 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner |
|
||||||||||||||
| Bluegrass Darwinism | Rate Topic |
| Author | Post |
|---|
| Posted: Thu Nov 5th, 2009 12:02 am |
|
1st Post |
|
Philj200 Approved 
|
I attended a second bluegrass jam the other Sunday. Went to one in the spring and it was a big, rambling affair with no hint at organization what-so-ever. As was the one I just attended. The best and most extroverted pickers would stake out a section of the room we were in, (a very large room perhaps fifty wide by maybe eighty feet long, or more). Chairs around the periphery but no one sat on them. Arriving early, I noticed the "old-timers' talked to each other while the newbies became progressively more nervous. No music yet. I assume (proven correctly as the day wore on) that a lot of head games were being played as well as BG. I began to pick my banjo. An excellent banjo picker walked over playing guitar and said, "Start something." A fight or a song? Or some combination. I aimed for a common denominator and started a brisk Old Joe Clarke. He played along, aiding some neat solos. Soon two mandolins and fiddle joined in. By this time we were standing in the middle of the room. A few other pickers on appropriate instruments formed a second circle around us, buy didn't play solos; neither asking, talking them and begging off when they were (rarely) offered. The jam started at 1PM and went to 7PM. As the day wore on, the mix of players evolved, but actually got better and better. Everyone was overtly cordial but the pecking order was clearly there. The three traditional jams I also go to are orderly and people tend to tolerate the learners. Here, people are told to stop playing, go off and tune, or "you're messing up." "Wrong chords!" "Who told you that's the way it goes?!?" The songs ranges from jigs and reels (fiddler choices a lot), breakdowns (banjo choices) and lots of singing including tight harmony. (And sour looks when a note wasn't nailed). My homemade (from found parts) banjo is a decent instrument: tone, action, volume, appearance.... but I was standing between two Mastertones. Felt like I was playing with dog poo. Besides these Gibsons, there were plenty of Martins, a Dobro (big D), some Gibson mandolins. It was a show case of excellence bluegrass instruments. The music was tight, powerful and well-done. I did okay and spent most of the time in the inner circle. But some of the time, I'm sure was pure ego on my part or just bullheadedness. Now for the extra odd part: the first time I was there, I played about the same with a lot of the same people. Except when I took a solo, I felt I was invisible. People would answer direct questions, but basically, I wasn't part of the group. This time, the chill was off. Not friendly, no let's grab a beer after this, but eye-contact, do you want to play the lead-in, see 'ya next time when after five hours I staggered out. Oh the cost... they ask for 50 cent donations to pay for the use of the building which is owned by the town. Most people threw in a few bucks. As I did the first time. I had a twenty and a pocket of change. I threw in the change and will make it up the next time I feel like playing caveman bluegrass. (Did I say the music was really good?) Does anyone know if you can tune a taser to open-G?
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Current time is 11:15 am | |
| ezFolk Forums > Banjo > Bluegrass Banjo > Bluegrass Darwinism | Top |
