Sax on the Web Forum banner

Nick Brignola embrochure

3K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  Zephyrbari 
#1 ·
I read, in the booklet that comes with the beautiful "It's time" of Nick Brignola (Reservoir, recorded in the 1991) [where Nick plays the soprano, the alto, the tenor and obviously the baritone, but also the flutes (the C flute, the alto, and the piccolo) and the clarinets (the Bb clarinet, the alto and the bass)] that he was self tauhght :shock: (could you believe it?) and that he used a clarinet embrochure on alla the saxes. Since this seems odd :? to me, I want to ask if you know other saxophonists (and in particular baritonists) that use (or used) the "clarinet" embrochure.
Ciao,
Stefano
 
#2 ·
Brignola had to have had some lessons since he went to the Berklee College of Music where he was awarded the first scholarship. I refer you to: http://hardbop.tripod.com/brignola.html.

He was a strong player, no question. In the videos and pictures I have looked at Brignola does have what appears to be a saxophone embouchure. He does have his lower jaw back more than I like to see in my students and in my own playing. His playing angle also would not support a clarinet embouchure at all. The mouthpiece enters his mouth at an almost perfectly straight line. His chin is pointed down which I think is great and important on a clarinet, but not as important on Sax.

I feel that it is impossible to get a great sound on a saxophone with a fully formed clarinet embouchure. There are similarities, but there are huge differences. One must remember that the clarinet is not a saxophone and the saxophone is not a clarinet. From what I have observed of Brignola in pictures and on YouTube, I would say that he does not use a true Clarinet Embouchure.

Jimmy Guiffre appears to have used a much more clarinet type embouchure on saxophone. I think this is why he got a much lighter and less powerful saxophone sound on Baritone Sax than Mulligan, Carney, Adams or Payne got.

I do not know who wrote that booklet you mentioned, but I would like to know more about it.

Brignola may have thought of his embouchure as more clarinet like in some ways, but I think the photographic and video evidence show otherwise.
 
#3 ·
Thank you, jmathesonjr
I totally agree: I had the same impession looking at the videos of Nick (expecially when he takes a breath his embrochure seems a saxophono embrochure).
The autor of the disc notes seems to be Nick Brignola himself and there is also his signature at the end of the notes. I enclose a scan of part of the first page.
Let me know your impressions.
Stefano
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top