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Does there have to be a greatest tuba player on the planet? I have seen all my heroes on the tuba make terrible mistakes in their playing. Anyone who went to the first Octubafest at Cal State Fullerton in 1975 was probably shocked to see that Tommy Johnson could make a terrible mess of the Vaughan Williams Concerto. Did that make him a bad player? Absolutely not! He had been in the recording studios all day AND THEN HE DROVE TO FULLERTON to participate as a recitalist for Octubafest. No one is perfect. We can all have different favorite players. To call someone the "greatest" is being mighty presumptuous and gives no credit to the great tubists of the past. If you can make a living at playing the tuba (and keep your position longer than two years), that makes you a great player in my book, even if I can play circles around you!

I don't believe you can say there's a "greatest tuba player on the planet." It'd be like declaring that blue is the world's greatest color...

That being said, I'd like to mention Rex Martin on this thread - his name comes up a lot as a great teacher, but he is also one of the finest players of any instrument I have ever heard.

I did my undergrad at Northwestern - so yeah, I'm biased - and I used to go to all of Professor Martin's performances, even to hear pieces I'd heard him play 20 times before, because his playing really moved me. Sound, technique, intonation, and especially musicality - he is simply incredible.

Jamie Lipton
BMus Northwestern University '03

John Fletcher!!!!!

Helleburg?

Well, I don't know if there is a one greatest tuba player of all time, but any discussion of this topic has to include the name Toby Hanks.

In his prime playing years, Toby was one of the truly great artists of the tuba whose musicianship far transcended his amazing tone and technical prowess.

Fortunately, we have 2 CDs available to allow generations of musicians to listen and learn.

Either Mark Theile or John Cradler, can't decide.

I am unequivocally the best American tuba player living semipermanently in Saigon. At least in District 1...

SOTStuba wrote: I agree! I am the best! But only because I have a "World Class Sound"

Ah! The World Class Sound, again. Too bad we can't all have it. It seems to exist in a parallel universe. It must be a little like the "World Class City" thing that politicians trot out for those pesky projects that the voters would otherwise have no interest in.

I asked my three-year-old son. The definitive answer is: Larry the Cucumber.

I guarantee I'm the best tuba player in my even-extended family. And, in my current household. And on my block. And in my ragtime, German, and Civil War band. And my jazz group.

Formula for the best ever: Jacobs' breath, Pokorny's tone and low range, Johnson's reading, Fletcher's musicality, Phillips' philanthropy, Newberger's jazz stylings, Lehr's selling a souzie solo, HoJo's adaptability, Baadsvik's contemporariness, Sheridan's pure technique, Lynch's horns, Jolly's patience, Perantoni's Inner Game philosophy, Bell's legend, Torchinsky's orchestral sound, Tucci's horn designs, *(&^)#@!'s ego (shall remain my private opinion, and actually could be many...including myself), and the combined drinking abilities of oh so many.

SOTStuba wrote:I have a "World Class Sound"

Then thank your parents for World-Class sinuses!

richland tuba 01 wrote:I know you don't want lists, but oh well.

Best Soloist-Oystein Baadsvik
Best Small ensemble player-Sam Pilafian
Best Polka player-Jim Dorschner
Best Orchestra player- Arnold Jacobs
Best sight reader: Tommy Johnson. no contest whatsoever.
Best Banda: I have no idea...

totally agree. personally i like Arnold Jacobs the best because in my opinion he has the best tone ive ever heard and is just amazing but thats just me

Ya know, I think we shouldn't be arguing who is the best tuba player on the planet, but who is the most musical.

In this, there is no real way to say who musicianship is necessarily better.

but, I'll bite, if I had to pick the 5 most musical tuba players on the planet that I've heard....

Pat Sheridan
Gene Pokorny
Sam Pilafian
Eugene Dowling
Roger Bobo

not necessarily in this order

I say this because these are 5 people I have listened to more extensively than others, for example, I'm sure Tommy Johnson would make this list, but I haven't listened to as much of him as the aforementioned

Bo "Agrees that the lists are completely subjective but still couldn't help but list his top five" Atlas

ooh floyd cooley....Top 6 list perhaps?

Fletch.

And I'm glad someone said Rex Martin. I studied with him as well, he sounded like a younger even more technically proficient Arnold Jacobs.

Another vote for Sam Pilafian...

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.