Cleveland, Ohio
H.N. White Company

Nickel-silver, gold wash bell
ca 1927
Height: w/stand: 8 feet
Wind Instruments – Brasswinds – Tubas / Sousaphones / Helicons

Engraved on bell: H.N. White Company / Cleveland, Ohio.  The tuba was custom built so that the player could stand or sit to play, by dialing the lead-in pipe to be used.  Called bell front or ‘recording tuba.’ 

Joe Tarto joined the fabulous band of Red Nichols in 1927, and prepared for the show “Rain or Shine.”  Before the show opened he sent specifications for this enormous tuba to the H.N. White Company, Cleveland, Ohio.  Joe played the horn for the run of the show, taking solos during the intermissions and in the overture.

Tarto was also an arranger, with most of his works recorded by Joe Venuti and His New Yorkers, and his famous “Black Horse Stompe,” with Fletcher Henderson that was reissued in London in 1985.  In 1929 he joined the staff of CBS, where he was involved with radio programs, recording dates and motion picture cartoons. He worked with Hollywood stars Ginger Rogers, Wallace Beery, Edward G. Robinson and Jimmy Durante.  The cartoon series in which he was active included “Betty Boop,” “Popeye the Sailor,” and “Bugs Bunny.”  During the depression he played at the Capitol Theater with Paul Whiteman.

One night, after hearing Joe and his tuba, Tony  Spargo asked Joe to join the Spargo Band at Nick’s.  Joe agreed to play a one-night stand on Mondays.  This became a permanent date for Joe and his tuba.  From time to time, Joe played jazz with Eddie Condon, worked on the Lower Basin Street radio show with Henri Levine and played concerts with Lionel Hampton.  Later, Joe joined the New Jersey Symphony Brass Quintet and The Essex Brass Ensemble, whose audiences ranged from kindergarten-age children through college and university brass students to the general public.  Joe has arranged many of the works performed and recorded by The Essex Brass Ensemble.

According to Louis Long, it is believed H.N. White made 4 or 5 of these tall ‘Recording Basses’ (bell front).  This is not the original one owned by Joe Tarto, but is the only other one know to still exist.  It is believed that Joe Tarto’s relatives have his original tuba.