Gumbo Chaff....Ethiopian Flute and Violin Instructor Books

[Tim Twiss]

Does anyone have the actual copies, or links to these books? I would like to see them, and compare to the Complete Preceptor for the Banjo.

[Tim Twiss]

From what little I have seen...the Banjo Book is flute music.

They must have all just been put out together....the violin, flute, and banjo book. And of course, the awesome and useful Glee Book.

[Tim Twiss]

You can peek at a few pages in here...and you will get the idea.

http://kevinkellybookseller.com/chaff.html

The Gumbo Chaff tutor has no actual relationship to the banjo. It does serve as a window into the popular songs of the day, both in a simple melodic form, and with some slight elaboration.

Other than that, I guess Briggs' was the first to actually help out.

[John Masciale]

We recently found a link for Howe's Musician's Companion of 1842.
http://imslp.org/wiki/The_Musician's_Companion_(Howe,_Elias)

[Wes Merchant]

There is a section of Ethiopian Melodies in Howe's 1000 jigs, Reels,etc circa 1867. There's about 50 tunes in there. I also have a copy of what I believe to be Howe's school for Violin circa 1850.

[Strumelia]

That Howe's "Old Gray Goose" looks like the non-banjo plain melody version of Rice's tutor "The Old Gander".

[Tim Twiss]

The Gumbo Chaff banjo book has nothing to do with banjo, but is all about the music. There is nothing to suggest arrangement or consideration for the banjo. It works only by virtue of the fact that diatonic melodies are easily playable on the banjo. 

[Tim Twiss]

The fiddle / flute / banjo books seem indistinguishable . The good news is....it shows us that the source of much banjo material is indeed flute and fiddle music. This makes all other sources inclusive. The bad news is, we really have no banjo book before Briggs'. ( or perhaps that is still good news ) Briggs' puts some thought into how it will lay on the instrument...changes keys, and makes it an appropriate arrangement....ala "Cracovienne Quickstep" which becomes "Ethiopian Cracovienne".