Everyone,
It seems like most bands/artists feature one of three key instruments; sax, guitar, or keyboards. While I like all three I'm always intrigue by the use of an "other" instrument.

Examples: Dave Samuels with the vibes. Or, Nelson Rangell and his flute and picalo.

Anybody have some favorite "other" jazz? Let the rest of us in on your secrets!

Steve

How about Bela Fleck and the banjo?

djley,
Have heard of Bela many times but have never heard any of his music. Is it good? Banjo jazz has a strange sound to it but I'm sure it can be very interesting too.
One that I have heard is Howard Levy on the harmonica. Have only heard him on Nelson Rangell's Turning night into day - it's great! Does he have any releases under his own name?

Steve

Kazu Matsui plays a wonderful shakuhachi (bamboo flute) on his releases from Unity. Many of you might have heard him playing on his wife's (Keiko Matsui - piano) many releases, music definitely having a soothing contemporary sound. Nice mix of worldly sounds!

Regina Carter and Vanessa-Mae both have an excellent violin sound on their latest releases.

Last but certainly not least is Eddie Daniels GRP releases on clarinet. I recently acquired his 'Nepenthe' release whith Chuck Loeb on guitar.

Check'm all out!

BTW, Bela Fleck is good, banjo-jazz is good in his hands. I have 'Flight of the Cosmic Hippo' of Bela's, and I throughly enjoy it!

JMH,

Thanks for the tips. I was wondering if there was any clarinet players out there. I will definitely check Eddie Daniels out.
How do the two violinists you mentioned compare with the old Jean-luc Ponty? Listened to him in the old days.

Steve

First, Vanessa-Mae, asian with classical training. Her latest CD 'Storm' is wonderful and I highly recommend it!

Second, Regina Carter, again she is excellent. I am not pleased with R&B and jazz mixes, but she definitely is very instumental and jazzy. I particularly like her 'Something for Grace' release.

I also am an older Jean-Luc Ponty follower but I also like these women instrumentalists. They all have their own style!

To follow this thread, I am also fond of jazz flute as in the work of Hubert Laws and Dave Valentine.

How about:
Chuck Mangione on trumpet?
or -
Deborah Henson-Conant on harp?
or -
Andy Narrel on steel pans?
or -
Brian Culbertson on trombone?

BTW, excellent post, Steve. Thanks

JMH,

Thank YOU for the great posts! I was hoping to get ideas to "flesh" out the cd collection. You've given many, many examples that should contribute to just that. Thanks from myself and, hopefully, many others.

You mentioned Chuck Mangione and his flugelhorn. Good stuff from the late '70's. Also liked Herb Alpert from the same era. Anybody new out there on trumpet? Seems that the good blowers do the background stuff - Gary Grant/Jerry Hey guys. Anybody getting the front job?

Good lead on the trombone player. Have always liked the trombone lead from the big band style. No reason to think c-jazz can't be played on it too. Wonder why more aren't?

I hadn't heard of the flute player you mentioned but I always love the Nelson Rangell tracks where he's on flute/piccalo. Great stuff!!

Thanks again for the great contributions to this thread. Any other suggestions out there?

Steve

Jazz/fusion violinist Didier Lockwood has done wonderful things with this instrument. Check him out on his "Storyboard" or "Phoenix 90" releases. The guy can really play a violin, acoustic or electric.

And while I'm at it, how about the EWI (electronic wind instrument). Master players like Steve Tavaglione, Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Jeff Kashiwa and Brandon Fields have made wonderful use of this instrument.

Phil,

Good tip on the EWI players. Have only heard Jeff Kashiwa play it - unique sound. You mentioned Brandon Fields. I loved his playing when he was with the Ripps but was disappointed in his self titled release from '95. What release did he play the EWI on? Have often thought of trying him again but haven't heard anything about him for awhile.

Also, thanks for the tip on the violinist. How would you say Lockwood compares to the old Jean-Luc Ponty stuff? Another man who could "really play a violin".

Thanks for chiping in. There's alot more "other" or different instrument players out there than I thought. GREAT!

Steve

I've always enjoyed the EWI (electronic wind instrument) sound that is used by musicians in small group settings. Guys like Steve Tavaglione, Michael Brecker and Bob Mintzer are considered the masters. Other great players are Jeff Kashiwa and and Brandon Fields.

While I'm at it I should also mention the acoustic and electric violin as a jazz instrument. All I had to do was hear a guy by the name of Didier Lockwood play both on releases like "Phoenix 90" (a fusion effort) and "Storyboard" (a straight-ahead release) to appreciate the violin.

Steve . . .

Sorry for the extra post. I submitted my responses from home (I'm at work now) and for some reason they did not post. Not sure why.

On Brandon Fields, I have his release "The Traveler" and on it he actually plays a Yamaha WX7. It's apparently a variation on the EWI or EVI and is sometimes called a WX7 saxophone.

Another instrument I love is the guitar synth ala Pat Metheny. He's been using it for much of his career with the PMG and keeps improving in its use. You hear it on Metheny group classics like "Third Wind" (The Road to You); "To the End of the World" and "Red Sky" (both on We Live Here), as well as many others. Saw Pat and the PMG in concert last year in what was the greatest music/jazz experience I've ever experienced. He used the guitar synth liberally that evening.