Our school jazz band doesnt allow clarinets in it either. That has bothered me quite a bit, and I am still trying to convince the directors to let me in, but I doubt they will. Last year my friend and I formed a dixie band so I could be in a jazz band.

Our dixie band is better than the jazz band anyway. They play only at school concerts and such and our band plays at events for all sorts of people. We have played at a 70th birthday party, a block party, various church events, the girl scout jamboree just yesterday, and we have performances coming up at an all-class reunion, campaign party, and other events. We`re hoping that dixie will become more mainstream in our school. Next year we are hoping to help start another dixie band for more people to be able to play in.

Personally, I prefer dixie music to basic jazz music as well. The pieces are complex, but sound great. The melody passes through the band a lot, with a lot of focus on clarinet solos. Its great stuff. Plus, it helped my range of dynamics grow as well as other skills. When you are in a band consisting of a drumset, piano, tuba, 2 tenor saxes, 3 trumpets, 4 trombones and only one clarinet, you have to learn to play loud if you want your part heard. Now we are down to one on a part, but for a while there it was quite difficult. Now my breath support is amazing because I am used to taking in so much air for dixie.

At my middle school we have two Jazz bands, one you have to audition for and one called jazz experience you dont have to audition for, only the jazz experience allows clarinets, but in the other band if there is some in it who also plays clarinet well (other then the instrument they joined on) they sometimes play it in certaint songs. I love jazz clarinet and think it should be more common.
One year my band director said the jazz experience had two jazz oboes.

Anyone ever heard good jazz basson i did and i loved it. Also our jazz band has a tuba, and its had a baritone anyone else?

In my opinion, it really depends. Actually, it depends on a number of things.

First, it depends on the ability of the clarinetist. If a clarinetist is reading a saxophone part (besides the whole complication of having to transpose an Eb part if reading an alto or baritone saxophone part), some of the intervals and note jumping which is fairly easy on the saxophones can suddenly become a difficult passage to execute on the clarinet. I believe the clarinetist should only read saxophone parts because the timbre is a lot more similar than of the brass. The clarinetist must also get used to swing rhythms and jazz style.

Second, it depends on the charts that the jazz band is performing and performs in general. If the tune was popular in the early 20th century to around the 1930s, its probably ok to have a clarinet reading a saxophone part or even taking some solos if he or she so desires. If the chart is based in the 40s and 50s, its a hard choice to let the clarinet play or not. If it`s after that, definitely not (most jazz during this time was rock or funk, which definitely doesn`t fit with the clarinet).

Third, it`s the director`s prerogative as to allowing clarinets in the jazz band. If you want to try and persuade them to see your point of view, go right ahead.

This is all coming from someone who has been in this same situation. For those of you who have to learn saxophone to join your school`s jazz band, keep reading. When I was in the 8th grade and heard about the jazz band at the high school, I wanted in so bad, but our director didn`t allow clarinets in as regulars. I talked to him and he said when I would be at the high school, both of the tenor saxophonists in the jazz band would be seniors and if I learned tenor saxophone in time for my freshman year, he would let me in and double on the 2nd tenor part. I bought a saxophone and stuck to it. Now, it`s the summer before my sophomore year and I`m in the jazz band on 1st tenor for this coming year. Just be warned, if any of you clarinetists pick up the saxophone, it takes A LOT of work to become proficient on both instruments. I have to constantly and consistently practice both instruments to keep my chops on each one, but if you work hard, the reward is well worth it.

no because they only play trad. jazz in that band. But I am starting my own little dixieland jazz band that will include a clarinet, trumpet, trombone, piano, drumset, and possibly a string bass

nope....over the past years my highschool woudlnt allow clarinets in jazz band....i had to play alto in jazz....rven tho every year i told the director about artie shaw, pete fountain, benny goodman..etc....and then he would only allow clairnets in the 2nd jazz band class.....but this year we have a new director...and i think hell let clairnets play! im so in!

Yes my high school does allow clarinets to be in the jazz band because i am a clarinet player. I have soloed on a couple songs.. and i can play up to the high F.
By the way for everyone`s information...
the normal jazz band group... includes.. the 2 altos, 2 tenors, 1 bari, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1 drummer, 1 bass, 1 guitar, 1 or 2 clarinets, 1 or 2 flutes. Did any of you know you can also play the flute in jazz?

forgot some stuff.
well.. clarinet`s provide a unique tone that no tenor sax, trumpet or soprano sax is gonna give ya.
i love clarinet.. and i tell ya.. when i watch TV.. i listen to the theme songs.. and at least half of them are played by clarinets. Yes you can tell that because they have their interesting tone
So Clarinets should be allowed to join a jazz band anywhere otherwise just tell your band teacher he/she is stupid.literally.
i have played a tenor sax, and i obviously played a clarinet. There is definitely sound differnce.
Yeah every song will not have a clarinet piece, but guess what? there`s such a thing as transitions. You take a piece.. and you can make it your own with your own notes to create even more harmony in the song.
Protest u people who love clarinet and want to play it in jazz band!
Write to the head of schools about it! or something!
That`s what i would do..
right now.. i`m just worried about having a band class because of my stupid principal!

i`m was Devastated when i found out that the jazz band at my school does NOT accept clarinets because i love to play jazz on my clarinet.

I was in the exact same position as you are!!!! However, I finally gave in and tried the tenor sax... as much as I didn`t want to. But guess what? I loved it! Although you may not have the same feelings as I did, this year I get a killer clarinet solo for one of our Jazz pieces and I wouldn`t have had it if I didn`t join in the first place! To me, it was worth switching, it made me a better musician. So I`d say try.... because I fought the same fight you are for 3 years and trust me.....it doesn`t work!!!
Happy Playing!

I actually had 3 really big solos on clarinet in my Jazz band, hasn`t ur director ever heard of Benny Goodman or Woody Herman?

it truely dissapoints me and angers me when people are unable to see the potential of a good jaz clarinetists-no part -lame excuse-we can play the trumpet parts-i was a fabulous jazz band with my clarinet and then i moved and i cant get in in the ones here!

thay should let clerants in the jazz band that would make it sound perfec. i play the alto sax and did you say if you played the clarenet you had to allso play the sax or something.

YES ALL INSTRUMENTS. MEARS MIDDLE SCHOOL IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Yeah we have 3 Jazz Bands at school and a jazz combo... I know for sure (cause its me... :S) that our top band and combo allows clarinet.
My advice... if u cant have a clarinet in your band... ask to start a combo. Even if you run it yourselves... Its seriously soooo much fun. Just all u need is a bass, kit, keys/guitar (if you cant have both) and then... what ever instruments u want/ whoever is interested in doing it with u. Our school combo only has 4 other instruments. 2 trumpets an alto sax and me on clarinet and its tonnes of fun cause you get heaps of improvising practice, cause there is only such a small number of you... and you can generally just make stuff up.

Jazz (Jasmin - just so people dont think im a try hard )

Hey! You should really consider playing the saxophone. I`m a freshmen in college and I play the trombone. I think you should consider it only because you will have more fun playing and learning about other instruments. I used to be stuck with the trombone for a long time, but when I started playing other instruments I had a lot of fun. It gives you great insight into what music can really be. Try it! It won`t hurt, and you`ll have a lot of fun being in the jazz band!