Re: Klezmer Clarinet

[Bob Jacobson <bjacobs...>]

George Robinson writes:


 In the instrumental makeup of
>a contemporary klezmer band, the clarinet will generally be the loudest
>instrument or, at the least, the one with the most penetrating sound.
>The reason why clarinet fell out of favor in jazz was that in a combo or
>big band dominated by trumpet, trombone or sax, the clarinet was
>overwhelmed.


In contemporary klezmer groups that do have trumpets and/or trombones, eg
Klezmatics, Klezmer Conservatory, etc., the clarinet still manages to
penetrate and--with exceptions,eg Flying Bulgars--even be the featured
instrument. To me, a bigger mystery is why more bands have not featured
trumpet players, and why more really good trumpet players are not drawn to
klezmer the way clarinetists are. In fact, at KlezKamp this year I didn't
see a single adult trumpet player in attendance. Of course I'm assuming
they didn't all stay home just because there was no brass teacher on hand.

Bob Jacobson
Yid Vicious