Pete playing the opening number to one of his shows. He never seems to run out of ideas for his improvising and riffs. He is the most swinging clarinet player in the last 50 years.
Pete summed up the New Orleans style. A wonderful clarinet player--a wonderful man, a real Southern Gentleman in the best sense of the word. When he passes something of the Spirit New Orleans will go with him. No one does what he does as well as he's done it.
This is a perfect example of why I have always felt that, for my money, Pete is the very best improvisor on any instrument ever....nobody does it better...period. Anyone who has ever tried to improvise on any instrument can't help but recognize what a masterpiece of unbelievably fast thinking and uncanny ability to instantly play what you're thinking! And the piano player ain't bad either! Pete Fountain....what a talent ! !
Words cannot describe how truly great this man really was. The only idol I've ever had. Saw him in person at his club and shook his hand in 1971. I love you Pete.
I met Pete in mid 80-s at the LA Classic Jazz Festival- what a sweet ,humble man. The absolute highlight was him sitting in with "Garden Ave 7"- leader Bob Draga clarinet-came off stage with a few tears of joy to meet and play with his idol.
+Elinor Hackett I've known Draga since back in the sixties, and we're very good friends. We have often talked about Pete and has playing and we both have had the honor of playing with Pete our idol. Jim Valentine
Discovered Pete when I was ten in 1959 via Lawrence Welk (perhaps Welk's singular contribution to music). There was Benny, Artie, and then Pete -- none better. And check out his early stuff in New Orleans circa 1950 -- and from then on!
Backstage, meeting him and getting his autograph was enough to inspire four or five hours of clarinet practice per day, until the sax and flute began pestering me! lol
I noticed lots of mentions of Benny Goodman.I was a friend of Paul Edwards,a fine drummer who played with Pete many years,and had all kind of funny stories.He told me he meet Benny Goodman in New Orleans,and told Benny that he was Pete's drummer,and Benny told Paul that he had heard a lot about Pete,and really wanted to talk to him.So he told Paul to bring Pete to where Benny was rehearsing his band the next day and to bring Pete in to meet after the rehearsal ended.So the next day Paul brought Pete in,and the rehearsal had ended,and Benny was sitting on a stool noodling on his clarinet.So Paul and Pete stood around awhile so Paul finally goes up to Benny and says here's Pete Fountain,who you wanted to meet,and Paul said Benny keep playing his clarinet,and looked at Pete and Paul but said Benny looked like he in a trance,continued his noodling, and turned his back on both of them,so they left.
All men have egos they need to protect. It's disappointing tho when someone as superb as Benny and as beloved as he was is uncomfortable with someone also acclaimed. But then, who am I to judge? My ego has made me do a few dumb things in my lifetime and I ain't dead yet so might still have one or two of them dumb ego things in me ready to pop out... 😀
Nick to see that "Stick' sounds as great as ever, and is still with Pete. Last time that I saw and spoke to them was in 1998, while appearing in Baltimore, Inner Harbor. Was friends with them since 1967, while I was appearing in New Orleans. Great guys. Ronnie Dupont also played piano for Pete and "Jumbo," as well as having his own quartet in the past. He now lives in Charleston, SC.
I played clarinet in high school that's when I got hooked on Pete he is a master so smooth and clean people don't have an appreciation for for this art anymore what a shame . Thank you for posting this sir !!!
I dig this the mostest. Cool P ete cool. I grew with Pete on tv when i was a kid, and listening to this just makes me smile. RIP Pete! Your swinging will go on forever.
What playing -and his lengthy one at that. Never heard one who could master the clarinet as he did. Wow ! Out of sight ! Thanks Pete and R IP -we'll miss you.
To stand there and play almost continuously, and so well, for close to 10 minutes, Pete has to be considered the best. A good background group who let Mr. Clarinetist just -Shine !
@ABriggs500: It's a good question. Benny and Artie were both great. So is Pete. I have albums from all three. For me, I couldn't pick a favorite. I appreciate the bodies of work that each of them have produced for us.
@coonks He plays a 15mm Leblanc L1612 PETE FOUNTAIN model Clarinet with gold plated keys and articulated G# and forked Bb optional kays added. The mouthpiece is a O'Brien glass 4* with the tip opened a little. Jim Valentine
All my life I've listened to all manner of very difficult music passages performed on a variety of instruments- classical, jazz, even country. And 99 out of 100 of them leave me unimpressed, even when they are flawlessly executed. I go "meh, so what?", even though I know the composers, arrangers, and artists have all sweated their life blood on them... they just don't do much for me. THIS PERFORMANCE is one of the 1% that dazzles me musically. I can't explain why, but I know it when I hear it.
The bore of his horn is bigger than most. He was so good it was almost impossible. My Dad had me listen to him on Lawrence Welk when I was 8 years-old, and that is why today I play clarinet.
@JimV33 The "Pete Fountain" mouth piece that Leblanc sends with the "Big Easy" is a great match for the large bore horn. I've enjoyed my Big Easy for the last ten years. Nothing like it. It was a long wait to get it from Leblanc all those years ago, but ill never part with it. A treat every time I get to pull it out.
@Tony7840 Hi Tony, Good to hear from you. Just got back from NOLA and Bay St Louis on 3,4 and 5 May 2010. Had a nice talk with Stick and Pete. Got to sit in with them again on 4 and 5 May. Always will be great guys! Jim Valentine
This whole performance is just humbling, but I am especially entranced by Pete's stuff at 2:04, 7:07, 7:24, and 7:45 to the end. Piano at 3:56-4:30 is pretty neat, too.
My buddy Dave Bennett said, Benny played a Selmer Balanced Tone for most of his career. However, he switched to Buffet, I believe sometime in the 60s (maybe late 50s) when he played more classical. His mouthpiece changed over the years. He was never clear on what he used. In his clarinet case in 1986, it was a Woodwind 9 mouthpiece with a 1.5 reed. I think he used a stock selmer mouthpiece most of the time.
tell him that a guy from belgium told you that the clarinet is the most flexible instrument in the world and jazz is one of the only genres of music where the clarinet can be streched out to it's maximum capabilities. your band director is a musicn00b :p :) regards;)
Sure, Many major big name princapal clarinetists in symphonies have used them over the years dating back to the 1950s. Same holds true with Jazz clarinetists! Jim
I wonder what Benny Goodman or Artie Shaw to name a few jazz clarinetists, would think of Pete's playing. Haha... (Anyone know when this program aired on TV?)
Just need one thing to play really good jazz... Soul and rythem. If you have that and don't give a hoot what anybody tells ya', you'll go a long way in the world.
My granddaughters high school band teachers, both of them, told her that clarinets were not in jazz bands. Clarinets are not a jazz instrument. By whose's definition? I hope Pete and his band don't find out about that.
Wow! I wonder where those band teachers studied music? Clarinets may not be popular for modern jazz, but they are most certainly a jazz instrument. Benny Goodman, Irving Fazola, Pete Fountain...all great Jazz Clarinet players.
Buddy DeFranco, Hank d'Amico, Pee Wee Russell, Evan Christopher, Tony Scott, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Wilber, Sidney Bechet, Kenny Davern, the great Ken Peplowski, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Dodds... and dozens of others. These teachers are "MMs" - musical morons.
i know man but they won't listen to me =-/ i mean even my own high school band director laughed behind my back about me playin clarinet in a jazz band...
beethoven was deaf, so i guess his perfect pitch was silence.. music is more then technique and lessons, you have to have "soul" alot can sit and play the notes, but if they dont have "soul" then the sound is flat. the people who excel have something more then perfect pitch, talent, etc, they also have that one thing that puts them over the top, what seperates wheat from the chaff
I am the all time Benny Goodman fan....but I bow to Mr Pete Fountain..... there are indeed two Kings of Swing - go Pete go!
Pete summed up the New Orleans style. A wonderful clarinet player--a wonderful man, a real Southern Gentleman in the best sense of the word. When he passes something of the Spirit New Orleans will go with him. No one does what he does as well as he's done it.
Fantastic and you can even see the crystal mouthpiece that gave his music that distinctive mellow tone.
I was in high school in 1956 and was the only clarinet player with a crystal mouthpiece. Guess why I had one. 😁
This is a perfect example of why I have always felt that, for my money, Pete is the very best improvisor on any instrument ever....nobody does it better...period. Anyone who has ever tried to improvise on any instrument can't help but recognize what a masterpiece of unbelievably fast thinking and uncanny ability to instantly play what you're thinking! And the piano player ain't bad either! Pete Fountain....what a talent ! !
are you kidding me that piano player is the best h ever had and ii dont even know his name,
laughs in coltrane.
Words cannot describe how truly great this man really was. The only idol I've ever had. Saw him in person at his club and shook his hand in 1971. I love you Pete.
RIP, Pete, your music lives on...
I met Pete in mid 80-s at the LA Classic Jazz Festival- what a sweet ,humble man. The absolute highlight was him sitting in with "Garden Ave 7"- leader Bob Draga clarinet-came off stage with a few tears of joy to meet and play with his idol.
+Elinor Hackett I've known Draga since back in the sixties, and we're very good friends. We have often talked about Pete and has playing and we both have had the honor of playing with Pete our idol.
Jim Valentine
Discovered Pete when I was ten in 1959 via Lawrence Welk (perhaps Welk's singular contribution to music). There was Benny, Artie, and then Pete -- none better. And check out his early stuff in New Orleans circa 1950 -- and from then on!
Backstage, meeting him and getting his autograph was enough to inspire four or five hours of clarinet practice per day, until the sax and flute began pestering me! lol
I've heard them all, but boy, when pete is hot, like this , there's no-one can touch him.
This is superb, pete at his best.
Russell C.
And THIS is why I love jazz.
Wow ..wow ...again even years later! Wow! What ever happened to music like this!
I noticed lots of mentions of Benny Goodman.I was a friend of Paul Edwards,a fine drummer who played with Pete many years,and had all kind of funny stories.He told me he meet Benny Goodman in New Orleans,and told Benny that he was Pete's drummer,and Benny told Paul that he had heard a lot about Pete,and really wanted to talk to him.So he told Paul to bring Pete to where Benny was rehearsing his band the next day and to bring Pete in to meet after the rehearsal ended.So the next day Paul brought Pete in,and the rehearsal had ended,and Benny was sitting on a stool noodling on his clarinet.So Paul and Pete stood around awhile so Paul finally goes up to Benny and says here's Pete Fountain,who you wanted to meet,and Paul said Benny keep playing his clarinet,and looked at Pete and Paul but said Benny looked like he in a trance,continued his noodling, and turned his back on both of them,so they left.
All men have egos they need to protect. It's disappointing tho when someone as superb as Benny and as beloved as he was is uncomfortable with someone also acclaimed. But then, who am I to judge? My ego has made me do a few dumb things in my lifetime and I ain't dead yet so might still have one or two of them dumb ego things in me ready to pop out... 😀
Mr. Fountain really shines in this performance!
You just can't get any better than that! I sure do miss you Pete...
Nick to see that "Stick' sounds as great as ever, and is still with Pete. Last time that I saw and spoke to them was in 1998, while appearing in Baltimore, Inner Harbor. Was friends with them since 1967, while I was appearing in New Orleans. Great guys. Ronnie Dupont also played piano for Pete and "Jumbo," as well as having his own quartet in the past. He now lives in Charleston, SC.
a very soulful player who swings to the max...the jazz world really misses him.
I played clarinet in high school that's when I got hooked on Pete he is a master so smooth and clean people don't have an appreciation for for this art anymore what a shame . Thank you for posting this sir !!!
i did a report on this song in school the other day. its that good
I dig this the mostest. Cool P
ete cool. I grew with Pete on tv when i was a kid, and listening to this just makes me smile. RIP Pete! Your swinging will go on forever.
What playing -and his lengthy one at that. Never heard one who could master the clarinet as he did. Wow ! Out of sight ! Thanks Pete and R IP -we'll miss you.
To stand there and play almost continuously, and so well, for close to 10 minutes, Pete has to be considered the best. A good background group who let Mr. Clarinetist just -Shine !
@ABriggs500: It's a good question. Benny and Artie were both great. So is Pete. I have albums from all three. For me, I couldn't pick a favorite. I appreciate the bodies of work that each of them have produced for us.
@coonks He plays a 15mm Leblanc L1612 PETE FOUNTAIN model Clarinet with gold plated keys and articulated G# and forked Bb optional kays added. The mouthpiece is a O'Brien glass 4* with the tip opened a little.
Jim Valentine
All my life I've listened to all manner of very difficult music passages performed on a variety of instruments- classical, jazz, even country. And 99 out of 100 of them leave me unimpressed, even when they are flawlessly executed. I go "meh, so what?", even though I know the composers, arrangers, and artists have all sweated their life blood on them... they just don't do much for me. THIS PERFORMANCE is one of the 1% that dazzles me musically. I can't explain why, but I know it when I hear it.
it is such a happy instrument, I feel like I don't have to worry no more!
I believe Pete plays a Leblanc clarinet. What an amazing player, with superb balance across all 3 registers of the instrument. Flawless.
Yes it is a Leblanc. My stepfather is the bass player, What great memories!!
The bore of his horn is bigger than most. He was so good it was almost impossible. My Dad had me listen to him on Lawrence Welk when I was 8 years-old, and that is why today I play clarinet.
Good old Pete! New Orleans comes out the end of that clarinet.
The String bass line was a masterpiece as well, Just thoroughly inspiring throughout ********
One of the first LPs I bought was Pete Fountain back in 59 or 60. Wore it out many years ago. Now I have a CD instead.
man, pete you and eddie are what i strive to reach. 6th year clarinet 1st year jazz clarinet =-)
RIP Mr. Fountain...
No-one can out-Peter Pete.
one thing , soul AND rythm , i believe one and one is two :)
Great performance. Nice "clarinet bubbles". Thank you. Kind regards OK-Dreamband.
Kind of reminds me of a certain Cody high school Comet at Bandarama a long Time ago back in the early Sixties Never Forgot Dan 🎶🎶🎶🎶🤪
Unreal command of that clarinet !
amazing!! you gotta love Pete Fountain!!
I am doing an essay about him and i forgot to continue typing after starting to hear this So great!
+daniel perez
lol
Marvellous!
i just love the clarinet
@JimV33 The "Pete Fountain" mouth piece that Leblanc sends with the "Big Easy" is a great match for the large bore horn. I've enjoyed my Big Easy for the last ten years. Nothing like it. It was a long wait to get it from Leblanc all those years ago, but ill never part with it. A treat every time I get to pull it out.
His name is Oliver "Stick" Felix. He has played bass with Pete for over 45 years.
Jim
Please post Strangers on the Shore by Pete if you have it! Love his version of that song! Like this song too! Thanks!
@Tony7840 Hi Tony,
Good to hear from you. Just got back from NOLA and Bay St Louis on 3,4 and 5 May 2010. Had a nice talk with Stick and Pete. Got to sit in with them again on 4 and 5 May. Always will be great guys!
Jim Valentine
@JimV33 Thanks for your reply. I wish they'd air it again, unless it's available on DVD.
la mejor musica para despertarte me encanta gracias maestro
This whole performance is just humbling, but I am especially entranced by Pete's stuff at 2:04, 7:07, 7:24, and 7:45 to the end. Piano at 3:56-4:30 is pretty neat, too.
My buddy Dave Bennett said, Benny played a Selmer Balanced Tone for most of his career. However, he switched to Buffet, I believe sometime in the 60s (maybe late 50s) when he played more classical. His mouthpiece changed over the years. He was never clear on what he used. In his clarinet case in 1986, it was a Woodwind 9 mouthpiece with a 1.5 reed. I think he used a stock selmer mouthpiece most of the time.
i've never heard him play before and i must say... Wow. (I've seen the "Pete Fountain" clarinet model online though lol looked pretty sweet)
After hearing this, Benny Goodman popped out of the grave and went "Daaaaaaamn~"
the only musician i know of that received a standing O from the tonight show band after his performance....
tell him that a guy from belgium told you that the clarinet is the most flexible instrument in the world and jazz is one of the only genres of music where the clarinet can be streched out to it's maximum capabilities. your band director is a musicn00b :p :) regards;)
beast
RIP, sir.
brilliant.
Sweet!
Thank You and Your welcome.
Does anyone have Pete playing Red Sails on the Sunset?
Trying to reply to 'theredonetoo's' question about the pianist. Sorry for the multiple posts!
He is good. Benny Goodman king of swing. Pete Fountain king of dixieland.
Sure, Many major big name princapal clarinetists in symphonies have used them over the years dating back to the 1950s. Same holds true with Jazz clarinetists!
Jim
Hey, they both knew him! Different generations of course, but they crossed paths.
I wonder what Benny Goodman or Artie Shaw to name a few jazz clarinetists, would think of Pete's playing. Haha... (Anyone know when this program aired on TV?)
can't w8 to get out of high school and head off to college i'm getting tired of having to prove clarinet can play jazz and that it can do it well =-/
@Abriggs500 It aired in 1992.
Great but, please, who is the fabulous pianist???
Bob Molinelli
Just need one thing to play really good jazz... Soul and rythem. If you have that and don't give a hoot what anybody tells ya', you'll go a long way in the world.
clarinet IS the instrument of jazz :)
My granddaughters high school band teachers, both of them, told her that clarinets were not in jazz bands. Clarinets are not a jazz instrument.
By whose's definition?
I hope Pete and his band don't find out about that.
Wow! I wonder where those band teachers studied music? Clarinets may not be popular for modern jazz, but they are most certainly a jazz instrument. Benny Goodman, Irving Fazola, Pete Fountain...all great Jazz Clarinet players.
Don"t let some dumb band teacher spoil your love of music,especially jazz.
Buddy DeFranco, Hank d'Amico, Pee Wee Russell, Evan Christopher, Tony Scott, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Wilber, Sidney Bechet, Kenny Davern, the great Ken Peplowski, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Dodds... and dozens of others. These teachers are "MMs" - musical morons.
+dean m roberts
A bit late for them to find out clarinet is not a jazz instrument lol
1992
i know man but they won't listen to me =-/ i mean even my own high school band director laughed behind my back about me playin clarinet in a jazz band...
beethoven was deaf, so i guess his perfect pitch was silence.. music is more then technique and lessons, you have to have "soul" alot can sit and play the notes, but if they dont have "soul" then the sound is flat. the people who excel have something more then perfect pitch, talent, etc, they also have that one thing that puts them over the top, what seperates wheat from the chaff
I think Beethoven had his own style and Jazz players have their own styles as well..
Joyful noise! He swings effortlessly. Well, he makes it seem effortless. I'm a musician and I know better.