Lew Soloff's Mouthpiece?
jazz...@my-deja.com
highly recommend it. On the cover of the CD it shows Lew, with a black
hat shading his face, playing his trumpet. Does anyone know what
mouthpiece and trumpet he plays? The mouthpiece sort of looks like a
Schilke in the picture, but I can't quite make it out. I've heard that
he switches to a lot of different sizes. Also, is the horn he is
holding a Bach? It looks to be raw brass. One good thing... glad to
see he isn't playing a Monette like you see so many others playing
nowadays. CDs featuring a guy holding a Monette include: Mark Isham,
Terance Blanchard, Art Farmer, Brian Lynch, Eddie Henderson, and of
course, Wynton.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
JWorleyjr
either holding a Martin or a Selmer.
Dr. Trumpet
Lew has a Monette model mouthpiece named for him, the B4S (S for Soloff).
However, he is famous for being a "gear hound", so the mouthpiece on the
cover may indeed be the mouthpiece du jour.
And, why is not having a Monette on the cover a good thing? Those
world-class performers have chosen Monette. When you get good enough to
have your own CD cover, you can play anything you want. But, enough of
the assinine slights and slams on Monette.
I just spent the better part of two months attacking Bach's quality as an
experiment. Not that I cared particularly, but it is and was amazing how
many Bach owners come out of the wood work for less than the above, but
how no one seems to mind slamming away at David. What a bunch of
hypocrites.........
Dennis
> I saw him at a clinic when he
> was still with Blood Sweat & Tears and he was like a kid with a new toy--the
> toy: a custom Schilke trumpet in E (natural) purchased so Lew could solo in
> easy keys during all those songs in awful guitar keys which B S & T was
> playing.
so...i'm not the only one! just tonight, i forgot my "pro" model flute, when i went
to play, and had to use my under the car seat, "banger" which didn't have the B
foot. just that one note in the keys of g, d, e, b, etc. is invaluable. i kept heading
for a resolution in a direction that didn't exist. it was dis-orienting.
i tried the C trumpet for a while, to remove 2 #'s and i do enjoy it, but for some
reason, i can play better on the Bb, even with the extra sharps.
--
«.--.¸¸.´¯`.º.´¯`·.¸¸..º..¸¸.·´¯`.º.´¯`·.¸¸.--.»
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change nospam to wdhill to reply to me by e-mail
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dlwi...@my-deja.com
> many Bach owners come out of the wood work for less than the above,
but
> how no one seems to mind slamming away at David. What a bunch of
> hypocrites.........
Al,
Recall the comment in my recent email to you regarding the
irrational anti-Monette bias running through the trumpet community.
Here is a good example. All it takes is somebody holding a Monette on a
CD cover to bring it out.
See you in Nashville.
Don Winters
Matt Stock
many horns & mouthpieces he had. At that time he normally played an old
(1940s) Bach or a Schilke for lead or jobs that called for a bright sound.
His mouthpiece was "around a 3c" or a Schilke custom for lead playing. I'd
guess that he might be playing something made by Scott Laskey these days,
Laskey has done some work for him in the past.
Best wishes,
Matt Stock
mcs...@gte.net
jazz...@my-deja.com wrote in message <7tfonc$t49$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>...
>Lew Soloff has an excellent new CD called "With A Song In My Heart." I
>highly recommend it. On the cover of the CD it shows Lew, with a black
>hat shading his face, playing his trumpet. Does anyone know what
>mouthpiece and trumpet he plays? The mouthpiece sort of looks like a
>Schilke in the picture, but I can't quite make it out. I've heard that
>he switches to a lot of different sizes. Also, is the horn he is
>holding a Bach? It looks to be raw brass. One good thing... glad to
>see he isn't playing a Monette like you see so many others playing
>nowadays. CDs featuring a guy holding a Monette include: Mark Isham,
>Terance Blanchard, Art Farmer, Brian Lynch, Eddie Henderson, and of
>course, Wynton.
>
>
JFDonaldsn
mute, as I recall. Very tasty playing. I have, I think, all of his solo CD's
and they are among my favorites. I also think that his work, primarily on lead,
with the Carla Bley Big Band is very good. Those are great recordings for
anybody looking for some modern (and a bit unusual) big band recordings.
Lew may be the first guy to have a Soloff model from every mouthpiece company.
He has a Monette endorsed model, he is quoted as an endorser of in the Stork
mouthpiece brochure, he has had a long relationship with Scott Laskey
(primarily when he was at Schilke, and now certainly with Scott's new
enterprise) and a long relationship with Schilke. I saw him at a clinic when he
was still with Blood Sweat & Tears and he was like a kid with a new toy--the
toy: a custom Schilke trumpet in E (natural) purchased so Lew could solo in
easy keys during all those songs in awful guitar keys which B S & T was
playing.
The horn he is seen most with is a NY Bach medium bore in raw brass.
Jim Donaldson
Denver, Colorado
JFDon...@aol.com
The Schilke Loyalist
http://www.dallasmusic.org/schilke/
(note new address)
DHoff56012
bit of an exaggeration)
I have a story someone related to me. Al Porcino has a big band of his own in
Germany. One day one of the trumpet players was experimenting with mouthpieces
that night, and had several lined up across his music stand.
Al took one look and said in his crusty way "Oh, is Lew Soloff in the
building?"
I thought that was funny.
In all seriousness, Lew sounds great on whatever mouthpiece he happens to stick
in his face.
David Hoffman
jazz...@my-deja.com
dlwi...@my-deja.com wrote:
> but it is and was amazing how
> > many Bach owners come out of the wood work for less than the above,
> but
> > how no one seems to mind slamming away at David. What a bunch of
> > hypocrites.........
>
> Al,
>
> Recall the comment in my recent email to you regarding the
> irrational anti-Monette bias running through the trumpet community.
> Here is a good example. All it takes is somebody holding a Monette
on a
> CD cover to bring it out.
Oh, and I forgot to mention Roy Hargrove. He plays the Monette as well.
I don't want to estrange all you die-hard Monette fans out there but,
let's take a look at this "irrational anti-Montette bias." As an
analogy, when someone drives a Rolls Royce (and folks, like it or not,
tend to lend themselves to an image with what car they drive), one can
say, "Wow, that's an expensive, high profile car. I certainly can't
afford one of those (or whould want one)." The cars something for the
owners image (one of those show business types) but when the question
is asked... Is the Rolls a better car? Well, then we can compare it to
some of the best cars costing "only" $50,000-60,000 compared to
$200,000 and ascertain that the Rolls is not a "better car."
Same with trumpets. I think Monettes are more of a case of "the
emperors new cloths" than really substantively a superior horn. Human
nature being what it is, we like to think the more we pay for something
the better it is... and Dave Montette is more than willing to let the
customer do this (and I've met Dave too, a nice enough guy, nothing
personal here).
In summary, Monettes are an IMAGE thing more than a musical thing--
desearving an anti-bias from the rest of us trumpet players. Ever
since Wynton started playing them many other world class players have
followed suit-- just like for a while there everybody wanted a Martin
like Miles. The one good thing about them is that they make trumpets
costing $2000 look like a bargain... kind of how a $200,000 Rolls makes
a $70,000 BMW look cheap.
And please, Monette fans, no gashing of teeth... and try to tell me
that I am resentful or jealous (I admit, I can't afford one-- but I
can't affort a Rolls either, but would never waste the money on such an
extravagant item).
I've tried Monettes, including the Flumpet, which is so heavy you need
to play it from a camera stand, and they are just not "better" than all
those other "conventional" horns out there. More style than substance,
in my humble opinion. Innocent people paying thousands more than
necessary for a great horn... not that is truly an anti-bias of mine.
>
> See you in Nashville.
>
> Don Winters
>
Dr. Trumpet
> I've tried Monettes, including the Flumpet, which is so heavy you need
> to play it from a camera stand, and they are just not "better" than all
> those other "conventional" horns out there. More style than substance,
> in my humble opinion. Innocent people paying thousands more than
> necessary for a great horn... not that is truly an anti-bias of mine.
Friend,
I dare you to walk up to that list of players you mention and tell them
the same thing. In fact, Terrence and I had a long, long talk about
people with your viewpoint last April in Portland, as we both were staying
the the same hotel. He basically said that he too could feel and
appreciate substantial differences, and if you didn't, so much the better
for us as their would be more instruments available for us to play that
way. Ron Miles shared similar sentiments, and Mr. Schlueter just laughs
at the anti-Monette regiment. He is secure in his choice. Why are so
many so insecure with him making (or anyone) making that choice? Afraid
they will have something you don't?
As an aside, this is what amazes me. Players with incredible talent and a
reputation to match who chose the instrument, and viewpoints like the
above that do nothing but spout the same biased ideas for the anti-Monette
regiment but have no valid viewpoint. I appreciate you are sharing your
opinion, but your opinion is laced with anti-Monette quips and jabs, but
contains no substance like "I don't care for the tone quality", or "The
instrument does not focus for me". These are valid viewpoints, and ones
that I would not only appreciate, but could see happening with some
players. However, to criticise them with cliche point after cliche point,
and then to take a slap at artists from the recently departed Art Farmer
to Terrence Blanchard, Wynton, Charles Schlueter, Charles Gorham, Manny
Laurreano, etc. etc. is something I'll not stand by and watch. Just as if
you were to attack Mr. Herseth or Mr. Smith for their choices, I would
speak up. These are world class players who have earned your respect, and
if you cannot offer that, then you should be silent. Different viewpoints
are fine, and I am not condemning your viewpoint. Instead, I am saying
that any viewpoint that different from the above mentioned fine players
requires more than the standard cliche for support.
Having played the instrument for many years, I can say they are better for
me, they do make a difference in my playing, and that I would never be
without my Monette trumpets. And, my owning them has nothing to do with
the status involved. If that were the case, I'd buy the diamond encrusted
one with the double bell. Instead, I bought the one I thought played
best. As have all of the above.
And the camera stand cliche shows wher you are really coming from, as I
have heard that one spouted by people for so long that they probably don't
even know the original source. Suffice it to say, you were not the
original source of that quote.
AL
dlwi...@my-deja.com
>
> And please, Monette fans, no gashing of teeth... and try to tell me
> that I am resentful or jealous
Relax. I'll stick with "irrational." Thanks for making my point.
Howard Peirce
> the
> toy: a custom Schilke trumpet in E (natural) purchased so Lew could solo in
> easy keys during all those songs in awful guitar keys which B S & T was
> playing.
I got so frustrated with myself trying to play something meaningful when the
guitarist kept called blues in A concert, that one night I pulled my tuning slide
and all the valve slides, and played my horn in A. Helped with fingerings and
ideas, but it was sure out of tune. Fun for a lark, but I'm better off learning to
think chromatically in my key of B.
Still, sometimes I wish I had one of the old Victors with the quick-change
mechanism.
BTW: Let me agree on the Lew Soloff w/Carla Bley Very Big Band recordings. Buy it
for the trumpeting, keep it for the incredible music. Dang! Now I'm gonna hafta
get out "Goes to Church" when I get home.
HP
jazz...@my-deja.com
Well, I think my chances of an autograph from Terance Blanchard might
be a little in question if I approcach him by saying his Monette is a
hyberbolied piece of junk. Hey, Monette fans, I'm not saying Monettes
aren't good-- the parade of high profile trumpet greats that play them
will surely attest to that. The question is... are they $5,000-20,000
better than our Calicchios, Schikes, Bachs, Callets, Kanstuls, etc.? I
think not. Like it or not, a certain snob appeal underlies this issue.
I stand by my assertion that a BIG part of their appeal is
trendiness... Wynton plays one, they cost a bundle so are out of reach
for most hard working trumpet playing folk. And who, after forking out
$15,000 for a Monette, isn't going to say they are the greatest? This
is a natural reaction.
I've tried them and didn't care for them personaly, but I'm not saying
they aren't good. One thing about trying Monettes, you can't use your
own mouthpiece. I hate that, being forced to use a unfamalier heavy
Monette mouthpiece, I found it very difficult to fairly analyze their
strengths, weaknesses-- definetely not enough to place a $20,000 order
on faith. Maybe if I was Roy Hargorve Dave would let me take one
home... but I'm not and he didn't.
Monettes-- charlatanism or genius? Probably neither, but somewhere in
the middle of the pack with the Bachs and Schilkes I mentioned.
Hmm, I thought my crack about the camera stand was original... guess
I'm not the first person to make that observation.
Pops
makers. They strove to improve performance and do R&D when bigger
companies sat back and collected the profits.
Pops
A collection of Net Trumpet Lessons.
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/2429/Lessons.html
Information about my 2 books. "The No Nonsense Trumpet From A-Z" &
"Trumpet FAQ's" http://www.BbTrumpet.com
Best wishes
Clint 'Pops' McLaughlin
tootman
playing a Monette. Can you Monette apologists fathom that someone is sick
of hearing the Monette sound by otherwise great players?
Now this is more like it Al.
<dlwi...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:7tgrp7$o5k$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> but it is and was amazing how
> > many Bach owners come out of the wood work for less than the above,
> but
> > how no one seems to mind slamming away at David. What a bunch of
> > hypocrites.........
>
> Al,
>
> Recall the comment in my recent email to you regarding the
> irrational anti-Monette bias running through the trumpet community.
> Here is a good example. All it takes is somebody holding a Monette on a
> CD cover to bring it out.
>
> See you in Nashville.
>
> Don Winters
>
>
tootman
the quick change. Nice horn, comes with T.O.B.C.(sm). Valves recently
re-finished.
$675 shipped in USA
Brian Moon
Howard Peirce <howard...@sdrc.com> wrote in message
news:37FCC838...@sdrc.com...
tootman
that a simile?).
<dlwi...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:7tiho3$tmg$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
>
>
> >
> > And please, Monette fans, no gashing of teeth... and try to tell me
> > that I am resentful or jealous
>
> Relax. I'll stick with "irrational." Thanks for making my point.
>
DHoff56012
>need
>> > to play it from a camera stand, and they are just not "better" than
>all
>> > those other "conventional" horns out there. More style than
>substance,
I did try something I did like, and I definitely had a bias against it when I
saw it. It was made by Taylor and called a Flugette (or something like that).
It looked like a trumpet with a flugel-like receiver and leadpipe and a stupid
looking black plastic mouthpiece. I tried it just to make fun of it and ended
up liking the sound a lot. When you play it soft it's a lot like a flugelhorn,
but as you push it it gets a little bit of an edge, turning into a very
cornet-ish kind of sound. Alas, they want $3,000 for it, so I didn't buy it.
>> > in my humble opinion. Innocent people paying thousands more than
>> > necessary for a great horn... not that is truly an anti-bias of
>mine.
>>
Well, If people can afford it, and want the sound that horn offers, more power
to them. I have my own criticisms of the Monette, but that's purely a matter
of personal preference. I think that most people playing Monettes sound
extremely similar, like the horn is controlling them. That is why I don't play
one.. Well, that and the expense, and the fact that even if I could afford the
horn and liked it, physically I wouldn't want to carry it. But I guess if I
could afford the horn I could afford someone to haul it around for me.
Many people like these horns. There are some very good trumpet players that
love the Monette. It is giving them something that they want. But I still
think Wynton sounded better on a Bach.
Right now as far as sound is concerned, my favorite young trumpet player is
Nicholas Payton. He's playing on an old Conn Constellation. To me his sound
is dark without being dead. I think the Monettes cross this line. Again, it's
only my opinion.
David Hoffman
DHoff56012
>makers. They strove to improve performance and do R&D when bigger
>companies sat back and collected the profits.
>
Very good point. I think that horns off the line have improved due to the
efforts of the small manufacturers. Competition is a good thing.
David Hoffman
Howard Peirce
> I have a 1920's gold plated Conn FS with both Schilke style tuning slide and
> the quick change. Nice horn, comes with T.O.B.C.(sm). Valves recently
> re-finished.
Contact me offlist. I tried to contact you, but the mailer daemon returned it
with an "Unknown host" message.
HP
Dr. Trumpet
> I don't care for the tone quality. Adolph sounds better on a Bach.
> Listen to Scriabin's "Poem of Ecstacy" conducted by Jarvi circa 1990 vs
> the Boulez 1995 version. Even 5 years older IMO Bud sounds better on a
> Bach.
>
> Dave Monnette has accomplished two things:
>
> 1. He has shown instrument companies that people will pay 5, 10 or 20
> thousand dollars or more for a poorly designed trumpet.
>
> 2. He made Adolph sound like an ordinary trumpet player.
>
> Dulia
I appreciate this post. It has reason and it is direct. No punched
pulled, and a clear opinion. While I disagree, I appreciate your post
because you have a point and support it.
Thank You!
AL
Dr. Trumpet
some interesting new users of Monette equipment, and a new mouthpiece
design. Worth a look at: http://www.monette.net
du...@my-deja.com
dr_trpt-...@hotmail.com (Dr. Trumpet) wrote:
I appreciate you are sharing your
> opinion, but your opinion is laced with anti-Monette quips and jabs, but
> contains no substance like "I don't care for the tone quality", or "The
> instrument does not focus for me". These are valid viewpoints, and ones
> that I would not only appreciate, but could see happening with some
> players.
I don't care for the tone quality. Adolph sounds better on a Bach.
Listen to Scriabin's "Poem of Ecstacy" conducted by Jarvi circa 1990 vs
the Boulez 1995 version. Even 5 years older IMO Bud sounds better on a
Bach.
Dave Monnette has accomplished two things:
1. He has shown instrument companies that people will pay 5, 10 or 20
thousand dollars or more for a poorly designed trumpet.
2. He made Adolph sound like an ordinary trumpet player.
Dulia
tootman
terrible Tschaik 4 to a used record store. I got the Marvin Stamm CD
"Bopboy" for it. I enjoyed the playing but after a few tunes I tired of
it. Though It is a lot better than the Tschaik.
<du...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:7tjn2n$pc6$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
du...@my-deja.com
dr_trpt-...@hotmail.com (Dr. Trumpet) wrote:
> I appreciate this post. It has reason and it is direct. No punched
> pulled, and a clear opinion. While I disagree, I appreciate your post
> because you have a point and support it.
>
> Thank You!
>
> AL
NO, thank YOU for you're maturity. I always enjoy you're posts Al.
dulia
Jim Marquess
touched off a memory. When I was a kid, the ONLY people I could find to
play with were guitar players, and the ONLY keys they played in were
(trp) F# minor of B minor. As a result, I got to where I could handle
those pretty well. Where this later came in handy was when playing
"outside" started getting popular--so when in F or Bb I had some fun
going outside. Curiously, I 've been listening to a CD by a very good
west coast trumpeter named Clay Jenkins. When I picked up the horn to
play along, I was surprised that the heads to several songs were in
(trp) E or B (major). But this made sense when he soloed--his fast,
"outside" runs were in F or C. Pretty neat. Good to be back--missed the
group. Jim
Howard Peirce
> When I was a kid, the ONLY people I could find to
> play with were guitar players, and the ONLY keys they played in were
> (trp) F# minor of B minor. As a result, I got to where I could handle
> those pretty well. Where this later came in handy was when playing
> "outside" started getting popular--so when in F or Bb I had some fun
> going outside.
Getting way off topic here, but I've found one advantage of having taken an
eight year hiatus from playing before getting back into it again. Before I
quit, no matter how much time I spent practicing in keys like A or Gb
concert, I was never as comfortable in those as I was in keys like Bb or F.
When I started playing again, I got right into working everything in all 12
keys. Because of the time off, my muscle memory for the "easy" keys had
atrophied a bit, and all keys became more or less equal. Some keys, like
(trp) Ab, I actually find fun to play, and wish I could find more tunes
with passages in Gb concert.
HP
Jim Marquess
after laying off regularly playing for a while too, that my ears seem
better--almost more receptive to playing in all keys. I can't offer any
explanation for this other than suggesting that my old practice/playing
routines were becoming just that...routine.
stanton
SK
P.S... For me Gb is easy. F# is tough (go figure).
DizzysBluz
Interestingly enough, Clark Terry used to tell a story about how, as a youth,
he would play the piano in his home. He would pick out the notes to the songs
he liked on the radio, but using mostly the black keys only. Then, after going
to some jam sessions with more experienced players (who didn't really want to
play How High The Moon in Db), Clark was told that the keys he was playing were
"too difficult."
Suddenly, Clark says, he began having problems playing any tunes in those keys,
because he now had it in his mind that these keys were inherently more
difficult than any others. Eventually, he could barely play anything in sharp
keys on the piano because of this, yet he could play beautifully in those keys
before he really "knew any better."
Ever since I heard this story as told by Clark Terry, I begin most of my early
students on the C# and Dd Major scales without telling them anything. If they
don't perceive the key as "difficult" they learn it just as easily as any other
key.
--Walt Hertman
Jerry Houston
and the presenter (sorry, can't remember who) pointed out that in the early
years, uneducated (read that, "not formally trained") pianists used the
black keys almost exclusively on the piano. They did so because it's hard
to make a bad-sounding mistake. Nearly anywhere you put down your fingers,
something fits in.
Jerry in Seattle
DizzysBluz <dizzy...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19991012091711...@ng-fo1.aol.com...
<snip>
> Suddenly, Clark says, he began having problems playing any tunes in those
keys,
> because he now had it in his mind that these keys were inherently more
> difficult than any others. Eventually, he could barely play anything in
sharp
> keys on the piano because of this, yet he could play beautifully in those
keys
> before he really "knew any better." ...
jazz...@my-deja.com
Supposedly he could only play the piano, at least as a youngster, using
the black keys (don't know if the family piano was in bad shape or
what). Case in point-- the melody of "I've Got Rhythm" uses only those
"black" notes.
Howard Peirce
> I watched a television presentation many years ago about jazz improvisation,
> and the presenter (sorry, can't remember who) pointed out that in the early
> years, uneducated (read that, "not formally trained") pianists used the
> black keys almost exclusively on the piano. They did so because it's hard
> to make a bad-sounding mistake. Nearly anywhere you put down your fingers,
> something fits in.
Only as long as you do tunes in Gb major or Eb minor. Otherwise, you'll get
nothing but clams. Since most jazz pianists prior to modern jazz were not
formally trained, you'd expect a whole bunch of recordings in GbM or Ebm, but
there isn't. OTOH, Db was a common key for blues in the Swing era, and that's
not a good key for anyone. I think this is an old wives' tale.
The only pianist I can think of who stuck to the black keys was Irving Berlin,
and he wasn't a jazzer. He also had a special piano constructed for him with a
movable keyboard, so he could play in all keys.
HP
DizzysBluz
Supposedly he could only play the piano, at least as a youngster, using
the black keys (don't know if the family piano was in bad shape or
what). Case in point-- the melody of "I've Got Rhythm" uses only those
"black" notes.>>>>>>>
Actually, Clark Terry was talking about himself. However, I wouldn't take his
story to mean that Mr. Terry is an "uneducated" musician....he was, however,
pointing out the fact that our minds create our perception of "difficult"
versus "easy" and thus "...make it so." [to paraphrase Thoreau's quote]