Topic: Guitar Instrumentals

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I'm interested in putting together a list of guitar instrumentals recorded by Country Blues/Old-Time players for inclusion in the Musicianship section of Weeniepedia.  I realized we're doing a decent job of adding song lyrics and the names of the people who sang them in Weeniepedia, but we've not had occasion to add artists who recorded instrumentals.  Just for the sake of listing only songs that simply have the instrumental performance going for them, let's not include instrumentals with spoken commentary, like Blind Blake's "Southern Rag" or "Seaboard Stomp"--"Blind Arthur's Breakdown", which has no commentary, would go on the list.  I'll just get the ball rolling by naming three instrumental recorded performances that have caught my attention recently.
   * "Baton Rouge Rag"--Joe Harris
   * "Poor Joe Breakdown"--Robert Davis
   * "Blind Arthur's Breakdown"--Blind Blake
If you limit yourself to three titles when posting, more people will have a chance to participate.  Thanks for participating and adding to the list.

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Sylvester Weaver has a lot in this category:
Guitar Blues
Guitar Rag
Weaver's Blues
Smoketown Strut
Mixing Them Up in C
I'm Busy and You Can't Come In
Six-String Banjo Piece (I always call this Sylvester's Stomp)
Damfino Stump
Soft Steel Piston

(might be missing a couple of his).

Lonnie Johnson did a lot without any commentary also.

[dj]

Do duets count?  The two guitar duets by the Jolly Two (Walter Roland and Sonny Scott) have always been among my favorites.

   Guitar Stomp
   Railroad Stomp

[David Kaatz]

Big Bill Broonzy
 Stove Pipe Stomp


Dave

[Old Man Ned]

Off the top of my head
Bayless Rose's Jamestown Exhibition
and, not sure he qualifies as an old timer, but
Snooks Eaglin's High Society and Sophisticated Blues

[Prof Scratchy]

Let's go to town _ Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe

Sent from my HUAWEI MT1-U06 using Tapatalk

[lindy]

I've been listening to a lot of Mance Lipscomb lately. He did a lot of rags that fit this category with the obvious names of

Rag in A
Rag in F
Rag in G

Plus
Mr. Tom's Rag
and one he called
Sentimental Piece in G

Lindy

[Dom94]

Shirley Griffith

Shirley's Jump is a nice country blues instrumental

[Lignite]

In the Old-Time category; 'Way Down Yonder Blues and Jake Bottle Blues by Lemuel Turner

[Pan]

Hi all

I seem to remeber that we also discussed some instrumental tunes in this thread a while ago:

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2453.0

Cheers

Pan

[oddenda]

"Rufe's Impromptu Rag" - Henry Johnson
"Detroit Rock Island" - Eddie Kirkland
"Whistling Blues" - Guitar Shorty (John Henry Fortescue)
"No Time At All" - Tarheel Slim
"Good Time Boogie" - Willie Trice

from my former record label!

Peter B.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the link to the earlier thread, Pan.  I had forgotten all about it.  I will transfer the guitar instrumentals from that thread that don't have talking on them over to this thread.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Lil' Son Jackson has two instrumentals on his "Blues Come to Texas" Arhoolie CD, "West Dallas Blues" and "Buck Dance".  His "Buck Dance" is quite different from any other version I've heard, played out of A position in standard tuning and for the most part, rocking between A and B before resolving to E, moving somewhat inexplicably to C, then walking down to A and starting over.  It was not included on the original LP releases of Chris Strachwitz's 1960 recording sessions with Lil' Son, and I can see why--it's an odd one.
All best,
Johnm   

[Lastfirstface]

On the Old-Time side of things:

Frank Hutchinson
-The West Virginia Rag
-The Logan County Blues
-Hutchinson's Rag

Alphus McFadyen
-Arkansas Traveler/Turkey In The Straw

David Miller
-Jailhouse Rag

Sam McGee
-Franklin Blues
-Buck Dancer's Choice

South Georgia Highballers
-Blue Grass Twist

Roy Harvey and Jess Johnson
-Guitar Rag
-Jefferson St Rag

Roy Harvey and Leonard Copeland
-Lonesome Weary Blues
-Back to the Blue Ridge
-Greasy Wagon

Melvin Dupree
-Augusta Rag

John Dillenshaw and the String Marvel
-Spanish Fandango

[Johnm]

That's a good bunch of tunes, Lastfirstface, thanks.  A couple of others by some of the same artists:

   * Sam McGee-Knoxville Blues

   * Roy Harvey and Leonard Copeland-Just Pickin'

All best,
Johnm