Had another go on Wednesday and as last time with just a few of us, thought I'd subject them all to my voice this time out whilst sitting in the spotlights...
Getting a little more comfortable now and tackled Wreck Of Number Nine that was warmly received then had an open discussion as they thought I was going to play Wreck Of Number 97..! I said Oh that one something like this... and that was my 2nd tune all of a sudden :-)
I rounded off my slot with a Charlie Poole tune song called Moving' Day, most of the audience knew it and sang along which was great.
There was time for us all to go around again in the second half so I chose another Charlie Poole number (seeing as the 1st went down well..!) called If The River Was Whiskey and we had another good sing a long going..seems the way to go me thinks...
Keeping the up beat going, I finished up with Rabbit In A Log and the warm applause meant I must have done something right (although everyone gets the same :-)..) and it bedded me in a bit more to tackle either instrumentals or songs.
One thing I am noticing is that I'm still not 100% in my mind what I'm going to play, even as I leave my seat..! I left the capo on my table the first time up so was limited to C and G tunes..mostly I sing around A/Bb.
Anyway, there were some really strong performers there to keep a high standard going ,which was daunting as I always had the last slot each half, but I seemed more able to just get up and handle it better after a few goes now, not worrying what had gone before.
I enjoyed it at last...!...Best wishes....David.......
12 Comments |
 | David Cunningham says:
4/8/2011 5:31:44 AM
Sounds like a good place to play with people knowing the words to songs like that. Are you the only banjo picker there? The first time I showed up back here at this joint behind my house there was one other. He's been back every week minus the banjo, just playing guitar and singing. My banjo mighta growled at his - I hope not. Seems 95% play guitar. Only seen two on mandolin. Glad you had another good one DM.
|
| David Cunningham says:
4/8/2011 12:57:47 PM
Sounds like a good place to play with people knowing the words to songs like that. Are you the only banjo picker there? The first time I showed up back here at this joint behind my house there was one other. He's been back every week minus the banjo, just playing guitar and singing. My banjo mighta growled at his - I hope not. Seems 95% play guitar. Only seen two on mandolin. Glad you had another good one DM.
|
 | David M says:
4/10/2011 2:28:01 AM
Thanks Davidus, it's getting more enjoyable now and most taboos are getting crossed gradually.
There's a good mix of instruments each week, mainly Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Fiddle, Squeezebox, Autoharp, Harmonica, Spoons(!), Appalacian Dancing etc.. I suppose the main instrument is the banjo played many ways. The club is run by a good Clawhammer player who teaches and his students all turn up for a while then dwindle away sadly.
There can be 6-7 banjoists on a good night of all standards and all play pretty foot tapping stuff. Graham can play his Clawhammer above everyone, including the group of 5 dancers tapping away..!!
Most sit in the back ground and play or sing along with each act and there's not many tunes the regulars haven't tackled some time or another.
Shame there's not more banjoists at your place, it may pick up over time, you'll draw them in..!!
I hope your next outing goes well.. ;-)
|
| David Cunningham says:
4/14/2011 6:45:30 AM
I had the only banjo there again Tuesday but had an impromptu jam with a couple others there, one of whom is a really good singer/songwriter/piano and guitar player named Devin Strickland. He's got a few youtube videos and an EP is almost done. One of those musicians (23 years old) who doesn't play bluegrass or the like but who is so good you know he could do it just about as easily as changing shoes.
|
| David M says:
4/15/2011 2:05:35 AM
Fortuneately there's not too many of those at our place..!.. Good to see talent though, I used to play competition snooker a few years back and once drew a 10 year old in a Pro Am first round and you could just see he had talent in spades. He later turned Pro and was a regular on tele in the World Champs etc..
I hope Devin commented on your playing and you took heart from it. Pity he can't play the odd Blugrass tune on guitar with you eh..?
|
| David Cunningham says:
4/15/2011 6:57:23 AM
He did one original on piano and one on guitar, both while singing, and convinced me he can play about anything. Talking to him I found he has a bachelor of music degree and mostly learned playing by reading music. He said he is not nearly as good by ear as by reading. The guy who is recording his EP told me that Devin is his worst own critic. I think he's just humble and can play by ear better than most though he claims to not be very good at it. On the few songs we did together I just called out the verse and chorus chords before we started and by the second verse he pretty much had a piano part down. I called him to take a lead break on a song he'd never played and he didn't hesitate, hitting everything in key and in time. He's also a human metronome. Cool guy and good player. I kinda like it sometimes when few show up to open mic but everyone who does joins together for an impromptu jam. That's happened twice now. I think the banjo loosens them up some and makes it easier for everyone to pitch in. I would've played again last night but I was beat after getting the garden and yard done yesterday. I hauled, spread, and tilled a little more than 1/2 cu yd of sand and 100 lbs of limestone before finishing planting. We will have a lot more vegetables this year than ever before! Ever grow eggplant?
|
| David M says:
4/18/2011 1:31:02 AM
Sounds like you've been busy David..! The only Eggplants I've heard of are small flowers with blooms just like fried eggs, white with a yellow inner, you must have an edible variety in the US..
We grow carrots, runner beans, broad beans, tomatoes, lettuce, beetroot, spring onions, shallots, strawberries, radish and 400 annuals each year than keeps us busy...then there's my elderly Dad's massive garden to sort (see it in my photos..!).
I think it's good when only a few turn up to jams and it gives you more of a chance to settle in, it certainly was my ice breaker time before last when 4 of us just went round and round choosing the song next to kick off. I never thought I'd get to playing in front of others after being a lone player for nearly 30 years, but it seems to make the practice a bit more worth it now....
|
| David Cunningham says:
4/18/2011 6:19:51 AM
Eggplant - the big purple vegetable. Must be there somewhere! Thanks, you reminded me to plant beets. I knew I forgot one. Still some room left.
Let me know how your next session goes. I may pick Tuesday, may not. I have to play my church on Easter during the offering. Should be interesting playing Give Me Oil in My Lamp - church camp song. All because a mother and daughter I sing with in the choir ambushed me at open mic with another lady there. First church service with banjo. Well, hopefully God won't fire me. (:
|
| David M says:
4/18/2011 6:27:20 AM
I think you'll be safe..!
Emmm... I've never heard of eggplants, I'll look them up next time we visit a garden centre..
I forgot our Melon plant and Cucumber.
My next scheduled outing is Wednesday, but I had a modelling accident recently with a propeller happily munching an inch into my thigh for 2 1/4" giving me 9 neat stitches to deal with and a stiff leg..
Hope your Easter picking goes well...!
|
| David Cunningham says:
4/18/2011 6:46:50 AM
That was a fairly large airplane I assume. Ouch, good luck.
|
| David M says:
4/19/2011 12:55:16 AM
I asked Julia about eggplants and she knew straight away that it's what we Brits call Aubergines and Americans Eggplants...I should have paid more attention in class..!
The model is 60" span with a 12" prop. First scratch in 30 years modelling, but you know the saying...familiarity breeds contempt...I forgot to anchor it before starting, it leapt at me kneeling in front of it.
Some advice David...I hope you never have a laceration, but don't look when they clean it..!! I was ok until then.. 8-/
Good luck tonight if you go..
|
| David Cunningham says:
4/19/2011 4:11:14 AM
Thanks, and good luck to you!
|
Post a Comment
|
You must be logged in and a member of this group to post a comment.
|
