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Pocket Players
Very few “name” players are identified with pocket cornets. Certainly the best known would be the late “free jazz” player Don Cherry, who played a 1930’s vintage Besson MEHA pocket cornet (almost always identified as a “pocket trumpet”). While I’ve read that he first played a Pakistani pocket cornet (most likely a Hakam Din), I have not found any photographs showing this. You can see several videos of Chery playing his Besson at the website Youtube.
Maynard Ferguson was a Holton artist for many years, and was presented with a C150 pocket in the 70’s. I’m told he came out on stage one night with it hanging around his neck on a silver chain, like those oversized medallions he was fond of wearing. The audience evidently thought it was jewelry – until he played it! It was soon stolen, but returned some years later. The photo at left clearly seems to be the crook-end of a C150, but I have yet to find a good photo of Maynard with one, so please let me know if you have one or have seen one.
Some great videos had recently come to light on Youtube with Sidney DeParis playing what certainly appears to be a Besson pocket cornet. He uses a wah-wah mute on most of the solos to very good advantage. Best of all, his style of jazz is much more to my liking than the “free jazz” stylings of Cherry! Unfortunately, at this time, they appear to have been removed from the Youtube website.
Famed Ringling Brothers Circus bandleader Merle Evans played a Holton pocket, dubbed “The Mighty Midget” which survives in a Wisconsin Circus Museum. Recently discovered information, including the serial number, reveal that the cornet was made in 1941. The detail enlargement shows the cornet to be very much like my 1971 C-150. But it appears that the Midget’s valve cluster is taller, and may have utilized top spring towers.
My personal idol Bobby Hackett is known to have presented an AMATI pocket cornet to a close friend, circa 1970. The specially engraved instrument (it was originally “presented” to Hackett) remains with the recipient’s family. I’ve been told that Hackett did endorsement advertisements for a pocket, but I have not yet discovered one – I’m very interested in hearing anything you might know about this; especially which company.
In his excellent biography of Roy Eldridge, author John Chilton states that Roy experimented with a pocket trumpet given to him by trombonist Jack Teagarden, however the timeframe causes me to think it was actually a cornet. At this time I have not seen any photographs documenting this, and have no idea what model it may have been.
Finally, you have a picture of me, Nick DeCarlis, playing an LA Sax pocket trumpet (with cornet mouthpiece and adapter), which is actually a Marcato Sophia pocket. While not my primary gig horn, I have found it to be excellent in certain acoustical situations – especially in noisy venues with little “return” of my sound. I can hear myself better with the bell being closer to my ears. I have also played my Besson MEHA and Conn Vocabell conversions on gigs. It’s a great novelty as listeners are amazed that the tiny horns are every bit as powerful as a full-sized instrument.
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