All Blog Posts (280)

I heard a great story on the weekend.

I got talking banjo at a gig with Lewis Melville, an old musical acquaintance of mine from Guelph, Ontario. He had recently sponsored a visit to Canada by a musician from Mali who plays one of the many banjo-like traditional instruments in use in Africa these days. (I forget which)

In any case it's one of the ones with a thumb string (or two) and is basically played in what we'd think of in a stroke style.

He took the guy around to…

This looks pretty good if it's as described.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Antique-JAS-A-Morrison-1882-NY-Serial-215-Proffessional-5-String-Banjo-NR-/320757702600?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aaea61fc8#ht_500wt_1156

Ian

WHY WE DO THIS

Today my fiddling friend Norm Boggs and I did our usual monthly living history summer presentation at The Duke Homestead Historic site in Durham North Carolina.  It was a perfect day, the sun was shining, it wasn't too hot, there was a nice breeze, we were in the shade, there were lots of visitors, all was well with the world.  We were situated in the front yard of the homestead which is on a hill which overlooks acres of woods, pasture, and a tobacco plot. …

Has anyone got this impressive looking tome yet?

The "Milliner Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes" here's a link to the book at Elderley. http://elderly.com/books/items/158-72.htm

Looks like a lot of good playing could be had out of it. I was a big fan of Walt Koken's when he was in the Highwoods Stringband (one of the great hippie stringbands of the 1970s). I'm dying to see what sort of crossovers there might be…

August 3, 2011

Firstly, thank you Bob for welcoming me into this forum. I am not yet a strong banjo player, though I think I have aptitude for this instrument. Time will tell. I've been learning mostly the string band and solo old time styles of banjo common among "Old Time" players. It has been, without a doubt, the most exciting musical experience for me in quite a long time. That I've gone almost 20 years without knowing much about the banjo or it's history is a…

In August I'm gonna roll up some big minstrel tambourines and make the jingles. If anyone is interested let me know. This isn't an ad. I don't make enough money doing this to feed the cat,  but it keeps the wood supply up.

I finished a Boucher banjo on July 4th. I was diddling around with a melody and had just read in the 'Early Minstrel Banjo' book about 'Elevation'......  which explains the lack of notated slides in the tutors. The writer claims that slides at the time sounded…

I've been having problems with getting my list of friends to appear on the Inbox/Compose section,  using windows explorer.  I now have it figured out.  Under the menu bar Tools for explorer I have selected Compatibility View.  My list of friends now appears.

However, when playing with this, I tried sending Elaine an I love you message, which apparently did not send.  However, if any of you got such a message from me.....   oops.  It was meant for Elaine.

Okay, people, last call for our Thursday the 23rd pre-event in Elmira, Ny.  Joel Hooks, Aurelia Perry, Kyle Pretzl and myself will hook up in Elmira to look for Frank Converse's ghost.  Actually, we have made several fascinating discoveries that will make our stay memorable.  Joel and Aurelia have found the original residences of the Converse and Maxwell families, and the houses still stand, so that will be a treat.  Also, the 1837 Presbyterian Church where father Maxey Manning Converse died…

This weekend we attended an event up in Milwaukee at the Old Soldier's Home.  There were representatives of American military from every war.  It was a very large event and well run.  Sadly, for a number of reasons it is likely to be the last time this event will occur.

Elaine, Elise and I were playing a little music on Saturday, and someone passing by overheard us, and asked if we would like to play for spinal injury patients on the top floor of the VA hospital there on the…

http://books.google.com/books?id=NhwQAQAAMAAJ&dq=banjo%20twang&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=banjo%20twang&f=false

Here's an interesting publication by Christy's Minstrels in England, who were a staple for years at St. James Hall in London under G. W. "Pony" Moore.  Frank Converse played with them in 1866 when he undertook his triumphal…

Hey Carl,

Has your part of the State been affected by all the tornado activity in the past week?