Topic: Memphis Minnie & Joe McCoy's Playing: Queries and Tips

[banjochris]

This one (also available in a later edition as Six Early Blues Guitarists) has four tunes, if I remember rightly, and is the only one I know of offhand. Be sure to use the Weenie Amazon link if you order it:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Blues-Guitarists-Woody-Mann/dp/0825601355

Also John Miller's Memphis Blues Guitar video covers her "Reachin' Pete."

http://www.guitarvideos.com/products/instructors/john-miller/memphis-blues-guitar

PS Welcome to Weenie Campbell!
Chris

[Indy_Mark]

Much appreciated!  The Woody Mann book looks interesting with the following tunes:

Early morning blues ; Chump man blues ; Skoodle Loo Doo ; One time blues / Blind Blake -- Statesboro blues ; Georgia rag ; Stomp down rider / Blind Willie McTell -- Saturday night rub ; Long tall mama ; Skoodle Do Do ; Mississippi River blues / Big Bill Broonzy -- Soo cow soo ; What's the matter with the mill? ; New bumble bee / Memphis Minnie -- I'll go with her ; Get away blues ; Jail house blues / Rev. Robert Wilkins -- Medley: Sally, where'd you get the liquor from/Fast fox trot ; Search my heart ; It's a mean world till you die ; I am the light of this world / Rev. Gary Davis -- Blue goose blues / Jesse "Baby Face" Thomas -- Boogie woogie dance / Tampa Red -- Shaggy dog blues / Buddy Boy Hawkins -- Kokomo Blues / Scrapper Blackwell -- I want you to know / Bo Carter -- Bye bye baby blues / "Little Hat" Jones.

I had seen the John Miller DVD before and was hoping to find something with more than one Minnie tune.  Thanks so much!

[GhostRider]

Howdy:

I am particularly fond (amongst other things) of Memphis Minnnie's songs in Spanish tuning in the "What's the Matter With the Mill" song family. My favorite is "Call the Fire Wagon" which has been discussed previously.

Right now I my trying to figure out "You Stole My Cake", another double entendre song featuring pastry. The song is mostly a version of the Call the Fire Wagon accompanyment in Spanish at G. However in the 10th bar of the verses she playes a lick that I can't figure out. Also in the 9th bar of the intro and the two breaks she plays another lick that escapes me.

I hope Weenies can help me out in these two spots.

 Thanks in advance,
Alex

[Rivers]

Great tune Alex. I figure it's all in the bass, maybe just going from the open 6th string on the V to a thumbed 6th string at the second fret for an implied IV. Adding the bass E alters the V to a IV, but going uphill. I can't discern whether she shifts to the full IV on the higher strings at the same time. Whatever, it works, she's effectively voicing the bass back up to the I chord.

I will wait for the experts to chime in, but that's how I hear & play it.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged five topics dealing with the playing of Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy.  Except for the first post in the merged thread, all topic titles have remained unchanged, for ease of following discussions.
All best,
Johnm

[GerryC]

I don't know if Indy Mark is still looking for material on Memphis Minnie's music, but Del Rey has a useful instructional DVD on Homespun:

https://www.homespun.com/shop/product/the-blues-guitar-styles-of-memphis-minnie/

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[gtrgrrl]

Hi All,

Quick question about tuning in "When the Levee Breaks" -
I have always though that Minnie was in Spanish with capo at 2nd, with KJ playing in standard out of A position, but now am second guessing KJs tuning ?  Anyone else play KJs part ?
(I have searched for this in a thread elsewhere - sorry if this has already been discussed) 

Thanks !!!

[Johnm]

Hi gtrgrrl,
Yes, you had that right, Memphis Minnie in Spanish and Joe playing out of A position in standard tuning.
All best,
Johnm

[gtrgrrl]

Thanks Jon.  I think the thing that is throwing me off is KJs voicing of the V chord. I hear it from bass to treble as XBDADE, so an E9 with no 3rd making it ambiguous in quality, and I cant hear the low E, but the recording quality is not great so I might be missing it. Then I sometimes think I hear the open third string G instead of the A making XBDGDE --- a minor v7 chord which makes more sense, but them I am convinced I hear an A in there somewhere ?!?!?!  Any thoughts ??    I seem to think the ambiguous dominant chord is usual things for KJ, but .....

Thanks 
Kate

[Johnm]

Hi Kate,
Joe does play an Em7 in the song, most often voiced X-2-0-0-3-0.  No A in there.
All best,
Johnm

[gtrgrrl]

Hi All,

Apologies if this has been covered, but does anyone know "Shake Mattie" or "My Washwoman's Gone"  by MM and KJ (1931) ?  If so, any thoughts on who is playing slide ?  Paul Garon thinks it is "probably KJ", but Alan Balfour in document record liner notes says it is MM.
Thanks all !