1) Went to the coffee shop after looking at the house that I'm putting a bid on, and realized that I didn't have any cash. Dude was like "You live around here" and I was like "Nah." He asked if I worked around there and I said I didn't but my wife did. He was like "Just drop it off next time you're around the way."
2) Got off the train and walked down the street bopping to this until some teenager runs up from behind me and grabs my arm. I turn around and he's panting saying "Hey man, you dropped your phone back there." Some little old lady comes up, carrying my Blackberry over a block out her way to give it to me.
What's good in YOUR hood?
This reminds me of a recent check presentation ($10,000) I was heading to on behalf of my non-profit about a month ago. I slipped on an icy road and ended up in a ditch completely scared shitless that I wasn't going to get to the presentation on time--NAGL.
I got desperate and walked out to the middle of the road waving my arms and people swerved around me like "f*ck outta the way fool!" until one dude pulls up in an older model Acura MDX and offers me a ride--turns out he had just dropped off his wife where I was headed (!)
After the presentation, I ask one of the patron's assistants to drive me to my car, and by the time I get there, the cops are on the scene. I tell them what happened and they call a tow truck for me and tell me it'll be 45 mins-1hour. I sit in my car to keep out of the sub zero weather and text msg the wife while waiting for a tow...
Not 10 minutes later, a dude in a 30 foot flat bed truck hauling insulation stops to see if I'm okay, which I was, other than being a little cold. He had a winch on his truck and tells me he'll get me out, and he did less than 5 minutes later. I must have thanked him 100 times...
On the drive home, the kindness of those strangers nearly moved me to tears.
1) I have amazing people in my life and get happy/excited when i think about this (which is often)
2) I love where i live to death and all the options there are for fun/entertainment to do with said amazing people
3) I lost 7lbs of flub in the last few weeks and am in the best shape in a long time due to active living and lots of motivation
4) I'm going to Europe for 3 weeks soon!! WTF?
5) I work for great people, got a great performance review, much needed raise AND because i did my job so well, I got beyond the maximum for the bonus (135%) which i NEEDS for Europe.
Not having one complaint in my life is a new surreal feeling for me and i often feel overwhelmed with feelings of love and gratitude these days. I feel like such a damn hippie for saying that but oh well. Seems i'm always excited these days and looking forward to big and small things and that positivity is a unique and rare thing to me.
Eighties synthpop band ABC will be performing their debut album ???The Lexicon of Love??? in its entirety. The album which features ???Poison Arrow??? and ???The Look of Love??? will be backed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and will be conducted by musician and composer Anne Dudley (who was the keyboard player and arranger on The Lexicon of Love) and introduced by Trevor Horn.
but this IS[/b]:
Wednesday, 8 April 2009 ABC THE LEXICON OF LOVE ROYAL ALBERT HALL ??38.50 - ??93.50 6 TICKETs LEFT
Wonders out loud: perhaps some other London strutters fancy chipping in with me and laying out for a box...
THIS album. I keep going back to this one for some reason. Its one of my favorites. I guess at the time of its release people just didn't "Get it" and these recordings were a failure, and Jabbo and his music sort of went into obscurity. These days he's enjoyed a bit of a comeback though. I love the weirdo singing, and the "scat" singing instead of an actual chorus or verse on one of the songs. and Ikey Robinson just KILLS it on the banjo. His rhythm backings are hot, but when he solos he just KILLS IT. I like the laid back tempo of most of the songs... the bluesey sound... I could listen to this over and over, and I pretty much do. SO GOOD.
6) being warm and cozy inside while it rains heavily outside all night
7) having a good night's sleep mainly because sound of rain pitter-patter is like taking sleeping pills aurally and is comforting to me
8) bike rides to and from home on clear days/nights and seeing friendly familiar faces on the way
9) portable music in the ears on bike rides, walks, daily commute - so necessary!
10) playing music is a high even though i'm not very good. slowing down favorite songs in audacity to figure out drum parts and playing along is a fun way to kill idle time almost like figuring out a crossword puzzle or word jumble to me
11) a good breakfast and damn fine cup of coffee to start the day [/agent cooper]
Also, PES is not BS. PES is brilliant. I've watched this several times the past week or so
if somebody quotes this then the video will appear. It's Jabbo Smith and the Rhythm Aces. At about 1:30 Ikey Robinson does a littel banjo solo. But those whole time in the background you can here him doing little things. Like in the main descending chromatic theme he does a full-chord tremelo, varying the dynamics even, and even a single string tremelo is something I struggle with, much less the whole chord, and the to be able to adjust the volume at the same time is just badass.
So, having never myself played a banjo (but having strummed about everything else out there), please speak on the following:
Is it possible to shred on banjo? Is it possible to even bend a string? Who's the current EVH of the instrument? Is 5 string better than 4? Bass banjo? Is Gibson the main maker? What is the most revered brand? How much is a top end banjo these days? Lastly: fingernails or plectrii?
Lumin lining up a gig for me in Miami even though he had never met me or heard me spin. Danno 3000 sending a Cuban raer my way after letting him sleep on our couch. Moogman showing me every spot (almost) in Sao Paulo. Nitekrawler, Secret Chimp, Fatback, Birdman, D-Mac, Meistro, Noz and all the other DC stutters I know and work with. Soulstrut.
So, having never myself played a banjo (but having strummed about everything else out there), please speak on the following:
Is it possible to shred on banjo?
Yes. And the notes don't carry the sustain that a guitar note does, so I would say that one would have to shred even HARDER.
Is it possible to even bend a string?
Yes. But it doesn't sound cool like on a guitar.
Who's the current EVH of the instrument?
I had to think about this, before I realized that you were talking about Eddie Van Halen. Anyways, I would say Buddy Wachter or Tim Allan for 4 string, and I don't know for 5 string, I don't really listen to 5 string banjo music.
Is 5 string better than 4?
HELL NO. Unless you play the 5 string. But here is Bix's banjo player playing a 5-string... You'll notice that he took the 5th string off, which was common back then. If you wanted to use a pick (or "plectrum" as they called it) the 5th string would get in the way. Using a pick would make the banjo loud enough to not get drowned out in the band. So some jazz banjo players would get rid of the 5th sting. Banjo companies eventually would just make the banjo without the first string in the first place and called it a "Plectrum Banjo".
Gut strings were replaced with steel strings a the neck was shorted (all of this was done to back the banjo louder) and the Tenor Banjo was born. Thats what I play. After the banjo fell out of style in jazz, and the guitar became popular, some guitar companys made a "tenor guitar" which was basically a guitar with a tenor banjo neck so that banjo players wouldn't have to learn a new intstrument.
Some musicians started out as guitar players and when they made the switch to banjo they tuned it to what's called "Chicago Tuning" which is the same as a guitar tuning.
or... some people, like Danny Barker, just played a 6 string banjo instead: You see the neck on his banjo? Looks like a guitar, right?
By the 40s banjo was out of style. There were no American companies even making banjos anymore.
Both tenor and plectum banjos are still popular with Trad Jazz and so-called "Dixieland" style players.
With the "folk revival" of the 60s the 5 string banjo and hillbilly music started to come back in style. and after the Beverly Hillbillies, Bonnie and Clyde, and especially Deliverance, the banjo is now permanantly associated with Hillbillies and Bluegrass music. Most people have no idea that the banjo used to be a jazz instrument, and that plenty of black musicians played the banjo.
But H.E. Minor would disagree with that:
Bass banjo?
It exists. So does cello banjo and ukelele banjo (banjolele) and all sorts of other banjos.
Is Gibson the main maker? What is the most revered brand?
No. I would say Deering banjos are the most popular. They are made here in San Diego, and the "budget" models sound really good. The most "revered" banjos aren't necissarily by "Brand" but by when they were made. "Pre-war" banjos are those made before WWII, and they supposedly sound the best. Bacon and Day and Vega Little Wonders are 2 popular sought after models. I would like to own one of those but I don't have the money to buy one or restore one. One of these days, maybe. These days Deering owns the Vega name and makes Little Wonder "re-issues".
How much is a top end banjo these days?
3-4 thousand.
Lastly: fingernails or plectrii?
I use a .73 dunlop pick. I need to go buy some more. Although I will strum with my thumb when the baby is sleeping.
Thats not a cutaway, thats the 5 string. The 5th string is a high pitched little string that sits above the regular 4 strings. That little white thing is its own tuner.
Stewart's a hack, but the "f&ck you!" at the end is priceless.
I know it's fun to hate on J. Stewart around here, but I love the guy. One trick pony? Yup. But, he does that trick well, and he's become the most important media watchdog in the country, along with his writers and editorial staff.
Easy targets? Yes. But, he puts that information into more living rooms in one night, than all the thinktanks do in one year.
1) Good friend Brent Tactic crashing at my place for a few days... Haven't seen him since his wedding 3 1/2 years ago. Already getting caught up on all the missed Madden time.
2) Getting my company to pay for me to hit SXSW this year AND sneaking in a 2 day pre-party at my parents crib in Dallas (along with the hommie Delay and a couple other goons) AND getting to visit my 6 moth old nephew in the same trip.
3) Got Friday off, basically making Thursday into Friday.
4) New Grizzly Bear album.
These things are all NOT BULLSHIT.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
This old photo of a couple of my cousins with their friends is clearly not bullshit...
Comments
This is lacking a tumbling Shig.
This reminds me of a recent check presentation ($10,000) I was heading to on behalf of my non-profit about a month ago. I slipped on an icy road and ended up in a ditch completely scared shitless that I wasn't going to get to the presentation on time--NAGL.
I got desperate and walked out to the middle of the road waving my arms and people swerved around me like "f*ck outta the way fool!" until one dude pulls up in an older model Acura MDX and offers me a ride--turns out he had just dropped off his wife where I was headed (!)
After the presentation, I ask one of the patron's assistants to drive me to my car, and by the time I get there, the cops are on the scene. I tell them what happened and they call a tow truck for me and tell me it'll be 45 mins-1hour. I sit in my car to keep out of the sub zero weather and text msg the wife while waiting for a tow...
Not 10 minutes later, a dude in a 30 foot flat bed truck hauling insulation stops to see if I'm okay, which I was, other than being a little cold. He had a winch on his truck and tells me he'll get me out, and he did less than 5 minutes later. I must have thanked him 100 times...
On the drive home, the kindness of those strangers nearly moved me to tears.
2) I love where i live to death and all the options there are for fun/entertainment to do with said amazing people
3) I lost 7lbs of flub in the last few weeks and am in the best shape in a long time due to active living and lots of motivation
4) I'm going to Europe for 3 weeks soon!! WTF?
5) I work for great people, got a great performance review, much needed raise AND because i did my job so well, I got beyond the maximum for the bonus (135%) which i NEEDS for Europe.
Not having one complaint in my life is a new surreal feeling for me and i often feel overwhelmed with feelings of love and gratitude these days. I feel like such a damn hippie for saying that but oh well. Seems i'm always excited these days and looking forward to big and small things and that positivity is a unique and rare thing to me.
Yes your not wondering, but that is Louisville in thee forefront.
Brooklynradio.net isn't bullshit.
Wednesday 8 April 2009 at 7:30pm
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
London SW7 2A
United Kingdom
Show on Map
Web: www.royalalberthall.com/
Eighties synthpop band ABC will be performing their debut album ???The Lexicon of Love??? in its entirety. The album which features ???Poison Arrow??? and ???The Look of Love??? will be backed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and will be conducted by musician and composer Anne Dudley (who was the keyboard player and arranger on The Lexicon of Love) and introduced by Trevor Horn.
but this IS[/b]:
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
ABC THE LEXICON OF LOVE ROYAL ALBERT HALL ??38.50 - ??93.50 6 TICKETs LEFT
Wonders out loud: perhaps some other London strutters fancy chipping in with me and laying out for a box...
THIS IS TRUTH. I saw Van Morrison perform Astral Weeks in its entirety on Friday. It was NOT bullshit.
THIS album. I keep going back to this one for some reason. Its one of my favorites. I guess at the time of its release people just didn't "Get it" and these recordings were a failure, and Jabbo and his music sort of went into obscurity. These days he's enjoyed a bit of a comeback though. I love the weirdo singing, and the "scat" singing instead of an actual chorus or verse on one of the songs. and Ikey Robinson just KILLS it on the banjo. His rhythm backings are hot, but when he solos he just KILLS IT. I like the laid back tempo of most of the songs... the bluesey sound... I could listen to this over and over, and I pretty much do. SO GOOD.
I need to contemplate this for a few moments
6) being warm and cozy inside while it rains heavily outside all night
7) having a good night's sleep mainly because sound of rain pitter-patter is like taking sleeping pills aurally and is comforting to me
8) bike rides to and from home on clear days/nights and seeing friendly familiar faces on the way
9) portable music in the ears on bike rides, walks, daily commute - so necessary!
10) playing music is a high even though i'm not very good. slowing down favorite songs in audacity to figure out drum parts and playing along is a fun way to kill idle time almost like figuring out a crossword puzzle or word jumble to me
11) a good breakfast and damn fine cup of coffee to start the day [/agent cooper]
Also, PES is not BS. PES is brilliant. I've watched this several times the past week or so
if somebody quotes this then the video will appear. It's Jabbo Smith and the Rhythm Aces. At about 1:30 Ikey Robinson does a littel banjo solo. But those whole time in the background you can here him doing little things. Like in the main descending chromatic theme he does a full-chord tremelo, varying the dynamics even, and even a single string tremelo is something I struggle with, much less the whole chord, and the to be able to adjust the volume at the same time is just badass.
<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="
At about 7:20 "Sleepy Time Blues" is playing, and he does that weird singing thing. I love it.
This isn't probably most folks' cup of tea, but I LOVE IT.
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Is it possible to shred on banjo?
Is it possible to even bend a string?
Who's the current EVH of the instrument?
Is 5 string better than 4?
Bass banjo?
Is Gibson the main maker? What is the most revered brand?
How much is a top end banjo these days?
Lastly: fingernails or plectrii?
Do you really need to see Banjo Boy's solo face to know what's really real?
Danno 3000 sending a Cuban raer my way after letting him sleep on our couch.
Moogman showing me every spot (almost) in Sao Paulo.
Nitekrawler, Secret Chimp, Fatback, Birdman, D-Mac, Meistro, Noz and all the other DC stutters I know and work with.
Soulstrut.
Yes. But it doesn't sound cool like on a guitar.
I had to think about this, before I realized that you were talking about Eddie Van Halen. Anyways, I would say Buddy Wachter or Tim Allan for 4 string, and I don't know for 5 string, I don't really listen to 5 string banjo music.
HELL NO. Unless you play the 5 string. But here is Bix's banjo player playing a 5-string...
You'll notice that he took the 5th string off, which was common back then. If you wanted to use a pick (or "plectrum" as they called it) the 5th string would get in the way. Using a pick would make the banjo loud enough to not get drowned out in the band. So some jazz banjo players would get rid of the 5th sting. Banjo companies eventually would just make the banjo without the first string in the first place and called it a "Plectrum Banjo".
Gut strings were replaced with steel strings a the neck was shorted (all of this was done to back the banjo louder) and the Tenor Banjo was born. Thats what I play. After the banjo fell out of style in jazz, and the guitar became popular, some guitar companys made a "tenor guitar" which was basically a guitar with a tenor banjo neck so that banjo players wouldn't have to learn a new intstrument.
Some musicians started out as guitar players and when they made the switch to banjo they tuned it to what's called "Chicago Tuning" which is the same as a guitar tuning.
or... some people, like Danny Barker, just played a 6 string banjo instead:
You see the neck on his banjo? Looks like a guitar, right?
By the 40s banjo was out of style. There were no American companies even making banjos anymore.
Both tenor and plectum banjos are still popular with Trad Jazz and so-called "Dixieland" style players.
With the "folk revival" of the 60s the 5 string banjo and hillbilly music started to come back in style. and after the Beverly Hillbillies, Bonnie and Clyde, and especially Deliverance, the banjo is now permanantly associated with Hillbillies and Bluegrass music. Most people have no idea that the banjo used to be a jazz instrument, and that plenty of black musicians played the banjo.
But H.E. Minor would disagree with that:
It exists. So does cello banjo and ukelele banjo (banjolele) and all sorts of other banjos.
No. I would say Deering banjos are the most popular. They are made here in San Diego, and the "budget" models sound really good. The most "revered" banjos aren't necissarily by "Brand" but by when they were made. "Pre-war" banjos are those made before WWII, and they supposedly sound the best. Bacon and Day and Vega Little Wonders are 2 popular sought after models. I would like to own one of those but I don't have the money to buy one or restore one. One of these days, maybe. These days Deering owns the Vega name and makes Little Wonder "re-issues".
3-4 thousand.
I use a .73 dunlop pick. I need to go buy some more. Although I will strum with my thumb when the baby is sleeping.
I also note the cutaway on the fretboard below fret 6, which would deny the player access to the most profundo notes. Wild.
I go to the store, ask if they mind if I take a few, they say no, and I walk away with them. Like after dinner mints in an Indian restaurant.
Even mild thumb carressing (pasue) on a guitar in the dead of a still night will be carried throughout the house. Get thee a garden hideout man....
EDIT: A bass banjo.
Not very rock n roll
b/w
I know it's fun to hate on J. Stewart around here, but I love the guy. One trick pony? Yup. But, he does that trick well, and he's become the most important media watchdog in the country, along with his writers and editorial staff.
Easy targets? Yes. But, he puts that information into more living rooms in one night, than all the thinktanks do in one year.
I felt like I needed a cigarette after watching that last night. Brilliant.
2) Was looking for that Dennis Coffey 'Its Your Thing' 7" and found it in my favorite recordstore today.
3) My momma is cooking something really nice for me right NOW (i dont what but anyway
2) Getting my company to pay for me to hit SXSW this year AND sneaking in a 2 day pre-party at my parents crib in Dallas (along with the hommie Delay and a couple other goons) AND getting to visit my 6 moth old nephew in the same trip.
3) Got Friday off, basically making Thursday into Friday.
4) New Grizzly Bear album.
These things are all NOT BULLSHIT.
NOT BULLSHIT!!