Paddy Reilly Bluegrass Jam 2/18/07

Last Sunday I went to the bluegrass jam at Paddy Reilly's. There were more people than ever, including Scott (guitar virtuoso often in Wash Sq Pk), Pete, Dave (dobro), AJ (a singer with a good strong voice), Steve, Tony, Jen, Arthur, Tom and many more. A lot of mandolin players, a couple of banjo players, stand-up bass, accordian.

Steve told me that he will be out next week because he is getting treatment for a slipped disc--I hope it goes well for him.

Some of the songs that others did were:

• Little Birdie
• Angel Wings
• All the World is Lonely Now
• Sing Me Back Home
• Working on a Building (one of Tom's regular songs)
• All the Good Times Are Past and Gone

Pete did "Act Naturally". Pete is learning to play slide guitar (i.e. dobro), which is probably a good move for this group as bluegrass pickers and strummers are a dime a dozen here.

Jen did a version of "Worried Man Blues" ("Carter family version") where the opening line of each verse is repeated twice instead of 3 times. As she says, "It keeps people on their toes".

As for me, I laid low today and tried to work on my timing. I was thinking of attempting Jimmy Martin's "You Don't Know My Mind", but one of the mandolin players beat me to it. There's always next week.

Porch Acoustic Music Group Get-Together 2/11/07

Last Sunday I attended the "Porch Demi/Semi Monthly Gathering". Porch is a group for acoustic musicians (mainly amateur) that has a site on www.meetup.com

Some very nice people there, including a guy named Alan, who plays a nylon string guitar and has some good songs, including an excellent acoustic version of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit".

The leader was Harriet, who is not a musician, but who sings along on most of the songs.

This gathering had a theme, which was songs by women. We were asked to bring music (lyrics and chords) so that other guitar players and singers could follow along. I hardly know any songs by women, and went with "Me and Bobby McGee". I also did Hank Williams' "My Bucket's Got a Hole in it", just for fun mainly. Sometimes it's good to do something simple that everyone can play.

The group went through a bunch of songs, including Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now", 3 or 4 Mary Chapin Carpenter songs, Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "Going Down to Liverpool" by the Bangles. One guy named Ray actually posted 21 songs on the website. Apparently he is a regular at Washington Square Park, but I haven't played with him there yet.

However Jimmy from the park joined the group. He did not lead any songs this time, though he did do a nice lead on "My Bucket's Got A Hole in it", and is good with that riff from "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (For me, this makes the song).

Awesome website: folkstreams.net

I just found this website called folkstreams. It contains a lot of streaming documentary films about "American folk or roots culture". I just watched one by the great Alan Lomax about folk culture in Appalachia, made in 1991. There seem to be hundreds of others that I want to watch.

Here is my problem: too much music to listen too, too many books to read, too many films to watch, too many songs to learn, too many musical instruments to play. I certainly won't be able to get through all of it in this life, so I guess I'll have to come back a few more times. Meantime, I'll just try to enjoy myself.

Brooklyn Open Folk Sing 2/7/07

I took the Martin to Brooklyn to the open folk sing at the ethical culture society. I had told Pete about this, and he showed up along with Jimmy and Dan (Washington Square folks).

I heard a lot of old songs that were new to me, including:
Goodnight and Joy be with You All
Elsie Manley(?)
Good Chowder
Cuckoo's Nest
Bells of Norwich
Whilst Cruising Round Yarmouth
Won't You Come Down to Yarmouth Town

A lot of old traditional songs. Al, a guy who does a lot of sea songs also did "Waltzing Matilda".

Pete did some of the songs I've heard him do in the park:
Greenback Dollar
Buck Owens' Act Naturally
Me and Bobby McGee

There's a young lady at this group who sings very well and knows a lot of songs. She did a couple of standards with Pete after most of the singers had left at the end of the gathering, and I thought they sounded great.

Jimmy did "Baby Let Me Carry You Down" (written by Eric Von Schmidt, who incidentally died last week), and Crosby, Stills and Nash's "Teach Your Children".

I did two songs, "Rambling Boy" and "Whisky in the Jar". I thought they came off pretty well. Everyone seemed to know Rambling Boy, but people seemed to appreciate Whisky in the Jar more.

Al, the sea chanty guy told me that the The Folk Music Society of New York (AKA Pinewoods), also has a monthly sea chanty sing-along. I would like to take a look.

Superbowl Sunday

I was away in Washington for most of the weekend (Happy Birthday, Aunt Zelda). No bluegrass jam this weekend.

I did get through a good chunk of WC Handy's autobiography while riding on Amtrak. An excellent read--I'm almost finished.

Got home and watched Indianopolis whip Chicago, and heard Prince do the half-time show. He performed well in the pouring rain. In one song he employed the services of two marching bands as his horn section. He played electric guitar very loud, with a rythm section behind him: drums, bass and keyboards. Some nice leads.

So a couple of things lined up for the coming week. First is the Pinewoods open folk sing in Brooklyn on Wednesday evening. I am thinking of working up "Otto Wood the Bandit" for this (some practice is required, and maybe some printed lyrics for folks?). I would like to come up with a couple of more songs that people will know. Maybe "Whiskey in the Jar"?

Then on Sunday morning at 11am, there is get-together by an acoustic music group that Peter Bud turned me onto. The coordinator is suggesting that everyone come prepared with a song that is either written or performed by a woman. I realize that I hardly do anything that was written by a woman. I'm thinking maybe I can slide by with Me & Bobby McGee. It was written by Kris Kristofferson, but the most famous and well-regarded version was done by Janis Joplin. Or maybe something by the Carter Family. Anyway, I'll come up with something.

Then of course there is the bluegrass jam which is every Sunday afternoon at 5pm.

This evening I played through a few songs from my book that I haven't done in a while:
John Prine's Angel from Montgomery
The City of New Orleans (written by Steve Goodman, I know Arlo Guthrie's version)
Dylan's It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
La Llorona
Bille Joe Shaver's Old Five and Dimers Like Me (I know 2 versions: Waylon Jennings and Jerry Jeff Walker)
The Patriot Game (Dominic Behan)
REM's Rockville (well, it's not really there yet, but I could do it with a little practice)
Summer Wages by Ian Tyson
Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot (I made some nice progress on this song, timing-wise especially)
This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
Who'll Stop the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival