Brassplyer wrote:
On Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at 8:14:13 PM UTC-4, Les Cargill wrote:
Severinsen's tone wasn't his strong suit.
Every trumpet player on Earth just gave you a "say what??" look. 
I wouldn't be at all surprised.
All pop trumpet from the 1960s
on for a couple decades just sounds a lot overblown to me.
I'm a bit biased because I think this was due to everything
being really competitive, and trying to sound louder. And
probably those damned Fender basses
Doc in his day was famous for having the whole package - everything
was his strong suit - freakish technical facility, musicality, power,
range, amazing, vibrant sound. I promise you - Doc's sound in his
prime is highly regarded. He had a unique hybrid sound that brought
classical coloring to pop/commercial/jazz. His high range was unusual
is that it never sounded brittle or screechy. He had control from the
bottom of the horn to the top.
He's remarkably consistent for sure. Everything you say is true, but
the order of the day was "shrill".
SO given that - yeah, he was good at that.
I've little doubt
he could have played differently. But that kind of shows up on
that recording...
Here's a recording that captured his sound much better than my
original above. Other recordings that are good to check out are his
"Trumpet Spectacular" album with the Cincinnati Pops - recorded live
in a large studio hall with no EQ or other FX - just the input of the
mics right to the board. Also his "Rhapsody For Now" album - in
particular the recording of "A Song For You".
This is off a Direct To Disc album - Doc on trumpet and flugelhorn.
The link takes you to just before he comes in.
https://youtu.be/fn70ehqENYw?t=1m12s
That shows a lot more tonal range than I am used to from him.
I'd just say that relative to Wynton Marsalis ( yeah, with roughly 40
years difference so totally no fair ) it's a lot less expressive and
singing.
IMO, only
--
Les Cargill