No comments about Music from Titanic: French Horn.

2 comments about Claude Bolling - Toot Suite: Trumpet and Jazz Piano.

1. Claude Bolling's Toot Suite is a great solo piece for those players who have to play a recital, but instead of classical, want a more jazzy feel to things. This solo is really fun, but long-6 movements, and if you have them all, 5 different trumpets-C, Eb, Piccolo, Cornet, and Flugelhorn. This is a great solo though. Somewhat repetitive at times, but still fun to play.



2. I have run across few pieces in the realm of contemporary trumpet literature that are as fun and as well written as Claude Bolling's Toot Suite for Trumpet and Jazz Trio. The six movements add up to a rather monumental piece that makes use of a variety of trumpets, (C, Eb, Bb Cornet, Bb Piccolo, and Flugelhorn) but alternate Bb Trumpet parts are provided. I would recommend this piece to any trumpet player comfortable with collegiate level repertoire, and at least a little experience in jazz. The "Rag-Polka" Movement of the piece is easier than it sounds.
   
   Good luck! (-:
   
   * I gave a 4 star rating because the printing I got was a little warped.

No comments about Learn to Play Cornet Duets (Learn to Play).

No comments about Flute Sight-Reading 2 (The Sight-Reading Series).

No comments about Gershwin by Special Arrangement (Jazz-Style Arrangements with a ""Variation"").

No comments about Flute Sight-Reading 1: A Fresh Approach (The Sight-Reading Series).

2 comments about Trompeta: Chappott'n, Chocolate, and Afro-Cuban Trumpet Style.

1. The main emphasis in this book is on Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros. Davies also looks at the work of Chappottin, but to a lesser degree. The best part of the book for a layperson is the interview with Chocolate included in the appendix. The interview is in Spanish, with an English translation. This book is especially good for music students interested in the Cuban trumpet style. There is practically nothing, however, on two other significant Cuban trumpeters, El Negro Vivar and Jorge Varona. Still, this is a minor quibble. Davies had done a great service to all of us who love Cuban music, and also to the underdocumented Chocolate Armenteros.



2. Trompeta is one of the best academic studies of Afro-Cuban and salsa music in print. Following roughly in the Gunther Schuller tradition, the author does an in-depth analysis of the music and especially the trumpet style. Although the book does present a fairly thorough overview of the history of the music, it is not for the faint-hearted.
   
   Its primary strength is its exhaustive solo by solo and bar by bar study of the playing of Chappottin and Chocolate. An interesting byproduct of the book is the interview with Chocolate, which is presented in Spanish and with an English translation.
   
   If you are looking for strictly anecdotal material and an easy read, this book is not for you. However, if you want a book that presents a thorough musical presentation of this great tradition you can't do better than Trompeta

No comments about Student Instrumental Course French Horn Soloist (Student Instrumental Course).

No comments about My Complete Story of the Flute: The Instrument, the Performer, the Music.

5 comments about Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor (Penny & Tin Whistle).

1. It's a bit dated and it's really just a song book. It doesn't offer much of the way in instruction. I recommend L.E. McCullough over this book.



2. A different sort of book than L.E. McCullogh's in many ways. I own them both and think of them as complementary. The music in Cotter's repertoire section is typeset, and easier to read, though. Get the tape for Cotter's book if you can, however. After all, the tinwhistle is a $12.00 instrument and you savings over the cost of a fiddle, say, would allow both to grace yor library.



3. This collection is good: it containes typical tunes, and is easy to read. Like any such materials, it really does require the tape to actually hear what is being taught. I have many whistle books, and this is one to which I regularly return.



4. This is a very nice tutor for the Irish Whistle. Ms. Cotter assumes you dont know anything about music, and starts from the beginning, not only teaching how to play the whistle, but also the basics of reading sheet music. Tonguing, time & rhythm, breathing, articulation, slurring, ornamentation (including cuts, rolls and the casadh) are all covered using nice irish tunes as examples. There is also a small section on slow aire playing, which is the slow, haunting style that you often hear on movie soundtracks.

   After the tutorial, Ms. Cotter lists the music for 100 Irish tunes. It is a nice mix of tunes--many are popular tunes that are often played during pub sessions, and others are very nice but less well known.

   I started from scratch with this tutorial, and made very quick progress. However, I also had the accompanying CDs: one CD that walks through the teaching part, and two CDs playing the 100 tunes. IF YOU ARE NOT VERY VERY FAMILIAR WITH IRISH MUSIC, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU GET THE ACCOMPANYING CDS. I cannot tell if these CDs are also available on Amazon...it looks to me like only the book tutorial is offered.

   Why is this important? One of the unique things about irish folk music is that unlike classical music, the basic irish tune is almost never played as written...the soul of irish music and whistle music is how you embellish and customize the tune to your own style. In her written tutorial, Cotter covers how to play cuts, rolls, and other ornaments, but you have to HEAR it played to really understand and learn how to play this music.

   So, to sum up, this is a great learning tutorial when you get the CD's too. I've heard that L.E. McCullough's Irish Whistle tutorial is also very good, and also comes with a bunch of good session tunes. Im going to get McCullough's next, since his list of session tunes seems to be the "bible" that a lot of players use and refer to during pub sessions.




5. This is a good begnning for anybody wanting to learn the Irish Whistle. Those unfamiliar with the idiom may want to listen to lots of CDs, as Cotter suggests. Also, I think that she also has a CD to accompany this tutor. Once again, probably a very good investment for those who aren't sure whether they are executing the
   embellishments properly.