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I had the privilege of spending last weekend with Ryan Truesdell, who has done extensive research on the big band arrangements of Gil Evans, many of which have excellent tuba parts. Most of the music that Ryan brought for his concert with the University of Calgary Jazz Orchestra was written in the late 40s for the Claude Thornhill band which, at that time featured the tuba playing of Bill Barber. As a non-jazz player who has always liked the Gil Evans-Miles Davis collaborations Sketches of Spain, Miles Ahead and Porgy and Bess, I jumped at the chance to have a go at these. The ones we played were Just One of Those Things, La Paloma, Boplicity (by Miles), Straight no Chaser, St Louis Blues, Sister Sadie, Polka Dots and Moonbeams and Where Flamingos Fly, plus a couple without tuba. Some of the ballads had horn, clarinet, bass clarinet and flute in addition to tuba. All were beautifully crafted. The tuba parts worked very well, but were difficult enough to give me a better sense of how good a player Bill Barber was. By the way, I was surprised to learn that he was a white, classically trained tubist who played for a time in the Kansas City Orchestra. Has anybody done a history of the many tubists who have been through there?

Ryan Truesdell is recording Gil Evans material with his own band and excellent tubist Marcus Rojas. I haven't heard the recordings yet, but I am sure they will be good listening.

mbeastep

Harvey Phillips played tuba on the track, St. Louis Blues, from the New Bottle Old Wine album. If I remember correctly, Mr. Phillips told me that he and Bill Barber shared tuba duties on the album. One of my favorites. Gil Evans is very under-rated!

I attended a concert by his band, it was a fine performance.

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(Bill Barber) was a Julliard student of Bill Bell and played with the NYC Ballet for many seasons as well. IIRC
His playing on the Miles Davis albums is stellar. Wonderfully even and smooooooth.

Sort of a Toby Hanks type of guy. He must have had contact with Don Butterfield, too.

mbeastep