[Trombone-l] Plunger Mute question...

[Stan Brager]

To me, the plunger master was Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton who was with Duke
Ellington from the '20s until his death in the late '40s. Listen to some of
his solos (Mood Indigo, Black and Tan Fantasy, Caravan, Main Stem, etc) and
you'll swear that it's a real person talking. Ellington liked it so much
that he insisted that someone in the trombone section become a growl master.
At one time, Lawrence Brown was chosen. Brown didn't like the assignment,
but did it none-the-less.

Stan
Stan Brager

-----Original Message-----
From: Daryl Burch [mailto:daryl at burchinteractive.com] 
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 2:24 PM
To: James O'Briant
Cc: Trombone Forum
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Plunger Mute question...

I would add:

It really depends on the sound you want. I personally prefer the old,  
cheap rubber ones with the wooden handle. The rubber dampens some of  
the brightness off the sound and lets you growl pretty hard. And  
since it's rubber you can squish to make different shapes or shades  
to your sound. Of course, the clerk at the hardware store will look  
at you funny if you don't get the handle, too...

Some like the H&B's with the finger loop on the front.

Side note (pun intended): I always loved listening to Snooky Young  
work with a plunger. He could really make the thing talk. Steve Turre  
did a great duet recording of "Since I Fell For You" on his Rhythm  
Within album with Britt Woodman. Steve plays plungered and Britt  
plays open. They alternate A's & bridges. And the rhythm section is a  
shell choir (with Robin Eubanks) and shakers. A beautiful recording.

Cheers!
-D-
www.burchinteractive.com
O: 707.927.4152
C: 707.338.8338
E: daryl at burchinteractive.com

"The real warriors are the ones with the pocket protector  
shields! ...in today's Camelot, anyway."




On Jan 5, 2009, at 2:00 PM, Jeff Albert wrote:

There are multiple sizes, although the hardware store might not have
multiple sizes.  I have found that most stores have the 5.5 inch  
variety.
  You can get 6 inch ones, and I like the bigger ones.  I don't know  
that it
really makes all that much difference, but I have a stack of them,  
and swear
they all sound different. ;)
Jeff

On Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 3:49 PM, James O'Briant <jobriant at garlic.com>  
wrote:

> As a long-time tuba player (50 years) I'm going to partially
> "return to my roots" and attend a trad jazz camp as a trombone
> student.  One of the things I need to get is a plunger mute.
>
> Before I run down to the hardware store to buy one, can someone
> with some experience with these things tell me whether they come
> in more than one size?  If so, is there a "best" size to get?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jim O'Briant
> Trombone (1957-1959, 2009- )
> Tuba (1959- )
> Gilroy, CA
>
> _______________________________________________
> Trombone-l mailing list
> Trombone-l at samford.edu
> http://maillists.samford.edu/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l
>



-- 
===========================
Jeff Albert
(985) 966-6093

www.jeffalbert.com
www.scratchmybrain.com
www.openearsmusic.org
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