Bradley,

You`re right about Shaw still making money into the middle of the century, but I was saying that in the grand scheme of jazz music the clarinet and dance bands had fallen out of prominence by that time. Creatively, Parker, Coltrane, and Davis greatly overshadowed Shaw and any other jazz clarinetist for that matter, but it was still completely possible for a musician to make a living playing the clarinet. No I wasn`t alive then, but I have studied jazz history in school.

I hear ya on the lame posts and lame posters

The twenties was good for clarinet, but the forties also were and fifties. If you study film that is taking place around these periods you often get to hear the clarinet and big jazzbands and so on. But it isn`t the ordinary peoples music any longer, it`s for those who have money and want to impres. Bebop and so on is the music for the people, the thing you hear if you go to "popular concerts".
And earlier someone mentioned something about clarinet just being a colour instrument, that`s not entirely true. We actually have bigger jazz orchestras where there is big sections of clarinets (even thought these orchestras are a little special they exist and fall in the same "box" as the rest of the big bands)

Well, eddie, Sorry, but I have to say that yr thinking`s wrong. There`s no limit to whatsoever of pcs/genres that an instrument should or should not play. It all deoends on the interpretation, technic of the performer to change the tone colour/style to give a whole new dimension to the `supposed` feel. I have heard clarinets played jazz b4, and I must tell u. they can be even better than the sax. For 1 thing, the clarinet is more velvety in tone compared to the sax. And it gives the music a more `feminine`/sweeter feel. It depends very much on the audience persepective and ability to accept new things also. It doesn`t mean that the music is no good simply caz u dislike the idea of re-inventing sound. Try listening it a few more times b4 u decide.

Amy, before you try any harder to be the "good guy" and "do the right thing", realize if the "evil" you are trying to extinguish is really not just the truth. I really don`t believe you could actually be defending all the profanity earlier, but do as you wish.

Before you try to turn this around and say I`m basically the same thing I`ve been complaining about- hear me. Listen to my orchestras on the radio. Buy a CD and hear me playing Principal on some of the more significant orchestral literature of my level. Listen to my wind ensemble`s CDs so you can hear one of the best high school ensembles in the NATION. Listen to my clarinet trio even. Then try to argue your point (if you still feel it`s relevant).

I`d just like to conclude this post by explaining that I`ve tried to be very helpful and "nice" to posters in the past, and I`ve held my tongue when blatant false information has ciculated around this forum like a disease. Look at my older posts and you`ll see that this is true.
But again, whatever......

Bradley

OH MY GOD- that post above is the lamest thing I`ve ever read. Yeah some of the things people`s posts are uninformed and irrelevant, but they`re probably young students doing the posting. Even then, there`s no need to brag about having recordings out. HAHA like anyone would pay money to check out those recordings. Hate to burst your bubble, but no one really cares what groups you play in, and it`s not even impressive. Good high school wind ensembles are a dime a dozen- big deal. Maybe instead of being upset with people you should go build up your resume with something more than participating in wind ensemble, orchestra, and clarinet trio. Also, you need to brush up on jazz history cause you`re still wrong.

I wasn`t bragging, but I was replying to Amy`s post.

I just turned 15- and I`ve barely been playing for 3 years. I`m on the right track is what I was trying to say, at least the right track for me.

Glad to bring joy into your life for today since I`m so pathetic it`s funny to you. Maybe you can return the favour one day and play for me.

Bradley

Good Lord Bradley,

First off, I was not defending "profanity" as you say, and I was not try to "extinguish" some sort of "evil" as you call it. To know that you would even refer to this argument in terms such as that is really sad. This discussion was a simple argument which to most of us had little or no affect on their lives, and the only reason people argued was to show you the truth of the matter. I don`t refer to your answer to the question as "evil" nor do I blow this out of proportion as you have. You must have nothing better to do than sit around and insult others to try and make yourself feel better about being wrong. On another note, I too came from one of the best high school wind ensembles in the NATION. Like Bryan said, that is not that significant, and once you grow up you will see that some of the best ensembles have no individual talent at all. You can not try to show how good you may be by listing organizations you have been in; it doesn`t mean anything to any of us. One more thing..don`t invite people to play for you if you have no idea how good they may be because chances are you`ll get shown up.

Bradley,

If you want to hear me play for amusement, I could try to send you an audio file via email of my playing.

I love playing jazz on clarinet. Clarinets are used a lot for jazz pieces, they soud quite similar to the sax if they are blown in a certain way.

Well this was fun....

I wanted to see how mad I could get some people, and honestly I wasn`t bragging earlier, I am REALLY not a conceited person.

Bryan- I actually would like to hear you, not to ridicule you as I said earlier, but just to hear another poster like I have in the past.
Do you have AIM, MSN or Yahoo? If so, which and what is/are your screename(s)?

Amy- that`s the whole point. I have to defend my wind ensemble and fellow players. My school, the most prominent school of the art FL focuses on solo playing much like any conservatory does. We get lessons from a faculty list better than a lot of colleges. Like conservatory players, most of us see ensemble playing as a chore. Because we have such a heavy focus on music, and very selective auditions we have an advantage over most high schools as far as ensembles go- even though if we didn`t have so many egos and cared about the music more we`d be an even better ensemble.

Not saying I suck or am the best clarinetist in the history of the US, but you really can`t say anything bad about my school`s individual players and have facts to back it up.

Bradley

Bradley,

i have AIM the screen name is brycon424

i`ve played the clarinet for years and this is the first time i`ve read people make such a big fuss over the fact that the clarinet can be used for more than just classical music. it is a beautiful instrament and can be used in more than what it was originally used for. after learning a lot of different peices over the years, i just wanted to say, you can do it!! use your imagination and talent to bring music into the world. anything is possible and yes people still love to play a little or a lot of jazz with whatever instrament they chose to learn at a young age. the clarinet isn`t known only for the high pitch it`s capable of (second to the flute that is) and it`s part in gliding along with the other woodwinds.

you forgot the picolo

i meant in general, the picolo is part of the flute family. yeah i know it has a very high pitch.

I think..all kinds of music can be played on the clarinet...not rock or something like that...but funk, jazz, bluegrass, blues(earlie unplugged blues), country, ballads, pop, folkmusic...it`s just a matter of who is playing and what that person think`s sound good.
but that`s the whole thing, isn`t it?
what we do think sounds right or wrong.
it`s the same thing with rap, metal and that sort of music, the older says it`s just noice. but the younger people thinks it`s sounding great.
IT`S JUST A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVES!!!!!