The late Bob Enevoldsen

[Larry Kart]

While listening to "The Bill Holman Band Live" (Jazzed Media), rec. 2005, I learned from Holman's tune announcements that it's not "Enn-e-vold-sen," as I'd always thought, but "Een-e-vold-sen." Fine album; Enevoldsen gets two solo spots.

BTW, Enevoldsen may have been among the most varied multi-instrumentalists in jazz. In addition to valve-trombone, he recorded professionally on tenor saxophone and bass (three musical families: brass, reeds, and strings) and also played trombone and baritone horn (don't know if played them on record). (BE also was a composer-arranger.) Ira Sullivan, of course, played trumpet, a host of saxophones, probably flute, and drums (maybe more), and that's at least three musical families, assuming you think of the drums as a musical instrument. Anyone else who's notable and is a three-families (or more) man? I'm certainly wowed by Tubby Hayes's skill on tenor, flute, and vibes (he played bari too, and probably some soprano) but that's just two families.

[GA Russell]

Thanks, Larry. I too thought it was pronounced with a short e.

As I recall, Victor Feldman played piano and vibes/marimbas professionally as an adult, and as a child he played drums professionally.

[Rooster_Ties]

The late Bob Enevoldsen, -- just found out how to pronounce his last name

Pitty he never knew how while he was still alive.

[BillF]

Thanks, Larry. I too thought it was pronounced with a short e.

As I recall, Victor Feldman played piano and vibes/marimbas professionally as an adult, and as a child he played drums professionally.

Victor Feldman also played drums with the Woody Herman Orchestra!

[Larry Kart]

The late Bob Enevoldsen, -- just found out how to pronounce his last name

Pitty he never knew how while he was still alive.

You're a cruel man -- or rooster.

[ghost of miles]

Thanks, Larry. I too thought it was pronounced with a short e.

As I recall, Victor Feldman played piano and vibes/marimbas professionally as an adult, and as a child he played drums professionally.

Victor Feldman also played drums with the Woody Herman Orchestra!

Sat in with Glenn Miller's AAF when he was only 10, too, didn't he, Bill? I think I've seen a photo of him with Miller somewhere.

[Larry Kart]

Depending whether or not you regard the piano as a percussion instrument, the multi-talented Feldman's skills were confined to one family of instruments, two tops.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Thanks, Larry!

Sheesh... Yet another name that I've been mispronouncing for years and years.

My current radio show doesn't delve into historical material so I guess that I'm safe

Heck, it took twenty years for me to figure out how to pronounce Art Hodes!!!!!

[BillF]

Thanks, Larry. I too thought it was pronounced with a short e.

As I recall, Victor Feldman played piano and vibes/marimbas professionally as an adult, and as a child he played drums professionally.

Victor Feldman also played drums with the Woody Herman Orchestra!

Sat in with Glenn Miller's AAF when he was only 10, too, didn't he, Bill? I think I've seen a photo of him with Miller somewhere.

Indeed, he did!

[JPF]

Jaki Byard recorded on piano and tenor sax, and I've heard him play both in person. His father, John Byard, Sr. told me once that Jaki also played trumpet and other brass instruments, bass, drums, vibes and even violin.

[AllenLowe]

few people know this, but the E in Ellington is silent -

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Fela Kuti played piano, sax and drums.

(he sang a bit, too)

MG

[sidewinder]

Thanks, Larry. I too thought it was pronounced with a short e.

As I recall, Victor Feldman played piano and vibes/marimbas professionally as an adult, and as a child he played drums professionally.

Victor Feldman also played drums with the Woody Herman Orchestra!

Sat in with Glenn Miller's AAF when he was only 10, too, didn't he, Bill? I think I've seen a photo of him with Miller somewhere.

Indeed, he did!

Check out 'The Artful Dodger' on Concord Jazz. That's the young Feldman with Miller's band featured at the end of 'Haunted Ballroom' !

[Adam]

Fela Kuti played piano, sax and drums.

(he sang a bit, too)

MG

Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Neil Young all play guitar, piano, and harmonica, and sing.

[Ted O'Reilly]

Toronto's Don Thompson is equally fine on bass, piano, vibes and drums. He used to play trumpet (a la Clifford Brown), and I've been told he picked up trombone in a couple of lessons, but never played it in a band. I don't know if he ever played reeds, but no doubt would master them, too. In addition, he is a fabulous composer and arranger, a great teacher and talented recording engineer. AND more important than any of that, a great guy.

Just picked up a Scott Robinson CD today on which he shows his great musical taste by playing the compositions of Thad Jones. On this release, he plays C-Flute, C-Melody sax, F-Mezzo-Soprano Sax, Tenor Sax, Bass Saxophone, Eb-soprano Flute, Contrabass Sarrusophone, Alto Clarinet, Echo Cornet (new to me--looks like it has a second, smaller bell), French Horn, Flugelhorn, Theremin, and (just for fun) thundersheet and bell. The CD's annotator is Rufus Reid, who says "The amazing thing is he convinces you that each one is entirely his main instrument". (A bonus on the album is Richard Wyands on 9 of the 14 tracks).

[Chas]

Jaki Byard recorded on piano and tenor sax, and I've heard him play both in person.

IIRC , Jaki only recorded on tenor with Herb Pomeroy's band . On the basis of recording frequency , he had a greater affinity for the alto .

[paul secor]

Ornette: alto & tenor sax, violin, trumpet

[Larry Kart]

Ornette: alto & tenor sax, violin, trumpet

There we are, three musical families.

And Scott Robinson is f------ nuts, in a good way.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Yes, Robinson is amazing... I particularly like his bass clarinet work.

Another musician who crosses instrument families with impunity is the Australian James Morrison: trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, the saxophone family and piano. I recall a big band album he made (I think that it was on Atlantic) where he played all of the parts except for bass and drums.

Edited March 1, 2008 by Bill Barton

[Ted O'Reilly]

Yes, Robinson is amazing... I particularly like his bass clarinet work.

Another musician who crosses instrument families with impunity is the Australian James Morrison: trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, the saxophone family and piano. I recall a big band album he made (I think that it was on Atlantic) where he played all of the parts except for bass and drums.

Right you are, Bill. On "Snappy Doo" he played all the parts (save gtr/bss/dms) of a big band, and wrote the arrangements. The rhythm section was Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Jeff Hamilton. Morrison was even hip enough to play different horns within a section, so there would be tonal differences.

Would his main instrument be trumpet, or does it really matter?

(For me, Scott Robinson's C-melody work is a favourite. "Melody From The Sky" on Arbors always puts a smile on my face.)

[Guest Bill Barton]

Yes, Robinson is amazing... I particularly like his bass clarinet work.

Another musician who crosses instrument families with impunity is the Australian James Morrison: trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, the saxophone family and piano. I recall a big band album he made (I think that it was on Atlantic) where he played all of the parts except for bass and drums.

Right you are, Bill. On "Snappy Doo" he played all the parts (save gtr/bss/dms) of a big band, and wrote the arrangements. The rhythm section was Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Jeff Hamilton. Morrison was even hip enough to play different horns within a section, so there would be tonal differences.

Would his main instrument be trumpet, or does it really matter?

(For me, Scott Robinson's C-melody work is a favourite. "Melody From The Sky" on Arbors always puts a smile on my face.)

Thanks for jogging my memory on that title, Ted! That's a pretty darned good album as I recall. I looked on Morrison's website and he appears to have reissued it on his own label. James Morrison

Yes, I'd wager that one should consider trumpet his major instrument. He has a new instructional trumpet DVD available. He's no slouch on those other instruments either, that's for sure!

[flat5]

Bob E. played good bass clarinet in VERY fast company on Lyle Murphy's New Orbits In Sound.

Steve Bohannon died at age 21 or so but he played very good piano, organ, drums.

He also played bass and flute and maybe other stuff.

[clifford_thornton]

Well, if that's the direction we're going:

Han Bennink - drums, piano, clarinet/saxophones, violin, trombone, bagpipes, anything & everything...

[clifford_thornton]

Alan Sondheim - guitar(s), alto saxophone, clarinet, ch'in/zither, piano, tabla...

[AllenLowe]

re-Jaki Byard - in the years I knew him he generally kept the tenor on the piano and picked it up from time to time - particularly when he was the Sunday pianist at Bradleys, circa 1974-75; sure, his tone was not the greatest, but he was so completely original on the horn that it was a wonder to listen to - a slight Lester Young influence, maybe, but just a cascade of smart ideas, lines that could only come from the mind of Jaki Byard - I can still hear that horn and it's been over 25 years since I actually heard him play something other than the piano - and there are few actual HORN players of whom I can say that -