Essay - Pioneering Jazz Musician, Sidney Bechet Chapter One: About Sidney Bechet...

pioneering jazz musician, Sidney Bechet

Chapter One: About ***** Bechet

Sidney ***** was a pioneer ***** musici*****n who changed the music of his time into a unique ********** form. Considered to be one ***** the greatest jazz musicians of New Orleans, Bechet was an innovator on both the clarinet ********** saxophone. His music changed jazz music forever and inspired countless *****ians of all types.

Bechet was born in New Orleans in May 1897. He ***** ***** Creole ancestry and grew up in a middle class neighborhood. He was greatly influenced by music, as his fa*****r, a shoemaker, played the flute as a hobby, *****nd ***** four brothers ***** various instruments, as well. (Chilton)

***** of Bechet's brothers showed an aptitude for music making, although playing music was regarded as a hobby in the Bechet family, someth*****g to indulge in when their day***** work was complete. Homer was a janitor ***** played string bass. Albert Eugene was a butcher who played violin. Joseph ***** a pl*****sterer who ***** guitar. Leonard was a dentist, who played the clarinet and trombone ***** ***** ***** young. (Chilton, William)

Bechet was given his brother's ***** when Leonard decided to concentrate on the tromb*****e. Bechet enjoyed playing in the family's *****als, which typically consisted of mellow waltzes and quadrilles.

At the age of ten, he impressed many professional musicians, including George Baquet, a clarinetist, who offered ***** coach him. ***** clarinet playing ***** greatly influenced by Baquet, who *****ed him on ***** ***** concerning reeds, mouthpieces, embouchure, ***** legato and staccato playing. Bechet also received musical guidance from ***** *****s Alphonse Picou, Paul Chaligny ***** Luis Papa Tio.

Bechet credited "Big Eye" Louis Nelson as the biggest influence of his youth. Nelson ***** a signific*****nt role in ***** switch of clarinet ***** ***** the academic approach to ***** uptown dancehall style.

Bechet said, "I learned myself to play by patterning my work after "Big *****" Louis *****. In fact, Nelson gave me my first formal instruction on the clarinet. After I had learned the rudiments from him I had to learn the rest for *****. That's what every ***** person has to do." (Chilton)

When he was an adolescent, Bechet became drawn to ***** music played in the dance halls and bro*****ls in the Storyville District of New *****. He loved to watch the jazz bands that played in ***** street parades and practiced ***** clarinet in the hopes of playing like ***** musicians he saw.

As his ***** talents progresses, Bechet ***** in local jazz bands, such as the Young Olympians. Bunk Johnson, a legendary cornet player, who invited Bechet to join his band, the Eagle Band, recognized his music. ***** gained a lot ***** experience, pl*****ying in dance halls, and ***** picnics, ***** parties.

Local bands in New Orleans considered Bechet a child prodigy, *****nd ***** style of playing clarinet and soprano sax dominated many of ***** bands that he was in. He played lead parts that were usually reserved for trumpets and was