Friday, September 12, 2014

Don Harry

Nice article about Don Harry. I'm please to say he plays the J-445LQ16 http://www.davidbrubeck.com/2014/07/don-harry-enlivens-the-fourth-valve-tm/

Monday, August 11, 2014

Update from Ireland

I had a busy week on the 445 - Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream and Pictures at an Exhibition (Bydlo done by solo euphonium player). Although I primarily use a Perantucci PT50 mouthpiece on the 445, I found it advantageous to switch to a Perantucci PT 72S for the Mendelssohn. This allowed me to blend more transparently into the orchestra and certainly made the higher register all the more accessible. Back on the PT50, Pictures was a joy to play as the 445 responded perfectly to all of the big tuba sections, as well as the colourful solo passages. I used a standard Humes & Berg bass tuba stonelined mute which was perfect for the 445 and required no main slide adjustment whatsoever. My Bydlo-playing euphonium colleague (2nd euph in Grimethorpe Colliery Band) was sat to my left and remarked on the massive sound that the 445 was generating, a true compliment given what he's used to from the GCB bass section! All the best as always & speak soon. Alex Kidston

Saturday, May 10, 2014

BMB J-765 BAT live from Chicago

I’ve been asked a few times if I have demo recordings of BMB tubas. I don’t. And I don’t find demo recordings useful. Jake sounded like Jake no matter what he played. Microphone placement is more important than tube on a recording. I listen to old recordings of me in the quintet and honestly can’t tell if I was playing my 184 Miraphone or my Holton/York 345. Not that the horn doesn’t matter. Just that on a recording, without defining microphone placement, the ears can be deceived. That said, there is a broadcast coming up of the Chicago Symphony. Mr. Pokorny used a BMB J-765 for the Scriabin Divine Poem. Not a piece I knew. I was fortunate to have heard it live in the hall. It is a real showpiece for the tuba from the very beginning. This is Chicago live so microphone placement is what hangs in the hall every day. And it is in context with the rest of the orchestra without unusually highlighting any instrument. If it is anything close to what I heard in the hall, you are in for a treat. It should be a great example of what the BMB BAT sounds like in the hands of a great player. May 25, 2014 Muti and Izotov: the Martinů Oboe Concerto Riccardo Muti, conductor Eugene Izotov, oboe Haydn: Symphony No. 48 in C Major, Maria Theresa Martinů: Oboe Concerto Scriabin: The Divine Poem Tune in for a treat: http://www.wfmt.com/main.taf?p=12,11,3,1 To be clear, Gene does not endorse BMB or any other tuba. He primarily uses the York tuba that the orchestra owns. He has on occasion used a BMB tuba because it fit the needs of the situation, piece, or conductor. This is one example of which I am aware and am pleased to alert you to it.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

J-445LQ16

The J-445LQ16 offers a little crisper sound and fits in a smaller case. Don Harry has been testing it out. Thanks, Don, for all your input. I have added it to the catalog and expect to have inventory later this year.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Capital Tuba Conference 2014

Another great Capital tuba conference. Thanks to Aaron Lovely, the Army Band and everyone who came around to try tubas. Pictures are posted. https://picasaweb.google.com/109504607471605137020/CapitalTubaConference2014