Circular breathing

[RDK]

I've been called a mouth-breather. Is that the same thing?

[A Lark Ascending]

I have a colleague who can do circular breathing when talking!

[Bright Moments]

I have a colleague who can do circular breathing when talking!

[robviti]

add george coleman to the list. frankly, i don't find this technique to be particularly inspiring. more of a special effects trick, actually. think of someone who continues to talk non-stop with no natural breaks. it's the space between the notes, as much as the notes themselves, that make the music meaningful for me.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Used poorly, it's a special effects trick (Wilton Felder of the Crusaders on "So Far Away"; Kenny G). But those who use it well are able to create phrases that are musically interesting that might be just a little longer than a single breath. They'll have breaks, but the breaks will be in new and perhaps unpredictable places, creating a new kind of tension.

Think of the LP record - sometimes tunes aren't 3 minutes or less. But all LP records don't consist of two 20 minute tunes. It just allows more options.

Mike

[Guest Chaney]

I got my copy of Gianni Gebbia:  Arcana Major/Sonic Tarots Session from Cadence not so long ago, it may be worth trying there.

(Chaney is playing down how good this CD really is!)

Now that Matt has his copy...

For those interested, copies of this now out of print title can be found at CD Universe. Sound samples are also available.

[SEK]

Idrees Sulieman's solo (track#(?))  on the Hawk's "The Hawk Flies High"....is pretty impressive from that standpoint. He holds a note for many a chorus.

I have a recording in which Idrees Sulieman uses circular breathing in building the sustained dramatic climax of his solo, part of an exciting rendition of "Niger Mambo" with a Randy Weston Septet at Spoleto from the early 1980s. It was broadcast on Billy Taylor's "Jazz Alive!" back then.

I've seen another trumpeter, Robert Griffin, use circular breathing, also to great musical effect, with 8 Bold Souls. (He also can play two trumpets at the same time).

[Bright Moments]

i just finished listening to this Gebbia, "People in Motion." some impressive circular breathing.

i am curious what others who have heard this cd think. this is "improvisational music" and i am told it is to be "felt" not "understood."

B-)

[Bright Moments]

james carter show off on this one!

Edited August 23, 2005 by Bright Moments

[nathan]

E. Parker's amazing w/ this technique, of course...

I've seen John Zorn do some pretty incredibly circular breathing through the years, with a lot of control. Oh, and there's a tape of him playing Herbie Nichols' The Gig in which he circular breathes and holds a tonic note in the false upper register of the alto while dropping into the main ascending riff from the tune simultaneously. Sorry if that doesn't explain what he's doing very well, but it's pretty insane, very musical and just great.

nathan

[.:.impossible]

nathan? damn! I haven't seen any posts from you in a long time! Glad to see you around here!

[Kalo]

Circular breathing is just like any other technique...

only as impressive as the musical result.

If Kenny G circular-breathed in the woods and nobody heard him.....

Would he still suck?

[Kalo]

I've seen another trumpeter, Robert Griffin, use circular breathing, also to great musical effect, with 8 Bold Souls.  (He also can play two trumpets at the same time).

←

Robert Griffin is a sight to see...

And a sound to hear. He takes a potential gimmick and turns it towards a substantial musical effect.

Edited August 24, 2005 by Kalo

[BERIGAN]

I recall reading somewhere(No, don't remember where, what, when )

that there was some concern that this was bad for the lungs, is that just an old wives tale?

[Rosco]

If Kenny G circular-breathed in the woods and nobody heard him.....

Would he still suck?

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Circular sucking?!

[Rosco]

A Mr. Kenneth G apparently held a single note for some 45 minutes in New York City awhile back. 

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There's a story that Roland Kirk held a note one night at Ronnie Scott's for two hours and 27 seconds but was denied the record for some reason. Joel Dorn wrote a KG-dissing liner note in the reissue of one of Kirk's CDs.

[P.L.M]

Roscoe Mitchell and Evan Parker are masters of this technique. So was Art Tatum.

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You can add also to this two PHAROAH SANDERS as a master of the technic.

But I know about hundred sax players who use to master circular breathing today.

I'm not sure that all do good use of it, but...

[Bright Moments]

Roscoe Mitchell and Evan Parker are masters of this technique. So was Art Tatum.

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You can add also to this two PHAROAH SANDERS as a master of the technic.

But I know about hundred sax players who use to master circular breathing today.

I'm not sure that all do good use of it, but...

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i would love to hear sanders circular breathing! can you point me to some examples?

[king ubu]

Circular breathing is only the first step.

Circular HEAVY breathing is where it's really at.

Which often leads to circular heavy-petting.

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I guess that's sort of what Oscar Peterson does... as opposed to Tatum's circular breathing... or is OP rather a master of circular heavy-fumbling?

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Pharoah has a standard thing that he does, usually at the end of tunes, where he plays rapid descending scales - just closing all the holes in succession, then moves them through the harmonic series, all while circular breathing. It's a cool effect, sounding like an echoplex - but he overdoes it. I listened to three or four 1980s Pharoah records yesterday and it kept popping up.

One example that comes to mind is the a cappella performance of "The Bird Song" from "Welcome To Love" on Timeless. That's a very clear demonstration of his various techniques - altissimo, flutter-tonguing, multiphonics, and it's a beautiful melody played exquisitely. The circular breathing thing is right at the very end.

Mike

[Bright Moments]

Pharoah has a standard thing that he does, usually at the end of tunes, where he plays rapid descending scales - just closing all the holes in succession, then moves them through the harmonic series, all while circular breathing. It's a cool effect, sounding like an echoplex - but he overdoes it. I listened to three or four 1980s Pharoah records yesterday and it kept popping up.

One example that comes to mind is the a cappella performance of "The Bird Song" from "Welcome To Love" on Timeless. That's a very clear demonstration of his various techniques - altissimo, flutter-tonguing, multiphonics, and it's a beautiful melody played exquisitely. The circular breathing thing is right at the very end.

Mike

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thanks mike!

[Bright Moments]

A Mr. Kenneth G apparently held a single note for some 45 minutes in New York City awhile back. 

←

There's a story that Roland Kirk held a note one night at Ronnie Scott's for two hours and 27 seconds but was denied the record for some reason. Joel Dorn wrote a KG-dissing liner note in the reissue of one of Kirk's CDs.

←

according to Auhor, John Kruth in "Bright Moments, the life and legacy of Rahsaan roland Kirk" the night at ronnie scott was set up for the guinness book of world record people to attend, but inexplicably they failed to show (instead attending a very important pie eating contest). RRK held the note for 2 hours and 21 minutes.