Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

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Dave Detwiler
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Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by Dave Detwiler »

Just curious as to who you consider the top 5 all-time giants of the tuba. Feel free to just list names (keeping it to 5, and no need to rank them, unless you want to), but if you have a comment as to why each name is on the list, go for it!

And don't overthink it - by "giant," I simply mean the 5 biggest names in tuba history, in your opinion.
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1927 Pan American 64K Sousaphone Grand
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by arpthark »

Jake, Bill Bell, Harvey Phillips, Winston Morris, Chester Schmitz.
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by pjdicris »

Warren Deck
Roger Bobo
Tommy Johnson
Arnold Jacobs
John Fletcher
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Wessex Berg
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by Peach »

Add Walter Hilgers and that's probably all the names you'll ever need. Next...
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by bort »

Are there any physically giant tuba giants? I'm not talking overweight (slightly or more...), but rather people who are both really tall and physically very well-built.
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by happyroman »

All Time

Arnold Jacobs
Warren Deck
Ron Bishop
Floyd Cooley
John Fletcher

Honorable Mention

Chris Olka
Gene Porkorny
Mike Roylance

Players with whom I have recently become familiar and should be given a listen

Alessandro Fossi
Sergio Carolino

And after hearing this excerpt of Fountains, Alan Baer is receiving strong consideration to be included on one of these lists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p54uviXkf7U" target="_blank

FWIW, I studied with Harvey and love him. His contributions to the tuba world cannot be overlooked. But this list is primarily made up of orchestral players that I tried to emulate and/or currently enjoy listening to.
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by windshieldbug »

Helleberg
Bell
Torchinsky
Jacobs
Fletcher

To name but a few...
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by EdFirth »

Chester Schmitz, Arnold Jacobs, John Fletcher, Harvey Phillips ,Chris Olka.
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by uncle jerd »

Bill Bell
Harvey Phillips
Winston Morris
Dan Perantoni
Tommy Johnson
Ken Riddle
Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble, 1976-80

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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by doublebuzzing »

There are lots of contenders but I don't know how Roger Bobo could miss this list.
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by Wes Hardin »

bloke wrote:Malcolm Peach
Hugh Brannum
Stan Freese
Derek Fenstermacher
Art Bell
Stan Freese, lol, that guy is one cool cat. I used to go over to his house all time when I was in high school, he has a tree in his front yard with 5 or so fiberglass sousaphones hanging in the tree, lol. When I was 19, he got me a gig at Disneyland playing in a miniature Drum Corp in the Park. He taught me how important it was to be entertaining to the audience verses just standing behind the horn.

Oh the list, in my opinion:

Bobo
Johnson
Jacobs
Baadsvik
Fletcher
Kalison Daryl Smith 4/4
Yamaha 822 F
Kurath 5/4 C
Nirschl 6/4 York
Mack F PT Clone
Mack 410 C 186 Clone
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by Rivercity Tuba »

Sorry I have six

Andy Griffith
Cary Grant
Babe Ruth
Dan Aykroyd
Aretha Franklin (Really did play)
Babe in the pic (best sousaphone player I ever saw)
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by roweenie »

bort wrote:Are there any physically giant tuba giants? I'm not talking overweight (slightly or more...), but rather people who are both really tall and physically very well-built.
There's only room for one giant in this valley....

Image

Ho, ho, ho.....
Last edited by roweenie on Fri Jun 24, 2016 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by roweenie »

bloke wrote:Art Bell
The guy on the radio with the tinfoil hat?

Image

I didn't know he played the tuba....
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by Dave Detwiler »

High fives all around for the silliness, but can we get back to answers that involve top-notch musicians rather than vegetables or models?! Thanks!
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1927 Pan American 64K Sousaphone Grand
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by bort »

Rivercity Tuba wrote:Cary Grant
Wait, he played tuba?? How cool... My son is named after him!
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by Cameron Gates »

^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^

Not meaning to continue this hijacking of the original intent of this thread, however I must say our friend Elephant gets it.

Here is another list:

Maynard Ferguson
Geddy Lee
Kirk Joseph
Chicago (not Symphony) & EWF/BST horn sections
Michael Brecker

I never found it appealing to listen to tuba players. As for Kirk, I found his relentless drive inspiring. Seeing him in concert (years ago) play a 2.5 hour set without stopping between tunes did more for my development than dissecting hours of CSO recordings ever could.

Imagine Geddy Lee playing tuba in a concert band. I have. It helped me get and keep a job for 20 years that otherwise I would not be qualified to do. Thanks Geddy.
GO DUCKS
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by roweenie »

the elephant wrote: I am not a big fan of most tuba music nor do I any longer study tuba players
Cameron Gates wrote: I never found it appealing to listen to tuba players.
bloke wrote: solos? not so much.
+1, on all counts.

The tuba's function and place is most importantly as a support role. I feel I've done a "good job" when I've made whatever ensemble I'm in sound better than it would have.

(BTW, I could never understand the "hero worship" that is lavished on performers, athletes, etc., regardless of their venue. It's not as though they found a cure for pancreatic cancer....)

As for solos, that's why I took up the bass saxophone :D

BTW, Chicago (the band) is probably the most awesome rock band ever, and as far as I know, is still not in the Rock Hall of Fame.... :evil:
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Dave Detwiler
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by Dave Detwiler »

Meanwhile, back to the original question - please?!

P. S. I love the band Chicago too - just not here in this thread!
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1927 Pan American 64K Sousaphone Grand
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Re: Who are your top 5 all-time giants of the tuba?

Post by swillafew »

it only took seven posts to hijack the topic.
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