[Trombone-l] quick! what's a "jazz mute" ?

[james meador]

When I did that piece in the past, the conductor had us try different mutes. 
  What seemed to work the best and what most of the brass liked was me using 
a bucket to really blend with the tuba and the tenors using cups.  I think 
he was going for a really dark-bluesy sound.  I'm sure that is NOT what 
Bernstein had in mind, but Bernstein wasn't there, so no harm done I guess.  
;)

James

======================
James N. Meador, Bass Trombone
Orquesta Sinfónica de Yucatán
011-52-999-221-5845 cell
jamesmeador at hotmail.com



From: Adrian Drover <slide at adios.co.uk>
To: "'Ray Horton'" <rayhorton at insightbb.com>, 
<trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] quick! what's a "jazz mute" ?
Sent: Tuesday, November 6, 2007 7:46 AM


>From: Ray Horton
>
>Quick! Rehearsal tomorrow morning for Bernstein's _Divertimento for
>Orchestra_:
>
>What does he mean in the 7th movement by a "jazz mute" ?  He's already
>asked for a "brassy mute."  There are no + or o indications, etc.
>
>The passage for "jazz mute" is "slow blues tempo" 12/8 and is low and loud.


Ray, I wouldn't worry too much about it.  It seems to me like Bernstein
himself does not know what a jazz mute is.  Slow 12/8 blues does suggest ad
lib plunger, but only if it is a solo passage.

A.