Topic: Daddy John's Birthday!

[Zoharbareket]

Thanks for the link to the Rev's thread,  Johnm!  I hope to be ready with one of his this year!

[colm kill paul]

Thank you to everyone for marking the day for MJH! A big round of applause please for the stars of our show: Norfolk Slim, Laura, JT Brown & Joe Paul!

I think I'd agree Laura that "Lonesome Valley" is my favourite too.

Colm

[harriet]

Thank you to everyone for marking the day for MJH! A big round of applause please for the stars of our show: Norfolk Slim, Laura, JT Brown & Joe Paul!

Colm

IMHO. A big round of applause for you as well, Colm, pretty impressive, heartfelt presentation of the material.

[Pan]

Thank you to everyone for marking the day for MJH! A big round of applause please for the stars of our show: Norfolk Slim, Laura, JT Brown & Joe Paul!

Colm

IMHO. A big round of applause for you as well, Colm, pretty impressive, heartfelt presentation of the material.

I agree with Harriet. Practicing all the 14 tunes is a great task. You did a great job, and I like your singing as well.
Thanks for this thread, and for the story and pictures as well.
And thanks again for all the other participants too.

Cheers

Pan

[colm kill paul]

Hi Folks,

Just wanted to mark Mississippi John Hurt's birthday ( March 8th. ) here among the folks who care most.

This clip is the result of my first go at picking out a tune from the recording: "Praying On the Old Camp Ground". It's a work in progress still but close enough to share I hope.


Colm

[FlyFast]

Thanks for the reminder Colm.  I'm going to try to post something in tribute to MJH later.  I hope others will do the same.

[Johnm]

That's a really nice version of "Praying On the Old Campground", Colm, and congratulations on figuring out your first John Hurt tune! 
I'm a couple of day's late for John Hurt's birthday, but here is a tribute song for him.
All best,
Johnm

[Pan]

I'd like to second John's congratulations on your take on the tune, Colm. Fine playing and I really liked your singing too!

Thanks for Johnm too, for sharing your tribute song to John Hurt. A great and catchy little tune for sure!

Cheers

Pan

[ArthurBlake]

Hi Folks,

I wanted to celebrate today the anniversary of the birth of Mississippi John Hurt ("Daddy John" to his family).Today, 120 years ago, the world became a better place imho!

There is confusion about MJH's exact birthday.Philip Ratcliffe?s in his book " MJH, His Life, His Times, His Blues" observed the following: "Several dates have been recorded: March 8, 1892 (grave marker), ?man? Hurt (Son), Fred Bolden (grandnephew) Mar 16 1892 (social Security death index) may 7,1893 (some family members) May 8, 1895 (draft registration)" but in the end he opted to go with the March 8, 1892. So I'm happy to go with today also.

I'm playing "My Creole Belle" as taught by John Miller in his  The Guitar of MJH Vol 1 DVD and it is transcribed from the 1963 recording on Rounder records " Avalon Blues" if memory serves.
 
Philip Ratcliffe notes about this tune: "Creole Belles, was a cakewalk hit written in 1901 by Bodewalt Lampe with words by George Sidey on which John (Hurt) modelled his song ? My Creole Belle?. However, John ommitted most of Sidneys words and modified the tune considerably to suit his own style.".

My attempt here fails spectacularly to capture the magic of John's original but I hope up there some where John gets a kick to know his music inspired me to go out and try!

Happy Birthday Daddy John!

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11491927
Click on this link to jump to the tune on my Sound Click page.


Colm

PS (MP3 file was too big to insert directly ... hence the link)

Nothing wrong with your Creole Belle mate and I am sure MJH would have been honoured.

[colm kill paul]

Thanks Folks for the positive comments. I greatly appreciate them.

John,

"Who can take a title,
Sprinkle it with tunes..." The Miller Man can!

I love this version of Candy Man. It should be released as a flip side on a double A side single with MJH's Candy Man on one Side and your version of Candy Man styled ala MJH on the other. This is just too cool!

Love the guitar melody notes running like sweet honey all the way. Pure ear candy!

Thanks John. You are pure class!

Colm

[Norfolk Slim]

I'm a bit late to the party as I have been away on a course.  This is a one take wonder.  Need to get the lyrics more firmly in my head some time but I think I got away with it...

I like Colm's post.  The tempo really 'stumbles' in a very effective way which isn't, to me, so evident in the MJH original.  Its a nice take on it.

[Johnm]

Thanks, Pan and Colm, for the good words.  I often find myself wondering what players who liked Pop material, like John Hurt, Mance Lipscomb, Lonnie Johnson, Bill Williams and John Jackson would do in arranging more recent Pop material.  I reckon that was the impetus for "The Candyman".
All best,
Johnm

[Blind Boy Joe]

I just discovered this topic, I must have missed it when I set up my account here. I love listening to peoples' versions of MJH material, so I went back and read the entire topic and listened to the MJH music.  Lotsa fun. A member called Poppy  also started another topic recently with a version of Shake That Thing which I also enjoyed.  What would we do without MJH?

[roig]

Nice stuff everyone! All I have to add to the party is this recording from nearly 10 years ago (when I just started playing blues music) of me playing Big Leg Blues. I don't really like this performance but it has a nostalgic feel to me in terms of how I used to sound haha. Available here:

http://www.msjohnhurtmuseum.com/class/biglegblues.mp3

[colm kill paul]

Simon,

Thanks for posting Frankie. I'm impressed with how confident and bold the guitar sounds. Nice Job! I was trying to get as close to the original with my clip but I guess the intermittent bass line is coming out with a different "stumblin" vibe. I'm delighted you like it. It is encouraging.

Roig Big Leg Blues sound great as per usual for your fine performances.

Blind Boy Joe, it is fun to shoot back through the years and see all the talent we have at MJH's party ( I must try and restore some of my links). Thanks for dropping by!

Colm