Clark Terry Solo Method

[kaitp]

I am wondering what clark terry often does when soloing on flugelhorn.
I have not been able to listen to that many recordings, but my interpretation is that clark terry plays great with lip slurs.
I look forward to your opinions.

[markp]

I wish I could figure it out too, and it’s not just how he sounds on flugelhorn. He’s one of a very few players you can instantly recognize by his unique sound and style. Some of it may be the vocabulary and licks he plays, but most of it seems to me the way he manipulates the inflections and attacks with his wind, tongue and chops.

Here is a great example from my favorite Clark recording.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=clark+terry+trumpey+beans+bag

I’d love to learn to copy it a little, but I’ve never heard any other player who could sound that way, although I’m sure many have tried.

[peanuts56]

C;ark had such a distinct sound on trumpet as well.
Clark was such an efficient player, his chops were perfect.
When I was a kid I attended a community college that had an excellent music dept. The head of the dept. was Sonny Costanzo. Sonny played lead trombone in Clark's big band and was the best trombonist I've ever heard.
We had a lot of Clark's big band charts in the jazz ensemble book. Ernie Wilkins was on staff at the college and wrote a lot of Clark's arrangements. Several times we would play a new arrangement before Clark got it to iron out any kinks Ernie might have heard.
Sonny brought in Clark's small group for a concert at the college. Everyone in the jazz ensemble was there and we all had our instruments. Sonny asked Clark if we could play a few of his charts with him. Clark said no problem, and we quickly got our instruments out and played 2-3 charts with Clark. He was a joy to be around.

[Halflip]

[JonathanM]

Great thread - and some super comments above. I think Clark Terry was famous for 'doodle tonguing' and I think he uses some here; it's a very soft tongue style. If you work on speedy single tonguing really low (G, Gb, etc.), and really loosen your tongue, maybe you can get the feel of it.

I recally reading Rafael Mendez saying he had several different embochures; when his chops got tired on long recording days, he'd 'switch' embochures to rest up some muscles. I mean, really? TWO or THREE embochures?? Most of us are still trying to iron out one.

Same thing with Clark Terry; he had different ways of tonguing while most of us are still majoring on perfecting ONE way to tongue. Rafael and Clark just LIVED with their horns - so they could do SO much more than those of us who are playing an hour or two a day.

Lastly, Trent Austin was very fond of Clark Terry; I've seen pics of them together. If you really want to know what Clark was doing, I bet a lesson with Trent specifically relating to Clark's tonguing method would be very informative for you.

And thank you. These are indeed phenomenal YouTube clips. Very enlightening.
_________________
Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super

[Didymus]

[JonathanM]

^^ Fantastic links, Didymus. Thank you.
_________________
Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super

[Robert P]

Clark used a masked tone instead of the wide open, brassy tone people generally strive for along with a repertoire of quick, precise, rapid, delicate articulations, ghosted notes, bends, scoops, flips, turns, etc.

Listen to how he often approaches notes - hits them on the low side by practically a half step and bends up to the center of pitch.
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