Share #13

“Isfahan” by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington

This is one of only two bass clarinet songs we recorded at this session. If it was easier to carry around, I’d have the bass clarinet at every gig. People seem to always love the sound, even when I’m feeling like I’m not playing it all that well. I think many people have never seen one, and so that’s part of it, as well. You’d be surprised how many people ask me if it’s an oboe. I started playing bass clarinet back in the Charlie Hunter band days, and he was nice enough to let me play it on gigs even though I really couldn’t play it very well at all back then. Yasushi takes a beautiful solo on this one, as well.

John Ellis – bass clarinet 
Yasushi Nakamura – bass 
Jason Marsalis – drums 

recorded and mixed at the Big Orange Sheep by Michael Perez-Cisneros 
as of yet, unmastered. 

Artwork by Aya Sekine (aya_loves_drawing on Instagram