| Ed,
I'll speak from a jazz musician's angle for a second.
I know personally the art of playing plunger mute is nearly dead... thanks to guys like Clark Terry and Snooky Young they passed 1/1000th of their amazing technique on to me.
Wynton and his LC guys are keeping it happening to as Wynton is simply an AMAZING plunger player.
CT always told me to make the horn talk with it, to emulate the human voice and try to achieve tonal and emotional changes with the mute. I've learned how to "cuss" now to, and that's always helpful when you're ticked at the concert promoter or your manager mid-gig ;)!
I would have to think that cornet and the intimacy it lends itself to naturally is also another hidden treasure. I know "younger" jazz players like myself initially were turned off to the cornet. HIGHER FASTER LOUDER just isn't as cool on a cornet (which I know now is not the case).
I have really found an entirely new "voice" on my Olds Opera Cornet... it's a spiritual bond with a horn I can't describe. The sound that comes out is so rich and is completely different than the trumpet. I'm anxious to hear in a few hours how the horn sounds different on a recording. It might not sound that much different in front of the bell but from behind it's an amazing experience. |