@@PeterAndWillAnderson she’s played for four different Presidents, is one of the few female band leaders, is considered a “cultural ambassador of New Orleans”, and has been nicknamed “the clarinet queen”. Sad she wasn’t put on this list
@@alexbelles1370 Wow, those are incredible achievements! I would like to meet her and perform with her sometime. It was very difficult to pick the 10 greatest jazz clarinetists of all time. We get many "here's one more you forgot," and I wish we could include them all!
@@PeterAndWillAnderson I want to play with her as well , literally just introduce myself and ask if I can join in … Even though I’m not a clarinet player , I can hold my end with my instruments of choice ! I be honored to play with her and many others , ( includes all of you musician with that passion)
"Top 10 Clarinet Players in Jazz" That's a very misleading statement? That should have read "Top Clarinet Players in Traditional and Swing Jazz"? Notwithstanding from that genre you missed out Joe Dixon, Joe Marsala, Joe Darensbourg and Bob McCracken to name but a few deserving candidates. If we're talking "Jazz" without a defined genre There's Tony Scott. Buddy DeFranco, Putte Wickman and Eddie Daniels. If you're gonna make a definitive statement ya might wanna add "in my opinion" cos in my opinion you're flat our wrong.. Just sayin'
Thanks for the input. A top 10 list made by any one person is going to be subjective, so I don't really see the point in adding "my opinion." It's really up to each individual to decide what their top 10 would be. Which is why this video was so fun to make! Those are great player suggestions! Most of them ended up in our round 2 and 3 jazz clarinet player videos. I can see if you disagreed. But most will and that's OK.
Man this list hurts my heart, jazz clarinet is my first love. There have been so many more and the instrument doesn't get it's due in jazz circles. First, I recognize Goodman's contributions as a leader but Artie was the virtuoso player. I've got to hear #6 & #5 because Jimmy Hamilton is so underappreciated and should be more well known. Had to hurt to leave Buddy Defranco off the list! Eric Dolphy? You've got to do a modern list too: Pete Fountain, Dr. Michael White, Eddie Daniels, Ken Peplowski, Anat Cohen, Evan Christopher, Victor Goines & Ted Nash, Yourself. Etc..... Thanks for the clarinet list. 🙂
You may pick Artie over I do agree that a Benny but I disagree because the style and warmth of Benny is so much more of a pleasant and comfortable style to listen to for more than one or two preces
Sid Phillips... and Peanuts Hucho, who I saw in late 70's.... total legends. Personally, I love Goodmans tone, and Artie Shaws technique.... 'keep music Live!'... Great video btw
With all due respect (and I really mean that) to post this as the "Top 10 Players in Jazz" is ridiculous. I disagree with your list and I think you are flat out wrong for ranking these players. What was the criteria for ranking each player? Top 10 according to who? How can you rate one better than the other? This posting would have been much better served if you had listed something like: "Ten of the Greatest Jazz Clarinetist of All Time" and then followed it up with another 10 and then another. Posting the ten you listed as the "Top 10" was a slap in the face to the many clarinet greats that you omitted such as Jack Maheu, Peanuts Hucko, Pee Wee Russell, Archie Semple, Bob Wilbur, Joe Muranyi, Irving Fazola, Phil Bodner, Bobby Gordon. It who among others are considered as "next round draft picks" who may or may not be chosen for the second or third or fourth round. Am I a tad upset? Damn right I am! I've been playing jazz clarinet for over 55 years. I was weaned on the sounds of some of the greatest jazz clarinetist of all time, some who I had the pleasure and honor to know personally and shared a stage with. It's not a matter of who is a better technician or who is more famous. So who ranks higher? Anat Cohen (ripping through "Chinaboy") or Pee Wee Russell (whispering through "The Very Though of You")? If you answer is either "Anat" or "Pee Wee" then I would question your love and appreciation for both jazz music and the clarinet. The fact of the matter is they are both great jazz artists - who happen to play the clarinet. It's a sin to suggest or give the appearance that one ranks better than the other. My suggestion: Get rid of the title "Top 10 Clarinet Players in Jazz" and replace it with "Among the Great Clarinet Players in Jazz". Other than that good job Peter and Will in mentioning some of the greats that don't get much mention anymore. ps: Don't forget Frank Teschemacher!
Hey Ron! Thanks for chiming in. Part of the fun of learning about these players is to rank them (just an opinion, not fact), of course it's totally subjective and have probably changed my mind since releasing the video. We have "Next 10" videos coming out so we can include as many great clarinet players as we can! Frank Teschmacher is one of my favorites, too.
@@PeterAndWillAnderson I just get frustrated sometimes because there are players who for decades put their heart and soul into their playing but for whatever reason are rarely, if ever recognized or shown appreciation for their talent and contribution to Jazz. I'm happy to see that you guys are looking into other greats - which by the way if I may suggest: My mentor and friend Jack Maheu and oh yeah, Ken Peplowski, who will shun me like the Amish if I don't mention his name. Looking forward to your "Next 10"!
@@RonJoseph-Swingdatmusic Ken is one of our friends and one of the best players we know! We're proud to have made a CD with him. I don't know Jack Maheu, so I will have to check them out. I hope we get to play together sometime, too.
Buddy DeFranco??? He pretty much brought the clarinet into bebop. I know these lists can be difficult, but Buddy was not only a phenomenal player, he was a true innovator. Buddy D was one of the big stars of Tommy Dorsey's band along with a young Sinatra and Buddy Rich. I'm a little partial too, I admit, because I got to play with him on a concert back in 1988 at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp when I was a young man of 22 years. Partial or not, I think Buddy is top 5.
I'm glad you put Buster Bailey in there,he is very underated.Jimmie Noone was another great one , especially when he played the hot stuff.I thank you and Will for all of your great playing and videos.
All of the guys you mentioned are of course greats! There are so many really good Jazz clarinetist that have come and gone but, I can't understand why nobody hardly ever mentions Pete Fountain. Pete was fantastic on his horn, and had I think, the best sound of any guys or girls that have or still play the clarinet. Not trying to dispute any info, just adding my personal view. Thank You!
Thanks for chiming in, Jeffrey. I agree. I watched an incredible video of Pete Fountain playing Tiger Rag on a vintage television show. It was amazing! I hope you can check it out. We did release a "Round 2" top 10 clarinet players, as well! I'm sure you will recognize all the players.
No Eddie? No Buddy? ....., perhaps the gleeful reality for Jazz is there should be a top 25 players. You've got a nice presentation, perhaps a little antiseptic but nonetheless necessary I fear. I can't help but sense though that there's too strong a thread of Manufacturing Consent (Chomsky!) here throughout.
A great list! I always loved Pete Fountain too. Clarinet was my first instrument. My great Uncles were Edmond and Herbert Hall (You have Edmonds playing down WELL!). My grandfather Clarence also played clarinet, although was better known as a session player and recorded with Fats Domino on the 1st RnR recording to sell over a million copies in the late 1940s. He also played in Dave Bartholomew's band as they were best friends. According to the family, they weren't the best in the family on clarinet. They all claimed (arguably) my Uncle Robert was, however, he stopped playing in 1941 to raise a family. One correction: Edmond played with Louis Armstrong and the All-Stars for a total of 8 years on I believe two separate occasions. He eventually left the band, bored from playing the standards every night and briefly moved to Ghana to open a music school for kids.
Hey guys, tried to access your website, but it is blocked and we get this: Dangerous Webpage BlockedYou attempted to access:peterandwillanderson.com/This is a known dangerous webpage. It is highly recommended that you do NOT visit this page. Has someone hacked your site? Can't get to it, so I hope you can fix it!
I'm not a musician but submit that Craig Flory of Tuba Skinny (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rtMyoWrSrW0.html) needs a place on this list. He hasn't played a bad note yet that I could hear. Also, as far as skill goes, Shaw to my ears is number one.
There is nothing like great fast clarinet swing! I love it in New Orleans style Jazz! I sure wish someone would put together a box set of Great Fast clarinet jazz songs!! Id buy it in a heartbeat!!
Thanks, I think we’re on the same page ;) check out buster bailey’s “man with a horn goes bizerk”. It is the most impressive fast jazz playing I’ve ever heard. :)
Thanks for your input. Pete Fountain is in our Clarinet Players "Round 2" Video. Check it out! George Lewis is up there, too. but not top 10 in my opinion. But it's just an opinion ...
One thing I like about your list is there are several clarinetists on there that I didn't know about. Always great to learn about more. Others have mentioned some that would have been great to include (Eddie Daniels, Buddy DeFranco). I'd like to add Art Pepper. Though he didn't record a lot on clarinet, what he recorded was gorgeous. Paquito D'Rivera is another great one to include, along with Anat Cohen. Also, if you include New Orleans style, Doreen Ketchens is worthy of considering. Thanks for compiling this list for sure! So many greats on it.
Hi Craig, I love your suggestions. We have a top 10 clarinetists "round 2" video as well. Includes Paquito, Eddie, and other lesser known players. I'm a fan of Doreen and she has a youtube channel! Has some really nice educational videos. We've chatted a bit too. Thank you for checking out our videos!
@@PeterAndWillAnderson I didn't realize Doreen has a RU-vid channel. Thanks. I'm gonna check it out. Looking forward to your "round 2" also (and appreciated "round 1" as well).
Granted the clarinet was more popular in the swing era but the music that came afterwards is a lot more difficult. Jimmy Giuffre, Buddy Defranco and even Paquito DRivera should be listed in any top 10 list. But to not list the torch bearer most of my life (I’m 57) Eddie Daniels. Your list is just the 1st 3 decades of jazz clarinet? Why?
All in all - a great list. I would put in the modern John Carter instead of Murray, and also consider Don Byron. The top 3 should all be number one, I mean - was there really anyone better than Bechet ?
You missed out the best clarinet player in London in the 1930s - Joe Crossman (who played with Lew Stone and His band). Check out "that's a plenty" on this site. He does a fab solo. What about Peanuts Hucko? he was a master of 40s swing. (Glenn Miller's AAF band).
Great video! My additions would be Tony Scott, Buddy DeFranco, Kenny Davern, Jimmy Giuffre, Rolf Kuehn, and the two Dans: Block and Levinson! And also my dearly departed friend, Perry Robinson.
Those are great additions! The only one I don't know Rolf Kuehn, so I'll have to check them out. Dan Block and Dan Levinson are my two heros. Sorta introduced me to the NYC jazz scene. I'm grateful to both of them :)
Lester Young Played one of the top of the line Metal Clarinets made during that time. So did George Lewis he played a Harry Pedler Albert System! Lester Young didn’t play on the wood clarinet because he prefer the sound of the metal clarinet.
Albert clarinet sound emulation with a typical French bore Boehm clarinet does not really work well. It sounds fake, and thin. There is not enough of air coming through and the tone holes are too narrow, so the bends and vibratos have not enough body, depth, and not enough stretch. Using a German bore clarinet for the emulation of the Albert sound, is ways better.
Thanks for the insight. I only know one clarinet player who plays both types of clarinets well. His name is Dan Block. Because I play in a variety of settings I stick to one setup and horn. I believe it's possible to get a good "early" jazz sound on a Boehm horn. Buster Bailey is a great example.
@@PeterAndWillAnderson Maybe it is possible to achieve it easier on pre-R13 Boehm clarinets, that is, on clarinets made before late 1950s, before everyone started emulating Buffet R13. (On older Selmers, older Buffets, Couesnons etc.) I have an old Couesnon from early 1950s, and was thinking about getting a Selmer Centered Tone , played by Benny Goodman. Centered Tone was phased out in 1960 in favour of new designs.
These choices are OPINIONS. Everyone has opinions, even musicians. IMO, lists of "better", "best", "greatest" etc., are compiled mainly by non-musicians, who also have their own personal preferences. For me, the "better" and "best" is anyone who plays better than me .....
Thanks for tuning in. And yes, you are spot on, John. Consider this is "My Top 10" I'd love to hear which ones you think should be up there too! (There's so many to name)
@@PeterAndWillAnderson Being a "traditionalist", my favourites (not necessarily "top" or "best") are Johnny Dodds - and in no order - George Lewis, Omer Simeon, Sidney Bechet, Barney Bigard, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Kenny Davern, Tony Parenti, ....and Geoff Kitchen, Barry Wratten, Paul Furniss (Australia). There are more favourites, and many more who "play better than me"; but that's enough, surely !
Can’t argue over Benny Goodman. Unfortunately, I saw him perform late in his career when he was stealing money. I would replace Buddy Bailey with Walter Blanding.
conspicuously all of the best ones are missing... Anat Cohen, Buddy DeFranco, Ken Poplowski, Paquito D'Rivera, Pete Fountain? You definitely hit a lot of the early masters but there's so much happening in jazz clarinet these days that I'm surprised the list was weighted so heavily toward the early 20th century.
Ever heard Darnell Howard ? He is Number one!! Albert Nicholas, Jimmie Noone and Many more creole players could be on the list😀 ( Howard played with Earl Hines Big band)
Thanks for adding those names! Haven't heard Darnell Howard yet. Here's our "round 2" list with ten more clarinet players. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-28959Oqr9UE.html
Thanks for the effort you put into this. Missing. are more modern, busking clarinet players: Doreen Ketchens Jazz Band and Craig Flory of Tuba Skinny, both from New Orleans streets.
Thanks for the great ideas. Alvin Batiste's relative, Jon Batiste is one of our friends and former school classmates! I'm sure you've heard of him. There is a second clarinet list coming out soon :)
Yes, most definitely I've heard of Jon Batiste :) I look forward to the second list of clarinet greats. Thanks for including Jimmy Hamilton! Never heard of him before...
I believe that Eric Dolphy holds a special place in the category of reed players. His voice was unique and his contribution cut too short by early death was phenomenal. Include him too.
Can you use the slow down function on youtube? That might help you learn then by ear. Transcribing by ear is an important skill! Only learned by trying.
For me, two names are definitely missing here : Eric Dolphy , as one of the precursors of the Bass Clarinet in Jazz and milestone in the history of jazz as link between bepop and free jazz, and Jimmy Giuffre, who, at the clarinet player and along with Paul Bley and Steve Swallow, paved the way to free music and free improvisation back in early 1960 .
How about: -Ken peplowsky -Eddie Daniëls - Felix Peikli - Charles Mingus - Buddy Defranco -Pete Fountain I didn’t know most of the names on the list but they were all really good , good video guys
Your list is a good one, but you could add at least several dozen more names without duplication. Why are Americans in particular so obsessed with these silly Top Ten lists? Music is NOT the National Football League. By the way, your imitation of the players on your list was quite good--except for Artie Shaw, who was close to inimitable (hear Walt Levinsky's Shaw imitation in the late 1960s for Time/Life Records). If you must make up such a list, make it a Top One Hundred list, which would make it inclusive, not exclusive, and alert your readers to players whom they have not heard. It's much more constructive that listeners hear underappreciated clarinetists like, say, Putte Wickman and Tony Coe rather than haggle over who should be in the Top Ten.
Since I'm on a clarinet wave right now, here's another name for all clarinet lovers: Ivo Papasov - a Bulgarian clarinet player. He's good for warming up.😉
I agree Hamilton had a concert band tone, if you know what I mean. I retained my round tone on my Buffet and brought it to dixieland . I definitely think there is time and place to sound "Dodd-sy" and replicate that era of playing - just to keep the history alive of that playing style - but I favor the mellow warm tones of the Boehm clarinet. As you say this instrument is a versatile one. So expressive.
Being from Sweden my vote is for Putte Wickman. He had a very plesant and smooth tone. He played mostly "legatoish" with very little staccato. Check him out if you haven't!
Hendrik Mertens I love Stan’s recordings with Benny Goodman. They sounded a like I think. I played in NYC with Eddie Bert, trombonist in that band. He said he was in the room and saw Benny’s face when he got the phone call that Stan Hasselgard died. So tragic.