Jazz with steel guitar and clarinets

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 12 Dec 2022 3:28 pm

About a year ago on a whim, I bought a bass clarinet, with no idea if I'd be able to play, or what direction I would go with it. (I played one for a couple of years in school over 30 years ago.) Then this summer, I bought a cheap soprano clarinet to bring on the road with me to practice while my band mates played golf. I have been having a blast creating arrangements that pair the clarinets with steel guitar. I figured there might be some here who would enjoy. This is my latest effort, an arrangement of the standard "There Will Never Be Another You:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOsHBzc4zcE

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 12 Dec 2022 9:59 pm

That's really cool. I used to play clarinets years ago so I can identify

Greg Vincent · Post by **Greg Vincent** » 12 Dec 2022 10:16 pm

Sounds fantastic —truly unique!!!

Dennis A Brown · Post by **Dennis A Brown** » 13 Dec 2022 7:21 am

Love it, especially using the E9 in a jazz context. Bass clarinet sounds fantastic.

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 14 Dec 2022 1:17 pm

Thanks for the compliments gentlemen! I’m sure having fun with it. It was surprisingly easy to pick up the horn and start playing again after the 33 year break. I guess after studying steel guitar it just seems simple to play an instrument where you only have to play one note at a time!

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 15 Dec 2022 4:48 am

Different but nice. Good stuff David.

Thornton Lewis · Post by **Thornton Lewis** » 15 Dec 2022 2:48 pm

Really nice, sounds West Coast jazzy to me. I think the clone band look could be a real alternative to the bar band in Star Wars also. Maybe you could be in the background for Blade runner III. I also dig the jazz on the back neck stuff.

Jon Voth · Post by **Jon Voth** » 16 Dec 2022 7:59 pm

As the husband of a career clarinetist (US Army Band) I forwarded this to her, and she will get a big kick out of it. And I enjoyed it, sounds great-thanks.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 17 Dec 2022 8:06 am

Nicely done! Thanks for sharing.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 17 Dec 2022 11:24 am

Fantastic. Loved it.

John Sluszny · Post by **John Sluszny** » 17 Dec 2022 3:24 pm

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 18 Dec 2022 7:41 pm

I think the clone band look could be a real alternative to the bar band in Star Wars also. Maybe you could be in the background for Blade runner III.

Ha! I like the idea!

Jon Voth - I don't know if I'm ready to have my playing scrutinized by a real clarinetist yet! Hope she enjoys though! Thanks for sharing!

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 18 Dec 2022 11:12 pm

Nice arrangement, everything sounds great! I've always loved the sound of a Bass Clarinet!

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 20 Dec 2022 12:41 pm

Great sound and so in tune!!!

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 21 Dec 2022 8:07 am

Thank you guys. Tuning certainly became more challenging when I added the second horn.

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 3 Nov 2023 12:25 pm

https://youtube.com/watch?v=IjKk2OtV3rE
Finally got a little time at home to work on music! Here’s a new arrangement of Stardust I uploaded last night.

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 15 Nov 2023 7:19 pm

I’m very lucky to be playing with a husband and wife duo from Alberta called “Over the Moon” and they happen to use a superb clarinetist named Cedric Blary on their live shows, although having an acoustic roots swing and bluegrassish theme to their instrumention. Does it ever work! I love playing steel with this ensemble and delight in hanging with these sweet and talented people. Check them out.

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 15 Nov 2023 7:59 pm

Sounds like fun John! I just did a quick search on youtube, and found them playing a song called "I'm not cool" with Cedric on clarinet. Great bunch of musicians, and fun music. (I'm sure it's even better with steel though!)

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 16 Nov 2023 6:58 am

VERY TASTEFUL improvisation on the Steel!

I also like that... what is it, a "barytone" clarinete? The woody warm tone (compared to a sax). Does it "function" the same as a Sax?

... J-D.

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 16 Nov 2023 7:09 am

Dave, you should hear this Cedric guy playing with a gypsy jazz band called “Bow Djangos”. I saw him last summer at an outdoor show in High River and he killed!

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 16 Nov 2023 7:28 pm

Thank you JD! The bass clarinet I play is basically the same as a typical Bb clarinet, just twice as big, and pitched an octave lower. The keys are set up different than a sax, but the technique is similar enough that a lot of sax players double on bass clarinet.

John - I'm sure I would enjoy that! I love the sound of a clarinet playing in that style.

Ethan Shaw · Post by **Ethan Shaw** » 17 Nov 2023 11:48 am

Sounds great David- I really like that combo of intruments!

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 17 Nov 2023 2:06 pm

Very nice tone on the steel, David. I've often thought of Buddy's single note playing like the tone/timbre of a clarinet.
The two instruments go really well together.
A great "Stardust" too. An excellent, mellow feel.

David Kurrasch · Post by **David Kurrasch** » 17 Nov 2023 7:45 pm

Thank you Ethan and Chris! I'm having a lot of fun with this, and hope to get time to record a few more this winter. There is something really satisfying in finding ways to blend the steel with the nylon string guitar, and the horns.