Woodwind

We saxaphone players have our own criteria for judging woodwind books - never mind-the bassoons, flutes and oboes, how many pages and pictures do we get? Answer, usually: 'not many' - which is strange when kids are taking to the sax like never before. Here, though, the saxaphone takes its proper place in the array of woodwinds (an array which this book widens to include harmonica, accordion and bagpipes) and is treated as respectfully as its senior colleagues. Could this be because the writer is a respected jazz writer and publisher? Answer: 'Yes, probably - but he shows no bias' so there is no disproportion in his presentation of the principal family groupings of woodwinds and of their application throughout all kinds of music. Shipton's special jazz knowledge does, however,$$offer the reader a wider range of sample listenings than is usual in such introductions. Helpful, too, is the 'playing' feature for each instrument - just a couple of paragraphs indicating what it's actually like to play the instrument, giving an idea of ease (or otherwise) applicability and price. The text is clear and authoritative and it is a mark of the author's ability and knowledge that he can cover his field in considerable detail within 32 uncrowded pages and still have space to include Rollini's hot fountain pen, Hotteterre's hot shawm and Snub Moseley's slide-saxaphone! Illustration is efficient, even if the author has forborne to mention that the clarinet mouthpiece on page 7 is shown in an attitude in which only Carmello Jejo could have played it (upside down to you and me). This most welcome addition to instrumental music books augers well for the rest of the series - so look out!