James Danderfer — If Not Now: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet & The Van Gelder Sound

About this episode

Clarinetist James Danderfer discusses his new album and the nuances of clarinet and bass clarinet performance.

Clarinetist/composer James Danderfer joins Jay to premiere his new album If Not Now (Celler Records), recorded at the storied Rudy Van Gelder Studio. They dive into choosing clarinet vs. bass clarinet, arranging for a 7-piece band with three horns and vibes, the balance between classical sound concept and modern jazz feel, plus practical gear talk (Hawkins mouthpieces, Legère reeds, Selmer Privilege). Hear how Danderfer treats each record as a snapshot in time—and why bass clarinet remains the most liberating voice in his toolkit. Links: • If Not Now — stream/buy: https://open.spotify.com/album/1Y8dJp1JtcTkMRlU9kIBqj?si=BtKo19KhS0GMCovUd3YPsw\ https://music.apple.com/us/album/if-not-now/1820276471 • James Danderfer: JamesDanderfer.com • Clarinet Ninja Dojo (for adult players): https://www.clarinetninja.com/dojo-landing Clarinetninja.com If you enjoyed this, please follow, rate, and review—it helps more clarinet lovers find the show.

People in this episode

Guest: James Danderfer

Topics covered

• clarinet
• bass clarinet
• jazz
• classical music
• music arrangement
• gear talk

Keywords

• If Not Now
• Rudy Van Gelder Studio
• Hawkins mouthpieces
• Legère reeds
• Selmer Privilege

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Hawkins mouthpieces, Legère reeds, Selmer Privilege

Books & works: If Not Now: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, If Not Now

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