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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.

Jake, Bill Bell, Harvey Phillips, Winston Morris, Chester Schmitz.

Warren Deck
Roger Bobo
Tommy Johnson
Arnold Jacobs
John Fletcher

Add Walter Hilgers and that's probably all the names you'll ever need. Next...

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.

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.

Helleberg
Bell
Torchinsky
Jacobs
Fletcher

To name but a few...

Chester Schmitz, Arnold Jacobs, John Fletcher, Harvey Phillips ,Chris Olka.

Bill Bell
Harvey Phillips
Winston Morris
Dan Perantoni
Tommy Johnson

There are lots of contenders but I don't know how Roger Bobo could miss this list.

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

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)

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....



Ho, ho, ho.....

bloke wrote:Art Bell

The guy on the radio with the tinfoil hat?



I didn't know he played the tuba....

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!

Rivercity Tuba wrote:Cary Grant

Wait, he played tuba?? How cool... My son is named after him!

^^^^^^^^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.

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

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....

Meanwhile, back to the original question - please?!

P. S. I love the band Chicago too - just not here in this thread!

it only took seven posts to hijack the topic.