Category: WoodLinks

https://samekmusic.com

Victoria Samek founded the Clarinet and Saxophone Classics CD label in 1992. This company has issued 93 recordings since that time, much of it devoted to historic artists and their significant recordings. I have benefited from purchasing CD recordings by Reginald Kell, David Weber, Rudy Wiedoeft, Henri Bok, Marcel Mule, Philippe Cuper and The History of the Saxophone and Historical Recordings of The Clarinet.

This label also issues recordings of contemporary performers and composers and publishes works by present-day composers. All the recordings are available as CDs or downloads and the publications are offered in printed and digital formats. However, one of the great benefits of their CDs are the accompanying liner note booklets, replete with detailed information about the music and the performers. And all the historical albums have benefited from excellent digital restoration. This is definitely a website worth investigating for all serious clarinetists and saxophonists.

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB2R339Y

DigitalForce:
https://digitalforce.com/stanley-drucker-heritage…/…

Stanley Drucker had one of the most illustrious and long careers of any American instrumentalist, let alone clarinetist. Principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic for a record 48 years and a member of the orchestra for almost 61 years, he was recognized by Musical America in 1998 as Instrumentalist of the Year—the first woodwind player to ever be so honored. Several years ago, Jerome Bunke, a clarinetist, record producer, former student, and lifelong friend of Mr. Drucker’s, began a project to document Stanley Drucker’s incredible career as a soloist and chamber player. The Heritage Collection is the end result of that endeavor. It is produced with elegance and artistry with wonderful liner notes. The Collection had until recently been comprised of 3 sets with 9 CDs. We now have the final set in the series available which includes 5 CDs of never- before heard live performances as well as some studio recordings that encompass a 54-year span. The diversity of works included on these CDs reflect how committed Stanley Drucker was to playing contemporary music as well as the more standard repertoire. What’s not generally known or spoken about is how much playing he did outside of the orchestra–in local community halls, libraries, as well as the major concert halls throughout the world. I am continually amazed at the high level of artistry he maintained throughout his entire career. In this latest set of recordings, I was particularly impressed by the performances of the Spohr Clarinet Concerto No.3, Poulenc Clarinet Sonata, Prokofiev Overture on Hebrew Themes (rendered when he was 90 in a live performance at an ICA Conference!), Barber Summer Music, Mozart Trio (Kegelstaat), and various recordings for 2 clarinets and accompaniment performed with his wife, clarinetist Naomi Drucker. Throughout the entire Heritage Collection one thing stands out clearly—Stanley Drucker’s commitment to playing music with an opinion. He was not content to just play the notes, rhythms, dynamics, and phrases and let that be the end of it. He always put forth his own unique spin on whatever he played each time he performed a work, even music that he had played his entire life! Stanley Drucker never phoned in a performance and these performances prove that point. I cannot recommend more highly this latest set as well as the entire Heritage Collection. While we lost this giant in 2022, this collection ensures that his music will live on.

*Please see the video interview with Stanley Drucker on this site:
https://www.joffewoodwinds.com/videos/stanley-drucker-the-heavyweight-champ

“The Real Reason Why Music Is Getting Worse”

Rick Beato is a guitarist, producer, songwriter, audio engineer, and educator who has his own YouTube channel with over 4 million subscribers in which he delves into discussions of numerous and varied topics associated with music and the music industry. He also offers courses in ear training, theory, and guitar playing on www.RickBeato.com. Mr. Beato frequently interviews musicians on YouTube and offers sage advice and observations of the music business. In this particular segment, he talks with great passion and understanding of how the production and consumption of music has changed over the past 80+ years. This is a must-see video for any musician and music lover. Enjoy!

https://www.mosaicrecords.com/jazz-gazette-news

The Jazz Gazette is a free, monthly publication of Mosaic Records. It is a wonderful newsletter which features stories and photographs about a wide range of jazz luminaries created by some of the finest jazz writers and columnists. They typically examine an aspect or period of the jazz artist(s) featured coupled with soundtracks to illuminate their points. For instance, the latest issue offers stories about Lester Young, Count Basie, Bobby Sherwood, Cab Calloway, Elvin Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, the film Round Midnight, and Greg Osby—quite an eclectic mix! This is jazz musicology at its finest. As a product of the magnificent Mosaic Record company, one is also kept apprised of the latest offerings of that company’s products. (See my Mosaic Records WoodLink at: https://www.joffewoodwinds.com/woodlinks/mosaic-records.)

To receive this newsletter, just click on the link at the top of the page and you will see how to register.

P.S. Mosaic Record’s co-founder, Michael Cuscuna, recently passed away. The entire jazz community owes him a great deal of gratitude for his discovery of the hundreds of unissued and reissued recordings from Blue Note and other labels that he was able to produce. The excellence and professionalism that has accompanied every Mosaic product was largely due to his curiosity and attention to detail. RIP.

https://americanarchive.org/catalog?f%5Baccess_types%5D%5B%5D=online&f%5Bseries_titles%5D%5B%5D=Just+Jazz&sort=asset_date+asc

Mark Myers, the producer of Jazzwax.com as well as the music and arts writer for the Wall Street Journal, recently posted a link to the American Archive of Public Broadcasting site. This particular link takes one to some of the wonderful jazz shows that were hosted by Ed Beach from 1961-1976. Mr. Beach was the most erudite jazz radio DJ and his Just Jazz broadcasts enlightened generations of jazz lovers. These shows were two-hour specials presented Monday–Friday as well as a four-hour show on Saturday on WRVR-FM radio in New York City. (WRVR was a radio station dedicated to presenting the finest in jazz and public interest stories and was the precursor to WBGO-FM.) Each show featured a great jazz artist or ensemble and all styles of jazz were offered. I learned about and developed my passion for jazz and its many great artists because of this show and the hip way Ed Beach delivered it. He had an extensive LP collection that numbered about 15,000, which served as the library for his shows. He infused each presentation with insightful info about the featured artists and treated all performers with great reverence. The Archive Collection presently has 99 of these shows spanning the years 1961-1973. Mr. Beach retired to Oregon when WRVR suddenly switched programming formats in 1976 but through the magic of the internet and high-quality dubbing, we can now enjoy these episodes once again. Treat yourself to wonderful listening and a lesson in jazz history by tuning into Just Jazz.

Note: After clicking on the episode that you desire, give it 30 or more seconds to resolve.

*Below is a tribute to Ed Beach played by Zoot Sims entitled “Beach In The A.M.” from his 1973 album Zoot At Ease with Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Grady Tate.

https://liner-notes-magazine.com

Over the past year I have become aware of an online magazine that is absolutely wonderful and should be a part of every music lover’s online library. Liner Notes is the brainchild of editor Joe Moore. It is coming up on two years since the initial edition and continues to evolve with many attractive offerings. I was initially drawn to this magazine when the Marcel Moyse Society provided a link to an article from Liner Notes’ Fall 2022 publication entitled: William Kincaid and Marcel Moyse: Flutists Who Changed the World by Thomas Wolf. The research and quality of writing in this article piqued my interest and I have come to expect this type of journalistic excellence from every aspect of this quarterly magazine. And the price is right! For $20 per year, you will receive 4 online copies of Liner Notes in high-resolution pdf format as well as a $25 gift certificate to their CD/LP marketplace when you join. All aspects of the classical music industry are addressed in virtually every issue including featured articles on performers, conductors, record labels, films, books, etc. This several hundred-page work of art is sure to inspire even the casual classical music lover.

Here’s a link to a Promotional Video. Scroll down on the homepage to access it.
https://liner-notes-magazine.com/pages/landing-page

The Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker
Published by Sher Music
https://www.shermusic.com/9780991077359.php

Every now and then a work of art appears that gratifies and inspires us for many years. Such is the case with the recent publication by Sher Music of The Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker. This publication contains over 700 exercises, each 4-8 measures in length, that Michael carefully notated in manuscript books that he maintained between 1967-2002. His endless quest to learn, perfect and incorporate different material into his playing resulted in his becoming the most influential saxophonist after John Coltrane in contemporary jazz improvisation. His mastery of his instrument was breath taking and one can discern his incredible dedication to his craft in this beautifully edited collection. It is also clear going through this book that Michael admired a myriad of jazz artists and attempted to learn more about their creative process by practicing quotations from their solos that he had transcribed. He also notated his own exercises and practiced everything in 12 keys whenever feasible. Much like looking through the manuscripts of a Beethoven symphony to better understand his compositional mind, one will start to appreciate the intense dedication that Michael gave to his craft and begin to comprehend how he arrived at such a high level of unique musical expression by going through this book. This collection might also inspire any serious musician to begin creating their own manuscript book(s). I can think of no better way to start the day then to practice what Michael did and then go on to construct one’s own exercises.

Charlie Parker: His Music and Life
By Carl Woideck
https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Parker-Music-Michigan-American/dp/0472085557

Charlie Parker and Thematic Improvisation
By Henry Martin
https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Parker-Thematic-Improvisation-Martin/dp/081084155X

Charlie Parker was one of the greatest creative minds of the 20^th century. His improvisations not only reflected a reverence for the magnificent jazz improvisers that preceded him, but also helped pioneer an entirely new approach to playing that has remained influential today. There has been much written about “Bird” and even a Hollywood movie about his life. However, there has been a scarcity of in-depth material written about his music in musicological terms appropriate for the professional player. Two books that I feel any serious jazz improviser and saxophonist should have in their collection are cited at the top of this WoodLink.

Carl Woideck’s book details Parker’s life in chronological fashion but the majority of the text examines prominent Bird solos from various periods of his career. (The Appendix includes 4 additional transcribed solos in their entirety.) All solos are notated in concert key and give the reader a very clear sense of Parker’s rhythmic and melodic brilliance and how they evolved over his brief career.

Henry Martin’s book is less concerned with Bird’s life story and more about an analysis of his improvisational style. He delves into Bird’s approaches to Blues, Rhythm changes and popular song with Schenkerian analyses of many of Parker’s most famous improvised solos. He makes a case not only for Charlie Parker being a master soloist but also for someone whose solos contain a thematic logic that only exist in compositions by Western European tonal composers of the highest order such as Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin.

TedNash.com

Ted Nash, Jr has been a major force on the jazz, commercial and woodwind scenes for decades. A longtime member of the sax section of the Jazz@Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Ted is a marvelous creative spirit. An accomplished saxophonist, flutist, and clarinetist, he is also a gifted composer and arranger, with over 150 big band arrangements. Ted is an experienced bandleader with 16 albums to his credit including the 2017 Grammy Award winning Presidential Suite. Finally, he has written several volumes of downloadable instructional material for sax sections including the recently released Sax Section Vol.III—Basic Woodwinds. This latest volume is written specifically for improving one’s woodwind doubling and includes the following instruments: soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes; clarinet/bass clarinet; and “C” flute/alto flute. It contains 13 original scores in which Ted has recorded all the woodwind parts. The performer can play any one of these parts along with the remaining 4 woodwinds. A click track is provided to allow accurate rhythmic coordination among all the parts along with a score THIS PUBLICATION, ALONG WITH HIS PREVIOUS TWO SAX SECTION BOOKS, IS A MUST FOR ALL WOODWIND PLAYERS! As Ted writes in his introduction: “Being able to play multiple woodwind instruments has made it possible for me to find artistic and commercial opportunities my whole career….But I can’t stress enough the importance of being ready to earn a living.” And good news: there will be a Sax Section Vol. IV—Advanced Woodwinds coming soon. Check out his website for all publications, recordings, videos, and current information about this extraordinary artist. Also, please watch my video interview with Ted Nash: Musician for All Seasons.

https://moysesociety.org/

Marcel Moyse was one of the greatest flutists and influential musicians of the 20th Century. He was the first to create a career as an international flute soloist. As a student of Hennebains, Taffanel, and Gaubet, Moyse represented a direct link to the French School of woodwind playing. He was a renowned teacher (Paris Conservatoire, Geneva Conservatory, masterclasses worldwide) and shared his concepts with students James Galway, William Bennett, Trevor Wye, Michel Debost, Bernard Goldberg, Carol Wincenc, Paula Robison, Julia Bogorad, Robert Aitken, etc. The author of some 20 different pedagogical texts including De la Sonorité, and Tone Development Through Interpretation, Moyse set a standard in flute playing that few have ever matched. Composers such as Ibert, Milhaud, and Roussel dedicated works to him and he was the principal flutist in the premiere performances of Petrushka, Le Sacre du Printemps, and Daphnis et Chloé. Moyse also contributed greatly to the role of the flute in chamber music through his work with the Moyse Trio and as one of the founders of the Marlboro Festival and School of Music. Fortunately, the Moyse Society, founded in 1988, now has a website that helps to prolong and promote this legacy while continuing to offer educational DVDs, online videos, access to rare Moyse recordings, and the Society’s newsletters. I hope this website will inspire woodwind players to purchase some of Moyse’s recordings, pedagogical books, and the biography by Ann McCutchan entitled Marcel Moyse: Voice of the Flute.

www.MosaicRecords.com

Mosaic records has been in business for just about 40 years and during that time they have produced a discography of jazz recordings that rank with the finest that any label has ever produced. Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie were the initial forces behind the hundreds of re-issues, newly discovered unissued material, and compilation recordings that Mosaic has made available. Their catalogue covers every style of jazz from the 1920s—present, small groups to big bands, instrumentalists, and singers. While individual jazz albums are available here, the signature characteristic of the catalogue is their box set concept where recordings are coupled with booklets that provide a complete picture of the artist(s) involved and the circumstances surrounding the recordings. All of this is done with the greatest attention to detail from the magnificent photography to the excellent liner notes. Since much of the music is leased from larger record labels, Mosaic tends to issue their box sets under a “Limited Edition” format. Once that set is sold out, it will not be made available again. Therefore, one needs to stay abreast of Mosaic’s current inventory and act swiftly. This is a label for true jazz lovers and every musician.

* Even when a box set is sold out, one can still access several audio links of that artist(s) on the site.

Harold Wright was one of the finest musicians, let alone clarinetists, of the 20^th Century. His professional career began shortly after his graduation from the Curtis Institute where he was the prized student of the esteemed principal clarinet of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Ralph McLane. Positions in the Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony and the National Symphony followed. These jobs helped prepare him for assuming the principal clarinet chair in the Boston Symphony in 1970. His tenure there from 1970-1993 included an incredible array of marvelous orchestral, chamber music and recital recordings which helped to solidify his stature as one of America’s premiere clarinetists. He also instructed many students at the Tanglewood Music Center, New England Conservatory, and Boston University during this period. His reputation for beautiful sound, exquisite articulation, masterful phrasing, and elegant musicianship has continued to inspire legions of fans worldwide. Lucia McMahon, an Australian-based clarinetist and great devotee of Harold, is working tirelessly writing Harold’s biography, which will also include a lengthy section on Ralph McLane. In gathering all of the necessary information for this herculean project, she has received great support from the international clarinet community. One of the rewards of Lucia’s efforts has been the discovery of an August 22, 1969 recital that Harold presented at The National Clarinet Clinic at the University of Denver. (Thanks also go to the late Frank Stachow, former professor at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania, who recorded the recital on reel-to-reel tape.) After many hours of digitalizing and cleaning up the original tapes which had been damaged, we are now the beneficiaries of Lucia’s efforts. The program is as follows:

• 1. Mozart: Concerto Rondo in Bb Major
• 2. Saint-Saëns: Sonata, Op. 167
• 3. Tomasi: Introduction Et Danse
• 4. Bozza: Pulcinello
• 5. Brahms: Sonata in F minor, Op.120 #1 (incomplete)

*Ms. McMahon’s Soundcloud is part of her “Wright/McLane Initiatives” which includes the Harold Wright & Ralph McLane Appreciation Page on Facebook. Harold is pictured above on the right with clarinetist John Fullam on the left.

PhilSchaapJazz.com

Phil Schaap was the early morning voice of jazz broadcasting in New York City for over 50 years. Starting in 1970 while still an undergraduate at Columbia University, he brought to the airwaves on WKCR-FM (Columbia University’s radio station) a passion and reverence for jazz as an art form. His love of older jazz and jazz musicians coupled with his encyclopedic knowledge of important jazz recordings, concerts, and writings, enabled him to provide his listeners with an inside approach to understanding this idiom. His weekly broadcasts entitled “Bird Flight” provided generations of Charlie Parker enthusiasts with a constant reminder of this genius’ work. Also essential to his many contributions to the world of jazz were his live interviews with great artists from every jazz style period. Phil continued to enrich modern jazz scholarship by producing many historic albums of music that had not been heard or additional music from famous recording sessions. This resulted in multiple Grammy Awards for him as a writer, producer, and engineer. He frequently had special shows billed as “Birthday Broadcasts” in which a famous musician’s work was featured on their birth date—Lester Young, John Coltrane, Clifford Brown, Roy Eldridge, Bix Beiderbecks, Ornette Coleman, etc. Additional specials that he initiated included Out to Lunch, Memorial Broadcasts, and Traditions in Swing. He continued to share and spread his knowledge as a teacher at The Juilliard School, Princeton University and Jazz@Lincoln Center. His passing in 2021 left a huge void in the jazz world but fortunately, a great deal of his on-air broadcasts were preserved by former students of his and are now available through this wonderful website. For those old enough to have grown up with Phil as a voice of endless information, the offerings on this site will bring a smile to one’s face. For those who only had limited encounters with the world of Schaap, this is a website that will provide inspiration for years to come.

www.PepperAdams.com

Detroit native Pepper Adams (1930-1986) was one of the greatest improvisers in America during his lifetime. Following Harry Carney and then Gerry Mulligan as the pre-eminent baritone saxophonist of their generations, Adams carved out a major career first as a sideman (over 600 recordings in this capacity) and then as a major soloist and composer in the years after leaving the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (post 1976). This website is a phenomenal resource for all jazz devotees and particularly low reedists. It offers numerous audio tracks of Pepper’s performances throughout his career; lists of his compositions and big band arrangements of his tunes; autobiographical information; articles about Pepper and interviews with him; information on how to purchase his biography: Reflectory—The Life and Music of Pepper Adams by Gary Carner; and a link to Pepper Adams’ Joy Ride—his updated Discography, among other highlights This is a website that you will find yourself going back to time and time again. There’s a reason every great jazz baritone soloist from Ronnie Cuber to Gary Smulyan cite Pepper Adams as a major influence. Check it out!

*A new website dedicated to the baritone saxophone has just been launched. Their opening concert is on Saturday, 10/8/22 (Pepper Adams’ birthday) with a round-the-clock concert at Club Ornithology in Brooklyn, NY featuring many wonderful baritone saxophonists and their bands from 12pm EST—12:30am EST. This concert can also be streamed live. Please be sure to check out: www.lowblowmusic.com.

Julius Baker—A Tribute
By Sandra Ragusa

Julius Baker was considered by many to be America’s premiere flutist of the 2nd half of the 20th Century. His long career found him at the center of many of the great orchestras as well as a formidable recording artist. This 2004 publication chronicles his life and career in great detail—from his upbringing in Cleveland to his studies at the Eastman School of Music and Curtis Institute of Music and then to his major jobs with the Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, CBS Orchestra, Bach Aria Group and the New York Philharmonic. His subsequent teaching endeavors at The Juilliard School, Curtis Institute and summer festivals allowed him to influence generations of flutists, many who have become the top players and teachers in the U.S. This book is replete with photographs and anecdotal remembrances of Baker from colleagues and students. The author also details his active recording schedule, radio & TV broadcasts, chamber and solo recitals as well as copies of programs. I found the section at the end of the publication to be among the most fascinating aspects of the book. Photocopies of Baker’s notes while a student at Curtis of William Kincaid indicate a talented young flutist’s discipline and determination to succeed in his studies, traits that Baker manifested throughout his illustrious career. If you are not familiar with the effortless beauty of Baker’s playing, this book will be a fine introduction to one of the woodwind giants of the 20th century. And if you are already well versed in Baker’s music-making, then Julius Baker–A Tribute will enhance your respect and love for this flutist. To purchase this book, go to the following link:

https://www.fluteworld.com/product/julius-baker-a-tribute

Rabbit’s Blues: The Life and Music of Johnny Hodges
By Con Chapman

It’s astonishing that this 2019 publication is the first complete biography of one of the greatest alto saxophonists, stylists, and influential musicians in jazz history. However, as is often said, better late than never. This concise and rather thorough examination of Johnny Hodges’ life and career is a must read for all woodwind players and lovers of Ellington’s music. One gets a real perspective of how this kid from Cambridge, Mass. with barely a high school education became one of the most sophisticated musicians and recognizable sounds in jazz. It follows his growth from a Sidney Bechet-influenced player to a virtuoso alto saxophonist to the unique voice who became the major soloist in one of the greatest musical ensembles in history. Perhaps because Hodges remained true to his rhythmic, harmonic and melodic concepts throughout his career and was not viewed as a progressive (modern) player, he is often overlooked these days.
However, every major alto saxophonist that I have met (Phil Woods, Charles McPherson, Dick Oatts, Ted Nash, Gary Foster, George Young, Ronnie Lang, etc.) have indicated nothing but the greatest admiration for Hodges. His influence on commercial work was predominant in creating the Hollywood saxophone sound of the 1950s/60s when artists such as Les Robinson, Ronnie Lang, Bud Shank, etc. were busy recording alto solos in film scores. Even the great Ben Webster admitted that he loved Hodges’ playing so much that he took an “alto approach to the tenor.” Hodges also played with a Who’s Who of artists outside the Ellington band during his career including Billie Holiday, Lionel Hampton, Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, and with Wild Bill Davis in one of the first organ/sax combos. He led his own orchestra and septet during the few years he was away from Ellington (during which time a young tenor player named John Coltrane played with Hodges) and even recorded with Lawrence Welk! None the less, Hodges is remembered today for the nearly 40 years he played with the Ellington Orchestra. This Oxford University published book is available through Amazon and multiple book stores for $27 in hardcover, $15 via Kindle.

As a bonus, I have included the audio track and my transcription of Hodges’ solo on “I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)” from the 1961 album Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra below.

A Life in the Golden Age of Jazz: A Biography of Buddy DeFranco
By Fabrice Zammarchi and Sylvie Ma

Buddy DeFranco was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 20^th Century. The fact that he achieved this distinction as a clarinetist and that he overcame what appears to me to be overwhelming family misfortunes makes it all the more remarkable. Following on the trail set by Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, Buddy established himself as the “modern” voice of the jazz clarinet in the 1950s by incorporating much of the rhythmic and harmonic innovations established by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie along with a virtuosity matched by few. He set the table for future stars such as Eddie Daniels to continue to move the clarinet forward within the jazz idiom. In this magnificent retrospective of Buddy and his career originally printed in 2002, one gets a very complete picture of Buddy the man, the musician, and the maverick who continued to fight for the clarinet’s continuing presence in contemporary jazz. He ended up personifying the term “Bebop Clarinetist.” This book was written by two French authors, one of them a jazz clarinetist himself, and is translated into English. It contains numerous interviews with Buddy and colleagues as well as an enormous amount of incredible pictures by dozens of jazz photographers and a full discography. It personifies one of the greatest musicians and finest gentlemen that I have ever met. Quite simply, this is the finest biography of ANY musician that I have read—a coffee table-size book of 383 pages and one that you will cherish for many years to come. It is a must for any serious woodwind musician! The book is available at Amazon for $45 or through the publisher at the following link: http://www.parksidepublications.com/defranco.html

As a special feature for this Woodlink, I’ve included a transcription and mp3 track of Buddy’s solo to “Scrapple From the Apple” done beautifully by the great Tom Ranier, a longtime friend of Buddy. This dates from a 1961 recording on the Mercury label titled Presenting The Buddy DeFranco-Tommy Gumina Quartet.

Ode to a Tenor Titan: The Life and Times and Music of Michael Brecker
By Bill Milokowski (10/21)

Michael Brecker was the most influential saxophonist since John Coltrane. His brilliance as a saxophonist, ability to play at the highest musical levels in any musical style that he encountered, and decency as a human being are all addressed in this first biography of this beloved musician. The author details Michael’s upbringing in Philadelphia, the influences that his family, teachers, and saxophone idols (Coltrane, Rollins, Henderson, King Curtis) had on his musical development, and the search for his musical identity during his high school and college years. If one is not as familiar with Brecker’s rise to prominence, this book traces his evolution year by year. Even for those familiar with much of Michael’s professional successes, the insight into his commitment to his instrument, musical development, practicing, family, as well as his abuse problems as a young man, are explored very thoroughly. But perhaps the most amazing picture that one draws from this biography is how much work, touring, and study Michael accomplished in his 57 years.

https://www.musicianscook.com/

The Musicians Cook! cookbook is a unique 278-page paperback that is the brainchild of flutist Reva Youngstein. Reva, a longtime Local 802 AFM member, sought to find a way to help her colleagues who had suffered great personal hardship due to the pandemic and, in many cases, lost their health insurance. She has compiled 283 recipes from musicians which are sure to delight. These recipes span the entire range of dishes from starters to desserts and are accompanied by personal stories from each contributing chef. The many offerings also reflect a multitude of creative ethnic recipes. The book and original artwork were designed by and with the help of 802 musicians and all proceeds will go to the SaveNYCMusicians campaign and the Local 802 Musicians’ Health Fund. Besides helping to provide relief to many artists, you will be sure to make use of this book for many meals and years to come. An e-copy ($22) or paperback version of the book ($43) is available through musicianscook.com or at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1662916000

https://www.simplyflute.com/flute

Paul Edmund-Davies has been one of the world’s great flutists for generations having served as principal flute of the London Symphony for 20 years; the Philharmonia Orchestra for 5 years; the English National Opera for 2.5 years; and a first-call studio musician in London playing on many Hollywood soundtracks. He has also been an important flute educator and SimplyFlute.com is his educational website. It offers the opportunity to engage in a variety of performing & exercise materials while providing a huge library of studies, teaching notes and videos. This allows flute players of virtually every level the chance to elevate their playing while having FUN.

https://www.wfg.woodwind.org

This site is an absolute MUST for all woodwind players. Created by Mark Charette, he has gathered the standard & alternate fingerings, trills, multi-phonics, tremolos and quarter-tones from printed materials and the many hundreds of players who have submitted special fingerings of their own. As a result, all conceivable fingerings for flute/piccolo, clarinet, saxophone, oboe/English horn, bassoon, recorder, and ethnic flutes are offered. The fact that someone has taken the time to catalog all of these in a clear, concise manner is wonderful and I have found my way out of many sticky technical problems thanks to this site. It eliminates the worry when coming to a session and find yourself confronted with a technical challenge that you can’t solve at first. Instead of carrying a fingering/trill chart in your case, you can now open this site on your phone. Check this out and save the link!

http://www.algallodoro.com/

Al Gallodoro (1913-2008) played clarinet/bass clarinet/alto saxophone at the highest artistic levels. In addition to his many freelance gigs, he was the lead alto saxophone/clarinet for Paul Whiteman’s orchestras for many years as well as the bass clarinetist with Toscanini’s NBC Symphony for 12 years. Growing up in New Orleans in the roaring 1920s, he was witness to a diversity of cultures and music that infused his love of a variety of music for the rest of his life. Beginning his professional career at age 15, he learned by listening to those he worked with, radio broadcasts and commercial recordings. I had the chance to meet him several times when he was in his late 80s and during a 3-hour interview, he told me that he was still practicing 3 hours every morning. Al also shared some amazing stories from his career and displayed an incredible memory for details—including every complete serial number for the horns he had played.

http://www.michlinmusic.com/abato/

Vincent “Jimmy” Abato (1919-2008) was one of the greatest woodwind virtuosos of the twentieth century. A brilliant clarinetist/bass clarinetist and saxophonist, his work and recordings have influenced generations of woodwind artists. A member of the clarinet faculty and the first teacher of saxophone at the Juilliard School, his list of students included such players as Phil Woods, Eddie Daniels, and Victor Morosco. Jimmy had a diverse career playing with Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey’s bands as well as with the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera Orchestras. He premiered Paul Creston’s Saxophone Concerto and his recording of Ibert’s Concertino da Camera and the Glazounov Concerto for Alto Saxophone remain as landmark recordings. None other than the great Al Gallodoro told me that Jimmy had the best and fastest single tongue in the business. I can attest to that with the added caveat that it was also the most resonant sounding articulation I ever experienced while sitting next to him on gigs. A former student of his, Adam Michlin, has created this website in tribute to Jimmy. It features 13 recordings of Jimmy playing saxophone and clarinet. Enjoy!

https://www.saxophone.org

Saxophone.org is an incredibly valuable site that acts as a one-stop shop place for all things related to saxophone. The website has compiled a great deal of information on the history of the instrument. Among its many attractions are featured videos, publications and histories of various historic saxophone manufacturers; a complete listing of serial numbers from all of the major saxophone companies; a saxophonist’s buyer’s guide; a trading post for purchasing and selling horns; a saxophone forum in which discussions of a wide range of topics is available; and a section devoted to articles. This is an interesting way for a saxophanatic to spend some time.

https://www.marlboromusic.org/learn/recordings/

Since 1951, the Marlboro Festival in Brattleboro, Vermont has been a destination of choice for talented young players, established professionals and composers. Founded by pianist Rudolf Serkin, this Festival is now celebrating its’ 70th year and is primarily dedicated to music instruction and chamber music performance. Among this website’s many features are the Historic Recordings page of live performances that date from the early years of the Festival to more recent times and The Archives page. For woodwind enthusiasts, The Archives includes a feature on Marcel Moyse and the Historic Recordings include live performances by such artists as Harold Wright, John Mack, Paula Robison, Richard Stoltzman, Michael Parloff, John Ferillo, Jasmine Choi, Frank Cohen, Alfred Genovese, Marina Piccinini, Julia Bogorad and Joshua Smith, among many others. However, there is also a ton of wonderful music performed by illustrious string and piano instrumentalists including Pablo Casals, Rudolf Serkin, Benita Valente, David Soyer, Leon Fleisher, Jamie Laredo, Kim Kashkashian, Mitsuko Uchida and Eugene Istomin; the Guarneri, Juilliard, Emerson, Tokyo, Takacs, and Cleveland String Quartets; and Tashi, the Beaux Arts Trio, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, etc. This website has many other attractive features including a page of commercial recordings issued by the Festival that can be purchased through the site.

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/

The Berlin Philharmonic’s Digital Concert Hall has been in existence since 2008. It was the first venture by a world-class orchestral organization to offer concerts, live and archival, through the medium of streaming. In addition to the roughly 40 live concerts/yr. that the site offers (they can be viewed at any time for as many times as desired when one is a subscriber), there are numerous other enticements that should interest any music lover. There are literally hundreds of archival concerts available that one can access by choosing the conductor, composer, soloist, genre, and/or season. Films and interviews with soloists or conductors are also available through this innovative website. The musical offerings can be heard/viewed on one’s TV, computer, tablet or smartphone and the video/audio resolution is spectacular. The cost, given the incredible amount of music that is available, is quite reasonable. A one-year subscription is roughly $169 or one can opt to buy a monthly, 30 day, or 7 day “ticket.” This format has been slowly adapted by some American orchestras during the pandemic and is likely to become the new norm in the orchestral world. Besides the fact that you get to listen to one of the greatest orchestras in the world whenever you choose, this is a great buy for the money and one that any serious musician should rush to purchase!

http://flutejournal.com/

The Flute Journal is a site that features everything you could want to know about the flute. It encompasses every style of music in which the flute has played a vital role—meaning all musical styles—as well as information about flute makers, new products, health-related issues for flutists, and features on renowned flutists. Founded by flutist/author/ film & TV producer/musicologist Peter Westbrook, this valuable site provides the student as well as the professional with numerous articles, audio & video recordings, and information on performance practice. New materials are posted monthly and there’s always a surprise awaiting the follower. This month has a feature on “James Moody Plays The Blues” that comes with a video presentation of an incredible Moody solo with transcription attached. Also, don’t miss the wonderful film on the great Sam Most on the site: http://flutejournal.com/sam-most-jazz-flutist.

While there’s a heavy emphasis on jazz flute, all aspects of flute performance are treated with great reverence and thorough scholarship. For any serious flutist and woodwind doubler, this online location is a MUST!

https://www.youtube.com/user/JazzVideoGuy

“Jazz Video Guy” is Bret Primack’s YouTube channel dedicated to promoting jazz musicians and their music. A respected jazz journalist for many years, Mr. Primack’s love for jazz has resulted in the creation of this site beginning in 2006. Over these many years, he has recorded and presented interviews, performances and masterclasses with some of the greatest artists in the history of this music on his channel: Sonny Rollins, Joe Lovano, Horace Silver, Billy Taylor, Dave Liebman, Ernie Watts, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, Hal Galper, Jimmy Heath, Bob Mintzer, Johnny Griffin and Stan Getz, among others.

He also has expanded the offerings to include podcasts at: http://jazzvideoguylive.com/. Check out the many offerings that this site provides.

https://reedwellbyhagen.com/

The Reed Well is a 12-sided glass that aids in the breaking-in and testing of reeds. It allows one to soak and maintain clarinet & saxophone cane reeds of any size. Once filled with water, the reeds adhere to the sides so that the tips of the reeds never touch the bottom and the integrity of the reeds are maintained throughout the wetting process. It allows one to monitor the porosity of the reeds by observing the water penetration at the back end of the reeds—the end facing upwards when the tips are pointed to the base of the glass. Therefore, one knows just how long to leave any one reed in the water and avoid any long-term damage to the reed’s life. I have been using this simple device for many years and feel that it is a vital tool for all woodwind performers. The original Reed Well was created in 1994 and discontinued some years later. It is now available again with a lid for protection as well as a sponge insert for those players who prefer to store their reeds in the glass with some added moisture. The Reed Well is machine washable and is easily transportable for gigs. I highly recommend it for all single-reed players.

*I do not benefit in any way from this endorsement nor have any vested interest in the product.

Leonard Bernstein was one of the world’s great conductors and composers with a unique voice whose works are frequently performed worldwide. He was also one of the greatest music educators of the 20th century. His programs dedicated to informing the public of the essential aspects of music and how to listen to music—Omnibus, Young People’s Concerts, Harvard Lectures—transformed the perception of music for generations and motivated young kids like me to dream of making a life in music. In the video shown above from 1973 at the Norton Lectures at Harvard, Bernstein demonstrates his unique ability to communicate and teach in this brief discussion of the evolution of the harmonic series.

In addition, here’s an additional link to a Bernstein YouTube video titled “The Greatest 5 Minutes in Music Education.”

This month’s feature puts the spotlight on one of the most respected and well-rounded musicians I have encountered in my career.

Bill Kirchner is a jazz savant and an accomplished woodwind artist, composer, arranger, author, record/radio producer, educator, jazz historian and bandleader who has amassed a list of accomplishments and knowledge that is truly staggering. He is the acclaimed author of The Oxford Companion to Jazz (Best Jazz Book 2001) and A Miles Davis Reader. Among the many album liner notes that Bill has written, he received the 1996 Grammy for “Miles Davis and Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings” and the 1995 NAIRD Indie Award for the Smithsonian Collection’s “Big Band Renaissance: The Evolution of the Jazz Orchestra.”

Bill was the leader, composer and arranger for the highly successful Bill Kirchner Nonet which recorded 5 albums. He also has 4 solo albums to his credit with such artists as Mike Abene, Marc Copland, Harold Danko and Jackie Cain joining him. As a composer/arranger his works have been played and recorded by Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Konitz, The Smithsonian Jazz Ensemble, and Patti Austin, among others. Bill hosted the radio show “Jazz from the Archives” on WBGO- FM for 13 years and has been a revered teacher of jazz history, jazz styles, score analysis, arranging and composition at New School University, Manhattan School of Music and New Jersey City University. I could go on for quite a few pages about Bill but I think the reader would be best served by checking out this website and purchasing a number of Bill’s recordings and books. He is a musical force that deserves a great deal of attention.

http://jazzsuite.com/

http://www.robertbigio.com/

Robert Bigio is a London-based flute maker who has one of the most complete and informative flute sites on the internet. A historian of flute with several of his books available on this site, Mr. Bigio supplies the viewer with articles by renowned flutists, many of them with recordings by the flutist authors. Other categories explored here include The History & Development of the Flute and Flute Makers. These pages supply a great deal of information on the development of the Boehm flute as well as more recent innovations in the development of simple system (folk) flutes, Baroque flutes and recorders. The real gem for me is the page devoted to early flute recordings along with brief bios of the performers. Among the many notable historic flutists with recordings featured here are Geoffrey Gilbert, Fernand Caratgé, Gaston Crunelle, René Le Roy, Marcel Moyse, Georges Laurent, Leonardo De Lorenzo, Georges Barrère, Philippe Gaubert, etc. Enjoy this wonderful website.

https://www.clarinetinstitute.com

This is one of the most unique and useful websites that the Internet provides for woodwind players. Started by L.A.–based clarinetist David Schoor, the Institute offers woodwind, string and brass players access to a huge reservoir of music and recordings. Much of the music is free and additional music and recordings are available via flash drives and DVDs. A great deal of the clarinet music is available to be downloaded for free from this site including pedagogical studies; solo clarinet works; compositions for clarinet & piano; chamber music; and music for clarinet & orchestra/band. The Archives page on the site makes available a very formidable amount of sheet music and mp3 files of mainstay literature for all of the instruments at nominal prices. In addition, 225 rare early jazz recordings can be purchased via the Institute’s Jazz & Swing Clarinet DVD. For professional players, teachers, and students alike, this site is a no-brainer—you need to become familiar with it. Enjoy.

www.WilliamBennettflute.com

William Bennett has been one of the world’s greatest flutists for over 60 years. “Wibb,” as he’s referred to throughout the industry, is part of a generation of great English players that includes James Galway and Trevor Wye. His studies with legendary flutists Geoffrey Gilbert, Marcel Moyse. Fernand Cartagé, and Jean-Pierre Rampal led him to develop a style that helped formalize the French school approach to flute playing throughout England and much of Europe. His career has been multi-dimensional: orchestral player, soloist, chamber musician, recording-artist, composer, educator, author, flute maker/innovator, and artist. His accomplishments are so great that it takes a complete website to just list and comprehend them. Fortunately, Williambennettflute.com does just that and more. You’ll find the site all-inclusive and will lead the inquisitive mind to discover all the many Wibb recordings and publications that are available. His biography “Wibb—A Flute for Life;” his approach to flute playing demonstrated in “Mastering the Flute;” and his recordings have given me great enjoyment and influence my daily practice routine. There are also several wonderful interviews that are provided in the Arts section that are must reading. Every serious flutist and woodwind doubler should be familiar with William Bennett’s artistry and this site will make that possible.

www.DigitalForce.com

Digital Force is a New York-based, full-service digital production company founded by clarinetist Jerome Bunke, who also has a great deal of experience in music production and management. Digital Force handles every aspect of the digital medium including production, engineering, mastering, promotion, marketing, music publishing and printing. They can also reproduce recordings in vinyl format as well. The music catalogue features a diversity of recording styles including Chamber, Latin, Orchestral, Broadway, Rock & Pop, Vocal, Country, Electronic, Contemporary, Jazz, and Gospel music. Their latest release is a double-CD of works performed by the legendary clarinetist, Stanley Drucker, entitled “Heritage Collection From The Vaults (Discs 6-7).” This is the follow-up recording to the initial Heritage Collection set of 5-CDs of live performances by Mr. Drucker released two years ago. The new double-CD set features his most famous recordings that will now be available for the first time on CD. These include the Bartok Contrasts; Debussy Rhapsody; Nielsen Concerto; and Corigliano Concerto. In addition, there are live recordings of works by Spohr, Bliss, and Jacob with soprano Judith Blegen as well as contemporary works by Babbitt, Davidovsky, Weigl and Honneger. I believe this 2-CD set is one of the most important recordings in clarinet history because it documents performances that elevated the technical and artistic levels of clarinet playing over three different decades and made Stanley Drucker a household name among musicians. This CD set, as well as the previous 5-CD set, can be purchased by logging onto:

http://DIGITALFORCE.COM//CLARINETFEST2019

 *Editors Note: I was honored to be asked to interview Stanley regarding this latest recording. The interview served as the basis for the liner notes.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/main.jsp

ArkivMusic is an online classical music retailer that distributes their recordings via CDs, DVDs, Vinyl, SACDs and Blu-Ray formats. Their inventory is the most extensive of any I have found for every genre of classical music—over 2300 in their current catalogue. One can search for music by categories such as Composers, Conductors, Performers, Ensembles, Labels and Opera. New Releases and on sale items are always featured.

https://arkivjazz.com

ArkivJazz is the counterpart music retailer but for all styles of jazz. Music is distributed via the same formats as the classical site but there are also several interviews with artists who have new releases as well as a Podcast series available. One can pre-order upcoming releases here as well.

I’ve had nothing but good experiences with these retailers. Highly recommended!

https://www.hamilton.edu/campuslife/arts-at-hamilton/jazzarchive/interviews

Hamilton College, a small, progressive liberal arts college in Clinton, NY began a jazz interview series a number of years ago. Hosted by faculty member and director of the Hamilton College Fillius Jazz Archives, Monk Rowe, the collection now numbers over 300 interviews with jazz instrumentalists, vocalists, arrangers, composers and authors. While a number of the video interviews are available on YouTube, there are a good many audio and video interviews that can only be accessed through the college’s website. This is an invaluable source of information and historical documentation that will provide many hours of enjoyment. The list of interviewees is extensive, so scroll down the list when you first enter the site to make your choices. Enjoy!

https://rharl25.wixsite.com/clarinetcentral/ralph-mclane

Clarinet Central is a site that focuses primarily on legendary Philly Orchestra clarinetist, Ralph McLane. Known for his exquisite sound, McLane’s recordings during his brief time with the Philly Orchestra (1943-1951) have become great examples of the beauty one can elicit from a clarinet. This site is replete with biographical information and audio tracks of Mclean. It also offers historical information on the history of the clarinet; embouchure & technique; a discussion with audio tracks of the “Philadelphia sound, including a page devoted to Tabuteau;” a page devoted to mouthpieces and refacing; and a store where the newly re-released Louis Desantis book “New Studies for Clarinet” is available. There are other links throughout the site that a clarinet nerd might find enticing but the real treasure here is hearing Mclean in all his glory days.

https://www.charlesmcpherson.com/

My friend, the legendary alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, will be celebrating his 80th birthday on 7/24/19. In his honor, the Wood-Link of this Month is devoted to Charles and his magnificent career. Respected by saxophonists and jazz lovers throughout the world, Charles has continued to evolve as a musician throughout a 60-year career. He is a wonderful composer, and music educator in addition to his prowess on the saxophone. A quiet and shy individual, he is equally modest about his abilities and accomplishments. These qualities have endeared him to his friends, colleagues and jazz devotees. You will find his website very informative with a bio, complete discography, up-to-date info on his appearances performing & teaching, videos, photos and a store. Treat yourself to a truly special musician and person by getting to know Charles McPherson a little better though this website and buy his music!

http://clarinet.org/

The ICA is an international organization open to all serious lovers of the clarinet—laymen, students, teachers, & professional players. The ICA began in the 1960s in the US through the efforts of several university professors and took root as the International Clarinet Society in 1973. Since then, it has evolved and become the largest and most popular association serving clarinetists worldwide. Its annual Conference is among the best attended of any music business gathering. This year’s annual conference—ClarinetFest 2019—is in Knoxville, Tenn from 7/24—7/28. For its members, the ICA generates a quarterly journal that is highly informative and well written and available both in hard copy and online; sponsors numerous competitions for all ages; makes available its extensive archive collection; and offers links to other clarinet organizations, commercial clarinet companies, instrument insurance, clarinet competitions worldwide, and job offerings. Membership for students and senior citizens is as low as $35/yr and $50/yr for adults. This year’s Conference features numerous performances, masterclasses, competitions, and a terrific exhibitors display where one can find anything and everything imaginable for clarinet. Even if you can’t attend the Conference, the Journal and the access to the ICA archives are enough reason to join.

https://bretpimentel.com

Bret Pimentel is a multi-woodwind instrumentalist who teaches at Delta State University in Mississippi. He has authored a popular book for teaching woodwinds entitled “Woodwind Basics,” which can be purchased through his site. Bret’s website is an extensive one and largely devoted to woodwind doubling. It includes listings of all Broadway musicals—those originating on Broadway as well as those on tour—and the breakdown of the woodwind books associated with each production; woodwind blogs with links to each of them; college and university degree programs in woodwind doubling for the prospective student; and music involving doubling. One of the most useful aspects of this website are the numerous Posts that one can access broken into categories such as “By Instrument,” “By Category,” and “By Popular Tag.” There is so much information on this site that you will want to make some part of it a daily practice. As someone who has devoted most of my life to this discipline, I appreciate it and the work that Bret has put into this greatly

www.jaschaheifetz.com

This month’s Wood-Link of the month is a departure from the norm in that it focuses on a violinist who was perhaps the greatest instrumentalist of the 20th century—Jascha Heifetz. The name Heifetz is understood in musical circles to represent the gold standard for a performer—perfection, integrity, total commitment to the composer’s wishes, and genius. During his 65-year public career, Heifetz performed on every continent and to a greater audience than any classical instrumentalist in history. He also emphasized chamber music as part of the complete musician’s life, recording extensively with other legends including Piatigorsky, Rubinstein, and Feuermann, thereby helping to promote this repertoire. A wonderful pianist, ping pong/tennis player, cook, teacher, and social activist (he and his students at USC protested smog by wearing gas masks; he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle; he led efforts to establish 911 as an emergency number, etc.). Heifetz even dabbled in composing pop tunes of the day under the name Jim Hoyl. Any musician should be aware of the magnificence that Heifetz brought to his performances and recordings. This website offers every opportunity for the student of music to learn about this legend through all of the currently available recordings, DVD’s, sheet music editions by Heifetz, and books devoted to his life. In Heifetz’ words: “You must preserve your enthusiasm for playing. Loss of that enthusiasm is deadly to musicianship.”

The New York Flute Club is the oldest continuously operating flute club in the world. They will be celebrating their 100th anniversary on the last day of this year. Started by the eminent flutist/composer/conductor Georges Barrère, the Club functions in many capacities: great flute artists are presented in recital throughout the year; there is an annual Flute Fair; ensemble programs and competitions are sponsored throughout the year; a monthly newsletter is sent to all members; educational & enrichment programs are supported within the greater NYC area; new flute music is commissioned; and various publications and recordings are made available. Included among the performers on this year’s concert series are Aaron Goldman (principal flute-National Symphony), Karl-Heinz Schütz (principal flute-Vienna Philharmonic), and Jeffrey Khaner (principal flute-Philadelphia Orchestra). This year’s Flute Fair is on Sunday, March 17, 2019 from 8:30am—8:00pm at Columbia University. The featured artist will be Jeffrey Khaner: www.Joffewoodwinds.com/videos/jeffrey-khaner-principal-flute. Annual membership in the club is $70, $40 for students & seniors.

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra has been the most important and influential jazz big band for the last half-century. Formerly known as the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and then the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, this group of world-class jazz musicians plays every Monday night at the world’s most famous jazz club, The Village Vanguard in NYC. The band will be celebrating its 53rd anniversary from 2/11/19–2/18/19 at the Vanguard. Their website offers a great deal of information on the band, their recordings, performance videos, and much more. You can also connect to their Facebook page through this site for additional videos and information. For an intimate look at the members of the VJO sax section, please go to the Videos page of the Woodwind Legacy Series on this website.

The January 2019 featured site is dedicated to the YouTube video channel of clarinetist William (Tom) Ridenour. After selecting this link, hit the “Video” link at the top of his YouTube Home page. His collection of over 100 video segments, dedicated to every aspect of clarinet playing including upkeep, repair, and performance, is presented in a very straight-forward manner by one of the most knowledgeable clarinet professionals in the world today. No stone is left unturned in these videos. Mr. Ridenour is well known for his invaluable book: Clarinet Fingerings—A Comprehensive Guide for the Performer and Educator (2000). It is the single best book on this topic and should be in every serious clarinetist’s possession. These videos add to the legacy that Mr. Ridenour has established as an educator; builder/designer/ innovator of clarinets; and performer. The viewer should also check out his website for more information about Ridenour products at: www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com.

This is a website entitled, Marcel Tabuteau First-Hand. It is one of the most important sites on the Internet for all woodwind players and really for any musician. This year marks the 131st anniversary of the birth of Marcel Tabuteau, one of the most important oboists of the 20th century and certainly one of the most influential teachers of the oboe and how to phrase music. He was the leader of the great woodwind section of the Philadelphia Orchestra during his tenure there (1915-1954) and helped initiate the principles in music-making that were taught to all students at the Curtis Institute of Music throughout the 20th Century. The site is replete with information not only about Tabuteau, his methods for phrasing, and his teaching philosophy, but also includes audio tracks of him performing as well as performances by some of the student chamber ensembles. (Some of the students heard on these tracks include Julius Baker, Albert Tipton, Bernard Portnoy, Ralph Gomberg, John de Lancie, Manuel Zegler, James Chambers, Mason Jones, Sanford Sharoff, Harry Shulman, Jorge Bolet, etc. The recorded excerpts can be found on the “Recordings” page.) One will spend many hours on this site realizing how much there is to learn about making music at the highest level.

Clarineat.com is a site of podcasts with a wide assortment of guests from the world of clarinet and the recording industry. Sean Perrin, the creator of Clarineat, is a young clarinetist from Canada who is always exploring new avenues of performance, blogging, and social media. An active performer and clinician, he has still managed to record over 90 podcasts in the past several years and is an avid promoter of new music and new equipment as well. This is definitely a site to check out for all clarinetists and woodwind players.