Earl Bostic

[GJ77]

Now for some reason, after playing sax for over 20 years and often hearing the man spoken about in reverential terms, I'd never really listened to Earl Bostic until this morning. What a fool I've been.

I just downloaded a cheap compilation from iTunes and it's fantastic. Such joyful playing (a little over the top at times, admittedly) and technically pretty damn special too if that's your thing.

 

[Jeanette]

Some one that has escaped me too, must have a listen🙂

Jx

 

[altissimo]

http://youtu.be/A3qY3cnrfk0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Bostic

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

Everyone keeps banging on about how he played a tenor reed on his Beechler Belite alto piece, well i have that same mouthpiece on my Silversonic but just coulden't get anything with a tenor reed, maybe he shaved the sides down? i dont know...

 

[Jamesmac]

This is his version of Harlem Nocturne, captures the NYC vibe.
But I think Pete Thomas ver. Is better.

http://youtu.be/k_ziYBiMiq0

 

[Jonesy]

Sounds like a name that would stick in your mind.

 

[Jeanette]

But I think Pete Thomas ver. Is better.

http://youtu.be/k_ziYBiMiq0

think I agree 🙂

Jx

 

[altissimo]

Everyone keeps banging on about how he played a tenor reed on his Beechler Belite alto piece, well i have that same mouthpiece on my Silversonic but just coulden't get anything with a tenor reed, maybe he shaved the sides down? i dont know...

http://earlbostic.com/ - I think that's a diamond dot in the photo on the website...
I think the use of a tenor reed may be a myth, but who knows? The secret of Earl Bostic's sound was Earl Bostic

 

[Colin the Bear]

I have a few tracks of his in my collection.

I try to do a version of this on tenor.

http://youtu.be/OWNYVlMLDE0

Edit:- This thread set me off trawling and I found this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_cnIlfuvL4&list=PL4F28C4EEBAC43170&feature=share&index=16

I've never heard it before. And never heard the song played like that.

 

[ProfJames]

Sounds like a name that would stick in your mind.

U hu.................

 

[Nick Wyver]

http://earlbostic.com/ - I think that's a diamond dot in the photo on the website...
I think the use of a tenor reed may be a myth, but who knows? The secret of Earl Bostic's sound was Earl Bostic

Yeah. He practised a lot.

 

[Kingsleyhk]

A few more clips on my website:

http://www.kingsleyjazz.com/170035024

 

[flamingoer]

Re. 'I can't give you anything but love' - could he have listened to Freddy Gardner

 

[Colin the Bear]

Another great player I've never heard of. Sheesh. My favourite era too. Looking into him now though I can't find the song in question.

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

My favorite Earl Bostic tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gmNcw2rt1J4

 

[Kingsleyhk]

Re. 'I can't give you anything but love' - could he have listened to Freddy Gardner

We should all listen to Freddy Gardner!

http://www.kingsleyjazz.com/170035029

 

[ProfJames]

My favorite Earl Bostic tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gmNcw2rt1J4

Wow, what a player. Fantastic

 

[kernewegor]

"Today he rests under a simple black slate gravemarker inscribed with his name, birth/death dates and a solo saxophone, located not far from other musical luminaries as Chet Baker, Ray Charles, and Ella Fitzgerald, who was born exactly five years after Earl. Bostic was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 1993."

Read carefully.

 

[Sue]

He was my dad's favourite player and he tried for years during my teens/twenties to get me into saxophone and jazz/blues music. Me knowing better (like all teenagers) derided him and went on watching/listening/dancing to the likes of Floyd, The Who, Stones, Bowie, Slade and then onto heavy metal and AC/DC were my favourites for a long time. If I could back and give my younger self a slap (gentle), I would have got into music like this many years before I did (as a very old teenager of about 40) . Still never too late and he is amongst my favourites now - thanks Dad x

 

[Greg Strange]

He was my dad's favourite player and he tried for years during my teens/twenties to get me into saxophone and jazz/blues music. Me knowing better (like all teenagers) derided him and went on watching/listening/dancing to the likes of Floyd, The Who, Stones, Bowie, Slade and then onto heavy metal and AC/DC were my favourites for a long time. If I could back and give my younger self a slap (gentle), I would have got into music like this many years before I did (as a very old teenager of about 40) . Still never too late and he is amongst my favourites now - thanks Dad x

Geez Sue AC/DC!? At least your Dad had good taste...

If you ever visit Kiwiland you can have a feed at Phil Rudd's restaurant

http://www.philsplacenz.com/

Greg S.