Jimmy Yan

[poobola]

Hi,

Forgive me if I repeat questions or info, but I have just joined the forum. I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of Jimmy Yan supporters. I was on tour about 8 years ago and visited Jimmy several times at his shop in NY. He was extremely gracious and helpful to me and made me a custom barrel and mouthpiece for my clarinet (Selmer Series 9). The barrel, in particular, just opened up the entire horn in ways it had never been before. It was a wonderful surprise to have met him and been fortunate enough to have him make something for me. I was very saddened to hear of his passing. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word, and one of a kind.

I have not seen his mouthpieces for sale very often. I suppose, like me, that perhaps no one wants to sell them after you have met the man and had the pleasure of his professionalism. Just curious if there is a forum discussing his mouthpieces? Thanks.

R. Fried

[Phil Barone]

Hi,

Forgive me if I repeat questions or info, but I have just joined the forum. I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of Jimmy Yan supporters. I was on tour about 8 years ago and visited Jimmy several times at his shop in NY. He was extremely gracious and helpful to me and made me a custom barrel and mouthpiece for my clarinet (Selmer Series 9). The barrel, in particular, just opened up the entire horn in ways it had never been before. It was a wonderful surprise to have met him and been fortunate enough to have him make something for me. I was very saddened to hear of his passing. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word, and one of a kind.

I have not seen his mouthpieces for sale very often. I suppose, like me, that perhaps no one wants to sell them after you have met the man and had the pleasure of his professionalism. Just curious if there is a forum discussing his mouthpieces? Thanks.

R. Fried

For a while I was going to Roberto's a few days a week consulting players on their mouthpieces and I got to know Jimmie pretty well. He was such a nice guy and everyone suffered such a great loss when he passed on. Humanity will miss him. Phil Barone

[Tim Price]

Hi,

Forgive me if I repeat questions or info, but I have just joined the forum. I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of Jimmy Yan supporters. I was on tour about 8 years ago and visited Jimmy several times at his shop in NY. He was extremely gracious and helpful to me and made me a custom barrel and mouthpiece for my clarinet (Selmer Series 9). The barrel, in particular, just opened up the entire horn in ways it had never been before. It was a wonderful surprise to have met him and been fortunate enough to have him make something for me. I was very saddened to hear of his passing. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word, and one of a kind.

I have not seen his mouthpieces for sale very often. I suppose, like me, that perhaps no one wants to sell them after you have met the man and had the pleasure of his professionalism. Just curious if there is a forum discussing his mouthpieces? Thanks.

R. Fried


Interesting, there might be ~some~ discussion of JY mouthpieces on the clarinet boards. Or- maybe on a woodwind forum. G' luck.

I was just thinking about Jimmy on Easter. I was hired to do a orchestral church concert on bass clarinet with Bb clarinet double on the more chamber-ish vocaL music. I used my Mexican grendilla barrell for my Selmer Signature clarinet, with a JY re-faced Bb mouthpiece that used to be an older woodwind blank. Jimmy really did his stuff to it, with changing the window as well!!!! I was darker than dark.:) The bass blank he used were a French blank with " The Joe Allard" facing.

The concert came and went. Nice music, fun stuff, and I wasn't left down either guys...THE FEMALE VOX in on of the sections_DID_get lost. lol.;) She started to repeat a phrase....and it became a mini-train wreck till the conductor got wind of the " right cue". She was beside herself after in the reception room, and it was just a mistake. I didn't know what to say, damn some of the best mistakes in jazz are history. So, as I got my check, she was talking to me- and I said " Don't worry, it was fine, you were fine. This stuff happens to Bob Weir too." She wasn't hip to Bobby, and I grabbed a peach pastry thingy and passed on the watery coffee and headed out- looking for Dunkin Donuts drive thru java for my ride.

But as I drove home, it hit me, what a HUGE LOSS this is and what a nice person Jimmy was. We'd play clarinet duets sometimes at his shop in the mornings on 54th st. It was a great way to start a weekend. Jimmy's sophistication, love of life and friendship was one of a kind. His sense of humor was AMAZING. He could laugh at the best stuff. I thought of tellin' him how nice the music was and how in the " Aria" the vox got lost, and he woulda' rolled on the floor laughin'....and sayin' some stuff that would of been very funny as well.

I got a Recital clarinet Jimmy did, in an afternoon. Repadded it and I dropped it off at 11 and got it at 7 on a Saturday night. He was STILL working- and enjoying it. His talk about music, clarinets, reeds and culture wa so interesting.

I met great guys in his shop to- Stanley Drucker from NY PHIL. we even took Jimmy out once for a martini, and I learned more over that dirty-martini about the clarinet and orchestras than I ever knew. THOSE GUYS....were something deep. I should of taped the conversation- but I can hear it still in my mind. OR- the time Roberto had a party in his shop, Roberto and I were just talkin' about this- and Jimmy was there and the great Rudy Rutherford was at the party. Rudy played with Basie,in the day, and was so great. Anyhow, Rudy spotted this attractive blonde lady who was there, very sexy looking and cool. So Rudy goes over...and makes " the move". He sais " Hi baby' I'm Rudy"....and gives her a kiss on the cheek. What a pro!!! lol- Jimmy and I would laugh at that for years after. Saying " Hi I'm Rudy "...LOL. Rudy had a Selmer clarinet with the metal over the wood. It was beautiful. And Rudy was another guy I miss, fun & an asset to this music.

Phil is right about Jimmy, for sure. My life is better because I knew Jimmy Yan. He was that kinda guy- and yes I miss him a lot.

I guy like Jimmy Yan, kept me inspired in more ways than I could ever imagine.

[SopAlto1]

Hi,

Unlike the two previous guys, I was just a LOWLY CUSTOMER of Jimmy's and never "made the hang" with him or anything other that "business", but....

He always made me feel like a friend, in a way, and always had time to talk & tell it to you straight, NEVER about the HYPE, NEVER about the PITCH, therefore NEVER about how much $$$$$$$$$$ he was going to "extract" from you, UNLIKE, I repeat, UNLIKE that VAST MAJORITY of NYC repair guys or equipment-making-selling guys.

In a business & world full of SCUMBAGS, Jimmy was an ANGEL.

I miss him.