Ron McCroby Whistling Videos

When I was a kid I learned to whistle in and really could never whistle out until I was an adult.  My brothers and sisters always thought it was a little strange that I only could whistle inward so I practiced being able to whistle outwards as well.  When I started getting involved in jazz, I thought it would be cool to be able to whistle jazz lines by whistling both in and out.  I worked on it and got pretty good at not having to breathe while I kept a line going.  It was for my own amusement and only my wife heard me whistling (and she said it hurt her ears.)

Anyway, before Johnny Carson retired in ’92,  I tuned in one night and caught Ron McCroby whistling on the show and was absolutely blown away.  He uses all kinds of articulations to produce amazing facility within his whistle.  He whistles perfectly in tune and he definitely makes all the changes…something I never came close to mastering.  Check out this video containing that original Johnny Carson clip.  You will be amazed if you have never heard him.   I can only imagine if Charlie Parker heard this guy. They would have a ball trading fours.  Here’s the clip