Concerto? I think it's wonderful!

I could put this piece in the thread "What music brings tears to your eyes" - just because it's so brilliant I have to hold my breath when he starts climbing to the top! Not quite there yet playing it myself though

I know my teacher played it for one of his exams (not sure which one, it was a long time ago, before the system was as it is now). One of these days, maybe after my next exam, I'm going to ask him if he'll spend my lesson playing it for me

Have you seen Chris Barber perform lately? I've seen him a couple of times with the Band in the last 12 months - he's 76 and still blowing like a youngster! Well OK, slight exaggeration, and he probably knows himself that he isn't, but I just think he's an amazing inspiration - along with people like George Huxley - for the youth-extending power of invigorating music and jazz in particular!

he's 76 and still blowing like a youngster!
Thanks for that Skylark, it gives me a few years yet
How about trying the Bute festival in May. I managed to persuade them to organise a couple of jam sessions.
If this doesn't inspire, then perhaps another session with Ken Peplowski will. Check this :-
WWW.youtube.com/watch?v=5HDAvxMvn4E

I've already got Keswick booked for May!


I can see I've got a long way to go yet! But I'm thinking of taking Jazz Clarinet G1 next year so it's a start isn't it?

Thanks for the link Berg

I can't believe it - I've just had a leaflet promoting Whitley Bay and "TW a la Bechet" isn't coming!! Apparently not all the members of his band - the South Side Jazz Serenaders - are available so they're giving it a miss

[Tries to think of some other soprano players who are just as good .... Fails miserably.... ]

Sid Phillips... David Campbell...