Home » Jazz Musicians » Jim Self

Jim Self

Jim Self is a Los Angeles freelance musician, a veteran of over 1400 motion picture scores, hundreds of television shows and records, and is tuba soloist on many prominent movies. His tuba was the "Voice of the Mothership" in John Williams score to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Recent films include War of the Worlds, Lemony Snicket, Legend of Zorro, King Kong, Ice Age/Meltdown, Eight Below, X Men 3, All the King’s Men and Evan Almighty.

He is Principal Tuba/Cimbasso with the Pasadena and Pacific Symphonies, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Los Angeles Opera and Opera Pacific orchestras. Self holds degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Catholic University and a DMA from the University of Southern California-- where he teaches tuba and chamber music.

His major tuba teachers were William Becker, Harvey Phillips and Tommy Johnson. Jim is a past president of The International Tuba/Euphonium Association, a former member of The U.S. Army Band, Washington, D.C and was on the faculty at the University of Tennessee. His compositions and arrangements include works for solo tuba, brass quintet, band, orchestra and other brass, woodwind and string chamber music. Jim has produced nine solo jazz and classical recordings.

Recently released is a CD entitled InnerPlay with strings and features over 40 of LA’s top jazz and studio musicians. It was one of Jazz Times’ Top 50 CDs of the year and Self was chosen for this year’s Downbeat Critics Poll. All of his recordings and compositions are available from: www.bassethoundmusic.com.

Gear

Jim Self is a Yamaha Performing Artist.


Tags

1
Radio & Podcasts

Tube or Not Tuba? Tuba!!

Read "Tube or Not Tuba? Tuba!!" reviewed by Patrick Burnette


Sometimes Mike's dreams do come true. Take this all-tuba led episode, for instance. He's always loved the big horn in jazz groups, and here we delve into five albums spanning the decades led by tuba players. (Oddly, though, five of the featured leaders were all born within a five year span). Will the boys come up with deep insights? Please listen to ascertain. Playlist Discussion of Ray Draper's album Quintet Featuring John Coltrane (New Jazz) 4:17 Discussion of ...

30
Album Review

The Jim Self & John Chiodini Quintet: Touch and Go

Read "Touch and Go" reviewed by Jack Bowers


A quintet whose front line consists of tuba, guitar and trumpet. How does that work? Quite well, actually--at least when that front line includes tuba master Jim Self, guitarist John Chiodini and trumpeter Ron Stout, ably supported by bassist Ken Wild and drummer Kendall Kay, on the Jim Self and John Chiodini Quintet's album, Touch and Go. The music they make can best be described as smooth and tasteful--although “swinging" would not be out of place either, ...

43
Album Review

Jim Self: My America 2: Destinations

Read "My America 2: Destinations" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Tuba maestro Jim Self's My America 2: Destinations is a successor of sorts to the album My America, recorded and released some twenty years before, also on Self's Basset Hound label. While personnel has inevitably changed (only trombonist Bill Booth returns from that earlier album), Self has employed the services of the same arranger, Kim Scharnberg—and thank goodness for that! Although Self and his eleven-member supporting cast acquit themselves well, it is Scharnberg's ingenious charts that make this engine run. ...

2
Album Review

Jim Self: Hangin' Out

Read "Hangin' Out" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


One can be forgiven for not knowing a saxhorn from a saxophone, or, for that matter, whether a particular horn is a member of a certain family. Yes, there are aficionados (not to mention serious players) who can quite accurately describe the histories of the instruments, their lineages, and their peculiarities or idiosyncracies. Yet for many, it is difficult to distinguish a cornet from a trumpet. With a clever choice of mouthpiece, an adept instrumentalist can render them basically indistinguishable ...

27
Album Review

The Jim Self / John Chiodini Duo: Hangin' Out

Read "Hangin' Out" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Hangin' Out is the third album by the unlikely duo of Jim Self on tuba and John Chiodini on guitar. This time around, they hang out on five of the thirteen numbers with special guests--trombonist Scott Whitfield, tenor saxophonist Tom Peterson, baritone saxophonist David Angel and flugelhorn player Ron Stout, each of whom has a feature number before joining the leaders for a full-fledged jam on the lyrical finale, Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen's enduring standard, “It Could Happen to You," ...

10
Album Review

David Angel: Out on the Coast

Read "Out on the Coast" reviewed by Jack Bowers


David Angel, one of the West Coast's best-kept secrets, earns a long-overdue hour or three in the sun and makes every moment count on Out on the Coast, a superlative three-disc anthology that bundles fifteen of his luminous original compositions with seven jazz standards in an invariably pleasurable and charming package. When not teaching, writing or arranging, at home or abroad, Angel has led a Los Angeles-based rehearsal band for more than half a century. A list of alumni reads ...

4
Album Review

David Angel Jazz Ensemble: Out on the Coast

Read "Out on the Coast" reviewed by Troy Dostert


Every now and then one runs across musicians or composers who are well-known by their peers, or who have carved out loyal followings regionally, but who at the same time have for whatever reason escaped the notice of the wider jazz community. Los Angeles-based saxophonist/bandleader David Angel would certainly fall into that category, despite a career going back to the 1970s, not only in jazz but in film, television and studio work, in addition to his regular participation in various ...

Read more articles
1

Recording

Prolific Composer/Arranger David Angel Teams With Tuba Master Jim Self For Extraordinary 3-Disc Anthology, 'Out On The Coast'

Prolific Composer/Arranger David Angel Teams With Tuba Master Jim Self For Extraordinary 3-Disc Anthology, 'Out On The Coast'

Source: Mouthpiece Music

David Angel is one of the most respected composer/arrangers on the West Coast; however, he is virtually unknown to the general public. That is why tuba and bass trombone master Jim Self decided it was time to rectify that situation. He brought together The David Angel Jazz Ensemble to record Out On The Coast, a gorgeous three-disc anthology of Angel’s music. Angel, a Los Angeles native, plays saxophones and clarinet. He played and wrote for Latin bands in his youth ...

137

Recording

Jim Self with Strings "InnerPlay" (Basset Hound Records) featuring Gary Foster, Pete Christlieb and Dan Higgins

Jim Self with Strings "InnerPlay" (Basset Hound Records) featuring Gary Foster, Pete Christlieb and Dan Higgins

Source: All About Jazz

October 20, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Jim Self with Strings “InnerPlay" What the critics are saying about Jim Self's new CD “InnerPlay" (Basset Hound Records) featuring Gary Foster, Pete Christlieb and Dan Higgins. Awesome sound of Jazz Tuba and Strings! (You will never again think of the tuba as an “oompah" instrument--in Jim Self's hands it is gorgeou sand fluid--as melodic as Gerry Mulligan or Bob Brookmeyer) Brad Dechter's arrangements are special! ...

124

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

My America 2:...

Bassett Hound Records
2023

buy

Touch and Go

Basset Hound Music
2023

buy

Hangin' Out

Bassett Hound Records
2022

buy

Out on the Coast

Basset Hound Music
2021

buy

Yo!

Basset Hound Music
2016

buy

'Tis the Season TUBA...

Bassett Hound Records
2014

buy

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.