Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The East Bay Banjo Club get all aboard.
Back in September of 2006 we heard that Jack Convery of the East Bay Banjo Club along with the help of several others in the club was organizing a train trip from Oakland, California to Reno, Nevada. Fliers were distributed among the various banjo players in the region to let them know about the event. The event was entitled, The Snow Train to Reno. For those of you across the country who are not familiar with the California climate, let me explain. As you probably already know, Northern California has a very mild climate. The big cities like San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose rarely see snow, but the eastern side the state where the Sierra Nevada Mountains are located gets snow every year and lots of it. Amtrak runs two "Party Trains" per week between Oakland and Reno. One is known as the Fun Train and the other is known as the Snow Train. The Fun Train goes on to Reno on Friday and comes back on Sunday. The Snow Train goes on Tuesday and comes back on Thursday. The banjo trip was scheduled for the Snow Train leaving on Tuesday, February 6th from a suburb of Oakland, Emeryville. It would make four stops in Martinez, Suisun City, Sacramento and Roseville and return on Thursday February 8th taking the same route in reverse.This was the first "Snow Train to Reno" trip for banjo players and for those who missed out, it probably won't be the last. In total there were about 50 of us all together: 3 from the Peninsula banjo band, 24 from the East Bay Banjo Club and 9 from the Sacramento Banjo Band plus Norm Gary an independent clarinet player and about 13 more who were spouses and others who just wanted to go on the trip.
The train left Emeryville at 11 o'clock. Banjo people were assigned to car #10 with any overflow in car #9. Only a few got on in Emeryville. Most of the banjo folks got on at the stop in Martinez and a few more got on in Roseville. This was the Snow Train and it was set up for folks to have a good time, and what a great time it was. On the train we played all the great banjo classics like: The Robert E. Lee, Alabama Jubilee, Darktown Strutters' Ball, If You Knew Susie, I Want a Girl and rarely stopped playing during the entire 8 hour trip.
We weren't the only ones on the train who were playing music. In Car #4 was a lounge where drinks were served and a Jazz Band was playing. Further up toward the front of the train was the dome car where you could observe spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains while sipping on a drink of your choice. And, if you smoked you could head off to car #11, the smoking car. Some folks on the train were just there to relax and enjoy the ride to Reno. Also on the train was a magician who performed some of the most unbelievable tricks you can imagine. He traveled from car to car and baffled the minds of many passengers.
When we got to Reno the train stopped at Harrah's Reno resort hotel in Downtown Reno. Jack Convery announced that he would be having a banjo workshop on Wednesday at 1:00 o'clock on the 2nd floor of the Harrah's Reno resort hotel and a buffet dinner at 5:00 and on Wednesday evening at 7:30 we would all get a chance to meet Georgette Twain who is about to be inducted into the 4 string banjo hall of fame. We exited the train in Reno and since we were all right at the Harrah's Reno resort hotel we adjourned to our rooms for the evening. On the following day, Wednesday we learned that the 2nd floor was reserved not only for the workshop but for the other banjo functions as well. It was so simple and convenient. When the elevator stopped on the second floor you'd step out and you were right there with the music.
At 1:00 o'clock we attended Jack Convery's workshop. Now, if you listen to Jack's recordings or hear Jack in person, you'll notice he has something in his strum that is unique and wonderful. In his workshop he was willing to let us in on the secrets of just what he does when he plays. We learned that to get that great sound that we hear in his recordings we should try to learn to do the following: When playing a tune written in 4/4 time, you must assign three strokes to each quarter note. So, a measure with 4 quarter notes will get 12 strums or 4 triplets. We also learned that to do this we must use the wrist rather than the whole arm for strumming because the strokes are done very rapidly. The mind has a little bit of difficulty thinking in three's, so it takes quite a bit of practice and mental discipline to get the concept down smoothly.
Around 8:00 o'clock we all got to meet Georgette Twain who played banjo accompanied by her daughter on violin. Georgette will be inducted into the Banjo Hall of Fame in Guthrie, Oklahoma in May of this year. Georgette's daughter is no novice to music either. Her daughter Cecilia Yale is a violinist with the Carson Valley Pops. We all had a great time listening to and playing banjos with Georgette. Since everybody had their instrument with them it was time for a jam session. Jack told us we could jam until the management told us to a stop. But they never did, so the jam session went on but it didn't go too late because we all knew that we had to be back on the train by 8:30 AM the following day.
On the train going back, there were two jam session going on, one in car #10 and one in car #9. In car #10 the banjo music was accompanied by Norm Gary on the clarinet. Norm Gary is a fully accomplished musician and also known nationally for his expertise in Bee (the insect) Technology. Norm has a Doctorate in Bee Technology, is called upon by Hollywood whenever his expertise is needed and is also very well known among Banjoists.
The Snow Train to Reno was a first of its kind. We had a unique and wonderful time. We all thank the East Bay Banjo Band and Jack Convery for making the arrangements and planning the entire trip. If you would like information on the 2008 2nd Annual Banjo Snow Train to Reno, Please go to http://www.banjojazz.com/ and sign up on the mail list or email Jack Convery at mailto:entline@msn.com?subject=Snow.
Submitted by Jack Convery
Submitted by Jack Convery
New Pietsch Banjos Website
Dear fellow banjo friends !!
I want to invite you all to check out my brand new website. www.pietsch-banjos.de .
Over the last couple of years I made more and more custom banjos and I needed a faster medium to show off more photo material to the interested banjo public. This
relaunched site includes many previously unissued photos, videos and sound samples.
You are invited to send me your favourite banjo links. Getting "crosslinked" is what this is all about, I guess ??!
Okay , kick back and enjoy a little bit of my "Light Box" photo gallery slide show. Comments and inquiries are welcome - as always..HAVE FUN !
Submitted by Norbert Pietsch, Banjomaker.
Hallo Banjofreunde !
Hiermit möchte ich Euch zum Austesten meiner neuen Webseite einladen. www.pietsch-banjos.de . In den vergangenen Jahren habe ich mehr und mehr Einzelstücke gebaut und ich brauchte eine größere Datenbank um alle meine Fotos zu zeigen. Auf dieser
neuen Webseite sind viele vorher unveröffentlichte Fotos , Videos und Soundbeispiele zu sehen und zu hören .Bitte fühlt Euch angesprochen, mir Eure besten Banjolinks zu senden .Miteinander verlinkt zu sein ist für die Szene sehr wichtig !! Ich wünsche Euch mit der neu gestalteten Fotogallerie und seiner innovativen Technik viel Spaß ! Anfragen und Kommentare sind willkommen .
Von Norbert Pietsch, Banjobau.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Be on the lookout for stolen banjos.
Last nite, Tyler Jackson's banjos, all 3, and an electric tenor guitar was stolen
from his vehicle. outside of his Mom';s house, in a "nice" neighborhood.
I's sure most of you will not be in places they may end up.
1956 Vega Vox 3, with a 1960's plectrum neck block and dot neck with an
older 50' Vox 3 overlay on it.
Serial 99xxx
Name in resonator (inside) in magic marker, Skin head
2005 OME tenor, black, tiger maple, "Tyler Jackson" on the back of the
resonator, skin head
2006 Accutone tenor banjo
Vintage amber, Tiger Maple
Pyralin covered neck, white with black blocks, "TJ" on the peghead,
Style 6 Gibson nickel plated engraved hardware.
Name on label on the rim inside
The police are informed.
Like I said, they will most likely not end up anywhere we will see, being so
personalized, but it is best for us to put out this ABP, this young man put a
lot of stock in these instruments, and we are having a tough day over it
all, in Banjohaven.
If what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, then he should be Hercules
after this episode.
Contact Vinnie Mondello (www.banjohaven.com) if you come across these please!
from his vehicle. outside of his Mom';s house, in a "nice" neighborhood.
I's sure most of you will not be in places they may end up.
1956 Vega Vox 3, with a 1960's plectrum neck block and dot neck with an
older 50' Vox 3 overlay on it.
Serial 99xxx
Name in resonator (inside) in magic marker, Skin head
2005 OME tenor, black, tiger maple, "Tyler Jackson" on the back of the
resonator, skin head
2006 Accutone tenor banjo
Vintage amber, Tiger Maple
Pyralin covered neck, white with black blocks, "TJ" on the peghead,
Style 6 Gibson nickel plated engraved hardware.
Name on label on the rim inside
The police are informed.
Like I said, they will most likely not end up anywhere we will see, being so
personalized, but it is best for us to put out this ABP, this young man put a
lot of stock in these instruments, and we are having a tough day over it
all, in Banjohaven.
If what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, then he should be Hercules
after this episode.
Contact Vinnie Mondello (www.banjohaven.com) if you come across these please!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Memories of Roy Smeck
Roy Smeck had a personal letter from Ronald Reagan because they shared a birthday
Sadly, Roy's memory about the Vaudeville days weren't so good. I wanted to
hear about the "Ziegfeild Follies" showdancer that took him to the cleaners! Like I said before, at least he could still play!
I once brought up the name Eddie Peabody to Roy. "He stole my act" he grumbled. I
never brought Eddie up again. Since then I've researched Eddie, and guess what? Roy was absolutely right, Eddie had stolen his act! It's a shame Roy couldn't sing.
One Saturday, I brought Cynthia over to meet Roy and she played for him. Roy wasn't about to be musically outdone by a girl so he ripped off a solo that had my jaw on the floor. I taped all my lessons with him, but my recorder was a little "flaky",
and it that was unfortunatly one of the moments it chose not to record. It was the only time during my lessons that I had ever heard Roy REALLY play! Anyway. I've got a box of tapes of our lessons together. I would come over on Saturday and for an hour his wife Faye could get out and do shopping.
The famous Japanese banjo collector Akira Tsamura once offered Roy $30,000 for his B&D #9. I'm sure Faye was livid about that one! I wanted the earlier B&D #4 he had.
I was out of town when he died and his estate was auctioned off. I would have
loved to bid on some of those treasures. He had cases of arrangements(mostly inked by hand by Harry Reser and he still had the Martin #0 uke he played most of his career. I wish I knew what happened to that beat up gem.
Best wishes, Nathan Garret
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Münchener Banjo Club
Neues vom 1. Münchner Banjo-Club
2 neue Mitglieder, Ideensammlung fürs Repertoire der Banjo-Band, ansonsten nette Stammtischatmosphäre mit viel Anekdoten.
Künftig wird der Stammtisch regelmäßig am letzten Mittwoch jeden Monats abgehalten. Treffpunkt
Alter Wirt in München-Ramersdorf,
Aribonenstr. 6,
Beginn 19:30 Uhr
Der 1. Münchner Banjo-Club sucht dringend einen Probenraum für ca. 5-10 Musiker. Sachdienliche Hinweise an Tel. (8034) 309976 oder .Kontakt banjoist@gmx.de
2 neue Mitglieder, Ideensammlung fürs Repertoire der Banjo-Band, ansonsten nette Stammtischatmosphäre mit viel Anekdoten.
Künftig wird der Stammtisch regelmäßig am letzten Mittwoch jeden Monats abgehalten. Treffpunkt
Alter Wirt in München-Ramersdorf,
Aribonenstr. 6,
Beginn 19:30 Uhr
Der 1. Münchner Banjo-Club sucht dringend einen Probenraum für ca. 5-10 Musiker. Sachdienliche Hinweise an Tel. (8034) 309976 oder .Kontakt banjoist@gmx.de
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Early Spring Banjo Fling Brings Hot Jazz and Cool Nostalgia to Mansfield
MANSFIELD, Ma. USA. – If you love a banjo – or the sounds of old time jazz music from Fats Waller to Hoagie Carmichael – you’ll find the beat to your liking at the 15th Annual Early Spring Banjo Fling March 22-25 at the Mansfield Holiday Inn.
The festival of traditional and Dixieland jazz annually attracts hundreds of music devotees from around New England and top professional talent from throughout the U.S. But this year the Stone Street Strummers banjo band, hosts of the jazzfest, are bumping up the tempo by expanding to three full public concerts starring celebrity musicians. All concerts, to be held March 22-24, will be free to the public.
Topping this year’s line-up will be Cynthia Sayer, internationally known jazz banjo player, singer and pianist who has toured with Woody Allen’s jazz band and worked with Hollywood and music stars ranging from Bill Cosby to Wynton Marsalis. Sayer will help kick off the festival Thursday, March 22 as special guest of the Strummers at their opening concert “A Stroll Down Memory Lane.” The concert will begin at 7 p.m.
Sayer will also host her own concert 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at the Holiday Inn’s Buckingham Ballroom.
On Friday, March 23, the Early Spring Banjo Fling will present a concert featuring some of the nation’s top banjo wizards including Jeff Grosser, Mike Hashem, Rob Wright and Seekonk’s Steve Caddick.. The concert, which will begin at 7 p.m., will be capped off by the duo of Kurt Abell and Dave Frey.
Besides affording the public a musical buffet of syncopated treats, the Early Spring Banjo Fling fulfills an educational purpose by hosting a wide range of workshops aimed at amateur and professional musicians. The jazz extravaganza also permits players to participate in nearly continuous jams and to talk shop with celebrities and music and equipment vendors.
On Sunday, the Early Spring Banjo Fling will conclude with a Gospel Hymn A Long and a farewell jam in the hotel’s Mayfair Ballroom.
Stone Street Strummers President Paul Poirier says this year’s Spring Fling promises to be the best-attended event in the series’ 15-year history. The Mansfield Holiday Inn is located at 31 Hampshire St., Mansfield, Ma.
Additional information is available by visiting www.stonestreetstrummers.org or by calling Poirier at 508-399-6808.
The festival of traditional and Dixieland jazz annually attracts hundreds of music devotees from around New England and top professional talent from throughout the U.S. But this year the Stone Street Strummers banjo band, hosts of the jazzfest, are bumping up the tempo by expanding to three full public concerts starring celebrity musicians. All concerts, to be held March 22-24, will be free to the public.
Topping this year’s line-up will be Cynthia Sayer, internationally known jazz banjo player, singer and pianist who has toured with Woody Allen’s jazz band and worked with Hollywood and music stars ranging from Bill Cosby to Wynton Marsalis. Sayer will help kick off the festival Thursday, March 22 as special guest of the Strummers at their opening concert “A Stroll Down Memory Lane.” The concert will begin at 7 p.m.
Sayer will also host her own concert 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at the Holiday Inn’s Buckingham Ballroom.
On Friday, March 23, the Early Spring Banjo Fling will present a concert featuring some of the nation’s top banjo wizards including Jeff Grosser, Mike Hashem, Rob Wright and Seekonk’s Steve Caddick.. The concert, which will begin at 7 p.m., will be capped off by the duo of Kurt Abell and Dave Frey.
Besides affording the public a musical buffet of syncopated treats, the Early Spring Banjo Fling fulfills an educational purpose by hosting a wide range of workshops aimed at amateur and professional musicians. The jazz extravaganza also permits players to participate in nearly continuous jams and to talk shop with celebrities and music and equipment vendors.
On Sunday, the Early Spring Banjo Fling will conclude with a Gospel Hymn A Long and a farewell jam in the hotel’s Mayfair Ballroom.
Stone Street Strummers President Paul Poirier says this year’s Spring Fling promises to be the best-attended event in the series’ 15-year history. The Mansfield Holiday Inn is located at 31 Hampshire St., Mansfield, Ma.
Additional information is available by visiting www.stonestreetstrummers.org or by calling Poirier at 508-399-6808.
