Jazz on the whistle

Jeff Guevin · Post by **Jeff Guevin** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:03 am

I've seen some discussions of jazz on the whistle (mostly buried) in older threads, but thought I'd ask directly: anyone here playing jazz on the whistle? What approaches do you take to the diatonic/chromatic issue? What sort of music are you playing? It's hard to imagine many bop tunes fitting under the fingers, while modal stuff and a number of standards might, but what about chord substitutions? What do you when the piano player throws in a chord with few notes in common with your instrument? bustapipuh, since you're entering UM's Jazz program this fall, I wonder if you have some experiences to share.

I'm a beginning whistler, but a pretty experienced bassist. I'm years away from even bothering with jazz on the whistle, but I'm interested in the challenges involved.

OT: Ann Arbor whistlers, are you going to the Saline Celtic festival this weekend?

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:21 am

While not a direct response, the following may be of some interest. It is not whistle, but the Japanese Shaku, and not me, but someone I know:

http://www.shakuhachi.com/R-Shaku-Zasloff.html
S-Z1b. I FEEL GREAT CD $16.50
Shakuhachi & David's new band. Jazz shakuhachi. Original compositions.

I am not sure if the Shaku is chromatic.

The man can flat out play. He also has a mean stand up comedy act interwoven into his performance.
+ Bill

satyricon234 · Post by **satyricon234** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:21 am

The Michigan people are rapidly multiplying.

I have been thinking about doing jazz. I used to be fairly good at jazz saxaphone. I started working on learning to half hole to get the full scale. I think it can be done.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:27 am

Do a search on Kwela.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:39 am

Jeff Guevin wrote:bustapipuh, since you're entering UM's Jazz program this fall, I wonder if you have some experiences to share.

OT: Ann Arbor whistlers, are you going to the Saline Celtic festival this weekend?

Absolutely. Be there Friday night for the workshops, ceili, and (hopefully) session, then I'm planning on being there a good hunk of the day and night on Saturday. (Still have to figure out how to get home and take care of the dog in the middle of it all.)

I'm surprised to learn bustapipuh is on the board, but the real question here is -- will he be playing with the Duhks in Saline on Saturday? (And for those of you who don't know -- as I understand it, bustapipuh's primary instrument for the UofM Jazz program is low whistle.)

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:40 am

Following a link to a spoof 'John Coltrane plays tinwhistle' album review,the other week,I attempted to play 'My Favourite things' on my Overton low 'F',and it worked quite well in a 'modal jazz' style.
'Jazz' whistle is quite possible-Kwela has already been mentioned,and of course the Blues(eminently playable) are the 'backbone' of Jazz.
Also remember,that what you leave out can be as important as the actual notes that you play,in a 'Milesean' sense ("Mouse music Man!"-Louis Armstrong).

oleorezinator · Post by **oleorezinator** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 11:06 am

this is from green linnet records:

Billy Novick, Pennywhistles from Heaven
-
The Charlie Parker of the pennywhistle and a group of top-notch accompanists have carried the littlest horn of all to unheard-of heights. Beautiful original tunes, a few from the tradition, and a whole side of straight-ahead jazz! A brilliant showcase for the wizard of whistledom. Featuring Jay Ungar (fiddle and mandolin) and Guy Van Duser (guitar).

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 11:43 am

Whistle jazz is very nice. There are at least a couple clips on Clips and Snips...you have to scroll around.

irishduffy · Post by **irishduffy** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:00 pm

Saline celtic fest I'm going to try hard to get their I'm in Brighton.
So where do the michiganders all play at fill me in. I play with friends primarly but anything good happening in michigan. what pubs are the sessions at O'neils or others.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:20 pm

Conor O'Neill's in Ann Arbor and Shananhan's in Livonia have Sunday evening sessions every week. I think there's some sessions in Lansing as well. (Plus Gaelic League in Detroit, CCE Thursdays in Livonia, and lots of goings on in Windsor.)

The Saline Celtic sessions this weekend are supposed to be in "Pat's Pub" in Saline. Of course, last year I couldn't find that place at all, and the session after Saturday's events was backstage of the festival's mainstage.

irishduffy · Post by **irishduffy** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:39 pm

colomon wrote:Conor O'Neill's in Ann Arbor and Shananhan's in Livonia have Sunday evening sessions every week. I think there's some sessions in Lansing as well. (Plus Gaelic League in Detroit, CCE Thursdays in Livonia, and lots of goings on in Windsor.)

The Saline Celtic sessions this weekend are supposed to be in "Pat's Pub" in Saline. Of course, last year I couldn't find that place at all, and the session after Saturday's events was backstage of the festival's mainstage.

Thanks I know the windsor and detroit scene but never have spent much time in ann arbor.

How many show up and is their any listing of songs played O'neils that is.
Not sure I can make it any time soon but I'am intrested. Also what speed is this session.

Jeff Guevin · Post by **Jeff Guevin** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 1:52 pm

Thanks for the links and tips, guys and gals. I do like the shakuhachi, but have never heard it in a contemporary context.

Kevin, I agree about leaving notes out, but--I think you'd generally want to leave notes out not because you can't play them, but because you choose not to. Of course I just sometimes forget about some notes altogether...

Colomon, see you there! I don't seem to have a picture of myself handy, but at least I know what you look like. I'll be the tall, tired-looking, awful-sounding whistler at the workshop.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 2:31 pm

irishduffy wrote:How many show up and is their any listing of songs played O'neils that is. Also what speed is this session.

There are usually anywhere from 4-20 people there. As far as I know, there is no listing of tunes played at that session -- if there were, it would be quite long. The session is fast.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 2:36 pm

Jeff Guevin wrote:Colomon, see you there! I don't seem to have a picture of myself handy, but at least I know what you look like. I'll be the tall, tired-looking, awful-sounding whistler at the workshop.

I knew I shouldn't have left my picture lying around on the Internet....

Jeff Guevin · Post by **Jeff Guevin** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 2:54 pm

colomon wrote: I knew I shouldn't have left my picture lying around on the Internet....

Yeah, but I'm really not a stalker or anything. And I think you're not my type, no offense.

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