'Ethiopian' melodies ?

[Strumelia]

Pondering the cover from the 1850 violin tutor, where it offers "Ethiopian Melodies" amongst its contents.

I'm curious, since I see "Ethiopian" with some regularity in minstrel tune titles and minstrel show descriptions-

Was the term Ethiopian used by whites to generally encompass anything with real or perceived African origins?  Was it simply used interchangeably with or instead of the term African, and perhaps favored because Ethiopian sounded a bit more 'exotic' as a marketing description?

 

Some of these 'Ethiopian melodies' I've heard so far on minstrel style videos and cds don't seem to have much obvious African music connection.  Are there some minstrel tunes that really do show more noticeable African musical characteristics?   I mean beyond the common banjo stroke foundation that almost goes without saying.

Clark Buehling's "African Medley" on his CD was learned directly from an African musician and is naturally a supreme example.  I hear it in Juba as well.

I suspect maybe my ear has not been developed enough to readily 'hear' the African influences in some of these pieces.  So many sound Irish to me.  I'd love to hear what particular minstrel pieces some of you more experienced players consider to show stronger African musical characteristics.

Thanks for any insight...

[Strumelia]

I just listened to your video of Newton Jig here, Tim.   It sounds really jazzy, syncopation-wise.  I assume that's how it's actually notated, since you seem to be very precise when playing from the books.  To me it doesn't sound particularly 'African', especially the B part....but then jazz came from African Americans, right?...so maybe there is that as the connection.  In any case, it doesn't sound too Irish to me.   lol    I too would like Paul's impression of Newton's Jig.

[Strumelia]

What, comma?       (LOL)

Tim Twiss said:

I did not see your comma

[Tim Twiss]

Ha ha ...you kill me. I should do a version with rhythm. That gives a good feeling of syncopated phrases.

[Strumelia]

Paul, I totally agree!

And the Newton Jig really does sound like it was just patched together from two different sources.

Right now I've been learning two old-time banjo tunes- It's a Beautiful Doll, and The Old Drake.  Both are modal tunes and they both have been spinning around in my head for weeks now.  But sometimes I mentally put the A part of Doll together with the B part of Drake....and they sound really good that way!  I'm tempted to just play that instead and call it It's a Beautiful Duck....but my fiddler husband would have none of it, I'm sure.    =8-*

[Tim Twiss]

I don't know about fiddle tunes, but I have discovered patchwork in the banjo repertoire.

Congo Prince Jig is a great eaxample. I finally found the source of the "A" section...a hornpipe in Howe's.

Then, comes the crazy "B" section, which can only be for banjo, given the crazy use of the thumb string in the motif.