5-String, Soprano 4-String, and Fretless Bass Banjos, plus running commentary! ;-)

I made up some of it, borrowed some of it. I hope you like it, and thanks for listening.

Two Old Time tunes, Liza Jane and Hangman's Reel, played in A, based on Brad Kolodner's versions. Recorded in 4 tracks: Clawhammer Banjo (Gold Tone CC-OT) and Guitar bounced to track 1; Bass, track 2; Three-Finger Rhythm Banjo, track 3; Hammered Dulcimer, track 4. Use the headphones/earbuds to pick up the bass.

This song was written after a quick tour through Lawrence, Kansas. The title being the city's motto! Ross Martin on guitar, Mike Brown on upright bass, Brian Geltner on drums.

This is my memory of the song as done by the Deseret String Band. I think there is another verse.

Playing with myself...alone again, naturally... :0)

This is an 'American' version. I learned this from Nancy Neithammer many years ago, and she got it from the playing of an Illinois fiddler whose name, sadly, I've forgotten - if anyone knows please let me enlighten me.

I play it somewhat 'notey', but I've never been able to reduce it to a more spare sound and have it sound right. It *could* be simplified but then it just doesn't sound like itself. Funny how some tunes are like that - they really seem to *want* to be played a certain way...

That high note pull-off in the first part? On the fiddle, it's played as a quick *down* slide then open, and really suggests the plaintive coo of a dove or, well, cuckoo. It isn't clear enough on the banjo so I don't try it.

Part of a series of recordings based on the tablature from the book "Clawhammer Banjo" by Miles Krassen. (Instrument: Bart Reiter Round Peak)

A current favorite. This really is a *fiddle* tune - a lovely and haunting one. Normally I play quite a bit differently when fitting in with another instrument. But instead this is me trying to be a little more accurate with the melody, and trying to sound like the version I heard on Christian Wig's "Lost Indian" CD, and he got it from Melvin Wine of course.

The structure is interesting. AAbAACC is a good guess (though I don't actually start and stop it in those places here). The low 'A' part is played twice, then just three beats for 'b', a short 'howl' (the fiddle plays a low A I don't have on the banjo - unfortunately), then two 'A'-parts again, then the 'C's