Jazz Tuba/Euphonium

The discussion this last week made me want to research tuba and euphonium jazz artists. I tried looking for a female artist within the group but apparently combining two underrepresented populations of the jazz community makes for frustrating research. But this blog is more about recognizing those that haven't gotten the recognition they deserve than simply only talking about female jazz artists so I figure a slight detour isn't so bad!

I find it interesting that despite the tuba being one of the initial standard instruments for the rhythm section it faded out of the jazz scene and is now to the point where an artist pursuing jazz on tuba is somewhat of a novelty. They are still popular for outdoors events and New Orleans brass bands utilize the sousaphone. In these cases though they generally fill in the bass line and only occasionally take solos. The euphonium has never truly been part of jazz. Trombones cover the part that a euphonium might otherwise play and the ability of the trombone to play with a sharper and more focused tone is important for jazz (plus the cool glissandos!). But I find that people who choose to play euphonium are used to over coming difficulties (most the solo music we play is "stolen" from another instrument) and so of course there are those who will play jazz anyway.

There are several Tuba/Euphonium groups that play jazz and push the boundaries of what is expected of this type of group. In 1968 the first all tuba group was founded by Howard Johnson and named Gravity. In the 1970s Rich Matteson (a jazz euphoniumist, discussed in class) and Harvey Phillips created the Tubajazz Consort. Tubajazz Consort was made up of Rich Matteson, Ashley Alexander, John Allred and Buddy Baker on Euphonium; Harvy Phillips, Dan Perantoni, and R. Winston Morris on tuba; Frank Mantooth and Tommy Ferguson on Piano; Jack Persen on Guitar; Lou Fisher and Billy Michaels on Bass; Rick Kirkland and Steve Houghton on Drums. Today one of the forefront jazz tuba ensembles is the Modern Jazz Tuba Project. This is a group based in Nashville, Tennessee and consists of 3 euphoniums (Billy Huber, Barry Green, and Marcus Dickman), 3 tubas (Joe Murphy, Winston Morris, and Richard Perry) and a rhythm section (Steve Willets and Kevin Madill on "keys", Paul Binkley and Mel Dean on guitar, Jim Ferguson on Bass, and Bob Mater on drums).

In the solo world Jim Shearer and Jim Self are both professional jazz tubists. They both have numerous CDs available Ray Draper collaborated with John Coltrane on a CD entitles "A Tuba Jazz". The members of Gravity, TUBAJAZZ, and the Modern Jazz Tuba project are also well respected Jazz soloists.

References:
http://webpages.charter.net/mjtproject/aboutmjt.html
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30217
http://www.tubagear.com/draperinfo.html
http://www.richmatteson.com/tubajazz.html
http://www.allmusic.com/album/gravity-r237673

Critical Listening plus some other clips


Modern Jazz Tuba Project
My Favorite Things
http://www.mjtproject.com/Sound%20Files/MyFavoriteThingsFULL.mp3
Overall AABA theme
Intro of horns playing off beats then rhythm section comes in and takes over for a few bars. A tuba solo enters with the melody. This is handed off to a second tuba after a short bridge. The piano then comes to the fore front. The horns enter into variations on the melody. A euphonium takes an improvisational solo. followed by A second euphonium taking a solo. The rhythm sections weaves in and out of the solo line. The whole sections enters back in briefly and the guitar is given a solo. The guitar centers around the melody much more so than the horns. The drums and horns enter a sort of back and forth section. The ensemble starts to move back to the original theme. A drum solo and high notes from the euphoniums end the piece without ever actually restating the original melody.
I also really enjoyed "Swing Swing Swing" but I can't find a copy online for you to listen to.

Other tuba/euphonium jazz youtube videos

TubaJazz Consort:

Spoofy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwSGVXWUXuk

Sotto Voce
Manhattan Suite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L25BF5_nh8w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2n9eNS1O5o&feature=related