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OHIO-HAOLE
Akahai
USA
86 Posts |
 Posted - 02/27/2005 : 10:58:46 AM
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 Wild...a friend came over the other day and played some delta blues...and he taught me a song by Mississippi John Hurt...(who I think was great)...and it struck me how he did not read music and was self taught..it was "My Creole Belle"...catchy tune ..like all of Hurts songs...but what struck me most was I noticed how he uses those alternating bass strings. Wonder if he ever heard Slack key where he was from down south? Probably not in those days!
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2005 : 07:31:21 AM
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I still have a picture of Missippi John in my music notebook, next to the tab for his "Worried Blues". Almost all of the remaing tunes in that book are Hawaiian. Lots of the southern blues folks used alternating bass just like kihoalu. Lots of the (even older) Spanish music does the same. It seems that it is an obvious way to get some bass accompanyment to play melody against if you are a solo player. To me, the main differences between all the alternating bass styles are the keys chosen (minor vs major), the rhythms chosen, and how far off the beat one syncopates (which amounts to the same thing).
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 02/28/2005 07:32:37 AM |
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Auntie Nancy
`Olu`olu
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2005 : 09:26:52 AM
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Eh Lawrence -
Is that the song that starts "It takes a worried man to sing a worried song....."?
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nancy cook |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2005 : 6:46:34 PM
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Nope....
I thought folks would get confused. It's kind of like Ku'u Lei Awapuhi in that it easily gets confused with K'u Lei Awapuhi Melemele.
The one you are thinking of was done popularly by The Weavers, if I am not mistaken.
This one goes: "I've got those worried blues, oh, I got those worried blues. I got those worried blues... oh my lord.
With a different melody, of course.
I learned it from an Tab arrangement by Stephan Grosman that was published by Happy Traum (Homespun).
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 03/01/2005 07:30:14 AM |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2005 : 08:29:24 AM
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| For the record, "it takes a worried man,...." was orginally done by the Sara, A.P. and Maybell Carter. Woddy Guthrie helped spread the tune's popularity and that's where the Weavers' most likely picked it up. |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2005 : 09:25:10 AM
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Also for the record, John Hurt was an exponent of the Piedmont style, quite far removed from Delta blues. Piedmont style was strongly influenced by parlor guitar styles of the 19th century and featured an alternating bass at its core. Delta blues more often used a monotonic bass, a figured bass, or no separate bass at all. Robert Johnson is the most well known Delta blues player, along with Son House before him and early Muddy Waters after.
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2005 : 10:49:59 AM
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quote:
For the record, "it takes a worried man,...." was orginally done by the Sara, A.P. and Maybell Carter.
Yep, good to know it was another Carter song, I guessed it was not originated by the Weavers, though they did get a lot of airplay with it.
quote:
John Hurt was an exponent of the Piedmont style, quite far removed from Delta blues. Piedmont style was strongly influenced by parlor guitar styles of the 19th century and featured an alternating bass at its core.
Of course, I never said John was a Delta Blues guy and I sure do like that there alternating bass.
(But I need to work on some of those little "lakefish run" things to spruce it up some).
Course'em thar lowdown yankees probleee dough't know fer swamp nor holler. 
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 03/01/2005 11:04:42 AM |
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Bwop
Lokahi
USA
244 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2005 : 2:56:09 PM
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E Brer Lawrence,
How yo symptoms seem to segastuate dis mawin'? John was a slide player-- "... that slidin' delta, run right past my do, gonna leave her honey, ain't commin' back no mo'...". Born 'n bred in da briarpatch. Come-on to da taro patch. |
Bwop |
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OHIO-HAOLE
Akahai
USA
86 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2005 : 01:31:21 AM
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| Oh my...! anyway..yes this friend could really play good delta blues the cool old stuff...Robert Johnson, Son House, Charlie Patton and also the Piedmont stuff like Rev. Gary Davis... Hurt...and even the more updated Chephas and Wiggins stuff...but I really think his voice could be a bit more "blues" sounding if there is such a thing he sounds too pop-rock when he sings! Plays a good harp too. Interesting I heard Chephas can't read music either...I only know a few slack key tunes and all instrumental...thank God cause my voice ain't the greatest! the whole thing whether piedmont or slack key I feel no matter what tuning your in , that alternating bass rhythm adds alot of depth and beauty to a tune! more like playing piano on the guitar! |
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Auntie Nancy
`Olu`olu
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2005 : 05:53:26 AM
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aloha Ken -
an lot of folk music from the '50s and '60s use the alternating base while plucking the top 3 strings - it's 5, 4 and then for the 7th, you drop to 6. 4. also, lead in's, runs etc, all done on base strings - just the opposite of slack key.
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nancy cook |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2005 : 11:45:22 AM
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Ken,
Since you're a fellow Buckeye hopefully you've had the chance to catch Robert Lockwood, Jr., at any of his many gigs around Cleveland. Mr. Lockwood is the step-son of Robert Johnson, hence the "Jr." If you haven't caught him check the Plain Dealer. He's often at Fat Fish Blue or the Savannah. |
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OHIO-HAOLE
Akahai
USA
86 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2005 : 11:53:48 AM
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| Aloha Mark (POPS) ...yes thanks...I have had the pleasure of meeting Robert Lockwood JR. on at least two occasions.He's a legend and a real nice guy. Saw him both times at fat fish blue. Funny though I really remember I almost got drunk just talkin to him! He puts a lot of whiskey away at times when he's playin...but what the heck he's in his 80's! Most people round here just don't know what a legend he is! I love his acoustic cd full of Johnson tunes I think he does CCrider really cool. |
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OHIO-HAOLE
Akahai
USA
86 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2005 : 04:33:19 AM
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| Oh WOW!...just found out Robert Lockwood Jr. turns 90 this month! |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2005 : 6:26:40 PM
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| John Hurt was an anomaly--Piedmont style in ol' Miss. Early blues guitar was alos influenced by old-time 5-string banjo. Low bass open G has been found in 400 year old German lute tab. |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2005 : 9:23:52 PM
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So, don't know if it's related, but why start now...
Keith Richards and the boys were fans of the American blues...and Keith did a lot of stuff in open G...
So does that make "Honky Tonk Woman" a candidate for a Slack key tune?
Interesting how they get the minor mode so strong in blues, while the Hawaiian music leans towards a more major vibe, yet both hung around "taropatch" tunings.
Course, have you ever been through the back roads of Mississippi in July?
The earth and environment affect our soul and its manifestations.
Got Kudzu?
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 03/30/2005 : 03:10:38 AM
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Just a funny factoid: IIRC, Richards never used the 6th (bass) string while in Open G.
...Reid |
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