Vol. 2, No. 7

CONTRABASS-LIST

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Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 20:29:32 -0500 (EST)

contrabass-list Digest Volume 97 : Issue 7


Today's Topics:

Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 15:33:43 EST
From: "Daryl Fletcher" <daryl@www.walker.public.lib.ga.us>
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: contrabass instruments


Earlier, Grant said:

> Had my debut on contrabass clarinet with the San Jose Wind
> Symphony last Saturday.
<snip>
> A number of people asked me, during intermission and after the
> concert, what the horn was. One woman asked if it was a saxophone.
> I guess its just a measure of how much education the general public
> (even the concert-going public) needs with regard to contrabass
> instruments ;-)

No kidding! Several times after concerts where I've played tuba, people in the audience have come up to me and asked me what my instrument is. They often guess that it is a french horn.

---------------------------------

Daryl Fletcher
mailto:daryl@www.walker.public.lib.ga.us
http://www.walker.public.lib.ga.us/~daryl/

Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 14:50:45 -0800
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: CD Review


Just ran across another CD that may be of interest: Ervin Schulhoff "Chamber Works Vol. 5" (Supraphon Records, Prague, 11 2170-2 131). Along with a few other works, it contains a recording of Bassnachtigall (Three Recital Pieces for Contrabassoon), with Lubos Fait on contrabassoon. The disc was recorded mostly in 1994, and apparently assembled in 1995. I ordered it through CDNow , and have added it to the discography .

Personally, I think the CD is worthwhile just for Bassnachtigall alone, but I find I like the other pieces too.

Well, the last one takes some getting used to: you may not want to play this loudly in your office. And I think my German isn't quite good enough to get the point of Symphonia Germanica: it seems that this should be either funny or scandalous, but I can't decipher enough of the text. The first two pieces are classic examples of modern chamber music (if that isn't a contradiction in terms).

Grant

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
Grant D. Green                  gdgreen@contrabass.com 
www.contrabass.com      Just filling in on sarrusophone 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 17:31:25 -0800
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: Nuclear Whales Program


Weeks ago, I promised to mention the songs the Nuclear Whales performed at their Mountain View concert. Well, I finally unearthed the program (actually, my wife found it in her purse), and can follow through:

While a number of the selections are quite familiar to old 'Whales fans, there were quite a few new works (nearly all original compositions by Art Springs). (For those who don't recognize its official name, "Marche Funebre" is better known as the theme music to "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".) A new CD is apparently in the works....

The program notes on the performers are also interesting (IMHO)...

Kelly Hart Jenkins (sopranino, soprano, alto)
"Kelly, who was born relatively late in the twentieth century, is the newest member of The Nuclear Whales. She has an affinity for playing hip-hop bassoon at polka fextivals and still retains an amazing amount of mental acuity in spite of playing lots of sopranino saxophone. Her main ambition in life is to avoid too much exposure to ozone holes while skydiving."
Kristen Strom (soprano, alto, and kazoo)
"This multitalented lady is famous for her heart-felt renditions of pop tunes at less than respectable taverns, as well as seedy and swanky jazz clubs. She sings and plays practically every instrument in the marching band and orchestra. Her recent concert band extravaganza: Teen-age-mutant-ninja-drummers, has been a big hit(!) in her school system, where the PTA is considering major cutbacks in music funding."
Don Stevens (soprano, alto, contrabass)
"Although the originator of the Nuclear Whales and its driving force, Don has refused to comment about how to reconcile his past pledge of "no new saxes" for the band with his acquisition of a contrabass and C-melody sax in 1989, just a few short weeks before the great Santa Cruz Earthquake. he maintains that the saxophones were not "new" when he got them and that it was "no big deal" to carry some extras around, even though airport baggage handlers seem to be quitting all the time. His favorite food is brewer's yeast. We all hope he gets better soon."
Ann Merrell (baritone sax and slap-tongue)
"In her previous life, Ann was a research bio-statistician. Upon turning 30, she decided it was either now or never and became a full time musician, although she has not yet confided to us whether it was now or never or whether it is or ever will be now or never. Ann is not related to Shirley MacLaine or the Queen of Sheeba, but somehow manages to write brilliant arrangements for the Nuclear Whales and other famous big bands for incredibly cheap prices, which is probably part of some complex developed from her Mid-west upbringing."
Dale Mills (tenor, alto)
"Early in life, Dale wanted to become a pool shark. It took him a few years to realize he had no talent for it, so now he carrys his soprano saxophone in a gig bag that often is mistaken for a pool cue. he frequently surfs the internet for long periods of time picking strawberries and examining the esoteric vibrational frequencies of various harmonies. He was once a "Cool Jerk", which apparently is still a notorious pop group, but has very wisely chosen relative obscurity with an oddball New Wave group, The Nuclear Whales."
Art Springs (bass, tenor)
"Art was begat and that was that."


My guess is that Art writes all the program notes, too.

Grant


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
Grant D. Green                  gdgreen@contrabass.com 
www.contrabass.com     Just filling in on sarrusophone 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


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