June 3, 2008 by Bruce Hembd
Archived under: Equipment, Humor, Rare/cool or just odd
Oddities: The Bass Horn
The first in a series of oddball horns
This monstrosity – resembling a French horn on steroids – is a Bass Horn, built for the renowned tuba soloist Roger Bobo. A collector of low brass instruments, Bobo proposed the idea to Howard Lockie who wrote out the preliminary blueprints for the instrument.
The project was given to George Strucel who held on to the project for six years. It was later turned over to Larry Minick who completed the construction.
Bobo used the instrument in a few studio gigs, but it may be heard on a 1981 duet recording – “Prunes” – with Bobo on the Bass Horn and Norwegian hornist Frøydis Ree Wekre. The recording features the music of Roger Kellaway.
- More on the Strucel/Minick Bass Horn in CC
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