Cool on Clarinets

The clarinet family is a tough instrument to play, and certainly has had a tough time in the sexiness department. Some players use it sparingly to great effect (notably bassists Mick Karn and Marcus Miller both use bass clarinets to create moody atmospherics, but its use is relegated to support status). Don Byron on the other hand, makes the clarinet a great lead instrument. Not since Eric Dolphy has anyone really made the instrument shine as a lead. Byron has worked across the gamut: post-bop crossed with cerebral blaxploitation themes, klezmer voyages, avant-fusion (with Vernon Reid's Masque), and now he has released a great album of largely Lester Young infomed material, called Ivey-Divey. He has a rather solidly edited electronic press kit (in this case a .mov file) that showcases the core bandmembers --piano star Jason Moran and true veteran demi-deity Jack DeJohnette-- as well as animated interview footage.

Go take a peek.