[Hawthorn]

>> I have a sizable collection of recordings of bassoon music <<

It’s a formidable instrument — and capable of sublime beauty.

But it has long puzzled me as to why nobody seems to have succeeded in playing any memorable jazz on the bassoon. Great jazz has been played on instruments as diverse as the accordion (Art van Damme), the harmonica (Larry Adler), the mellophone (Don Eliot), the violin (Stephane Grappelli) and the oboe (Bob Cooper). But why not the bassoon?

[Little Pig]

I would hazard the opinion that the timbre of the Bassoon doesn’t really lend itself to either the frenetic liveliness of hot jazz, or the warm intimacy of mellow slow jazz. It would be buried in a fast piece, and sounds too thin and plaintive for slow stuff?

[chajin]

But why not the bassoon?

Check out Paul Hanson

[greene66]

I think I remember a bassoon in Paul Whiteman’s 1928 recording of “Tain’t So, Honey, Tain’t So.” But I don’t think it was improvisational at all. Only thing I can think of.

[Kommodor]

Bassoon? Didn’t Spike Jones cover that?

Or was it Groucho Marx? :)

[Fractal Trader]

Eric Dolphy on the Bass Clarinet comes close:

Eric Dolphy

I couldn't find a video, but I believe he also played the contrabassoon.

[mountn man]

You mention Jazz and violin.

Recently discovered Lucia Micarelli.

She does a smooth Jazz song with Chris Botti. Almost brings tears to your eyes. Wish I could find more classically oriented stuff by her.

CHRIS BOTTI IN BOSTON | "Emmanuel" w/ Lucia Micarelli | PBS-Youtube