WeenieCampbell.com
Country Blues => Weenie Campbell Main Forum => Topic started by: uncle bud on May 01, 2004, 09:07:55 PM
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What tunes are you working on, ladies and gents? I've had a burst of guitar activity the past couple weeks and am feeling less morose about my playing (though not enough to post any mp3s yet :D ). I'm trying to keep my Sesame Street attention span focused and am working on:
Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues - Charley Patton. Have been revisiting this one. Several years ago, went over this on the phone with Frankie. It's taken awhile, but I'm starting to get it, verse by verse.
Funny Feeling Blues - Blind Boy Fuller. Another long time project. :P Learned this from Paul Rishell at PT and am now working with Ari Eisinger's video, which covers the intro and one of the breaks in a slightly more authentic version. Ari's interpretation (which is note for note, pretty much) meant having to unlearn some deeply engrained patterns, which when dealing with syncopated bass like this can be a battle for me, but I've managed to get the two verses he covers. He also tunes down a whole tone, which will make this easier to sing (someday).
Overtime Blues - Walter Vinson. Figured this one out today, pretty straightforward but fun. Funky bass riffs and string snapping in dropped Db for bassier bass.
Blind Lemon in C. - Essentially working on Chock House Blues, but it could end up being Booger Rooger or Mosquito Moan or any of the ones in this family. Hard to hear what he's doing under the I chord while he's singing in Chock House, so am comparing other tunes and making shit up. Some of the riffs before he goes to the IV chord are nuts.
There are others, some slide stuff, Some of John Miller's Furry Lewis video, but like I said, I'm trying to focus!
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Hey UB,
Yeah, Funny Feelin' Blues, that'll be my next BBF tune when I come around to him again. Actually, I just finally figured out the two strummed skat breaks in Jivin' Woman Blues (you know, that Ari doesn't cover 'cause they're so easy). I managed to perform the whole thing, with percussive ending, as one of two new songs at my last Third Thursday boatclub gig. Still needs lots of polishing, as does the other one, William Brown's Mississippi Blues, which I been workin' on for some time and it's really comin' together. I try to do a new song every month, but had to do two last month 'cause I missed the gig the month before. Keeps me workin' on it.
I also learned Lightnin's version of BJW's Baby Please Don't Go to teach to my first student (no kiddin'). There's footage of Lightnin' playing it on the Ernie Hawkins lesson, so not only was I able to pick up some stuff Ernie didn't have space for, but I also noticed LH always playin a two finger E and a mini barre A, not to meantion coverin' two strings with the index for his B7. With the help of my narrow (1 11/16") necked Gibson B-25 I was able to get pretty proficient. Something about working them into new material as opposed to trying to change something I already knew made it possible. Great Groove, too. Still polishin' that one, also.
I recently had another strong?effort with BB's Georgia Bound. I've got tab from various GW sources for one verse and four breaks. Got verse and about two breaks working and know the other breaks are in reach. Eventually I'm gonna have to work out a few more verses on my own, when the rest starts gelling. Had to let go of it for a while, tho'. You know how it is.
What I've been really workin' on is Broke Down Engine. I'm gettin' carried away by this Soveriegn 12 string and all I want to do is learn more songs that I can use it for. I guess it just seems like Mr. McTell is the mother lode. Not that there ain't other great 12 players but, well, I guess it's kinda like Bob D. said. So, I've got Ernie's vid, but I feel like he just scratches the surface, and admits that he's glommed together favored bits from all three versions. I've been workin' thru the first version, verse by verse, and getting familiar with Transcribe! and TablEdit as I go. Blind Willie really throws in different stuff on each verse. It's fun when you figure out the right hand fingering and really get that back and forth, high and low course sound workin' on his runs. I think I want to get deep into Mr McTell's mind. I may work out a list of all of his sides, grouped by similar styles, which maybe Ramblin' Frank would like to put up on Doggone? Then I could work my way thru his various styles with an ear for variations between songs. Anyway, seems like a doable goal before I reach 60. (BTW, my 53rd should pop up on the Upcoming Dates list anyday now).
That's pretty much it, besides diddlin' around with a little BWJ slide piece and a little mandolin attempt. Oh, and workin' on Frankie's Joliet Bound a little, too. Yeah, like you said, UB, Focus!
All for now.
John C.
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I admit my playing has gone way up town, I'm into jazz at present. Working on chord melodies of Big Bad Bill, Georgia on my Mind, Sweet Sue and a bunch of Merle Travis stuff I got on a cheap CD I scored on the weekend, including "Divorce Me C.O.D." which is like "Darktown Strutters Ball" with the Travis swing treatment and a nice bridge.
Also been revisiting a couple of Casey Billl Weldon tunes now I have some more jazzy passing chords in my toolbag and plan to listen to more of him, and also Tampa Red, Lonnie and Eddie. All the jazz tunes I thought I knew before I'm reworking. Have some Django tunes in my sights, "Tears" I really want to nail.
I just had my '48 Gibson ES-125 reconditioned and put D'Addario chromed flat wound strings on it so I'm playing that a lot, and my Martin 000-16 as well. It's a repertoire building phase, I see it a complementary to what I do already.
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Sounds like you're really movin', Riv. Hey, I'd love to see what you come up with for Sweet Sue. Last year Ernie, Belly Meat bass player, was walking around humming it and tryin' to find someone who knew it. It'd be fun to have a few folks who had already worked it up. I could get it to Lee and Gary and the other Belly Meat guys, we could surprise Ernie with it. Cool.
All for now.
John C.
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Rivers - good on you for sticking with the jazz tunes!? I play a few with a fiddler I know (Sweet Sue, Dinah, Blue Drag), but not particularly well...? I haven't worked up the nerve to try a break on any of 'em yet, either.? Maybe one of these days!
I've been dusting off things in anticipation of this Coatesville festival coming up in a couple of weeks:? mostly songs that I've known for a long time but haven't played in a while.? I figure I stand a better chance of recovering from clams with older material.? That being said, I've been fooling around with a few tunes:
Crow Jane (Carl Martin) - I love that trill on the E chord and the finger snapping!
Elder Greene Blues - been working on it with Kim.? It's loads of fun.? For anyone who's into this tune - I think Henry Sims' fiddle is playing out of the key of G, tuned down about a half step.? Patton is tuned high (about a whole step) and playing out of E position.? The fiddle is deceptively simple and way more difficult to execute than it is to figure out, if that makes any sense.
Hot Dogs - I've always had this tune in the back of my mind...? now I'm thinking about sitting down and really working it out.? The bass runs sound totally great on the Fraulini.? Yummy!? There's?a few more Lemon, too - one I've thought about is Wartime Blues - not so much for the guitar, but for the singing...? seems like it'd be fun.? I'd love to do Prison Cell Blues, too.? Too many to even list in there...
Screaming and Crying Blues - Blind Boy Fuller.? He has a great way of playing a slow blues in G that just makes me crazy - sounds like no-one else!? I've worked out bits & pieces just from having heard it, but need to sit down and try to sing it.
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Sounds like you're really movin', Riv. Hey, I'd love to see what you come up with for Sweet Sue. Last year Ernie, Belly Meat bass player, was walking around humming it and tryin' to find someone who knew it. It'd be fun to have a few folks who had already worked it up. I could get it to Lee and Gary and the other Belly Meat guys, we could surprise Ernie with it. Cool.
Thanks for being nice about my old jazz affliction folks. I figure us country blues fingerpickers are at a decided advantage when we take on jazz, since after all it's the same lineage and chronology, and blues sensibilities inform the best jazz in my opinion. Just need a couple more chords and variations getting from A to B and I can say I'm "jazz influenced" which is of course different to being a true jazz player. That space is too dry for me, just want to have that "tinge" on certain tunes.
I can't listen to no Merle Travis, Casey Bill, Eddie Lang, Broonzy etc without wondering what the hell they're doing with those slick changes and decided I had to take serious steps to try and find out. I'm no Django but I'll post Sweet Sue's progressions, the way I've worked them anyway, very soon. It makes a great hybrid fingerpicking / swing chord tune, people seem to enjoy hearing it. I really like playing it with another guitarist who's up for some Djangoesque bluffology, would love to trip over a jazz violinist around here but they are exceedingly rare creatures.
And anyway, I tell myself, what deviation would you rather hear during a blues jam session, an old swing jazz tune or Irish diddley-aye music? >:D
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Thanks for being nice about my old jazz affliction folks. I figure us country blues fingerpickers are at a decided advantage when we take on jazz, since after all it's the same lineage and chronology, and blues sensibilities inform the best jazz in my opinion. Just need a couple more chords and variations getting from A to B and I can say I'm "jazz influenced" which is of course different to being a true jazz player. That space is too dry for me, just want to have that "tinge" on certain tunes.
I can't listen to no Merle Travis, Casey Bill, Eddie Lang, Broonzy etc without wondering what the hell they're doing with those slick changes and decided I had to take serious steps to try and find out. I'm no Django but I'll post Sweet Sue's progressions, the way I've worked them anyway, very soon. It makes a great hybrid fingerpicking / swing chord tune, people seem to enjoy hearing it. I really like playing it with another guitarist who's up for some Djangoesque bluffology, would love to trip over a jazz violinist around here but they are exceedingly rare creatures.
Cool stuff, Riv. I'm with ya on the jazzy blues-country stuff -- seems to be where a lot of my interest is these days. Your post had me reaching for my (only) Merle Travis CD and figuring out "Divorce Me C.O.D.".
If you haven't already, check out Bob Brozman's instructional videos called Hot Guitar Techniques. They give you a lot of tools to take fingerstyle guitar into early jazz and swing. The treatment of dominant chord inversions up the neck is alone worth the price of the first volume, IMO. Might help get a handle on those wacky Travis chords!
Dave
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Dave you are a natural at that stuff, what was that obscure Hank Williams thing we were playing at my house? I've been trying to remember, something about moonshine(?), might be able to do a better job with it these days.
Thanks for the rec. on the Bob Brozman videos, will check them out. I saw Bob play a small place here on his way back from Womad last year and it was a memorable set, thoroughly enjoyed all the musical threads in his playing.
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Elder Greene Blues - been working on it with Kim. It's loads of fun. For anyone who's into this tune - I think Henry Sims' fiddle is playing out of the key of G, tuned down about a half step. Patton is tuned high (about a whole step) and playing out of E position. The fiddle is deceptively simple and way more difficult to execute than it is to figure out, if that makes any sense.
Hey Frank, is Kim doing the Coatesville gig with you? You guys gotta do Rolling Mill. It's great.
Hot Dogs - I've always had this tune in the back of my mind... now I'm thinking about sitting down and really working it out. The bass runs sound totally great on the Fraulini. Yummy! There's a few more Lemon, too - one I've thought about is Wartime Blues - not so much for the guitar, but for the singing... seems like it'd be fun.
Wartime Blues sure does have great singing. Michael Jerome Browne did this on his first record, and I thought, what a great choice, exactly because of the singing, worked real well with his voice. Lemon's wasn't bad either. :P
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What I've been really workin' on is Broke Down Engine. I'm gettin' carried away by this Soveriegn 12 string and all I want to do is learn more songs that I can use it for. I guess it just seems like Mr. McTell is the mother lode. Not that there ain't other great 12 players but, well, I guess it's kinda like Bob D. said. So, I've got Ernie's vid, but I feel like he just scratches the surface, and admits that he's glommed together favored bits from all three versions. I've been workin' thru the first version, verse by verse, and getting familiar with Transcribe! and TablEdit as I go. Blind Willie really throws in different stuff on each verse. It's fun when you figure out the right hand fingering and really get that back and forth, high and low course sound workin' on his runs. I think I want to get deep into Mr McTell's mind. I may work out a list of all of his sides, grouped by similar styles, which maybe Ramblin' Frank would like to put up on Doggone? Then I could work my way thru his various styles with an ear for variations between songs. Anyway, seems like a doable goal before I reach 60. (BTW, my 53rd should pop up on the Upcoming Dates list anyday now).
Hell, put it up here. It'd be nice to get a little miscellaneous resource section going, with Frank's Lemon spreadsheet etc. I've always meant to do similar things for Patton.
Was listening to the 1949 Atlantic sessions of McTell yesterday. I think that's my favorite version of Broke Down Engine. Tremendous singing on that cut.
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What tunes are you working on, ladies and gents? I've had a burst of guitar activity the past couple weeks and am feeling less morose about my playing (though not enough to post any mp3s yet?). I'm trying to keep my Sesame Street attention span focused and am working on:
Only took you a couple of weeks to stop feeling morose?? What's your secret?
Well I have not branched out much (talk about attention span) - but
Gamblers Blues, which I really enjoy playing and singing - but the singing is at such a high mark, it's hard not to sound like a dork. :D
Trouble Blues (returned to a little Scrapper, will work on his D stuff too), need to work on the vocal
New Lovin Blues - vocal in a 'weird place' (as frankie would say) in standard tuning. Ton of fun.
Johnson City Blues (which gives me the freedom to sound like a dork)
And since everyone seems to be working on it, I dug out 'Overtime Blues' yesterday... haha..
(I also dig out the Ukulele once in awhile - but I won;t mention that).
cheers,
slack
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Dave you are a natural at that stuff, what was that obscure Hank Williams thing we were playing at my house? I've been trying to remember, something about moonshine(?), might be able to do a better job with it these days.
Well thanks :D (what, no blushing-devil emoticon?). Let's see, the only HW tune I know is "Lovesick Blues", but that can't be it. Maybe it was "Give Me A Red Hot Mama And An Ice Cold Beer"? That's obscure! It's also a tune that really got a lot of help from the Brozman video - I stole a lot of those chord inversion ideas and stuck 'em into my arrangement direct-like.
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Thanks for the rec. on the Bob Brozman videos, will check them out. I saw Bob play a small place here on his way back from Womad last year and it was a memorable set, thoroughly enjoyed all the musical threads in his playing.
Cool, he's a really interesting player (though I don't care for his singing). He sure seems to have pissed off a lot of people in the music biz though!
Looking forward to your posting the Sweet Sue chords. How you coming with Divorce Me C.O.D.? I worked out the basic chords, then started working on Travis' break, but only got a few bars into it. Fun tune!
Dave
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I'll start another thread on Sweet Sue. Re, "Divorce me C.O.D." I'm waiting for the weekend to spend more time on it, and a couple other Travis tunes.
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What tunes are you working on, ladies and gents? I've had a burst of guitar activity the past couple weeks and am feeling less morose about my playing (though not enough to post any mp3s yet?). I'm trying to keep my Sesame Street attention span focused and am working on:
Only took you a couple of weeks to stop feeling morose?? What's your secret?
Dunno. Time off because of the hand problems seems to have cleaned out my ears and focused my technique a bit more. Adopting JohnM's stance playing off the left leg, and have also tried a strap way up high when playing slide on the reso that really works for me so far. The other thing is playing without a thumbpick for a lot of stuff, though not all (e.g., Blind Lemon etc) Don't want to get carried away, because I certainly get some flareups of tendinitis still, but it's allowing me to play more.
Johnson City Blues (which gives me the freedom to sound like a dork)
Excellent dorkitude quotient on this one. Thanks for reminding me of it. I was very excited when JohnM taught it and then my hands caved and I forgot about it. Totally cool tune.
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Moi?
I am working on Son House Depot Blues, thanks to your post, and liking it.
And New Lovin' by Buddy Moss. Hard Times: I got the picking down, but lost interest in the tune, when New Lovin' hit me between the eyes and ears!
I go back to old tunes that call out to me at certain times, too. Rocks and Gravel, and others from Johns classes. I love to play Teddy Darby I Never Cried, and Shady Lane, and Longin for my Sugar by Leroy Carr.
Rather be the Devil by Skip James, and Prison Blues ("Captain, Captain" starts the verses by Cephas and Wiggins ), and want to learn Cypress Grove.
Slide tunes I revisit : Sly Weaver's Guitar Rag, Tampa Red's Bumble Bee, Boogie Woogie Dance, Fandango, RJ's Walkin' Blues with an occasional Muddy Waters intro.
Overtime Blues is cool, ain't it? O love it. Great for you to be able to play 2 tunes in drop D, like that one and New Lovin', UB!
I am glad you are able to play, that the wrists and tendonitis is letting you be for a while. Have fun.
Miller ;)
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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
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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
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Good Luck John! ;D
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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!
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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
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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
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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.
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I've spent a lot of time working on Bo Carter's "Cigarette Blues" (mainly Steve Cheseborough's version) since I got home.
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Are you familiar with Roger Hubbard's version?
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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.
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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"
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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"
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Hey ER:
Which version of "In the Evening..." are you going after?
BJ:
Thanks for your insights, John. It gives me hope.
Gary:
I love Kindhearted Woman. He really can work a rhythum.
Alex
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I like this thread - its interesting to hear what people choose to learn.
I started working on BBF's 'Mamma let me lay it on you' just after getting back from Port Townsend - kind of a hybrid of the two versions that he recorded. I've pretty much got it now, and am just relaxing into it. I'm still polishing Dallas Rag, Mandolin Rock and Bumble Bee from Rich Del Grosso's mando class. Also, I'm smoothing out the rough edges on an arrangement I made of Tampa Red's 'You Missed A Good Man'. I made up the arrangement about a year ago and have never fully mastered it but it's starting to come together.
Mark
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I'm still working on Lemon in C. :P (See start of thread)
Tuned the guitar to Spanish the other day and ended up doing an "arrangement" of Peg Leg Howell's Rolling Mill Blues.
Also working on Ishmon Bracey's Woman, Woman Blues, thanks to John Miller. Nasty! The Fraulini is sporting an unwound G-string.
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Also been working on "Tired of Being Mistreated" - with the tendency to play the verses faster than I can do the break. Both the spouse and the cat like it.
Bo Carter's - "Your Biscuits are Big Enough For Me" - from Steve C's class
'Ukulele Lady', 'Hulilau Song' and 'Crazy Words Crazy Tune' (am attending a Luau themed wedding party - the newlyweds are going to Hawaii for the honeymoon - will give a prop ukulele to the bride and sing "Ukulele Lady" to the groom as a sing-a-long).
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sing "Ukulele Lady" to the groom as a sing-a-long).
Uncle John:
Oh, boy 8)
I hope to see a version of this on the back porch soon ;)
Are you going to sing this in drag?
Alex
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I's workin' on the following:
1. Tired of Being Mistreated. Love it. Leaving the little parlour i open tuning, capo on. Learning the verses.
2. James Cotton's Born in Chicago for band class.
3. Sweet Virginia, Dixie Down, KC Blues, Stealin', Honey Babe, Love in Vain on the mando
4. del Grossos great tunes from PT: like Mark: Dallas Rag, Bumble Bee, Johnny's BluesRock , etc.
5. Went to a wedding last week in Cape Cod, a friend's daughter,and learned Sally Ann, Hot Corn Cold Corn, and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach! We thought we would play for 15 min, but the processional was sped up by the bride and groom, and only got through Jesu!. Yeeeooowww!
So much material, so little time.
Cheers,
Miller
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Good Mornin' Li'l Schoolgirl - trying to put together my recollection of Junior Wells singing it with whatever other verses I can find or remember. Open G. I always liked the way the opening riff lays on the first few frets. But to use as a ringer on my new celphone (which is not so bad), I have to go to the 12th fret, because the phone really only takes single notes.
Desperately hoping noone else has the same ring tone,
Jed
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Well, I haven't posted much here, but I met quite a few of you at Port Townsend.
I'm a bit embarrassed. I haven't practiced since I got back from Port Townsend, but I have an excuse! Anyway, I figure if I visit Weenie more often, I will take my guitar more seriously (I know she really misses me).
Tomorrow, I intend to start working on RGD's "Samson and Delilah," polish up BB's "Chump Man Blues," and relearn a very cool classical arrangement of "Call Me Irresponsible" I knew twenty-five years ago. That should keep me busy until next July.
Rick
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Wow, I have internet access in Owens Valley, California. I am learning a PT song taught by John Miller - She's a Fool Gal, by Ed Bell. This is the first song I've ever learned without music. Even though the song is simple, I do not have to depend on using written music! Now I just have to play and sing at the same time...
Charlie
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The Willie Brown tune "Ragged and Dirty" caught my ear when I heard Cephas & Wiggins perform it at the Port Townsend juke last month. I'm struggling with getting a consistently clean sound with my left hand. Any suggestions?
I'm also working on Kenny Sultan's Vastapol arrangement of "Prodigal Son". The left hand fingering here isn't too difficult since the tune is taught in "beginner's" tuning. The next step is to add the slide. That's somewhat intimidating because I just haven't done much slide playing.
Tim
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Hey Tim,
If your working on the William Brown version from tab or whatever, be aware that he is capoed to the 7th fret. I capo to the 5th. It's a heck of a lot easier up there, but it's still tough. I hold the 3rd fret bass with my ring while reaching back to the 2nd string to play the lick with my middle. That stretch took me months to get comfortable with and I still get pretty tired, especially in front of an audience, and often have to cut the song a few verses short from fatigue if I haven't practiced it a lot lately. I also use a barre for the D chord, which I can slide up from the 1st to the 2nd fret. Oh, another thing, some of the tabs show a slide from the 2nd to the 3rd fret of the 2nd string, but I think it is indecernable from a hammer on, which is what I use. It's a toughie, but a joy to play when you've finally got it. He hits every note in the chromatic scale except for the flat 2nd, yet it all seems to work in a weirdly beautiful harmony.
All for now.
John C.
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Waxwing -- in "Ragged and Dirty," have you ever tried playing the 3rd fret G bass note with your thumb, and not worrying about fretting the fifth string? I find that makes things a lot easier.
Chris
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Chris,
This is exactly what I do for Ragged and Dirty. I just tried it one time because I found the standard fingering awkward and it worked really nicely, making the treble work much more comfortable. I sometimes use the same fingering on Memphis Minnie's Drunken Barrelhouse Blues.
Andrew
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Hey, UB, I never heard you playin' it. Dang! I've seen other guys workin' on it that way (at PT), but never anyone doin' it up to speed. I did try the thumb for a while but felt more confident with the finger. And I'm a heavy thumb user, too. Yeah, I don't cover the 5th string, either. Basically, for the signature lick, with ring holding the bass, I cover the 1st fret notes with the index, the 2nd fret with the middle and the third fret with the pinky. I'm also a pretty big pinky user, too. But hey, everybody's hands are different, it just pays to try different approaches to see what works best for you. Maybe I should give the thumb another try.
Chris, any chance you might be thinkin' about headin' up to PT next year? I know we all would like to do some playin' with you.
And acoustijam. Did I meet you this year? I'm not puttin' a face together with your logon.
All for now.
John C.
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Waxwing,
Thanks for the tip on capoing up. That will definitely help. I've tried several finger methods but the thumb wrap works best for me. I appreciate the recommendation on sliding into the D using a bar too. I got out of that habit a while back but it may just be what the doctor ordered for this tune.
I don't think that we formally met however if you attended any of John Miller's morning classes at PT then I'm sure you saw me. I made it to most of John's afternoon sessions too.
Tim
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Well dang. I was in the afternoon classes. That makes us fellow Miller's Learning-by-Ear Marines. Say hey next year.
All for now.
John C.
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Chris, any chance you might be thinkin' about headin' up to PT next year? I know we all would like to do some playin' with you.
I'd like to go. I went to Fiddle Tunes back in 2000 and had a blast. 2006 may be the year for blues, though. May have to treat myself for finishing college at long last...
Chris
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Hi:
Thanks to the suggestions for tunes from 1931, I've selected Cheaters Blues by Charlie Jordan. It's a guitar-piano duet, but the guitar is most prominant, so it's fine as a solo.
It's in Standard tuning, E position, capo IV. Nice heavy time
It would be a good one for a male-female duet (are you listening Chipmonk Doug).
I'll report on progress.
Alex
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Good idea to revive this thread, Alex. What are some of you other folks workin' on?
Inspired by John M's description, I've gotten Bo Carter's Some Day sussed out and am gettin' close to puttin' the vocals to it. Has some very "interesting" 3 in the treble over 2 in the bass rhythmic moments and is also getting my right ring finger picking for the first time in years. Thanks John M.
Miller and I are working up Joliet Bound and playing it on our Duolians. I managed to suss out quite a few bits and pieces of the second guitar part. Some of it seems improvised and some seems the same each go-round. Behind the I chord in Bars 1,2,4and 5, where the front guitar is playing the signature lick, the second guitar, also in Spanish, seems to be playing an open 5th, 4th or 3rd string on the beats and either a bent 3rd fret 5th string or 2nd fret 4th string on the "ands", mixing it up a bit each time. But on the 4th verse gets off on the wrong foot and reverses it, which kinda sounds terrible, so the second guitar backs away from the mic for much of the verse. Then in the 5th verse does the same thing, realizes it, holds on the tonic open 5th string for the entire 2nd bar and then gets back on the beat in the 3rd bar. I think it's very unlikely that the singer, Kansas Joe, could be making these decisions, not to mention backing away from the mic, while singing so well, so I think Minnie is playing the second guitar on this number, and Joe is playing the front guitar part, which is identical in all verses. Anyway, Miller and I are sure havin' fun with it.
We're also tryin' to create some tightly arranged breaks for Miller's mando on Mississippi Blues. He takes some jammed leads on the boogie breaks, so I thought it would add more interest to work up some tight rhythmic variations on the verse backing type breaks. Might add some rack kazoo and jug, too.
I'm gettin' Fuller's Screamin' and Cryin' pretty polished up. Will perform it for the first time this Third Thursday and should get it up on the Back Porch over the weekend.
So what else are folks up to?
All for now.
John C.
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Oh gosh, how do I explain this - I suppose I've got to come out of the closet at some point.
This goes back to a party at Christmas time and playing carols at a party with some buddies and lamenting the fact that we spend too much time playing to the bedroom walls. So, to make a long story short -- we've formed a little band and have just begun attempting (2 practices so far) to play Swing and Jump Blues. You know, Electric Country Blues? :P
Actually, we are having a blast - I even bought a used Tele and tube amp off of eBay :D - although what I really need to play this style is an archtop with dual humbuckers... and some cool sunglasses. Last time I played electric guitar in earnest was about 40 years ago. O0
There is another guitar player, pretty green, who also plays harp. A bass player who is pretty good, trying to break out of the box - his son is a professional musician so he has lots of equipment just laying around the house. And a very talented keyboard guy (by far our most talented musician, very excited to play with him), who comes from a classical and jazz background, but can boogie, plays stride piano and also plays sax. 8)
So, guess who is dictating the style? ;D We are working on Milk Cow Boogie, some T-Bone Walker stuff (T-Bone Shuffle and Love is a Gamble), and I'll soon target stuff like Little Johnny Jones "Hoy, Hoy". Uh, we have a ways to go - and needless to say our respective spouses cannot quite believe it.
Hop, Skip and Jump,
Slack
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Great Gawdawmighty... Slack's gone electric. Who's yelling Judas first?
As usual, I can't keep my Sesame Street brain on one thing, so have been all over the place. Partly working on some McTell. Skip James. But also continuing my adventures in Spanish, following off Suitcase Full of Blues: my own "arrangement" of Tommy Johnson's Maggie Campbell, Joe Calicott's France Chance (or possibly another title - I think Fat Possum mixed them up, can't recall).
Slack, the quote oracle is up to its old tricks. I swear this is what came up as I was posting this reply: "The electric guitar is a fraud; the sound rings because of the electricity, not because of the player - Mance Lipscomb, speaks his mind." I'd take that as a sign from some powerful forces. Repent before it's too late!
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So, to make a long story short -- we've formed a little band and have just begun attempting (2 practices so far) to play Swing and Jump Blues. You know, Electric Country Blues?
David Lee Dodson:
Quisling! Turncoat! Fifth columnist! Don't you know what happened to Dylan (not to mention Bruce C.) after they went electric!
I new that all those tequilas there in Oct. had done something to your brain.
Can't wait to hear "Wooly Bully" on the Back Porch >:(
Next will be Bobby Bland's "Love Throat"
Has Steph reconciled herself to the fact that her beloved husband has lost it.
Eeek,
Alex
(P.S. best of luck) :D
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Hi John D.,
Sounds like great fun, and I think playing with other people is really a kick when you're most accustomed to playing solo. See if you can get your band to do Jimmy Lee Williams "Hoot Your Belly"--I'd love to hear that one.
All best,
Johnm
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Thanks for the well wishes. ;) Yes, it has been a kick so far -- my other options for playing with others is Old Time and a swing band has much more appeal for me. I really need to play with others and I can't help but think that it will improve my playing, which often suffers from neglect.
Thanks for the song suggestion Johnm (we need them!) -- I'll check out 'Hoot Your Belly'!
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Yes, all kidding aside about Slack going electric (need a wah-wah pedal, Slack?), playing with others in a band situation is much fun. I'm also of the opinion that it is great for your sense of time and phrasing. There is an overall communal structure and pulse going on that you need to follow (and drive for that matter), and it's feel that gets ingrained in your head eventually. I'd say that it will make any solo performance stronger as well.
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Good on you Slack. Lots of jazz/swing repertoire to plunder from Bob Wills, Merle Travis, Hank W etc., not to mention the standards.
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Yo Rivers, you and I may need to sneak off at PT and do some swing progressions. ;D
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Yo Rivers, you and I may need to sneak off at PT and do some swing progressions. ;D
Or some Andy Kim!
Alex
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Electric guitars! Ughhhhh. ;D
Good luck with it Slack, but watch you aren't enticed too far by the dark side!
As it happens, I recently joined a small band myself. Its really the first time I've played with others and its tough, but fun. We have a gig on April 9th and Im desperately trying to learn to play rhythm, and 25 new songs.
Here's my confession: Its (gasp) folk and pop type music for the most part. Pretty much no blues at all. Not really my thing, but still enjoyable. 4 of us- two vocalists one of whom plays sax and penny whistles and two guitarists, one of whom plays some nice mandolin (not me). Trying to stick to quirky arrangements or songs which is nice. Theyve expressed some interest in doing a rag of some kind and Im proposing Papa Charlie Jackson's Loan me Your Heart as taught by John M last summer... Ill let you all know if it happens :)
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Yo Rivers, you and I may need to sneak off at PT and do some swing progressions. ;D
Or some Andy Kim!
Alex
LOL!
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Ooops, I think I'll remove my post unitl I find out who Andy Kim is....
otherwise I foolishly risk stooping to your guys level of judgement and good taste! :P
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John:
Andy Kim was a '60's bubblegum-pop singer, most famous (in my humble opinion) for the classic "Elephant Candy". 8)
Peace, Slack. Rock on, bro',
Alex
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Andy Kim is also the guy who wrote "Sugar Sugar" for the Archies. I have that song slowed down on Transcribe and am working on my country blues version right now. I envision it as a moody "Devil Got My Woman" kind of piece. >:D
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OK, thanks --- I think I'll edit (leaving old whats-his-name out of it) and then restore my post --- don't want folks to get the wrong idea (I should have known coming from Alex). :-X
---snip---
Simon, yes it is tough and a challenge for sure - especially for learning 25 songs at a time. We're trying to work on 4 and that is tough enough!
Don't let the dark side tempt you too far either, at least I'm still playing flatted thirds and sevenths! :)
Cheers,
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Im sneaking some nice bent 7ths on my e chords into the mix... And have added a slide part to Aint no Sunshine ;D
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Weenies,
Well I thought it was time I chime in on this thread as well...everyone seems to be doing so. I am working through several pieces at this point and trying to clean up some others. As a relative beginner my ongoing projects are MJH Spike Drivers Blues (I think I have this one down finally) and I've Got the Blues and Can't be satisfied. I like the way this song sounds play slow but can't quite get it up to tempo just yet.
In the quest to get my @#$@# F chord down pat I am also working on My Creole Belle. This song I've gone to as good practice for my C to F transition. I decided I needed to do this after learning E. Cotten's Mamma Your Pappa Loves You (this is a grat instrumental) and getting to the end where she suddenly switches to the key of C for the exit and found I couldn't get the C to F transition down smoothly...the rest of the piece sounds good though...
that where I'm at
Blue
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I've been working on Yoyo Blues, BBQ Bob, on my National...it's nearly there. After that I think it'll be Chicken You Can Roost Behind the Moon...a great song and what a title!
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Patton's "Boll Weavil Blues" is my current project. After trying with no satisfaction to work it in Open G capoed up and sliding all over above the neck joint for the "Lordie," primarily because Bob Brozman professed that that is how it is played, I saw John Hammond do it, staying down below the neck joint. It sounded great and showed itself to be eminently do-able without playing lapstyle. So now it got my guitar tuned to Open D, capo up to B. The song is actually very easy to play. What I'm really working on is sounding like I'm not just reading the hilarious lyrics when I sing them.
....."Lordie"
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Blue -just when you think you have Spike Driver down, you end up seeing John Hurt play it on the video footage from Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest (available from Stefan Grossman on one of the Legends of Country Blues DVDs, and I believe on the John Miller instructional DVD). :P I still can't play it like him.
Ginger - there's quite a thread on the Frank Stokes chicken ditty in the forum somewhere...
Orb - did Brozman specify lapstyle? Anyway, Hammond can pretty much do anything, and is certainly one to go above the neck joint without playing lap - if you needed to. Very cool that you're working on this one. Would love to hear it on the Back Porch one day...
UB
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Yeah, I should clarify that I think I have the notes to Spike Drivers down...but when I listen to either the 1920's version or the later Vanguard recording...I realize that I just can't capture that particular feel that Hurt gets...its got a funky rhythm that I just don't think you can put down on paper. Perhaps it is easier to get that feel when its played up tempo...someday
Blue
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Hi all:
Here's the "Chicken Roost Behind the Moon" lyrics thread
http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=83&topic=310.0;all
Still not quite resolved. Anybody want to try and finish it off?
alex
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Hi all,
I recently figured out (as much as you can figure it out) Rev. Davis's "I Decided To go Down", an F tune that can be found on "Say No To The Devil". I haven't played a whole lot of Rev. Davis's music, and working on this tune has been an awakening. Unlike many of his tunes, it never ventures above the fifth fret, but his coverage of the neck was so amazing, even when confined to the base of the neck. This is a very funky, raw, sort of tune that is different from anything else I have heard Rev. Davis or anyone else play in F. I would bet it is on the Juke.
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all:
Thought I'd record what I'm working on right now so that I'll be forced to finish these.
Hurry Blues - Little Hat Jones
Slightly frenetic tune in C Standard. Think I have the basics (thanks John), now to get it up to speed.
That'll Be Alright - Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie
Another in C Standard. Been poking away at this one for some time, time to finish it!
Preacher's Blues - Hi Henry Brown
E standard. Again sort of have the basics. The IV (A) chord section is a crippler, have to work out the LH fingering.
Special Rider Blues - Skip James
Learned the basics of this one from Grossman TAB years ago, have recently gone back to the original to fix it. I'm close on this one.
Falling Down Blues - Robert Wilkins
Off the JohnM VHS
Buddy Boy Hawkins
I've been fooling around with a couple of his blues tunes for years. Time to polish/finish them (Aweful Fix Blues etc)
More Bo Carter, Funny Papa Smith
Plus some tunes from 1932.
Alex
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Ladies, Gentlemen and Unkie Bud:
During a 4.5 hour drive lately, I got to listening to the Proper Memphis Minnie set and I got enthused by a tune "Ice Man (Come On Up)" of her's.
It's in G, Standard tuning. monotonic bass, a little rocker with all sorts of first position G licks. Lyrics are pretty blatant female sexuality, but that's OK. I've got it 99% figured out, a lot of fun to play.
Memphis Minnie was great in G Standard (her favorite key?).
I'll post the TAB here shortly.
Give it a listen,
Alex
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Cool thread
I've been working on BB Fuller's 'Baby You Don't Have To Worry' in C & capoed up high . . .
Lemon's 'Hangman Blues' & 'Prison Cell' in G & E positions respectively . . .
Sam Collins' 'Lonesome Road Blues' in C pos which is kind of a version of In The Pines & Freight Train mixed together
& Joe Calicott's 'Traveling Mama Blues' (G)
. . . actually been tinkering with Mj Hurt's 'Spike Driver' (G) . . .
lots on the plate . . .
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I am drawn to Ghostriders suggestion that posting in this thread might help force me to finish the tunes in question :-)
Therefore I am going to admit to working on:-
Wabash Rag and You're gonna Quit Me Blues by Blind Blake
Dry Spell Blues by Son House
Future Blues by Willie Brown
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I am drawn to Ghostriders suggestion that posting in this thread might help force me to finish the tunes in question :-)
Slim, as the person who started this thread over three years ago, I can say I'm still working on Lemon in C. Best of luck. ;D
The other day I began some kind of version in Spanish tuning of Don't You Leave Me Here by Papa Harvey Hull and Long Cleve Reed.
Cheapfeet: Lonesome Road Blues, one of the great vocals in CB...
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Cheapfeet: Lonesome Road Blues, one of the great vocals in CB...
Yeah UB it is great, one can only hope to sing it in tune! Sam plays it pitched at Bb or something but i'm trying to keep it at C standard so I won't have to tune down in the middle of a gig . . .
& re: Lemon's playing in C, I've gotten a pretty comfortable grasp of it, for me, (altho' now trying to play licks learned on flatpick with fingers & thumpick), recently learned 'Mosquito Moan', but then you'll hear Lemon do something different & ridiculous . . . I try to approach Lemon's songs in C with the idea that there is a family of licks in that form that are somewhat free to use in all his C songs no matter which they may be . . .
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My current works in progress are Bo Carter's 'Beans'; Big Bill Broonzy's 'Pigmeat strut'; Charley Jordan's 'Hunkie Tunkie Blues'. I think the guitar's almost there on all three, but the lyrics (on the songs that have lyrics), phrasing and vocal pitching etc. take longer!
Prof S
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since I can't seem to find a recorded copy of the original version , I am working on Hot Tuna's version of "99 Year Blues".
Which is eerily similar to MJH "Spike Driver Blues"....
Also working on RGD version of "Death Don't have no mercy"
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Travis stuff mostly, extending what I learned from Eddie at Port T. Having big fun with Too Much Sugar For A Dime in the key of Bb, a great little study in closed jazz chords around an unusual ragtimey sequence.
I've also been working on Lemon in E from Ari's DVD, merging into what I already had figured out for One Dime Blues, the ending is cool with a passing F# partial chord and a final high long E
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since I can't seem to find a recorded copy of the original version , I am working on Hot Tuna's version of "99 Year Blues".
Dave, it's available on the Atlanta Blues boxed set from JSP. Or the Document Georgia Blues and Gospel CD.
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hey cool... Thanks
All my google searches turned up overwhelming references to Hot Tuna...
I also totally forgot that I can still search tunes on Weenie, even if I can't get them played. thanks again
After listening to a portion of it via Amazon:
The guitar work for 99 Year Blues and Spike Drivers Blues sound even more similar...
The only real difference being that Julius capo's at about the 4th fret and MJH played it in 1st position.
Dave
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"99 Year Blues" is also on the "Anthology of American Folk Music" (Vol. 3-B).
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This one's been dormant for a while and I'm curious to know what you're all working on.
I'm into "Don't Tear My Clothes", a Big Bill piano tune in G that crawled out of the speakers the other day and totally slayed me, and two 8 bar classics, "Trouble In Mind" in E and "How Long Blues" in D. I'm having a lot of fun with the latter two while giving a friend weekly guitar lessons, and at the same time benefiting myself from looking at them in great detail.
Also, I finally got down to playing Fuller's Keep On Trucking properly, complete with the stupidly cool intro and all the other little flourishes he does.
Teaching is great, I'm ending up with some relatively well-known but nonetheless cool new numbers in my repertoire.
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Well....
I've just about got the first section to Blake's Too Tight sorted, and need to go back to the cd to transcribe the rest.
In the meantime, attempts at Big Road Blues, Love Changin Blues (preparation for Mctell posting day in August!) and Down the Dirt Road are beginning to settle in.
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Love Changin Blues (preparation for Mctell posting day in August!)
..lovin' that!
Well, my so-called retirement (and my wife re-hired again) has provided me with some unbroken stretches of time in the mornings to work out new tunes 8) ..so far three McTell slide pieces: River Jordan (which I read that he and Blind Willie Johnson had actually shared, as they were friends), You Got to Die and Savannah Mama. Plus, working out bits an pieces of Coolin' Board, especially the little runs he uses, plus, based on the thread in Georgia Blues, the ironing out of Crapshooter, among others.
Plus, I think I'm going to order a cheap set of Peruvian quills..was going to try to make a set, but it would be embarrassing to be caught some night in my ninja black, cutting my neighbors bamboo ::)
Tom
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Mississippi John Hurt's "Payday" on the banjo.
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So this begs the question is there a formula or pattern of behavior for locking-on to new pieces? Creative/improvement streaks always follow getting enthused about something new, to me. I listen to a lot of stuff all the time but one song will unexpectedly totally grab me and send me off in a whole new direction, like Dorothy and the tornado.
Rhetorical question, feel free to comment, or just take it as a rhetorical question.
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So this begs the question is there a formula or pattern of behavior for locking-on to new pieces? Creative/improvement streaks always follow getting enthused about something new, to me. I listen to a lot of stuff all the time but one song will unexpectedly totally grab me and send me off in a whole new direction, like Dorothy and the tornado.
Rhetorical question, feel free to comment, or just take it as a rhetorical question.
Not exactly sure what you mean by locking on -- finding a new song to work on or mastering that new song, for my comment will assume the former -- but your experience sounds very similar to mine. The tornado has taken me in quite a few directions.
I have a playlist in iTunes I've named Songs to Figure Out. Basically, whenever a song jumps out at me for whatever reason -- great guitar part, fun piano song I'd like to try transferring to guitar, irresistible melody, might work well with other players, groove whatever -- I dump the song into the playlist. There are currently 329 songs in the list (I never said I'd learn all of 'em). I have separate lists for banjo guitar and lap guitar, and mandolin. Basically, I'm set for several lives with these.
This all helps my terrible memory, because God knows I'd never recall that some day in the past several years, I thought about trying to do an adaptation of Hattie Bolten's Down Home Shake. I've probably worked on over 50 of the songs to varying degrees, from figuring out and quickly forgetting basic riffs (the majority) to working up half decent versions of the complete song (definitely the minority).
I need to focus. 8)
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I find it happens one of two ways. Sometimes I specifically sit down to work through something that has jumped out at me and keep at it over a week or two until i've got the essence of it.
At least as often though, I suddenly realise that a lick or groove that I have been just noodling with for months or even years has become something that I could actually play properly as a full tune, if only I learned the lyrics and figured out the how to join the bits I know.
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I think a lot has to do with this wonderful period in history we're living in, where we have access to such a wide range of music. A century ago musicians were so limited to what they would hear over and over again, naturally they'd gravitate toward that sound. To move away from it was a sign of enormous creativity and a willingness to go against the grain.
I think this is true on two levels: in my case, I'm working on a Congolese fingerpicking song that Elijah Wald taught last year, I'm prepping for Cheick Hamala Diabate's return as a teacher by practicing a song he taught called Sara, then I'm working on two Blind Blake tunes that I've craved for years--Hey Hey Daddy and Do You Think That's Right?
Within the CB genre we've got access to everything that ever got recorded, so naturally we're going to be captivated by sounds that were created in different parts of the country. I downloaded JohnM's lesson on Hard Time Blues last fall, and for a while over the winter I couldn't stop playing Jimmy Lee William's Have You Ever Seen Peaches? One from St. Louis, one from rural Georgia, both great.
Damn we're lucky to have access to all of this stuff. I'm getting ready for a week-long road trip, which will give me a chance to listen to a lot of new stuff while cruising along 2-lane blacktop in blue highway America. I bet I'll be captivated by a lot of songs I'll never get around to working out.
Hope the quote generator does its thing again by posting Jerry Rick's quote about how some people get frustrated over not being able to master so many different styles by multiple CB gods and goddesses. Ain't worth fretting over (to use a phrase).
Lindy
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Hi all,
This hasn't been posted to for a while, but it's kind of a neat thread. I figured out Papa Egg Shell's "Goin' Up The Country, Part 2" yesterday and the day before, and am trying to get it to where I can flow through it.
All best,
Johnm
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I think I'm about done with Papa Charlie's Up the Way Bound. Am trying to have a crack at Frank Hutchinson's West Virginia Rag. The timing is throwing me a lot so far...
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My current projects are Ways Like a Crawfish by Bo Carter and Pachelbel's Canon in D. The classical piece is for a wedding.
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I need to focus. Cool
Ain't that the truth. I recently got a new guitar, and I've found that it has so much more quality and nuance of sound that my playing was not up to it. So I've gone back to my basic repertoire and kind of started over, playing slowly and getting up to speed, listening carefully and trying to get the best sound I can.
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Preparing a couple of duets for the studio for new cd - Preacher Blues (Hi Henry Brown/C.Jordan) and Your Time to Worry - W.McTell/C.Weaver.
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Preparing a couple of duets for the studio for new cd - Preacher Blues (Hi Henry Brown/C.Jordan) and Your Time to Worry - W.McTell/C.Weaver.
Ha - showing off again! ;)
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just practising, try it!
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Wow, great thread. I have finally finished my version of Dave Van Ronk's arrangement of 'Ace in the Hole. Now I'm working on getting it to performance level, and it's almost there! It's taken a long long time, but it was fun. Not sure what comes next, I think it is reviewing some RGD songs that have gotten rusty. Funny how that happens.
Mike
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I'm having a Mance resurgence in A
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Lately I'm after Blind Blake's "A New Style of Lovin". I'm also trying to arrange Carr/Blackwell "Stormy Night Blues" for solo guitar. And I've almost got Lonnie Johnson's "Low Down St. Louis Women" which I've been working on for about 5 years!
I have also had a go at "Preacher Blues" by Hi Henry and Charlie Jordan, but have found the A section (IV chord) very tough. Best of luck bluehome.
Alex
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Just started working on Illinois Blues. The song is great, but even better is that I've gone back to a recording I've been carrying around for many years of John Cephas teaching it at PT in '97 or '98. Wonderful listening to his voice in full teaching mode: "Listen at me, listen at me, OK, listen at me . . ."
Great memories.
L
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Just started working on Illinois Blues. The song is great, but even better is that I've gone back to a recording I've been carrying around for many years of John Cephas teaching it at PT in '97 or '98. Wonderful listening to his voice in full teaching mode: "Listen at me, listen at me, OK, listen at me . . ."
Great memories.
L
Would it be possible to share that on the Weenie??
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It's a nasty, low-tech cassette recording, PP, I druther share this with y'all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AXYC3KOBYQ
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I was in that class with you lindy, I have a cassette recording of it. I need to digitize it. Illinois Blues was my obsession for a while, need to revisit it. John and Phil really had a great version of it going on, standout moment from my first PT trip.
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Great - thanks!
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This thread has been dormant for a while.
Port T got me back to focusing. For a couple of years prior to the workshop I'd been working on all kinds of stuff, but it wasn't really 'working' as such, it was transferring my playing (and bad habits) to new songs and genres.
I've been slightly obsessed with Blind Boy Fuller's playing since I got back, cribbing from Ari's vid. I doubt I'd have gotten as far as I have in this lifetime without the video. Fuller was a genius, I have come to realize.
So what are you working on?
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Yeah, I'm also trying to ride the wave of focused enthusiasm since the workshop, but gotta balance it with enjoying the 90 days of prime weather that we're limited to in the Pac NW.
Three tunes this month: Callicott's version of Rollin' and Tumblin', Hayes McMullan's Looka Here Woman, and Son House's Depot Blues (which I didn't get from the workshop).
Also spent an hour messin' with the Robert Pete Williams material I got this year and several years back from PT. My conclusion: that stuff requires serious woodshedding time, best saved for those days when the sun only shines for 8-9 hours up here. For now, it's time to go hiking, and pick up some tunes that are more accessible.
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I've been working on some banjo. Revisiting Darling Corey, Mike Seeger's version. Also revisiting John Jackson's if Hattie Wants to Lu, Let Her Lu Like a Man, as I was missing a bit. Just started to attempt to figure out Roscoe Holcomb's Willow Tree, as I thought it might be fairly easy, despite never having played in Roscoe's style. Wrong.
Also fooling around with Patton lap stuff. And some Carter Family tunes. Thumb-lead is fun!
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It's a pleasant 85 degrees in Austin today after a few weeks of 100+, we're heading into the nice fall weather patch right now.
Good woodsheddin' time when it's really hot here so I've been playing a lot.
Andrew your playing on Spurge's banjo that afternoon was really good, everyone thought so. Particularly since you haven't been playing it that long, you're streets ahead of me.
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It's a pleasant 85 degrees in Austin today after a few weeks of 100+, we're heading into the nice fall weather patch right now.
Good woodsheddin' time when it's really hot here so I've been playing a lot.
Andrew your playing on Spurge's banjo that afternoon was really good, everyone thought so. Particularly since you haven't been playing it that long, you're streets ahead of me.
It's sure a fun instrument. I love the form-from-chaos nature of it. I've got a long ways to go.
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I very much agree with what you said about the appeal of thumb-lead playing, uncle bud. I find myself gravitating towards it quite a lot, and especially like it for playing hymns, like Washington Phillips songs in open tunings. Of course it works wonderfully well on a variety of Old-Time songs, too.
All best,
Johnm
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Willie Brown's "Future Blues." (Not his arrangement.)
Uncle Bud, you mentioned that you were "Also fooling around with Patton lap stuff." Which songs are those?
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All of 'em! Well, not quite, but because his slide tunes are mostly in the same tuning (Spanish, with the exception of Spoonful), there is a lot that is duplicated across various songs -- setting aside the question of whether the majority of them are indeed played lap style. So I have worked on quite a few to varying degrees: Tom Rushen, Magnolia Blues, I'm Going Home (or Prayer of Death Part 1, depending on whether I play the intro), It Won't Be Long, Hammer Blues, Oh Death, and Mississippi Bo Weavil Blues.
With the exception of Bo Weavil, which is a bit trickier, they are fairly basic from a technique standpoint, and the thing I find requires work is to integrate the vocal and guitar so that everything is coming from the same place. Sometimes this means I am doing something that is more rightly called my own take on the song or arrangement, other times I am trying to stick pretty close to the recording. All very satisfying, and it can be quite trancey for the player.
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I am working on the Mississippi Sheiks song, I've Got Blood in My Eyes for You. Great song, but I wonder if anybody knows where this expression comes from or what it means? I have never heard it before.
thanks,
Bert
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Blind Willie McTell's Kill It Kid is a doozie!
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Tampa Red's "Things 'Bout Comin' My Way" things are starting to click with this tune as far as the chord changes and recognizing the progression of chords that aren't full chords. Does that make sense?!?
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Makes perfect sense.
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Jelly Roll Blues - Furry Lewis
Church Bell Blues Take 1- Luke Jordan
Wandering about E positions
cheers