Original, Custom, or Interesting instruments

[Mike Schwartz]

Thought about this on the octet, nonet, tentet thread.

Over time an instrument was developed specifically for Art Farmer....a hybrid combo of sorts of trumpet & flugelhorn, the flumpet


Roland Kirk was King of the unusual.

Curious to see that we collectively come up with here.

[moldyfigg]

I dug Diz on the nose flute.

[Mike Schwartz]

Or how about custom instruments?

That red w/gold inlay horn Miles played towards the end of his career was a fantastic piece of art, IMO.

I know he gave one to Wallace Roney, but there is also one in the St. Louis History Museum. I have to admit, it was kind of a thrill to see it in person. They display it as sent. Fingerprints and all.

Pretty cool.

Is this it?

[Mike Schwartz]

[Mike Schwartz]

Charles Lloyd (with Billy Higgins) playing taragato.
This may be from the performance they did at Yoshi's which I had the good fortune to attend. Have a copy of Higgins playing that drum in my home from the photographer.

[uli]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3pEpk_4JZg

[Mike Schwartz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmaicurzPb0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeAsSgPBmO0

[Tom Storer]

There was some kind of double saxophone invented a few years ago... Here it is, the aulochrome. Fabrizio Cassol of the Belgian band Aka Moon played a commissioned piece with, Lovano started playing it, and it was going to be a big revolution. Now, if you already know about it, you can hunt for it on YouTube, but it hasn't made much of a splash otherwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWZ1ADDkobc

[steve(thelil)]

My friends father, knowing I played music, would always ask me if I played the Swinette, which, he explained, was 3 pig's hairs pulled tightly over the pig's ass.

[bluenoter]

My friends father, knowing I played music, would always ask me if I played the Swinette, which, he explained, was 3 pig's hairs pulled tightly over the pig's ass.

My father, R.I.P., after any mention of someone playing an instrument, would say, "When I was a child, I played on the linoleum."

[peterdubya]

I like the Shewhorn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ayD4yjUQk

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Or how about custom instruments?

That red w/gold inlay horn Miles played towards the end of his career was a fantastic piece of art, IMO.

I know he gave one to Wallace Roney, but there is also one in the St. Louis History Museum. I have to admit, it was kind of a thrill to see it in person. They display it as sent. Fingerprints and all.

Pretty cool.

Miles was playing that very horn when I saw him in New Haven a couple of years before he died. If I remember correctly he also played a blue horn which looked similar to the red one. He used a Harmon mute on both of them and they were miked.

[Mike Schwartz]

I like the Shewhorn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ayD4yjUQk

I've never seen or heard of that one....w-a-a-a-a-y cool!

[Ron Thorne]

Seeing and hearing is believing! Steve Turre is magical with these unique instruments.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsyN-6qzAVo


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRTXJHzL3s8

[uli]

508 alphorns are interesting. that's the new world record!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynP5bsDOLlg

[uli]

the serpent is another interesting instrument. made of woods but classified as a brass instrument

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfta6_dBw54&feature=share&list=UUUChb1wqN9NYlHIJX9iEHDA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxkUVzboo0Q

[Mike Schwartz]

LOVED the detailed explanation of the craft involved & technical information in the 2nd video Uli

[Mike Schwartz]

forgot about this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B7btsk6ASE

[BFrank]

Here are some REALLY unusual guitars.
http://www.teuffel.com/english/guitars/guitars.htm

[Ron Thorne]

Saxophonist Eddie Harris constantly pushed the limits, and was responsible for several innovations and inventions including the reed trumpet. He worked out a system of utilizing a saxophone mouthpiece in a trumpet. This was one of many such innovations.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMmjh4qkEZY

[Mike Schwartz]

Pat Metheny with his custom 42 string guitar