Sidney Bechet - Blue Horizon

This tune is a pure classic, probably the best ever played on clarinet in the history of jazz. I found a fine description of this legendary recording by Sidney Bechet here:

http://idliketocallyourattentionto.blogspot.com/2007/06/blue-horizon-sidney-b...

Blue Horizon, Sidney Bechet and His Blue Note Jazzmen, December 30, 1944

Sidney de Paris, trumpet
Vic Dickenson, trombone
Sidney Bechet, clarinet
Art Hodes, piano
Pops Foster, string bass
Manzie Johnson, drums

Sidney Bechet is another New Orleans jazz artist; he started earlier than Louis Armstrong and also pioneered in the jazz idiom and, in particular, the jazz solo. This tour-de-force is one of the great instrumental blues masterpieces of all time. Although it was recorded in the forties, it derives from the jazz Bechet helped to create in the 1920s.

Listen to the fine tremolo Bechet brings out of his instrument. Like all great jazz musicians, Bechet can bring everything about a song, from the sound of his instrument to the melody itself, to the very edge, where it appears as if it might just break off, without losing control. You may not notice how sure-footed some people are until you see them prance nimbly around a cliff. Here Bechet is in command throughout the piece, which is practically all clarinet solo. Richard Hadlock recalls some musical advice Bechet gave him regarding how to produce a tone: Im going to give you one note today, he once told me. See how many ways you can play that note—growl it, smear it, flat it, sharp it, do anything you want to it. Thats how you express your feelings in this music. Its like talking. (quoted in Ted Gioa, The History of Jazz, p. 50).

Throughout the history of jazz, vocals have been made to sound like instruments (recall Louiss scat solo on Hotter Than That) and instruments have been made to sound like voices. There is no question of simple imitation here, but rather the instrument starts to sound as personal and emotive as a voice while retaining its own distinctive sound.

There are six blues choruses (A F), each of 12 bars, constructed, as usual, of three sections of four bars.

Minutes/Seconds:

A: a 0 12
a 13 27
b 28 41

B: a 42 57
a 58 1:11
b 1:12 1:24

C a 1:25 143
a 1:44 1:54
b 1:55 2:09

D a 2:10 2:20
a 2:21 2:37
b 2:38 - 2: 53

E a 2:54 3:08
a 3:09 3:23
b 3:24 3:37

F a 3:38 3:53
a 3 :54 4:08
b 4:09 4:25

For Sidney Bechet

by Philip Larkin

That note you hold, narrowing and rising, shakes
Like New Orleans reflected on the water,
And in all ears appropriate falsehood wakes,

Building for some a legendary Quarter
Of balconies, flower-baskets and quadrilles,
Everyone making love and going shares

Oh, play that thing! Mute glorious Storyvilles
Others may license, grouping around their chairs
Sporting-house girls like circus tigers (priced

Far above rubies) to pretend their fads,
While scholars manqués nod around unnoticed
Wrapped up in personnels like old plaids.

On me your voice falls as they say love should,
Like an enormous yes. My Crescent City
Is where your speech alone is understood,

And greeted as the natural noise of good,
Scattering long-haired grief and scored pity.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Sidney
• Bechet
• Blue
• Horizon

[Mounhas]

Ah, that hits the spot so well. Tks for the posting.

[SirGaul]

Easily one of the best tunes EVER played on clarinet!

[BatMiteDimension]

I love Jazz....

[BlayKnown]

ho l'acqua alla gola mi gira la testa mi tremano le mani, insomma..this è troppo wonderful!!!!

[Phikay1]

It’s like a lost art. So nostalgic!

[akibubba1]

yezz,yezz-very vibrattoey - dude can definitely portray an atmospheric feeling,tho...

[37BopCity]

Yes it's a magnificent performance. There's lots of trained classical players who would have a hard time duplicating this. Among my personal all-time favourite Bechet tracks are the Original Haitian cuts he recorded with Willie The Lion Smith----13 tracks in one day, Nov. 22/1939. They are totally fantastic.

[MrBuk86]

The vibrato's one of the best things about Bechet's playing, even though bastards still got on him in his day for it, but hey, he liberated France with this shit! He's the man.

[nicktbiz]

This is one of the greatest blues of all time. So sad that it seems virtually unknown.

The only other version I've ever heard on record is by Ryan Burrage a talented New Orleans reed player who plays in Fritzel's on Bourbon.

Listening to it has taught just how to make effective use of all those notes that aren't on the common chord, they wat they keep you hanging on waiting for them to resolve

[eddpouet]

@theapocryphaltruth Shit, I can't unhear now.

[davebrennanmusic]

Very cool recording! :-)

[anonymous7102]

I can live with only one person not liking this, I like sidney though.