TubeNet

1. Sam Pilafian
2. John Fletcher
3. Arnold Jacobs
4. Chester Schmitz
5. Floyd Cooley

These are the top 5 inspirational to me. The only reason that Arnold Jacobs is so low is that I didn't discover his teachings for a few years after picking up the tuba.

tuben wrote:Sigh.... Questions like this are totally pointless...

But no one has said Chester Schmitz...

I've heard more guys with JOBS say he is their favorite than anyone else.

RC

My vote certainly goes to Chester Schmitz. I've never heard anyone with a sound as velvety and beautiful as his.

Beyond that, there are some excellent players past and present but when it comes down to it, this is not a very objective list.

One could say AJ for this
or Gene Pokorny for that
or Tommy Johnson for something else...

Lots of bias.

My respect of course goes to all tubists who not only make a living doing what we dream about, but make us dream about what they're doing.

tuben wrote:Sigh.... Questions like this are totally pointless...

But no one has said Chester Schmitz...

I've heard more guys with JOBS say he is their favorite than anyone else.

Ditto. And some of those comments came from people who have been mentioned.

Rick "just now sucked in by this silly thread and not yet seeing his name" Denney

This is like asking, who is the best painter in the world? We can't answer that because we are talking about an art form with millions of variables. I think musicians don't look at it that way sometimes. It's not all about fast tonguing, loud playing, and tricks. There is alot of depth in every approach. We should appreciate the good things in all the different players. That's the beauty of music.

Orchestral: The Arnold Jacobs
Soloist: Definitely Roger Bobo

Patrick Harrild

No one's mentioned Jim Gourlay? Or even as best bander Les Niesh? Didn't his CD come higher than two of Baadsvics this recent ITEC?

LCTuba89 wrote:Patrick Harrild

Nice resurrection of a five-years-dead thread!

tuba.bobby wrote:No one's mentioned Jim Gourlay? Or even as best bander Les Niesh? Didn't his CD come higher than two of Baadsvics this recent ITEC?

Jim Gourlay has some excellent work on the Eb tuba. Most excellent choice of a musician. (and yes I'm saying that like Bill and Ted. )

Roland Szentpali. By far!

Udi wrote:I can't say who's the best tuba player on the planet.
I find inspiration in the way Nat McIntosh plays sousaphone in the context of popular music music. To my ears, he found a very relevant and unique sound pallete and atitude to playing contemporary non classical tuba. He also has fantastic groove.

Big +1

After giving this thread some long, serious thought, I have conclude that: I am Spartacus!

The best tuba player on the planet is not a tuba player.

Kyle (Turner) - read your post and was looking for the LIKE button!

Hope you are well!

Mike Milnarik

bloke wrote:which planet?

DAILY. - of course.

Without a doubt, the legendary Arnold Jacobs!

John Fletcher NO DOUBT

John Fletcher
Arnold Jacobs
Pat Sheridan
Sam Pilafian
Roland Szentpali

That WAS a great sound!


My clarinet playing high school band director, John Gorball, was also a super baritone player and had just about the best sound I've heard. I remember when I had independent band and would run through the music with him- him on the newish school Yamaha front bell (nice horn!) and me on my beloved Amati. The choir director heard us one time, said "he's almost as good as you John!", I butchered a line, and Gorball pulled his mouthpiece away from his lips just long enough to say something funny/snarky. Whoops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS9L8wjXBEk&rel=0" target="_blank