Name this jazz tune (Circular Breathing)

Cafe Society
1

When I joined my school’s jazz band, our teacher decided to play us a tune demonstrating circular breathing. It is vague to me now, but I think it was bebop, and the circular breather played trumpet. Teach played the song for maybe two minutes and then turned it off (I assume the trumpeter went on longer). The entire time, the guy never stopped to take a breath. No rests at all, unless I’m mistaken.

So:

a)What song is this?
b) Who’s the trumpeter?
c) Who are some other famous circular breathers, especially in jazz (any instrument)?

2

Oh, and there may be more than one songs/trumpeters who fit the description. Just lay it all down and I’ll check it out.

3

Sinatra supposedly learned the breath control that allowed him to sing the way he did from trombonist Tommy Dorsey.

4

The most famous circular breather in jazz was, I believe, Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

5

Somewhat surprisingly, the great jazz trumpeter Clark Terry has written a tract on the subject:

http://www.riverwalk.org/profiles/terry.htm

6

I was fortunate enough to see M[sup]c[/sup]Coy Tyner and Eddie Harris reprise their famous Swiss Movement jazz session at Kimball’s East in Emeryville, California.

During a rendition of “It’s in Your Soulness,” Harris performed a saxophone solo using circular breathing that lasted for over five minutes. The crowd was already going insane before he even finished and I was almost in shock at the gigantic talent that I had the privilege to witness. Harris also plays the trumpet, so what you heard might have been played by him as well.

7

I assume you mean Les McCann, not McCoy Tyner.

I sincerely hope you were not shouting “Go, McCoy!” as you pumped your fist in the air.

8

David Murray is another circular breather. Watching him, you can see his nostrils grabbing the air and pushing it in. It’s pretty cool.

9

Wynton Marsalis does a pretty incredible job of circular breathing when he wants to. I believe he does this on Moto Perpetuo (originally a classical violin piece) on the album Carnival.

10

Well spotted, Mr Creosote – I was listening to said CD the other day, and he does appear to play much longer on a single breath than one would expect. IIRC, there’s even a notation to that effect in the album’s liner notes.

11

Thanks guys!

Rahsaan Roland Kirk sounds like a fascinating guy from the website.