Vol. 1, No. 87

 ___________________________________________________
|                                                   |
|CONTRABASS-L                                       |
|        An email list for discussion of bass and   |
|        contrabass instruments of all kinds.       |
|        Contact gdgreen@crl.com for subscription.  |
|        See www.contrabass.com/c-arch1.html   for  |
|        back issues.                               |
|___________________________________________________|

EDITOR'S NOTE: Sorry I'm running late this week. I'm winding up at the old job, and moving full time to the new one. As a result, if anyone still uses my office email address, it will shortly cease to work.  I'd prefer to receive mail at gdgreen@contrabass.com . Still doing patent law. Scott is getting the list automated - the next digest you see may be the first of the new era (I'm keeping my fingers crossed).

Let's all welcome new subscribers Michelle M. Armstrong  and Gregory Shatan. Welcome aboard!

From: Nils
Subject: quick question(s)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 21:02:36 -0800
 
 

What is a Tornistertuba and an Armeeposaune?

Author: Grant Green
Date: 2/19/97 11:18 AM
Subject: Re: quick question(s)
 
 

>What is a Tornistertuba and an Armeeposaune?

Posaune looks like the German for "trombone": perhaps this is an army (e.g., marching band) trombone?

Grant

Author: Grant Green
Date: 2/19/97 3:32 PM
Subject: Armeeposaune
 

Can't find a tornistertuba on the web, but there's a nice picture of an armeeposaune at http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/ucj/ucjg3472.jpg

Grant

Author: MR MARK A TRINKO
Date: 2/17/97 11:15 PM
Subject: Octo-bass flute
 
 

M. Garver,

Please bring your new octo-flute to the contra-festival in Nevada on Jan 5-8, 1998.

Mark Trinko
Las Vegas

Author: "Sydney R. Polk"
Date: 2/17/97 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: Contrabass-L No. 86
 
 

Oh, another example of woodwinds where you don't expect: King Crimson's Court of the Crimson King album has all sorts of woodwinds, including bass clarinet.

But if you see Peter Gabriel or Donald Fagen, tell them to lay off of the woodwinds. Gabriel's flute tone is like sandpaper, and Fagen's alto sax, well, I've heard better.

Syd Polk

From: Johnson, Tim
Subject: Re: Contrabass-L No. 86
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 14:24:11 -0900
 
 

I've heard some lamentations about the lack of low horns in popular music. I concurr what that sentiment. I would like to add that there is a trio called "Morphine" The line-up is Baritone sax as lead instrument. 2-string slide bass guitar(no misprint here!!),and drums. After doing some record exchanges with Francis Firth and hearing some Contra Clarinet, I could love to hear a contra clarinet in place of the slide bass. It would really add something. Morphine has at least four albums released, they seem to be popular in the alternative music scene, but this old foggie really enjoys them.

From: Nils
Subject: RE: Armeeposaune
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 15:44:14 -0800
 
 

wow, thanks, what a great page--people, start at the home page

http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/

They list a tornistertuba in B-flat (c 1910), but no pic.

Nils

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 21:32:44 -0500 (EST)
From: DISCOGrl49
Subject: "SUBSCRIBE CONTRBRASS-L"
 
 

Michelle M. Armstrong Subscribe

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 21:38:56 -0500 (EST)
From: DISCOGrl49@aol.com
Subject: Subscribe Contrabrass-L
 
 

I would like to subscribe. My address is DiscoGrl49 I sent one before but i did not leave an address.

Author: Gregory Shatan
Date: 2/21/97 11:11 AM
Subject: Subscribe
 
 

SUBSCRIBE CONTRABASS-L

Author: "Grant D. Green"
Date: 2/21/97 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: Subscribe
 
 

At 12:43 AM 2/20/97 -0800, you wrote:

>SUBSCRIBE CONTRABASS-L
 

Next digest will probably come out next Tuesday (depending on my workload). In the meantime, please feel free to post an introduction, e.g., background, interests, instruments, etc. Not required, of course, but appreciated.

Grant

Author: Gregory Shatan
Date: 2/21/97 11:11 AM
Subject: Contrabass Saxophone Location
 
 

There is a contrabass sax at Rod Baltimore (a/k/a International Woodwind and Brass) in New York. It's on 48th St, just west of 7th avenue, third floor. You can see it from the street. It's an Orsi. I haven't played it, but I hope to someday, if I'm nice to Rod, and if nobody buys it first. By the way, this is the contrabass sax that Lenny Pickett played on Saturday Night Live a few years back.

Author: "Grant D. Green"
Date: 2/21/97 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: Contrabass Saxophone Location
 
 

At 12:50 AM 2/20/97 -0800, you wrote:

>first. By the way, this is the contrabass sax that Lenny Pickett played
>on Saturday Night Live a few years back.

Grant

Author: Gregory Shatan
Date: 2/23/97 11:28 PM
Subject: Re: Contrabass Saxophone Location
 
 

I don't remember, but it was several years ago. The next time I go to Rod Baltimore's, I'll try to remember to ask - I think he even has a photo of it in action on SNL hanging in the shop.

At 11:11 AM 2/21/97 -0800, you wrote:

>That's one show I missed! Do you remember which episode (date, or guest
>host, anything)?
>Grant

Author: Johnson; Tim
Date: 2/20/97 8:09 AM
Subject: Re: Contrabass-L No. 86
 
 

Grant Green wrote:

> >I've heard some lamentations about the lack of low horns in popular music. I
> >concurr what that sentiment. I would like to add that there is a trio called
> >"Morphine" The line-up is Baritone sax as lead instrument. 2-string slide
> >bass guitar(no misprint here!!),and drums. After doing some record exchanges
> >with Francis Firth and hearing some Contra Clarinet, I could love to hear a
> >contra clarinet in place of the slide bass. It would really add something.
> >Morphine has at least four albums released, they seem to be popular in the
> >alternative music scene, but this old foggie really enjoys them.

> Just happen to have "Good" with me; two others at home. Was the fourth an
> actual CD or a single?

> Grant

I am not really certain what directions some of the contra players in your newsletter are going, but there is a Klezmer band in Alaska, they have made at least one CD, the Tuba player also plays bass clarinet, and has an interest in the contras. I could see(I mean hear) a contra really contributing to a Klezmer sound. This group is very popular in Alaska, I don't know how Klezmer music fares elsewhere....

Personally, I really enjoy Klezmer. Despite the accordians ;-)

I've run across CDs by a couple of bands that I particularly like. One is the Flying Bulgur Klezmer Band (which uses taragoto, amongst other things: I think they have only one CD out), and the Klezmatics (who use bass clarinet to good effect: I have the CD "Jews with Horns").

And speaking of low clarinets...

I managed to convince my wife that getting into this band should warrant a new horn: a new Leblanc Bb contrabass clarinet. She agreed (well, not without some misgivings). Anyway, I now have a brand new Leblanc contra, drop-shipped straight from Kenosha, WI (although purchased through the Woodwind & Brasswind , at a good discount). If I make the audition, I'll keep it.

The horn is beautiful. Bright silver, one piece (OK, the bell and the neck detach), solid keywork down to low C (written: sounding the lowest Bb on the piano). I got to break it in at rehearsal last night.

So, in the event I am accepted, I'll have a spare Bb contra. I'm tempted to keep it just because it's unique (and compact): it's the only one I've ever seen that actually disassembles into two joints between the hands (just as a soprano clarinet comes apart into upper and lower joints). Range to low D, with original case and mouthpiece (although the original ligature isn't completely intact: I recommend using a new "Woodwind" contra mpc and a Rovner lig). Its serial no. is under 160, and dates back to some time before 1950. It also has two octave keys: one key functions for Bb-Eb, and the other for everything higher. It is completely restored, and plays well. It shouldn't need new pads for quite a while. There are pictures of it at http://www.contrabass.com/pages/cbcl.html .

Anyone interested?

Grant

End Contrabass No. 87
 
 

Back to Index

Next Digest ->