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Contrabass-list Sat, 20 Dec 1997 Volume 1 : Number 68
In this issue:
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 16:04:12 -0800
From: Grant
Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Run out of
Eric Dolphy?
I've discovered another CD (surprise, surprise), which should be of interest to Eric Dolphy fans. If you've already heard all of ED's recordings, and still want more jazz bass clarinet, you can try "From G to G" by the Gianluigi Trovesi Octet (1992 Soul Note 121231-2). I won't say that Trovesi is the equal of Eric Dolphy, but he does pretty well!
Personnel is Pino Minafra (tpt, prepared trumpet, flugelhorn, didj, voice & noise); Gianluigi Trovesi (as, alto clarinet, bass clarinet); Rodolfo Migliardi (trombone, tuba!); Roberto Bonati (acoustic bass); Marco Micheli (acoustic bass); Marco Remondini (cello); Fluvio Maras (percussion); and Vittorio Marinoni (drums). BTW, Migliardi has a few nice jazz solos on the tuba worth checking out.
Grant
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 21:30:41 EST
From:
Opusnandy <Opusnandy@aol.com>
Subject: Mid-West
update/LA Sax Contra
I just got back from the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic in downtown Chicago. While there I got to try out LA Sax's brand new contrabass sax! They were letting you try it out if you had your own reed. Fortunately, I was able to go over to the Rico booth and get a contra clarinet reed which kind of worked (the LA Sax people say they are working on developing and actual contra sax reed, but for now contra clarinet/bass sax reeds will do). The instrument takes an incredible amount of air, but plays fairly well. The sound was not as rocous as I expected, as a matter of fact, the upper register had a very nice tone quality to it and the lower wasn't quite as wall-rattling as on my contrabass sarrusaphone. I have to say, I attracted quite a crowd, wall-rattling or not. Despite what I've heard about some of LA Sax's products, the instrument seems very well made and well worth the $37,500 they are asking for it.
Other interesting sights at mid-west: LA Sax's curved sopranino sax, and a brand new cimbasso at another booth.
For the subscriber who, a while back, asked if there was a big difference between expensive and cheaper contrabassons, the answer is a definite yes. I tried a Schrieber contra ($11,000) and was not at all pleased. the response in the low register was poor, and the upper register had an unpleasant tone quality. I later, on the same reed, tried a Fox contra ($20,000+) and the difference was incredible! The tone was even and responsive over the entire range. I was able to play up to the highest D without any difficulty or loss of tone quality. If an $11,000 contra played that noticably different, I hate to think what the $4,000 one that subscriber was asking about sounds like!
Jon Carreira
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 18:52:29 -0800
From: Grant
Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re:
Mid-West update/LA Sax Contra
> I just got back from the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic in
>downtown Chicago. While there I got to try out LA Sax's brand new contrabass
>sax! They were letting you try it out if you had your own reed. Fortunately,
>I was able to go over to the Rico booth and get a contra clarinet reed which
>kind of worked (the LA Sax people say they are working on developing and
>actual contra sax reed, but for now contra clarinet/bass sax reeds will do).
>The instrument takes an incredible amount of air, but plays fairly well. The
>sound was not as rocous as I expected, as a matter of fact, the upper register
>had a very nice tone quality to it and the lower wasn't quite as wall-rattling
>as on my contrabass sarrusaphone. I have to say, I attracted quite a crowd,
>wall-rattling or not. Despite what I've heard about some of LA Sax's
>products, the instrument seems very well made and well worth the $37,500 they
>are asking for it.
I guess I'll have to try it out in L.A. next year... I'll make sure to bring a few reeds!
> Other interesting sights at mid-west: LA Sax's curved sopranino sax, and
>a brand new cimbasso at another booth.
Do you remember who displayed the cimbasso? Or any other details (e.g., key, number of valves, configuration)?
> For the subscriber who, a while back, asked if there was a big difference
>between expensive and cheaper contrabassons, the answer is a definite yes. I
>tried a Schrieber contra ($11,000) and was not at all pleased. the response
>in the low register was poor, and the upper register had an unpleasant tone
>quality. I later, on the same reed, tried a Fox contra ($20,000+) and the
>difference was incredible! The tone was even and responsive over the entire
>range. I was able to play up to the highest D without any difficulty or loss
>of tone quality. If an $11,000 contra played that noticably different, I hate
>to think what the $4,000 one that subscriber was asking about sounds like!>Jon Carreira
Didn't know Schreiber made a contra. When you say "highest D", are you referring to the one a step above (written) middle C, or an octave higher? It's been a while since I played contrabassoon, but I think Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" takes the contra I part up at least to the F above middle C (written).
Thanks for reviewing the Clinic!
Grant
End of contrabass-list V1 #68