Clarinet Thing, Old First Church, San Francisco, CA 2/3/12

Thanks to KALX and their ticket giveaway, Mr. and Mrs. Amnesiac had the immense pleasure of attending Clarinet Thing's 21st Anniversary Performance at the lovely Old First Church in the Polk Gulch section of San Francisco.
This all-clarinet quartet, made up of Sheldon Brown, Beth Custer, Ben Goldberg, and Harvey Wainapel, all of whom are incredible players, played pieces of Jimmy Giuffre, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie, along with their own compositions. It was instructive and delightful to listen to their Chamber Jazz versions. The all-woodwind approach reminded Disaster Amnesiac of the harmonic subtleties that the best Jazz compositions feature.

Above: Ben Goldberg wails on the contralto "paperclip" clarinet

Naturally, this being Jazz, all four members took solo turns, and all members played them exceedingly well. I felt happy to live in an area with so many talented musicians.

Above: Beth Custer describes the clarinet family

Above: Reeds swingin'!