Clarinet Music
Clarinet Use in Jazz Music Today
Clarinets have been used in various types of music since its invention in the 1600’s, from classical to rock ‘n’ roll. Since the inception of the genre, jazz musicians have been writing, performing, and recording songs for the clarinet. Though the use of the clarinet in jazz music fell off somewhat in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the clarinet is currently reemerging as a force to be reckoned with in all of the sub-genres of jazz music.
The clarinet was one of the original instruments of jazz. Dixieland, also known as hot jazz or New Orleans jazz, was the first wave of music that was officially recognized as “jazz.” Dixieland music began around the turn of the 20th century; Dixieland relied heavily on the clarinet to deliver solo melodies, along with the other Dixieland staples of trumpet and trombone. The bright and mellow notes of the clarinet were accented and complemented by the Dixieland rhythm section, which included piano, guitar, banjo, drums, and a double bass. Though the clarinet would be also be popular in later genres of jazz, it was an obligatory element of Dixieland groups, and the feisty presence of the clarinet in Dixieland-style jazz continues today.
The clarinet continued its jazz dominance as big band music came to power in the 1930’s and 1940’s. The clarinet remained a staple of swing music through the 1950’s. As the 1950’s drew to a close, the clarinet began to fall out of favor as the newer styles of jazz became brassier and with a harder edge. Consequently, trumpets and saxophones began to replace the clarinet in many jazz orchestras. No matter how versatile the clarinet admittedly is, the instrument does not posses the harshness that many jazz audiences looked for the in latter half of the 20th Century.
Modern Jazz Clarinet Players
People typically associate jazz clarinet with the early 20th century titans, like Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, both of whom led their own bands. Other great jazz clarinetists included Jimmy Dorsey and Harry Carney.
While the clarinet might have lost its way for many years in mainstream jazz, top virtuosos who can really make that licorice stick swing are making a comeback. Current jazz clarinetists include Buddy DeFranco, Alan Barnes, Don Byron, and Eddie Daniels.
Buddy DeFranco
Born in 1923, Buddy DeFranco has been playing jazz clarinet since 1935. At 85 years old, DeFranco is still going strong and even continues to release new CD’s. DeFranco has always played with a formal, disciplined technique; yet his airy melodies nevertheless spill across the room freely during his appearances, flowing from him naturally. In interviews, Buddy often recalls his days spent playing with the likes of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, the latter of which heavily influenced Buddy in his mastery and control of the higher registers. DeFranco is most well known as being the number one clarinetist in Be-bop.
Alan Barnes
While jazz may be thought of as strictly American, British jazz clarinetist Alan Barnes is another clarinetist at the forefront of today’s jazz scene. Barnes has played on 49 albums since he began recording in 1985. In addition to playing several types of clarinets, including the bass clarinet, which is a rising star in modern jazz scenes, Barnes is a saxophonist. He is a true jazz “fusionist”; along with being heavily involved in the modern jazz scene, he has also played sessions for popular rock artists, including Bjork, Van Morrison, and Brian Ferry. Barnes incorporates a variety of jazz styles, and can be counted on to be heading about three very differently styled bands and ensembles at any point in time.
Don Byron
A serious discussion of the clarinet in modern jazz cannot be had without mentioning jazz virtuoso Don Byron. Byron also plays the bass clarinet and “doubles” on the saxophone. (“Doubling” refers to the practice of many jazz musicians to pick up mainstream instruments that help them pay the bills in addition to their primary instruments of choice, which are more obscure and harder to find gigs with). Byron is known for his passionate and eclectic pieces, and is able to play in a variety of jazz styles, including avant-garde, and traditional. His thick dreadlocks, swinging around his face as he plays, might be suited more to hip-hop than jazz, but Byron is the real deal when it comes to the jazz clarinet.
These are only a miniscule sample of clarinetists working in jazz music today. Other famous jazz clarinetists include Bob Wilbur, Dave Brubeck, Ken Peplowski, and Victor Goines, to name only a few. The jazz clarinet is a robust part of modern jazz music; it’s prevalence and influence within the genre grows stronger every day. No matter how much current audiences salivate over the trumpet and sax, the jazz clarinet provides a uniqueness that will continue to keep it in demand in educated jazz circles. As long as there is jazz, the clarinet is not going anywhere.
