Does anyone else play the bass clarinet like Dolphy?

[sidewinder]

Not so much with regards to 'like Dolphy' but suprised that Bennie Maupin hasn't been mentioned yet..

[JohnS]

Uhm, am I the only one who doesn't understand the original question here?

I mean why should anybody even try?

True, not the place to discuss the merits of b.clt players. Hopefully lp will be inspired to try Mr Murray and others.

Incidentally just listening to Herbie Hancock's' Mwandishi band - Benny Maupin gets a nice woody sound.

[David Ayers]

With Bev on Dolphy's bass clarinet as an early fave - Green Dolphin Street! - and also loved discovering John Surman's use of same.

Unlike so many jazz musicians on a 'second' instrument, ED obtained a beautiful tone and, as others have said, played it well throughout its registers and not just for effect.

Made me love the instrument and still listen keenly for B.Cl passages in classical concerts.

It helps that ED's B.Cl. was sometimes so well-captured in the recordings.

Have we mentioned Broetzmann's use of it? Not at all the same thing but I'm an enthusiast of PB as what he is so I am glad to see him pick it up.

Trying to think who composed any chamber music for B.Cl. Not even Hindemith who got as far as a sonata for double bass and covered bassoon and oboe in his sonata writing, but apparently even for him B.Cl was not sonata-worthy. There must be something out there I don't know though, I don't have a much knowledge of chamber music.

[A Lark Ascending]

From Wiki:

• Ann Callaway Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra (1985–87) (Laureate Press, distr. MMB Press)
• Peter Maxwell Davies: "The Seas of Kirk Swarf" for bass clarinet and strings (2007).^[5]
• Dietrich Erdmann: Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.
• Osvaldo Golijov: "Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind" for solo clarinetist (soprano clarinets, basset horn, and bass clarinet) and string quartet, later arranged for solo clarinetist and string orchestra.^[6]
• Todd Goodman: Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Orchestra^[7]
• Joseph Hallman: Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Chamber Ensemble^[8]
• Rafael Leonardo Junchaya: Concerto Silvestre for bass clarinet and orchestra Op.14a. Premiered by Marco Antonio Mazzini and the GUSO Orchestra conducted by Steven Decraene in May 2009. First version for bass clarinet and string orchestra (Concertino Silvestre Op.14) premiered in Guatemala in July 2009.
• David Lang: "Press Release" for solo bass clarinet (1991) (For Evan Ziporyn)
• Donald Martino: Triple Concerto for clarinet, bass clarinet, and contrabass clarinet.
• Thea Musgrave: Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.
• Andrew Rindfleisch: "The Light Fantastic" for bass clarinet and wind ensemble (2003).
• Jonathan Russell: Double bass clarinet concerto.
• Josef Schelb: Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.
• Karlheinz Stockhausen: In Freundschaft for unaccompanied bass clarinet, Libra for bass clarinet and electronic music (a separable component of Sirius), and Harmonien for unaccompanied bass clarinet.

[mjazzg]

Another fan of Jason Stein here, particularly that Delmark and the solo album on Leo.

Not a Dolphy clone but a player with things to say on the instrument

[David Ayers]

From Wiki:

• Ann Callaway Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra (1985–87) (Laureate Press, distr. MMB Press)
• Peter Maxwell Davies: "The Seas of Kirk Swarf" for bass clarinet and strings (2007).^[5]
• Dietrich Erdmann: Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.
• Osvaldo Golijov: "Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind" for solo clarinetist (soprano clarinets, basset horn, and bass clarinet) and string quartet, later arranged for solo clarinetist and string orchestra.^[6]
• Todd Goodman: Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Orchestra^[7]
• Joseph Hallman: Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Chamber Ensemble^[8]
• Rafael Leonardo Junchaya: Concerto Silvestre for bass clarinet and orchestra Op.14a. Premiered by Marco Antonio Mazzini and the GUSO Orchestra conducted by Steven Decraene in May 2009. First version for bass clarinet and string orchestra (Concertino Silvestre Op.14) premiered in Guatemala in July 2009.
• David Lang: "Press Release" for solo bass clarinet (1991) (For Evan Ziporyn)
• Donald Martino: Triple Concerto for clarinet, bass clarinet, and contrabass clarinet.
• Thea Musgrave: Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.
• Andrew Rindfleisch: "The Light Fantastic" for bass clarinet and wind ensemble (2003).
• Jonathan Russell: Double bass clarinet concerto.
• Josef Schelb: Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.
• Karlheinz Stockhausen: In Freundschaft for unaccompanied bass clarinet, Libra for bass clarinet and electronic music (a separable component of Sirius), and Harmonien for unaccompanied bass clarinet.

Blimey. Have you heard any of them...?

Found a York Bowen Phantaisie-rhapsody thingy for bass clarinet and string quartet.

[A Lark Ascending]

Blimey. Have you heard any of them...?

Afraid not.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Love Sclavis, but I never think of Dolphy hearing him. He has his own sound that you know it's Sclavis.

P.S. Nothing personal Andrew....but Shabaka Hutchings (at least on that track) is like listening to one of the Coltrane clones....or like some tribute rock band. They sound so much like them...there is no them in it....and I can just listen to Coltrane, or those bands....and Dolphy.

I think FWIW I may have sold Shabaka short by just posting that one track...I guess the composition can somewhat invite this approach (angular, post-boppish, etc.) - though on another day, he of course would play it totally differently. His range is much broader than just this one aspect (in fact, he plays very differently on each of the tracks).

I don't hear him as a clone - a kindred language for sure (hence linking this particular tune), but definitely not note-for-note Dolphyisms to my ears...at any rate, no problem...all cool - different strokes etc. etc..!

Yes to Sclavis (I really enjoyed the recentish Clean Feed trio with Taborn and Rainey), and Michel Portal.

John Surman - totally. IMHO honours the Dolphy concept by being completely his own man, at the same time as in some kind of tradition.

On the subject of Rudi Mahall - he is great, of course. Also one of the LOUDEST horn players (of any variety) I've ever seen live!

[king ubu]

Mahall is fine ... but he could try and strive for a bit more variety -- like he could start making use of any kind of change of loudness/volume, when I heard him in person, he was mostly working a range from ff to fff ... he might in fact be the second guy after Satchmo to think pp means "pound plenty"

[Blue Train]

Love Sclavis, but I never think of Dolphy hearing him. He has his own sound that you know it's Sclavis.

P.S. Nothing personal Andrew....but Shabaka Hutchings (at least on that track) is like listening to one of the Coltrane clones....or like some tribute rock band. They sound so much like them...there is no them in it....and I can just listen to Coltrane, or those bands....and Dolphy.

I think FWIW I may have sold Shabaka short by just posting that one track...I guess the composition can somewhat invite this approach (angular, post-boppish, etc.) - though on another day, he of course would play it totally differently. His range is much broader than just this one aspect (in fact, he plays very differently on each of the tracks).

I don't hear him as a clone - a kindred language for sure (hence linking this particular tune), but definitely not note-for-note Dolphyisms to my ears...at any rate, no problem...all cool - different strokes etc. etc..!

Yes to Sclavis (I really enjoyed the recentish Clean Feed trio with Taborn and Rainey), and Michel Portal.

John Surman - totally. IMHO honours the Dolphy concept by being completely his own man, at the same time as in some kind of tradition.

On the subject of Rudi Mahall - he is great, of course. Also one of the LOUDEST horn players (of any variety) I've ever seen live!

Alexander: Like I said it wasn't personal and just based on that one track. I haven't heard anything else by him to compare and too me it really does sound cloneish.

[uli]

Michel Pilz is still playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiIvjXOr0KI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuoCjto_axE

[Alexander Hawkins]

Love Sclavis, but I never think of Dolphy hearing him. He has his own sound that you know it's Sclavis.

P.S. Nothing personal Andrew....but Shabaka Hutchings (at least on that track) is like listening to one of the Coltrane clones....or like some tribute rock band. They sound so much like them...there is no them in it....and I can just listen to Coltrane, or those bands....and Dolphy.

I think FWIW I may have sold Shabaka short by just posting that one track...I guess the composition can somewhat invite this approach (angular, post-boppish, etc.) - though on another day, he of course would play it totally differently. His range is much broader than just this one aspect (in fact, he plays very differently on each of the tracks).

I don't hear him as a clone - a kindred language for sure (hence linking this particular tune), but definitely not note-for-note Dolphyisms to my ears...at any rate, no problem...all cool - different strokes etc. etc..!

Yes to Sclavis (I really enjoyed the recentish Clean Feed trio with Taborn and Rainey), and Michel Portal.

John Surman - totally. IMHO honours the Dolphy concept by being completely his own man, at the same time as in some kind of tradition.

On the subject of Rudi Mahall - he is great, of course. Also one of the LOUDEST horn players (of any variety) I've ever seen live!

Alexander: Like I said it wasn't personal and just based on that one track. I haven't heard anything else by him to compare and too me it really does sound cloneish.

Totally - no offence taken To be honest, that's part of what makes all this stuff so great - that we can hear the same stuff differently in this way!

[Steve Reynolds]

Happy I am seeing Marty Ehrlich next Saturday and here's hoping he brings his bass clarinet with him

Edited November 9, 2013 by Steve Reynolds

[AllenLowe]

glad Marty Krystall's name came up; best saxophonist on the planet and plays that bass clarinet thing; and check out Paul Austerlitz; on our New Tango CD he has a Dolphy-esque thing going on Bb clarinet, but he is quite brilliant on bass clarinet as well.

Edited November 10, 2013 by AllenLowe

[medjuck]

Dolphy kinda put the bass clarinet on the map I only recently learned from the liners of a Dolphy recording that Herbie Mann played it too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sKeTxDTY48

The Mann is from a session on which Mann plays only bass clarinet issued as "Great Ideas of Western Mann". This selection was added to the cd release. Obviously he doesn't sound like Dolphy but didn't Ken McIntyre (sp?) play bass clarinet?

[David Ayers]

[David Ayers]

I know this from LP. Apparently the OJC has the wrong bonus track (from a compilation). The Fresh Sound has the correct bonus (which is the one featured in the youtube clip).

I remember buying it for the fact it was all on bass clarinet and I had never seen another album all on that instrument. Apart from the Murray I wonder if there are others led all the way through by b. cl.?

[.:.impossible]

You ought to check out the Jimmy Lyons(alto) music featuring Karen Borca(bassoon).

http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/arch/vv/lyons-04.php

[ElginThompson]

David Murray plays some cool bass clarinet on this:

The track "India" is a special favourite of mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=420eCLr86tA

One for Eric is sublime on this excellent album.

[Michael Weiss]

Stefano Doglioni doesn't play like Eric Dolphy but he plays the shit out of the bass clarinet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhjBa5qsaAM

Edited November 10, 2013 by Michael Weiss

[BeBop]

(Reading this on my mobile. Sorry if I missed this upstream.)

Another name is Rudi Mahall. Duet album on Enja with Aki Takase in particular. Mahall's playing differs by "setting", but some Dolphy-esque. http://www.jazzrecords.com/enja/9109.htm

Edited November 10, 2013 by BeBop

[John Litweiler]

Mwata Bowden on bass clarinet has a distinctive, obsessive style that is quite unlike Dolphy. Mahall also played lots of Monk songs with Schlippenbach. Yes to Jason Stein - I heard him again last night at the Umbrella festival.

[Guy Berger]

Not so much with regards to 'like Dolphy' but suprised that Bennie Maupin hasn't been mentioned yet..

Yes... love his work on this instrument - the ballad "Past Is Past" on TJitL.

[danasgoodstuff]

Sam Rivers played a nice bass clarinet, before someone stole it - I think he never played one again after that.

[StarThrower]

Michel Pilz is still playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiIvjXOr0KI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuoCjto_axE

The Manfred Schoof material is great. I've watched all of those YouTube clips, and I have the ECM re-issue. Chris Potter plays bass clarinet on occasion.