Jazz for aficionados

nsp - 
Thanks for the suggestions and additional video.  Ah...of course, Bob Mintzer.  I've been enjoying the Yellowjackets' Timeline album quite a lot recently.  Was totally overlooking Bob Mintzer on bass clarinet.  Unfortunately, the Bob Mintzer live cut you provided is unavailable (in the US?).  I couldn't view it, in any case.  Wow...Marcus Miller.  Another bass clarinetist I know nothing about (not that big a surprise, really).  His beautiful tone really grabbed me with just the first few notes.  I'm not that big on the "jazz standards" but was really liking things until Mr. Sanborn made his entrance (physically and musically).  Totally wrecks the "mood" of the performance - or so I think.  We will continue to persevere in our pursuit of Eric Dolphy.  

rok & alex - Thanks for the flute suggestions.  

Frogman - The Dolphy solo performances of "God Bless The Child" you linked to reminded me of Bach's works for solo violin.  There's a purity and distillation to essence in his performance.

All this bass clarinet info has been enlightening.  Yes, taste is personal but I do see its place in jazz.  In many examples I'm drawn in by the rich tonalities, similar to but not the same as the bari sax.

I had no idea so much was available, so thanks to all who posted links.  In particular, not sure how I missed so much Dolphy, but I don't have a single album with him as the leader.  A couple of Mingus albums but I'm not sure what else as a sideman?

pryso, if one  can only have one album with Dolphy as leader this is the one.  Classic recording which is generally considered to be his greatest.  Amazing lineup playing perhaps the most coherent (non-bs) example of music in all of “avant-garde” jazz:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ln8naZpOJ0o

The first use of the bass clarinet in jazz was in the context of big band arrangements where it’s distinctive tone color can be exploited very much like it can be in a symphony orchestra.  Duke Ellington did this better than anyone who wrote for jazz orchestra. His great baritonist Harry Carney was also a fine bass clarinetist and was featured on the instrument in some of Duke’s arrangements.  “A Tone Paralell To Harlem” is one of Duke’s best known “suites”.  Check out Harry Carney on bass clarinet @ 8:35:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k2x5ukuGPEE

Bill Holman, another (more contemporary) great big band orchestrator featured the bass clarinet on his arrangement of the beatiful Jimmy Rowels ballad “The Peacocks”:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eKv91DFhgS4

Joe Temperley served as the low reed guy in Wynton’s JALC band until his recent unfortunate passing.  Wonderful bass clarinetist:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M9uFP5vPSmI

Another player with “avant-garde” leanings.  Have never been a fan of his tenor playing, but enjoy his bass clarinet:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=akz87TT1c5w

And, of course, the funkiest bass clarinetist ever, Bennie Maupin on one of the funkiest and possibly best “fusion” recordings ever, Herbie Hancock’s “Headhunters”.  Love this record:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mZy7v_-ss74

pryso
Liked Herbie Mann link you posted. Thanks. Did not know h e played bass clarinet. Most of his albums are him playing flute. I may get a copy of the cd.
I agree bass clarinet has rich tonalities as does the bari sax both di fferent than the alto or tenor saxes.
Dolphy has several cds on the ojc label titled Live at the five spot, a group he had with trumpeter Booker Little. The songs are long with plenty of solo space and Dolphy plays bass clarinet on several songs.
The Illinois Concert is another good solo effort by Dolphy with Herbie Hancock on piano.

ghosthouse
Sorry maybe i copied the live Mintzer video incorrectly. Yes Soft Machine titles3-7 are my favorites although I have some of their later output and live recordings.
I'll check out If Summer Had It's Ghosts. I like all 3 musicians, especially Gomez with Bill Evans.
Here's a clip of Courtney Pine playing bass clarinet in duo. The album is Song the Ballad Book and he only plays bass clarinet.