January 15, 2013
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Shaking Down the Acorns

I’ve been listening to this tune because I’ve been trying to play it in my own beginner way on the oil can banjo. It’s played in sawmill, or mountain modal tuning in the key of A. On a regular banjo that would mean playing with a capo on the second fret. The oil can has a shorter neck and is normally tuned to A rather than G so there is no need for a capo. I’ve reached the point this evening in which I can play through the tune no problem…..but way slower than it needs to be played.

Here’s Tim Rowell…

Here it is on fiddle by davidbragger.

January 15, 2013
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Confessing to Oprah

Wouldn’t it be great if we all got a Confessing to Oprah card that could be invoked in the event of messing up in a really really big way? Now I know few of us will even have the opportunity to mess up in a big enough way to cause Oprah to actually hear our confession. It could be a career opportunity for her though, in the event her network fails to survive – a whole new show. And given it will be a reality show, it might even be popular. There could be valuable prizes for best confession of the show…..

January 13, 2013
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Tecumseh Valley

I was surfin around the YouTube machine and stumbled onto this performance of Tecumseh Valley by Townes Van Zandt with Nancy Griffith. This song stops me in my tracks every time I hear it. Sad. Beautiful. Just about perfect.

This is like a desert island song for me…you know, if you could only take 10 songs to the desert island, what would you take? This would be on my list for sure. What’s on your list?

 

January 13, 2013
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311

We had a little basement flooding this morning after loads of rain overnight. Before called an expensive plumber, I decided to call 311 and see if maybe there was a city drain issue causing the problem. Within an hour, there was a City truck at my door. The fellow who came  checked the outside drain and said it was clear. He suggested there was likely a blockage in our drains.

I thought, ok I’m going to have to call in the plumber, which my new friend from the City said, let me take a look…maybe I can plunge it out for you. He brought in a plunging device, inserted it in the drain and in about 4 seconds, it was clear and everything was draining fine.

Let’s give credit where credit is due – 311 worked brilliantly today. The City worker was knowledgeable, fast, and willing to help. I’m very impressed how well the system worked, especially on a Sunday morning!

January 12, 2013
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Finishing up the Blue Jay

DSC01965We’ve just finished up the blue jay mosaic. It has to set for a while before we’ll be able to move it and get a good clean photo, but you can get the idea of what we’ve been up to here. This mosaic is a commission….once it’s set and we get some hanging hardware on it, this is ready to go to its new home.

January 10, 2013
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16 Top Hits

DSC01956At first glance I thought these fine lookin’ clean cut kids were eating raw hot dogs and that the blonde girl was dishing out from the supply on the little table. But no. On closer examination, I can see that the brunette girl and the guy with the nice part in his hair are toasting up hot dogs using hand-held grill-units in the blazing fire, while buddy with the guitar is serenading the group.

I don’t know if you can see the titles or not. Let me share:
White Silver Sands
Sink the Bismark
Summer Set
Don’t throw away all those teardrops
Shazam
Cradle of Love
Madison Time
The Old Lamplighter
Greenfields
I love the way you Love
Let the Little Girl Dance
Teenage Sonata
Clementine
Big Iron
Way of a Clown
Puppy Love

Splendid. On the back, we have some technical data. The recording you have just purchased was made on an Ampex tape recorder, Model 300, with Alter and Telefunken microphones.

The masters were cut on a Scully lathe with Grampion feedback cutter heads driven by specially designed 200 watt amplifier.

Mastering was done with maximum stylus velocity consistent with minimum distortion realizing the ultimate in signal to noise ratio

This recording may be played on any 33 1/3 rpm record playing instrument.

Low Frequency Limit…….16 cpsHigh Frequency Limit..25,000 cps
Crossover……500 cps
Rolloff (my favourite)…13.75 db at 10 kc

This is a long playing high fidelity 33 1/3 rpm record. Unbreakable under normal use. This record should always be kept away from heat and stored in this sleeve. Dust and dirt shold be removed from this record with a lint free cloth.

And now for the important part….the liner notes

Today’s music – the TOP HITS – played as you know and love them!

To dance, to sing, to listen – or to do the dishes! Hit Music!

Gay, sad, sentimental – the novelties, rock ‘n roll and the ballads. Music of many moods – music with a beat – Today’s Hits!

Why does a tune “climb the charts” to become a Top Hit? Of course – the deejays hear it, like it play it. But the tune you “swing with ” is the one they play and play and play!

And the one you like well enough to buy has started up the ladder – to the “top of the charts”!!

So these are the HITS you choose – want most.

TODAY’S FAVORITES TODAY!!!!

Find your own top favorites here on thie LP, recorded for you by the country’s leading vocalists and orchestras in highest fidelity!

January 10, 2013
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Kenojuak Ashevak RIP

Kenojuak Ashevak died Tuesday in Cape Dorset Nunavut at age 85. Perhaps you don’t know her name, but when you visualize what we think of today as  Inuit art, the images you’re thinking of may well have been created by her. Kenojuak had all the honours, from Order of Canada to Walk of Fame. Her most famous image may have been The Enchanted Owl, which was featured on a Canada Post postage stamp in 1970. Many of her works are in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.  The small community in which she lived, Cape Dorset, even became known as the Inuit Art Capital. What a remarkable achievement!

 

January 10, 2013
comment 1

Needle Case

I thought I knew a lot of old time fiddle tunes. After all, I’ve been listening to folk music for a very long time. Lately though, I’ve been listening to the music in a different way, since I’m trying to learn to bash out a few tunes on the oil can banjo.

Needle Case is a song I only recently came across, although it’s clearly a common one in banjo circles. I don’t know anything about the history of the song or how it came to have such a peculiar title. It’s a lovely tune though.

Here are Larry Toto and Gail