SOTM Bye Bye Blackbird

[rhysonsax]

Are we talking about a Bb bass or an Eb Bari. My yearning for a Bb bass subsided when I realised it only goes four semitones lower than an Eb Bari. That would be about £4k per semitone. In the early (C1930's) Dance bands, the Bb Bass was ubiquitous. No electric and so much cooler than a Tuba. You can see one stood on the end in some Fred and Ginger films. play on a stand. No problem.

For baritone Harry Carney and Gerry Mulligan have it covered.

I'm talking about my bass sax which very unusually goes down to low A. I have got a SaxRax stand for it that is a playing stand but I haven't found a really comfortable position for it.

And then there is the issue of lugging the bass in its coffin-sized case to and from the car, the venue, the car and home.

Rhys

 

[Colin the Bear]

Wow! Never even heard of a Low A bass. My friend who is disabled and plays Tuba, tows his instrument behind his mobility scooter in a wheeled case. Perhaps you need to talk to the village blacksmith and get something custom made.

 

[Ivan]

I did try on one occasion but it wasn't a big success. We have a couple of people in the band who do arrangements so maybe I could get one of them to do a special feature for the bass sax. But I'm not sure my neck and back would survive - at the moment I'm have moved to a harness because of neck pains with bari.

Another thought is that the bass sax might not cut through the ensemble sound well. Any ideas for a good bass sax feature ?

Rhys

There was a guy in the Putney Half Moon in the 80's who played bass sax across his knee. He kinda jiggled in time to the notes (if anyone can tell me who he was, I'd be grateful). It didn't necessarily look a back saving style of play, but it was very entertaining

That Bryan Ferry has an orchestra that includes bass sax

 

[kevgermany]

I'm talking about my bass sax which very unusually goes down to low A.

Is that the Keilwerth once off that Stephen Howard reviewed?

 

[Francisco]

Bye Bye Blackbird

 

[specs]

Sombre Blackbird Byebyeblackbird

 

[rhysonsax]

Is that the Keilwerth once off that Stephen Howard reviewed?

Yes. It was made by Martin Grunewald as his “Masterpiece” when working as a craftsman at Keilwerth. So it uses a lot of Keilwerth parts but isn’t really a Keilwerth.

Rhys

 

[U CAN CALL ME AL]

My first attempt, protracted ending to backing. Single take too many choruses for me my brain timed out.

https://soundcloud.com/user-550962391%2Fbye-bye-blackbird

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[Ivan]

Here is my version.

https://soundcloud.com/user-935648777%2Fby-bye-blackbird

Chasing that BlackBird with a spring in your step

Why not crack open the Lafleur for another turn round the garden?

 

[Ivan]

My first attempt, protracted ending to backing. Single take too many choruses for me my brain timed out.

https://soundcloud.com/user-550962391%2Fbye-bye-blackbird

​

Loving the bird-like trills at 2:58

 

[Ivan]

Bye Bye Blackbird

Sensitively played

 

[Ivan]

Sombre Blackbird Byebyeblackbird

A melancholoy that suits the song

 

[trimmy]

Loving the bird-like trills at 2:58

‘Twas a blackbird’

 

[Ivan]

‘Twas a blackbird’

Your Missus been feeding you Trill too?

 

[U CAN CALL ME AL]

Your Missus been feeding you Trill too?

The ‘trills’ were unplanned and spontaneous. My immediate thoughts while playing were “ I can’t believe I just did that” my brain imploded at that point and I struggled to complete the take. Al

 

[Ivan]

The ‘trills’ were unplanned and spontaneous. My immediate thoughts while playing were “ I can’t believe I just did that” my brain imploded at that point and I struggled to complete the take. Al

Thinking too hard?

 

[U CAN CALL ME AL]

An Alto take YAS62 MkI Jody Jazz DV MP Forestone M reed!! Not sure I like the reed sound a little thin in higher register?

"The Woosell cocke, so blacke of hew, With Orenge-tawny bill"​

​

 

[Ivan]

An Alto take YAS62 MkI Jody Jazz DV MP Forestone M reed!! Not sure I like the reed sound a little thin in higher register?

"The Woosell cocke, so blacke of hew, With Orenge-tawny bill"​

​

I quite liked the singing quality of the higher register

Wot I don't understand is why your 'blackbird' is not 'with orenge-tawny bill'??? Are you sure it's turdus?

 

[U CAN CALL ME AL]

I quite liked the singing quality of the higher register

Wot I don't understand is why your 'blackbird' is not 'with orenge-tawny bill'??? Are you sure it's turdus?

Ma Jenkins, my English mistress, when we briefly studied Midsummer Night’s Dream postulated that Wills “Woosell” of Bottom’s song was more likely to be a blackbird than a ring ouzel due to the distinctive beak colour and the following reference to a thrush the closer relative?
I am perfectly happy to be corrected. Al

 

[nigeld]

Wot I don't understand is why your 'blackbird' is not 'with orenge-tawny bill'??? Are you sure it's turdus?

I think the blackbird in the picture is an American Blackbird (Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus) and not the orange-billed European blackbird (Turdus merula).

But that is appropriate, since the song is American.