"Bill Bell and His Tuba" now available

[dgannett]

Hi There!

We are delighted to announce the availability of the classic album, "Bill Bell and His Tuba"!

An incredible, MUST HAVE album! This digitally remastered album is now a high quality MP3 download, complete with album graphics and original liner notes.

You'll hear the legendary Bill Bell sing and play his way through popular and classical repertoire including:

When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba
Asleep in the Deep
In the Hall of the Mountain King from "Peer Gynt"
Tuba Man
The Elephant's Tango
Mummers (Danse Grotesque)
Carnival of Venice
Osis and Osiris Guide Them
Variations on the Theme of Judas Maccabeus
The Jolly Farmer Goes to Town

Net proceeds from sales go to the William J. Bell Memorial Fund, which means you can enjoy this classic album while helping to honor the memory of this great man who put the tuba on the map!

You can download it moments from now, just go to http://www.tubagear.com and click on the "What's New" link!

Enjoy -
David Gannett
TUBAGEAR.COM

[BVD Press]

Can someone please fill me in on the "William J. Bell Memorial Fund". I did a quick look online and found virtually nothing.

I am curious which record label is producing the CD? The $19.99 price tag seems a bit steep. It is in the BIS territory!

[Chuck Jackson]

Let me see if this puzzling out helps.

1. Dave Gannett- off the hook stupendous tuba player.

2. Harvey Phillips- Dave's teacher.

3. Harvey may own the originals of the sessions.

4. Dave and Harvey hook up. Dave has fledgling recording thing going.

5. Dave remasters, reissues, charge above normal to help the Bell thing (Harvey's agreement?)possibly an IU based scholarship, and Dave makes his nut?

6. Come up with Holy Grail of all tuba cd's, remastered to sound better and everyone will buy it.

7. $$$$$$$$

Pure supposition, but may possibly have some truth. Dave is a stand-up guy, so I can't believe this is too outre.

Chuck"will purchase when the smoke clears"Jackson

[keronarts]

Thanks Dave and thank you EVEN MORE, Chuck! ...

[BVD Press]

The William Bell Foundation is probably created and controlled by Harvey Phillips.

Just found the info on the Indiana website:

The William Bell Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1971 at the request of Distinguished Professor of Music Emeritus Harvey G. Phillips. The fund honors his teacher, mentor, and predecessor, Professor William J. Bell.

An outstanding tuba virtuoso, Professor Bell was internationally acclaimed as a performer and teacher. When he was only 18, Bell was hand-chosen by John Philip Sousa to be principal tuba player in the renowned Sousa Band. In 1925, Professor Bell became principal tubist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at the invitation of the conductor, Fritz Reiner. In 1937, he was the third musician appointed by Arturo Toscanini to the famous NBC Symphony Orchestra. Toscanini considered Professor Bell to be the world's greatest tubist. For many summer seasons, he served as principal tubist with the famed Goldman Band. In 1944, he joined the New York Philharmonic where he remained until his appointment to Indiana University in 1961 by Wilfred C. Bain, Dean of the School of Music. Throughout his career Professor Bell was in great demand as a teacher. Prior to his appointment at Indiana University, he maintained private teaching studios in New York City and served on the faculties of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, the Juilliard School, and the Manhattan School of Music.

The William Bell Memorial Scholarship Fund provides annual scholarships to outstanding students recommended by the IU School of Music applied tuba teacher.

The high price is probably based on a donation to the foundation and the fact that this CD will sell less than 200 copies and they need to recover the development costs.

Just my opinion, but if someone can't 200 of this CD they are doing something quite wrong. Not sure completely agree with Chuck, but as he said "Come up with Holy Grail of all tuba cd's"...

[Chuck Jackson]

Not sure completely agree with Chuck, but as he said "Come up with Holy Grail of all tuba cd's"...

I will qualify the statement by saying it is a historically significant recording that has been out of the catalogue for years and is in need of a work over, thus making it the "Holy Grail". As hokey as some may find this particular recording, to those of us of a certain age this, along with the Phillips and Bobo recording's, were our lifeline in a less connected world.


Chuck

[BVD Press]

(who can't even eat lunch in Atlanta for $5)

I know it way off topic, but I was on a trip recently and stopped off on the NJ Turnpike to grab something to eat. The the Burger King meals were $9.00 each! A $5.00 meal is a nice dream at this point!

[Stephen Shoop]

I'm probably the most old fashoned guy around! But.... I am not a huge fan of downloads. I like to have something I can actually hold in my hands! That said-- I think the market will decide the success (or failure) of this product (and others). While on the subject.... the best way to encourage the production of CDs and other PHYSICAL products is to PURCHASE them! CD sales are flat. I am barely breaking even on most of the the CDs I sell.

[Toad Away]

Hey Dave --
How are you, you old f*rt!



Best wishes
-- Tim Loehr

[Rick Denney]

Four points here:

1. Amazingly we also live in a freedom of speech world as well... so don't be so irked when someone expresses his or her thoughts.

2. The record/cd companies have actually priced themselves out of the marketplace with the high cost of cd's etc. You are correct in assuming that the market will correct itself on this download as well. Over priced cd's have led to piracy and illegal downloads as well

3. As a person who donates to worthy causes, I prefer to know the amount and the specific circumstances surrounding the donation.

4. I have no intention of buying a $30,000 tuba or a tuba from you for that matter. So I guess the free market economy works

Responding in order...

1. If one is free to complain about prices, then another is free to be irked by it and express that. He didn't ask for censorship; he asked for different thinking. In fact, your being irked by his being irked makes your complaint somewhat ironic.

2. The discussion wasn't the grand issue of the record industry's improper business model and insensitivity to market influences, but rather the specific issue of the price of this download plus the general issue that people expect rare and valuable things to be within their reach.

3. I absolutely, wholeheartedly agree, and I find that charities emanating from this eminence are usually taken on faith (FAITH: Belief in things unseen). That the faithful and even the eminence are beyond reproach doesn't alter that fact.

4. Robert wasn't offering a $30,000 tuba for you to buy, so your refusal doesn't mean much. He was, however, expanding his complaint that people expect prices to be within their reach for items that are rare and valuable, despite that people willing to pay more can buy up the entire supply. But anyone arguing that the record industry sells for too high a price based on a flawed business model surely understands that. Items that are not rare or valuable languish on shelves when they are overpriced. Otherwise, people buy them. If people buy them, they are not overpriced.

Rick "disappointed only when the product quality expectations associated with a high price don't measure up" Denney

[tofu]

--

[MartyNeilan]

The REASON that people steal sound files is NOT because c.d.'s are "expensive". The REASON that people steal sound files is because they CAN.

I take offense at someone justifying thievery by relating it to pricing. That implies that I (when younger) and my ancestors were probably all thieves as well.

XIII

[druby]

I am thrilled to see this album published. I still have my father's copy of the original Golden Crest album as well as all of the Falcone albums and a Harvey Phillips album as well. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bell at the Gunnison Colorado Summer Music Camp in the early '60's and hearing him perform a number of the pieces from this album in live concert. Unlike the Falcone albums which had sound quality issues from the very beginning, the recording quality of "Bill Bell and his Tuba" was quite good.

This last summer, I copied my 40+ year old LP to MP3 on my computer using a USB turntable so that I wouldn't put any more wear and tear on it. I have been VERY careful not to leak my MP3 copies into the public domain, thus these have never left my own computer. But your posting left me with a question for Mr. Gannet:

Dave, were you able to create this digital copy from original masters or is this from an LP?

Thanks,

Doug Ruby

[MartyNeilan]

OK, due to moving I postponed purchasing the download because I did not have cd burning capabilities (and I don't want to burn personal stuff at work.)
Now, I can't find it! Is there a direct link to that page?
Marty (who may be missing the obvious)

[windshieldbug]

That implies that I (when younger) and my ancestors were probably all thieves as well

Hey, if the mouthpiece fits...

[MartyNeilan]

So, where do I steal, I mean, BUY, it from?

[J.c. Sherman]

Maybe I'm unique, but when I saw that this album was available, I amost cried! But I almost cried again when I found I couldn't own a copy.

I try not to buy things I can't touch. Experiences, maybe (cable, internet, etc.), but I can at least grab the cable and unplug it; something to touch there too. But a pile of ones and zeros don't add up to a purchase to me. I think CDs will remain when there are people like me who want to hold their purchase, grab it, play it, throw it, take it to the car, etc. I can't see owning 10010010111001010100101010010101001...

If this was on a CD, I'd certainly pay a premuim price to the foundation... So I'll have to be patient...

J.c.

[BVD Press]

So, where do I steal, I mean, BUY, it from?

It used to be under the "what's new" section, but I don't see it anymore. Anyone else see it on the site somewhere?

[dgannett]

I have watched with fascination the responses to this string.

First of all, let me update you all by saying that the Harvey Phillips Foundation has purchased all rights to "Bill Bell and His Tuba" and will be offering it as a hard copy CD once the web site is up and running (which will be soon). This is why it is no longer available on my web site. Harvey will also be offering his fantastic recordings in CD form as well, so get ready for some real tuba treats in the near future!

Harvey is busy writing his autobiography at the moment, which is a pretty tough call for him with his daily battles with Parkinson's. He plans to complete his biography of Bill Bell once he's finished with his autobiography.

With regards to the "high price" (with, by the way, 80% of proceeds going to the WJB Memorial Scholarship Fund), what would YOU charge for the costs and countless hours of work involved in a project of this type? And, frankly, where are YOUR offerings to the tuba world? And what are you doing to further the education and careers of our younger colleagues? I and the other sponsors of tubenet are at least putting our money where our collective mouths are to help make this discussion possible. Where would we be if Sean decided it cost too much to offer Tubenet? And I wonder, has he ever been remunerated for the countless hundreds of hours he has put into making Tubenet a success? I certainly hope so! He deserves it.

The sentiment has been expressed that MP3's are somehow inferior and that you want to hold some hard copy product in your hands. This demonstrates (perhaps understandable) ignorance of MP3 downloads and what they offer. I offer the highest quality MP3 sampling rate available, and I would challenge anyone with their highly attuned tuba-ears to tell the difference between a high-res mp3 and a wma. But here's why MP3's should actually cost MORE than CD's (but generally don't!): Besides listening to the album on your MP3 player or computer, you can BURN YOUR OWN CD from the files and PRINT YOUR OWN CD COVERS with the included graphics. You're actually getting more for your money, and for those who argue they want "hard copy", man, the only reason you don't have it is because you're too lazy to take a few minutes to make your own from the MP3! That, plus the convenience of downloading the file RIGHT NOW instead of waiting days or weeks for your purchase to arrive makes MP3's a very viable and convenient alternative to hard copy CD's.

I noticed the word "hokey" tossed about regarding Mr. Bell's solo album, which adjective was also applied to my album "Tubas from Hell". For all you tuba players who walk on water, here's a simple challenge: duplicate Mr. Bell's album on your own. Show us you can play with the style, personality and authority he demonstrates while singing your *** off. Then submit your recording to the list (as a, dare I say it, MP3 download!) so that we can admire your superiority. There are tons of tubists out there playing lots of notes, but there are precious few that demonstrate the musician's HEART in the manner of Bill Bell, Harvey Phillips, Arnold Jacobs, Roger Bobo and a few others.

It's very easy to take a recording like "Bill Bell and His Tuba" out of context, especially from our perspective of easily available, great playing tubas, abundant music to play and the ease of making a recording nowadays. But Mr. Bell was a true pioneer. For those of us who were his students and spent any time around him, you always knew you were in the presence of greatness when you were around Bill Bell - his great spirit and joyful exuberance in life was infectious and overwhelming at the same time. Harvey Phillips has the same spirit. He can say more playing "Judas Maccabeus" than the vast majority of us highly schooled tuba virtuosos can eek out from the most challenging musical accomplishment.

BTW, most MP3 downloads go for around 9.99. I don't know what that is in 1970 dollars adjusted for inflation, but folks, it ain't much. In any case, if you're fearful of MP3's or think they simply cost too much then fine, stick with what you're comfortable with.

Anyway, keep an eye out for Harvey Phillip's new web site coming soon. Initially he will be offering all the recordings as hard copy CD's, with MP3 downloads soon to come.

Thanks!

Dave Gannett
http://www.tubagear.com

[MartyNeilan]

Dang it, looks like I missed the window of opportunity!
Thanks for the update and all your hard work, Dave.
Please let us know when it becomes available again (on CD or however.)