{ Monday, August 21, 2006 }
I got a new banjo and I am happy.
Before Saturday I was not so very into bluegrass, though I play and sing Little Maggie on the guitar. The thing I like about the banjo is it has a fairly limited expressive range, is kind of shiny and mechanical, like a harpsichord. Banjo music has always reminded me a bit of Bach, like someone said (Wittgenstein?) -- music is a bit like mathematics made audible.
My new favorite is Ralph Stanley.
LINK | 8:39 PM | TB
A friend of mine is a self-taught banjo player and she plays in a Boston band. I love the look of her banjos, especially her antique one. Good luck with your new instrument.
Rhea | August 22, 2006 7:05 AMTwo words: Bela Fleck.
You will especially want to hear what he does with Bach, for all of the reasons you mention above. As far as that "limited expressive range" goes, well, find a copy of the "Lochs of Dread" or anything else that Bela does with Edgar Meyer and see what you think.
Enjoy!
j david | August 22, 2006 8:25 AMIf you like Ralph Stanley try to find some Curly Ray Cline records (he often plays in Stanley's bands).
Have you ever tried a ukulele or an akulele? They make such sweet sounds...
raul | August 22, 2006 11:01 AMI stumble by your blog now and again for reading and just realized your email = @ gmail(dot)com. Your employer must be pretty lenient?
Jeff M | August 22, 2006 11:55 AMI echo the sentiment expressed by J David, above. Mr. Fleck has taken the banjo to new and exciting heights.
Becky | August 22, 2006 1:11 PMFour words: Yonder Mountain String Band.
Two more words: Darrell Scott.
Have fun!
David Burn | August 25, 2006 6:24 PMI came across your site while surfing for banjo tablature ... I must confess to being a mad banjo fan, but not liking bluegrass a bit. I mean, ya can't say no to that high, lonesome sound, but nothing comes close to the pure soul and foot-moving bouncy groove of clawhammer/frailing banjo.
There are a lot of great clawhammer sound files below. Check 'em out!:
http://leebanjos.com/Sound%20Files.htm
Yay banjos! All of the above recommendations are good: I'd also add Abigail Washburn and her sometime band Uncle Earl for a modern clawhammer style banjo player, and John Hartford for the best bluegrass style banjo player ever, imho. He died in the 1990s but had a long career. He also wrote "footlature"--like tablature, but to show you how to move your feet while playing, if you want to play banjo and dance a little at the same time.
Amy Hostler | August 29, 2006 4:35 AMYou can't mention banjo since 1946 without saying the name Earl Scruggs, and an equally talented and far less recognized picker who inovational style will blow you away is Don Reno. Pick on Picker
| September 3, 2006 2:50 PMSmithsonian Folkways have a couple of -great- collections.. Classic Bluegrass series. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000063NDJ?v=glance
The Mountain Music one looks cool, too. These are great primers for banjo.
Bryce | September 5, 2006 10:31 AM{ Post a comment }
yo caterina
long time. you blog good, or something.
come on by mine and say hi, kick the tires, read/watch the insane controversy which has bedeviled/enriched my family over the past couple of months. i suspect it is right up your alley.
hope you are well.
best
robert
Robert Green | August 21, 2006 10:35 PM