▁on ▁sa x oph one ▁and ▁rec order , ▁Ray ▁on ▁bass ▁and ▁viol in ▁and ▁Phil ▁on ▁sa x oph one , ▁tr ump et , ▁and ▁clar inet ▁( with ▁all ▁three ▁brothers ▁playing ▁other ▁instruments ▁as ▁and ▁when ▁required ). ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁band ▁also ▁featured ▁three ▁lead ▁vocal ists . ▁D erek ▁Sh ul man ▁sang ▁in ▁a ▁t ough ▁rh ythm - and - bl ues ▁style ▁and ▁generally ▁handled ▁the ▁more ▁rock - orient ed ▁vocals ; ▁Phil ▁Sh ul man ▁handled ▁the ▁more ▁folk - or - j azz - infl uen ced ▁songs ; ▁and ▁Ker ry ▁Min near ▁( who ▁had ▁a ▁particularly ▁del icate ▁voice ) ▁sang ▁the ▁l ighter ▁folk ▁and ▁chamber - class ical ▁lead ▁vocals . ▁Min near ▁did ▁not ▁sing ▁lead ▁vocals ▁at ▁live ▁concert s , ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁in ability ▁to ▁support ▁and ▁project ▁his ▁voice ▁at ▁a ▁level ▁suitable ▁for ▁live ▁ampl ification ▁( D erek ▁and ▁Phil ▁Sh ul man ▁handled ▁Min near ' s ▁lead ▁vocal ▁parts ▁when ▁the ▁band ▁played ▁live ). ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁reported ▁that ▁El ton ▁John ▁un success fully ▁aud ition ed ▁for ▁lead ▁vocal ist ▁with ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁group . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁book let ▁that ▁was ▁included ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁album , ▁the ▁band ' s ▁name ▁was ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁a ▁fict ional ▁character , ▁a ▁" gent le ▁giant " ▁that ▁happens ▁upon ▁a ▁band ▁of ▁mus icians ▁and ▁is ▁ent hr alled