Topic: MJH-ish

[Richard]

Thanks to Colm and NS we seem to be in John Hurt mode of late. Now, as a Hurt Guru Colm knows JH was a great fan of playing in open F, lap style on a homemade guitar and trying not to sound laplike, so I offer my (very) instant (very) al-fresco version of one the tunes that got me hooked way back in the 60s... eeekkk!

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[Parlor Picker]

Errmm - am I missing something? I always associated San Francisco Bay Blues with Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller, not MJH.

[Richard]

PP, no you are not missing anything, miss interpreting perchance (now she was a girl ) The version I heard way back was by JH although it's not his song as we know.

[blueshome]

Nice once it gets going. Works well on the lap i think.

Where's the Casey Bill?

[colm kill paul]

Richard,

To have again in some small way ( sharing credit with NS) prompted another great performance into life makes me very happy.

I like this alot! The full stop and four count in the middle is the spice. A large white wine is yours sir! And well earned.

I have sent off my deposit this week for 2010 EBA so hopefully we'll hook up there and you can collect.

Now who's next up with a MJH inspired tune...?

[Parlor Picker]

PP, no you are not missing anything, miss interpreting perchance (now she was a girl ) The version I heard way back was by JH although it's not his song as we know.

There you go, showing my ignorance yet again. You can educate me at Euroweenie 2010. Nice slide by the way.

[uncle bud]

When did Hurt record/perform SF Bay Blues?

[Richard]

Thanks for coments it was intended to be a bit light hearted, apart that is from Colm's offer offer of a magnum of Chablis   at EBA

UB, I know not. It was played to me a long time ago and I was told by the guitarist who I knew, who also played the song that the recording by JH, I think it could have been a live recording 

[colm kill paul]

Er... Magnum....that's an ice lolly isn't it? Ok Richard if that's your preference we'll stop by the tuck shop on campus! 

[Richard]

What a kind offer, however as you will doubtless recall the Pavillion bar is on the way to the said shop so I thought we could stop orff there on the way 

[Guitar Jim]

Richard, I think I've read most things ever written about Mississippi John Hurt, and this is the first time I've ever heard someone say MJH played lap style guitar. From your description it seems you're saying MJH didn't play 'lap slide" but simply placed the guitar on his lap, face up, and then fretted the instrument with his left hand fingers. And you say there's a recording of this.

Can you please give some more information about this?  Was it done in a studio or was it done on a home recorder at someone's home?  Is there any literature published anywhere, even if it's just web blogs etc etc, that also mentions that MJH played in open F with the guitar facing upwards on his lap? Thanks.

[Johnm]

I reckon Richard was kidding, Jim.
All best,
Johnm

[Guitar Jim]

Oh I see. Hard to tell sometimes via just the "written" word. I've played a few MJH tunes with a Weissenborn hollowneck Hawaiian guitar: My Creole Belle can sound pretty good that way......... it's still possible to do the alternating thumb plus the melody even in lap slide style.

[Parlor Picker]

Oh I see. Hard to tell sometimes via just the "written" word. I've played a few MJH tunes with a Weissenborn hollowneck Hawaiian guitar: My Creole Belle can sound pretty good that way......... it's still possible to do the alternating thumb plus the melody even in lap slide style.

Well, Jim - you can't make claims like that without including either a video or audio file... We'd all love to hear it!

[Richard]

GJ, I was indeed kidding, except I did play it lap style and in open F. Now, young PP is quite right, why don't you post some that Creolle Belle?

[Guitar Jim]

I don't have a lap slide guitar at the moment, but I do have an old sample recording of me playing and singing My Creole Belle on a dulcimer that was set up for lap slide: It's just a short home recording of a verse or two ....... I was selling the dulcimer on Ebay and I needed a short sound sample for it. http://www.mediafire.com/?yjimxmnecwm

[Parlor Picker]

GJ, I was indeed kidding, except I did play it lap style and in open F. Now, young PP is quite right, why don't you post some that Creolle Belle?

That's right Richard - "young"!!!!!  

And I see Jim has posted it, so I'm off for a listen.

Edit: Just listened. A dulcimer! Take that all you banjo and ukulele (hang on, that's me) players! Seriously though, nice to hear a different instrument applied to the genre.

[Richard]

I'm orff for a listen as well.

PP, young... well... coughs etc