How contemporary culture and environment influence old-time music. Festivals. Bands like Crooked Still. Performers like you.

38 Members, Created 1/30/2011 -

Administrators: ramjo (owner)

Giving it to the banjo's voice

From ramjo on 3/12/2011 12:53:18 PM

To my surprise and great enjoyment, the group has provided several notions I never anticipated when I started it. Kevin Holmes' beautiful setting of When Jesus Wept is another example of music-you-wouldn't-necessarily-consider-banjo-music. Like his "Chester," or Marc's "Jesu," or the Pearces' version of Coultrane's "Naima," or even some of jimh269b's swirling originals. I carried this prejudice for a long time--that certain music was for certain instruments unless you had parody in mind. But what about Zamphir fronting all those soaring, sugary arrangements of pop tunes and light classical on pan pipes!? Ok, maybe that is a parody. Instead, let's take Jethro Burns revealing just how great a jazz instrument a mandolin is. My image of "mandolin music" was of tremolo melodies in gondolas or lady orchestras until I ran across that fellow and heard him say "think again." Or Tony Rice playing like Coleman Hawkins on an acoustic guitar. I thought only electric players played that complicated, that fast. Trischka and Fleck not just using the 5th string for melody notes (the way Bill Kieth showed) but setting Bach inventions in front of their resonators! And as long as we're back on Bach, Rob Moose arranging the 3rd movement of the Brandenburg 3 for the Punch Brothers, which group-member corgies linked to a while back. Abigail Washburn making banjo music with Chinese lyrics on top. Unbelievable! These are just a few reasons that expose what a ridiculous idea it is to think that a particular piece of music isn't suitable for the banjo. Does the banjo not have every note of the western scale? Can it not (with effort) be played in tune? Does it not have a timbre, pitch, projection, dynamics? If you pluck it does it not sing? It's the musician, not the instrument, that makes music. The instrument is a voice; the successful musician understands how to give the music to the voice.

Page: 1  2  3  4  Last