Topic: What tunes are you working on?

[GhostRider]

Hi all:

One tune I've been whacking away at while working in Montana is Lilly Mae by Calvin Frazier (off his 1938 library of Congress recordings). He uses a different way of playing a blues in E, lots of licks  I had never heard before.

Also trying to finish off Prison Cell Blues by Blind Lemon and the ones we did the lyrics for recently (Travilin' Mama etc,)

Alex

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I've been working the most lately on writing new tunes in the style and trying to come up with lyrics, which is the really tough part for me.  In some instances I am pretty sure I will end up using pre-existing lyrics, but I really need to bite the bullet and come up with some of my own, too.  Wish me luck!
All best,
Johnm

[Slack]

Good Luck John! 

[uncle bud]

Hi John,

Looking forward to hearing what you come up with! There's always the cut and paste method for lyrics, just like the college kids (and, I note for FrontPage, Ralph Klein) are doing these days with their term papers. A little bit from here, little bit from there. Actually, I've been listening to Paul Geremia again the past few days, and for his non-political original tunes, it seems he's often doing just that. One line or so a stock (but interesting or less common) blues lyric, married to his own original words. That's simplifying his approach somewhat but in essence that's what he's doing sometimes. Good luck!

cheers,
andrew

[OMpicker]

Well, let's see...speaking of that early jazz/swing stuff, I'm working on a Dr. John arrangement of Careless Love (key of C)....'Nawlins funk, if you will.

Also am working on an arrangement of Tennessee Blues (the Bobby Charles one...ever recall Tracy Nelson singing that?? It's gorgeous.), also trying to work on an arrangement of Good Old Wagon ala the Bessie Smith/Louis Armstrong version key of E).? I try to keep up my Travis/Atkins/Reed chops (may be able to help folks with those type questions if you have them...as long as they aren't too dang sophisticated...since I've noodled with that stuff for quite a few years).

Also, and I hestitate to mention this example of conspicuous consumption but figured I'd get some sympathy here. I recently got back into the vintage Martin game and purchased a gorgeous 00 from 1928.? It was a bow to my middle age crisis and in recognition that I started playing regularly again after a 10+ year absence from anything but the occasional stray picking.? Wanna see it?? Look here: http://community.webshots.com/user/ompicker

[Rivers]

Beautiful. Bet it sounds good. I played a 60s New Yorker the other day and was immediately smitten. Might take you up on some jazz advice next time I get stuck, which may be quite soon. My big achievement this week was figuring out the bizarre original intro to Putting On The Ritz, something I've been trying to nail for a few years.

[GhostRider]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Actually I've had a blast of guitar-vigor, thanks to Pt. Townsend. I've worked You'll like my Lovin' up to playable pt.(thanks Mr. Millar), but not having the original or a recording of the lesson (moron!) I can't get the words to fit with the guitar. Hope someone can help.

Nothing in Rambling is coming along rather well, if I do say so myself (thanks Del and Ramblin' Frank).

I'm also working through Oscar Wood's "Don't Sell It, Don't Give It Away", which I'm trying to arrange for single non-slide guitar. BTW, I gather that there are two versions of this song, one solo and one as a guitar-Piano duet. The words are identical. Does anyone know which was recorded first? I'm doing this song in G.

I've got more women than a passanger train can haul,
Alex

[frankie]

I've worked You'll like my Lovin' up to playable pt.(thanks Mr. Millar), but not having the original or a recording of the lesson (moron!) I can't get the words to fit with the guitar. Hope someone can help.

Dial it up on the juke - if you search on the word 'like', it'll be the 16th song returned.  It's listed as by Ramblin' Thomas, since Otis Harris appears as one of the "Dallas Blues Singers" on that particular Document CD.

I'm also working through Oscar Wood's "Don't Sell It, Don't Give It Away", which I'm trying to arrange for single non-slide guitar. BTW, I gather that there are two versions of this song, one solo and one as a guitar-Piano duet. The words are identical. Does anyone know which was recorded first?

The solo was recorded first, I think.  The piano intro on the second recording is the bee's knees!

[GhostRider]

Ramblin' Frank:

I think the whole piano-guitar version is sensational, It's one of the few country blues that sends shivers up my back every time I hear it. And I don't usually like slide tunes.

Thanks for the Juke tip. I did look for Ottis and couldn't find it.

Alex

[GhostRider]

Hi all:

Here's an old topic I thought I'd revive.

Myself I'm working on

A 6-string version of "Risin' River Blues", inspired by the brief instruction by Geramia at PT. Can't figure out the decending series of chords played over the V chord spot. The last three are (I think) C#, F# and B7. I fake the ones before that with a B7-shaped up-the-neck E.

Owen's "Try Me One More Time" in Spanish. I've put in a small amount of melody notes over the IV chord, and it's not as "strummy" as the original. More work to do. Thanks for the help, John.

Pettis "Two Time Blues". Almost done, need to memorize the words.

A Standard tuning version of Wood's "Don't Sell It, Don't Give it Away". This one's pretty close too.

Just starting on Calicott's "Fare Thee Well Blues" in D std. Lots of up the neck melody.? No IV chord played until coda.

I've got a good start on Blake's "Walkin' Across the Country". Need to work on some of the single string stuff. Mary Flower got me started at PT two years ago.

"Bullfrog Blues" from Lightnin's class this year.

"Canned Heat Blues". Trying to figure out where Johnson puts his bass notes over the IV and V chords.

Plus "Tired of Being Mistreated" from J. Millar's class. It's going to take some time (years?) to get this one up to playing speed.

Time to stop,
Alex

[NotRevGDavis]

Hi all:

Here's an old topic I thought I'd revive.

Cool idea Alex!

I've spent a lot of time working on Bo Carter's "Cigarette Blues" (mainly Steve Cheseborough's version) since I got home.

In my private lesson we have been working on RJ's "Kind Hearted Woman Blues". I have to admit that before taking this one on I wasn't much of an Robert Johnson fan, but there is something about playing his stuff that draws me in.

Noodlin' around on the Tricone in open G trying to figure out where all the notes are.

I gotta admit I have been sheddin' a lot more since I got home.

[Stuart]

I've spent a lot of time working on Bo Carter's "Cigarette Blues" (mainly Steve Cheseborough's version) since I got home.

[/quote]

Are you familiar with Roger Hubbard's version?

[waxwing]

I ain't been workin' on nothin' but Tired of Bein' Mistreated, Alex. I actually performed the parts John taught us, plus the outro from Part 1, which is a little cooler, and sang about 4 verses for my 3rd Thursday gig. Went over well. I've worked out the other two breaks (the 2nd break in Part 1 is virtually the same as the break John taught us) and they both have some great little licks. I've figured out the 8 verses I can sing with 3 breaks and I'm just workin' on gettin' it all up to speed, now.

Working on the other breaks led me to an alternate fingering for those spots where he goes up to the 8th fret on the first string. John showed us two fingerings but both had a place where you had to shift your hand position between consecutive 8th notes but I realized that you can get the 1st string 2nd fret note on the 2nd string at the 5th fret using a 2 string barre with the 1st string and then move your hand down as you strike the open 1st string and then land on the 2nd fret. He does some things in the other breaks that make this obvious, just like the way he uses the unison between the open 1st and the 3rd fret of the 2nd. This oughta help you get it up to speed, Alex. In the next couple days I'll try to post slow versions of the outro and the other breaks for the rest of you Miller's Ear Learning Marines.

All for now.
John C.

[outfidel]

I'm working (*) on RGD's Cincinnati Flow Rag as well as Blind Blake's Diddie Wah Diddie

* of course, it's not really "work"

[Easy Rider]

I'm working on "In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down".  I heard it and fell in love with it, dropping everything else to Tab it out and learn it.  Does anybody else here play this song?

I'm also trying to Tab out "I know You Rider" and "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad"