Daniel Smith -The Swingin’ Bassoon
I’m not going to lie to you, I cracked a smile when Daniel Smith’s The Swingin’ Bassoon arrived in my mail box. Truthfully, my experience of the Bassoon in the past has pretty much started and ended with the recording of Peter and the Wolf that we listened to to in the forth grade.
However I resigned to come to this with an open mind, and after doing a little research online began to realize just how unique the concept of improvising on the bassoon is.

”I believe that the main reason for jazz on the bassoon being such a rarity lies in the very nature of the instrument. Not only is it difficult to master, as most woodwind players would readily acknowledge, but in addition one would have to shed all preconceived notions as to how to successfully play jazz on the instrument. Assuming someone is already an accomplished player, in essence they would have to wear two ‘hats’, that is to keep a legitimate or conservatory trained concept in place when performing in an orchestra or ensemble, and then switching over to another way of thinking and playing when entering the world of jazz.”

The Swingin’ Bassoon is Daniels follow up to Bebop Bassoon and for this recording Daniel takes the listener through standards including I’m Getting Sentimental Over You, Scrapple From The Apple, St. Thomas and A Night In Tunisia, and along the way does a pretty convincing job of setting the standard for any future jazz on bassoon. Yes this bassoon is swingin’ and the party is just qetting started.