Whiskey on the Uke

Been trying out a few of the songs I've been doing on the banjo for the Ukulele and really enjoying it. It's quite a relief to be freed from the tyranny of the bump-ditty and to just strum.

Whiskey in the Jar

Banjoist Broadsheet

Julian writes:
Just found your blogspot. Thanks for writing it.Can I contribute to your world by introducing you to the Banjoists' Broadsheet, freely downloadable as below. I, too, have been following Tim Dowling's saga with the banjo. I contacted him but didn't get very far. Perhaps you'd have better luck?
Best wishes Julian Vincent

http://people.bath.ac.uk/ensjfvv/BB

Wreck of the Old '97

Tried this song with a capo in D at the seventh fret. Playing is coming on but the singing is shocking!

Gospel Ship - Stan Gee

Had a lesson with master Stan Gee today and I asked him if I could record a bit of audio for the blog. So here is Stan on his 1919 Gibson 5 string giving an impromptu performance of Gospel Ship. Nice one Stan!

A private little compulsion - Tim Dowling

Tim Dowling writes a regular column in the Guardian magazine on Saturdays. Although it usually charts the ups and down of his frighteningly recognisable 'dysfunctional' family, one of his recurring themes is his ongoing struggles to play the banjo, which bizarrely parallels my own. To the extent that I thought Tim Dowling must be eavesdropping on my life. You'll find an archive of his columns at http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/timdowlingsweekendcolumn

Here's a snippet of his column from 11 Jul 2009.

I have been playing the banjo for two years. It's a private little compulsion that does no harm to me or to anyone else who is more than 50 metres away. This is about to change, however, because I have a gig. A friend of mine who has a band - a sort of urban bluegrass outfit - wanted a banjo player, and he asked me to come to a rehearsal. I told him I wasn't very good, but he didn't seem to care. I guess the average person doesn't meet that many banjo players. It's like running into an MP at a party and telling him that your hobby is cleaning moats.

"You clean moats?" he'd say. "I have a moat! You should come and clean my moat!"

"But I'm really not very good," you might protest.

"Don't worry," he would say, "I'm not paying."

So if you want an occasional laugh at banjo related issues and a regular laugh at his domestic arrangements catch him on a Saturday.

Creep

Been working on a song by Radiohead - Creep. It's in a uke songbook I bought and, although it's a different kind of song to the folky stuff I've been looking at, it's got a simple chord progression G/B/C/Cm and has quirky feel.

Blues on the Banjo

Back on the banjo.
Been working on the Daily Frail blues on the banjo workshop that Patrick Costello re-posted a couple of days ago - A Shady Situation. And here's a bit of audio of the outcome - haven't quite got the bar count right, but whatever.

Ralph Bodington and Jerry Epstein

A couple of sample songs from Ralph Bodington and Jerry Epstein who are playing at Ryedale Folk Museum on 1st August. Should be a good night.

Ralph Bodington Handsome Molly


John Henry



Jerry Epstein Booth Shot Lincoln


Been All Around This Whole World

Blue Uke in technocolour

Been playing the Uke in a frailing or clawhammer style which works quite well, except I've go the stop banging the body of the Uke with my thumb as it's more distracting on the Uke than on the banjo.

Hungover Foggy Mountain Breakdown

Jerry Epstein and Ralph Bodington

Ryedale Folk Museum Present -

Jerry Epstein and Ralph Bodington Tour 2009 1st August

Join us for fantastic singing and banjo performances from these great American musicians. Jerry regularly sings 'old songs old style' on both sides of the Atlantic whilst for Ralph this will be his first visit to England after retiring from well-digging. Ralph is an exceptional exponent of the old-time style of banjo and a great ballad singer.

For more information and to hear some sample tracks please visit the following websites... http://www.minstrelrecords.com/bodington.htm.

www.minstrelrecords.com/epstein.htm

Mini-afternoon concert (included in museum admission) to be held at 3:30pm.

Main evening concert to begin at 7pm - Tickets: £5 Adults, £3 Children.

T 01751 417 367

Jolene - MC Clawhammer

He's unstoppable and no one is safe, not even Dolly.

Guitars, Gardening and Life

Here's a great little blues rag from OMK's Blog

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The site is full of great music and vegetables!

Recommended!