Wednesday, April 27, 2022

ccxxxviii. BECHET, Sidney / PILAFIAN PROJECT: Petite Fleur

ccxxxviii. BECHET, Sidney (1897-1959) / PILAFIAN PROJECT

Petite Fleur (1952)
Sidney Bechet and His All-Stars
SB, soprano saxophone
(4:50)

Petite Fleur (The Last Tango)
PILAFIAN PROJECT
Sam Pilafian, tuba
Scott Zimmer, soprano and alto saxophones
John O'Reilly, drums, percussion
(6:55)


from: Meltdown.


Bechet's wide vibrato sounds strange to today's ears -- but he plays with great subtlety and passion.

**

I met Sam at Interlochen in 1967 and again in 1969. I remember he was the first tuba player in memory to win the Concerto Competition -- a highly competitive event every summer which brought out the greatest violinists, pianists, occasionally a flautist, or oboe player -- but a tuba player to win that -- that was really special! (He probably played the Vaughn Williams, although I can't remember)

In '69, I wrote a graphic-notation piece for him which he performed magnificently. We traded CDs in 2000, and I was very saddened to hear he passed away a few years ago.

**

The Bechet video features some stunning images of petite fleurs and other flora and fauna ...




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INDEX to 1000 POSTS NON-CLASSICAL BLOG A-M

N-Z A-HA / Take On Me / ccclxx ABERCROMBIE, John / Timeless / xxiii ABERCROMBIE, John / JOHNSON, Marc / ERSKINE, Peter / Light Beam / cxlix ...