Marimba

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Can anyone recommend some good recordings that feature the marimba? I'm mostly interested in classicaland jazz, but popular Latin music is okay too.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

http://www.malletworks.com/lipner.htm

Tommy White · From: Nashville

Bobby,
I remember my Dad buying a marimba for my Mom
the day he bought my Sho-Bud crossover in 69 or 70 at the Baldwin music center, 2 miles from the house I was born and raised in.I was as much intrigued with the tones and timbre of the marimba as I was the new Sho-Bud, which cost a whopping $600.00 back then. As you can see, the pedal steel over shadowed the marimba. I would however, like to know what ever became of that marimba, being as it was purchased the same day as my first pedal steel, which I have posession of today, thanks to my wonderful and thoughtful wife. If I happen to discover some recordings of, or featurings of a marimba, I will let you know.
Best always,
T.w.

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Wow! Did your mom play the marimba much at home? Did you ever play duets?

I love the marimba on Jerry Byrd's "Burning Sands" LP. There's some real pretty viraphone on the Marty Robbins Hawaiian albums, which I think JB produced. Who did most of the marimba/vibes work in Nashville back in the 60's? Anybody know? I want to hear more!!

I just got a CD called "Classic Percussion" by Peter Sadlo that has some beautiful Bach on it played on marimba. It's on the Koch International label.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Can't help you much on the recordings, but last week, I was skimming the cable channels and came across this channel (the logo just says ARTS, not A&E) with this lady playing the marimba with a symphony. She was a featured artist but I did not catch her name. Boy did she smoke. She is the Buddy Emmons of the marimba (maybe her name was Bunny Emmons, get it? Bunny Emmons. Oh well, I haven't had my medication yet, so cut me some slack). Gave me a whole new respect for the instrument.

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

On my solo gigs using trax, BIAB has an excellent Marimba to add to any style of play. Great sound.

Bill Crook · From: Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance

b0b.....

Many years ago,There was a group that was located in the Epcot Center(Walt DisneyWorld)FLA. that played a very large Marimba. About 4 guys playing on the same device. The wife and I went down there for many years just to see and hear them play.

They also sold a tape," Marimba Maylandia" that has some really wonderful numbers on it. If you wish,I will make you a copy of it. (as the group is retired now) I don't think any royalty problems would develope by shareing this wonderful tape with you. Let me know if this would be the kind of stuff you are lookin' for...

Curry Coster · From: Glen Burnie, MD USA

b0b-
Check out "The Jet Age" and "Take Your Pick" by Julian Tharpe. Blondie Calderon is featured on vibraphone (that's like a marimba, isn't it?) Maybe not. Anyway, the albums are GREAT.
Curry

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

There is a world of tonal difference between vibraphone and marimba. The best analogy I can think of is steel guitar and dobro. The vibraphone has metal bars that give it a lot of sustain, while the marimba has wooden bars that require a very different technique.

I used to like vibraphone a lot, but lately the "rotor" sound has been really bugging me. A vibraphone has these little motorized disks that spin inside of the sound tubes, creating an oscillation that is unmusical to my ears. The marimba has no electrical components.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, folks.

------------------

Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

There are some great transciptions of classical piano music for marimba. I always liked Debussey's "Golliwogg Cakewalk" played on marimba.

Steve Reich wrote a piece for 6 marimbas.

In classical type music Bartok on up to current composers use the marimba pretty often.

Plus you gotta check out this great marimba forum where you can read all about how that new mariachi music is all garbage compared to real mariachi music over and over and over again if you like reading about that sort of thing.

Bob

GaryHoetker · From: Bakersfield, CA, USA

I think Ray Price uses this instrument alot in his modern day music to replace the acoustic guitar fills.

Tommy White · From: Nashville

Bobby,
My mom never had any devoted time to the marimba. However my dad and I would play it very often ,as it was always laying on the kitchen table for those that wished to give it a try. Oddly enough, every musician that visited our house showed interest and would be drawn to its lovely tones.If I can't find that marimba, I know I'll more than likely purchase a new one,now that you've rekindled my interest.
T.W.

HOWaiian · Posted 27 Jun 2001 7:44 pm

you've gotta check out some Mexican marimba orchestras; can't recall anything specific right now, but you could do a net search, or just go to your local record store: in the "World Music" section you should be able to find some good compilation albums.

on a different tack, check out Capt. Beefheart's "The Spotlight Kid" & "Clear Spot" albums: both feature the wonderful Ed Marimba on (you guessed it) marimba. these two albums are terrific & are available as a twofer CD. they're also probably his most easily accessible records. in a similar vein, Tom Waits' "swordfishtrombones" and "Raindogs" albums have lots of nice marimba work as well. "Raindogs" also has some nice PSG work ('tho I forget who by).

all of these are must-owns for the well-tempered freak.

Rich Paton · From: Santa Maria, CA.,

Bobby, the vibrophonist may have been Gary Burton, whose recording debut was on Hank Garland's "Jazz Winds From a New Direction" (JWFAND for short) album. Burton was classically trained and had been hanging around in Nasville when he was introduced to Garland by Boots Randolf.
JWFAND was a truly world-class Jazz LP, cut in Nasville. Grady Martin co-produced, and the chief producer of record was Columbia's Don Law.
The Garland/Burton musical interplay on the JWFAND LP seems to have clicked well, as each soloist drives the other to higher levels of improvising. IMHO, "Sugarfoot" Garland was a heavy Jazz cat in a country picker's disguise. His Jazz guitar chops were just monstrous.
Wasn't there a vibrophonist in Nashville scene by the name of Appleyard?

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

And who can forget the immortal "Baja Marimba Band" of the 1960's ')

Miguel e Smith · From: Phoenix, AZ

One of my mentors, a guitar player whose name is Sonny Thomas, would play Hank Garland and Gary Burton records for hours when I'd hang-out at his house. Gary is still amazing and is worth listening too. BTW Rich, I used to live in Orcutt, CA and went to school for awhile at Rigetti (spelling?)...it's been a long time though.

Mike

John Steele · From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

The Vibraphonist mentioned was Canadian; Peter Appleyard.
He was a member of the Goodman Sextet, and held forth at the Brunswick House on Bloor St. in Toronto for many years.
-John

Joel Glassman · From: Waltham MA USA

Another great player on "mallet instruments"
(xylophone, marimba and vibes) was Red Norvo.
He swings in a very different way from Lionel Hampton and Milt Jackson. Norvo had a long career from the 20s to the 90s. I just bought
a boxed set of his music, and am very involved with it lately....--Joel