The Best of the Best

[Chuck(G)]

It seems to me that the original premise, though thought-provoking, is so imprecise as to border on the absurd.

Ray, I agree. Which is why I posted the bit about the Toyota tuba-playing robot. I got 5,510 google hits on it, while "Harvey Phillips" gets 5,300. And Harvey's had decades to build his rep.

I'm not disparaging any of the fine tuba players that have been brought up. But I think we suffer from myopia when we attempt to answer a question like this.

Ask a clarinet player who a great trumpet player is and you'll get several answers: Maynard, Winton, or maybe even Maurice André. Ask the same guy for the name of a tuba player and you'll be lucky to get Eric von Shteric.

But I don't know the names of notable contrabassoon players or bass clarinetists, either. I'm just happy playing my color instrument...

[tclements]

I think Bill Bell raised the bar from the real "Old time" tubists, NO ONE played like him during his era. Roger Bobo raised the bar during his tenure with the LAPO. Without sounding redundent, NO ONE played like him when he hit the scene. He raised the bar another notch. The next ground breaking artist was (IS!) Pat Sheridan. The guy is just unbelievable. Total package: Artistry, blazing technique, incredible range, GREAT entertainer, MONSTER teacher.

Most Influential players (after the above mentioned players): Jacobs, Phillips, Johnson, Cooley, Dallenbach, Pilafian.

Next generation: Pokorny, Deck, Baer (he WILL BE!), Clark.

2 cents' worth

[Tubaman485]

When it comes to the most influential players the names that always come to mind are Arnold Jacobs, Bill Bell, Harvey Phillips and many others but when I think of the most influential tuba players for me personally the votes go to Sam Pilafian, Pat Sheridan and Arnold Jacobs. Now I have not been around the block very much so I still have much to learn but with reading some of Jacob's teachings and studying under Pilafian and Sheridan they are just the ones who have influenced me.

Josh