Jesse James

Here's a bit of audio of a post Boxing Day jam that my brother and I managed to squeeze in amidst the festivities. Jesse James was one of the first tunes that I learned on the banjo and recently i'd stopped playing it, but my brother is getting keen on the mandolin and recently we've started playing a few old tunes that suit the two instruments.

St Valentines Day Massacre

Got together with the boys - Carl, Mark, Mark and Johnathan and massacred a few standards for Valentines Day. Needles to say the ladies thought it was a very romantic gesture(not)!


Jesse James


Cripple Creek


John Henry


Cowboy Waltz


Foggy Mountain Breakdown


Whoop Song

Jesse James on Guitar

I've got a new phone with a video facility on it which is much easier to use, so I'm going a bit mad on it at the moment.

Jesse James - up the neck

Tim writes:
(You).. put up a nice version of Jesse James on guitar. So I decided to give old Jesse James a try playing the chords up the neck

I’m still playing in G with the G chord as a D shape at 9th fret, C chord is F shape at 10th fret, and D is the bar D at 7th fret.

Just wanted to share this to show folks what the growing pains are like when we step out of our comfort zone to learn something new.

Tim


Jesse James by Tim in Korea

Jesse James

I've been messing around with this song on various instruments for two years, here's a version of it on guitar. Plus I've had another go at singing, so cover your ears!

Major and Minor chords on the guitar

These are a couple of samples playing with the minor chord progression I posted a couple of days ago in Am, and a 1,4,5 Major chord progression in D. The major progression follows the structure for Jesse James but I've transposed it into the Key of D. So instead of G,C,D7 it becomes D,G, A7.

A minor


Jesse James in D

End of Year Jam

Got the boys together last night for a jam, played for three hours only got through four songs!

John Henry


Jesse James


Cripple Creek version1


Cripple Creek version 2


Cowboy Waltz

2009 Round-Up part 2

Jesse James


Scottish Tune


Ragtime Annie


Worried Man Blues


Whiskey in the Jar

Jesse James for Paul

Paul has written asking for a bit of input with the his banjo playing. Well, I'm no expert but I think that learning is about sharing and having fun, so if I can help.

As always it's worth visiting Patrick Costello at www.dailyfrail.com for the Daily frail which has a lot of searchable content which is what I've found invaluable while learning. Patrick's tab for Jesse James was one of the first things I learned all the way though. It's a simple melody and one you've got the verse chorus/pattern it pretty straight forward. This version is tabbed for frailing which is somewhat different from the bluegrass/scruggs style banjo on The Seeger Sessions version which Paul refered to in his email. I started out trying to play 3-finger picking but soon found that as I hadn't played any instrument before the complexity of learning the right hand picking patterns and the left hand fingering was getting in the way of enjoying playing the tune. I found a pick and strum technique then frailing (downpicking) a more natural method for me. It did take over twelve months practice before the frailing bump-ditty really clicked though.
So just keep playing Paul, and eventually it'll click in. Let me know if there's any other songs we can help with and maybe other people seeing the blog can share their knowledge too! Why not send me a bit of audio.

Just to make you feel better here's an early go at Jesse James.

Jesse James

Strumming the Banjo

After playing the ukulele last week I've been messing around with the banjo and tried strumming instead of frailing.

Saturday Morning Jam

Went to see Barrett, Broad and Rossiter last night and got inspired. This is me on banjo and Carlos the Jackal on guitar, recorded at 8am Saturday morning in the summer house in the garden.

Wildwood Flower


Cripple Creek


Worried Man Blues


Jesse James

Jesse James and Cripple Creek bluegrass stylee

Two more from MC Clawhammer.

Cripple Creek


Jesse James

moving on

These are all tunes I recorded over subsequent weeks and months as a record of how I'm doing.

Boil 'em Cabbage Down (March 08)


Cripple Creek (March 08)


My First Tune (Sept 08)


Jessie James (Sept 08)


Goin down the Road Feeling Bad (Nov 08)