Topic: Joliet Bound - Frankie mp3

[frankie]

Well, here's my first crack at it.  I dunno why I do this to myself, but I was morbidly impressed in retrospect that I could lay out so many (and such a variety) of clams without actually totally losing it.

Download at your own risk.

[uncle bud]

Well, here's my first crack at it.  I dunno why I do this to myself, but I was morbidly impressed in retrospect that I could lay out so many (and such a variety) of clams without actually totally losing it.

Download at your own risk.

Kansas Frank! That's just great, has a really nice Kansas Joe/Minnie bounce. Much better than some other contemporary versions that will remain nameless which I've heard on CD. Now you have to come to PT to show me how to play it.  What a great tune and a great thread on it to boot. Thanks!

uncle bud

[Slack]

Terrific!  As usual Frank!

Both Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie are playing on that cut, yes?  Your rendition/incorporation is most impressive.  (Dang, I need to practice more.)

cheers,
slack

[frankie]

Thanks, guys - you're way too kind.  UB:  thanks for the vote of confidence...  I'll show you everything I know, of course, but it'd probably only take a couple of minutes.  Then you could explain to me how to sing and sound interesting, and I could spend the rest of my life not getting it!

[waxwing]

Sign me up for that session, Frank. Sounds great. And it's such a great piece. Thanks for just bringin' this one up.
All for now.
John C.

[frankie]

Thanks, John.  I got hooked on the tune while driving from NJ to the Outer Banks of North Carolina - about a 10 hour ride.  Probably listened to it 30 times during that trip alone!

Slack - yeah, I think it's Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe.  Seems to me that the "lead" part is played by MM, though.  In retrospect, in figuring out how I was going to play it, I didn't spend a whole lot of time (read: none at all) trying to work out who was playing what - I just sorta split the difference and tried to replicate the tune as a I heard it.  Not sure that's really an advisable approach - if I had thought about it before I did it, I probably wouldn't have done it...

[Richard]

I like that

[Johnm]

Hi Frank,
Beautiful job on "Joliet Bound", and you are your own best advertisement for going to thumb-index picking only in the right hand.  Good singing, too.  Make a CD.
All best,
John

[frankie]

What a nice thing to say - thanks!

[uncle bud]

Was listening to this again. Tremendous version. Are you really only playing thumb and index here? No middle finger sneakin' in on the high strings? I'm gonna figure this one out if it kills me, Frank.    Got the first one and a half seconds down.

[frankie]

Thanks, UB.  I'm pretty much all t+i these days.  Sometimes I mess around with a three finger style on the guitar a little, but I always go back to t+i.  My picking hand approach definitely has some limitations, but I feel like it suits me somehow.  I'm sure you'll get it - I guess one thing that's tricky about the way I laid it out is that I drop my thumb down to the 3rd string to get that B-flat note in the top of the verse.

[uncle bud]

I'm sure you'll get it - I guess one thing that's tricky about the way I laid it out is that I drop my thumb down to the 3rd string to get that B-flat note in the top of the verse.

I got that and am most impressed with myself.    Four years of John Miller showing us how to figure out stuff and the little tricks for the wide variety of tunes and tunings has paid off.

[frankie]

Cool!  I don't think that there's anything trickier than that.  Maybe the little run down in the bass at the end of each verse - I alternate T+I for that, then there's a little hammer-on on the sixth string to finish it off.

When you get around to singing it and playing the bass line during the verse, it sounds pretty cool if you leave out parts of the line from time to time, or omit it completely.  Makes it sound like there's a whole lot more going on than there really is.

[kiev]

I'm a newcomer to this list, and am starting to explore Backporch downloads.
I've downloaded some of your other stuff - Snigglin-Gypsy-Rambler -  Blues and its all great. I'll certainly download 'em all in time.  But this, to my ears, is the best interpretation/arrangement of Joliet Bound I've ever heard - other than the original, of course!. I must mention that your vocals are right on the money.  The Memphis Minnie/Kansas Joe material is among my favorites in all of country blues.
Thanks for the truly inspiring piece of music -

Rooster Kiev

By the way, have you recorded any cds of your stuff?

[waxwing]

Rooster, check out Frank's Church Bells. He admits he owes a lot to his close friend, Ari Eisinger for the arrangement, but Frank's rendition is pure and simple magic. He's got quite a few more mp3s of himself and Kim on his website, Yellow Dog.

You da man, Frank.

All for now.
John C