Esarry Mason: Diaz Recital Reviewed Frets In France Ka~ama

THE WORLD'S

OLDEST FRETTED INSTRUMENT

MAGAZINE

-

FIRST PUBLISHED ' IN 1903

DIAZRECITAL REVIEWED FRETSIN FRANCE BENNYKA~AMA VISTAESPANOLA BANJO• MANDOLIN eGUITAR

VOL. 73

No. 852

•

APRIL

1976

ESARRYMASON See page /94

•

JOp

COMPLETE LISTOF AVAILABLE

Plectrum Guitar Solos •T his List gives the titles of ALL Solos available at the present timee

Although every solo shown below is avc1ilable at the time this lh.t was com piled , printing d ifficulties today may mean that certain solos aro rep rintin g. When ordering IT IS ADVISABLE TO GIVE SECOND AND THIRD CHOIC~.

A-Easy

8 A A B l3 A A B A A A A 8 A

A 8 A B B

A B B B B B A B A B B B B B

A A A B B A B A B B A A B A R C ll R

A

8-Moderale

C-Diflieult

A Media Luz ...... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ......... arr. Geoff Sisley Album l.e,i f (Schurn/lnn) ... . . .... .. arr . Vi nce Miller Allcgreuo (Carulli ) .. ... ...... ....... a rr. Chr is Spcdding Amblin ' Pete . ... .. ......... .. ..... ..... ... Andre de Ve key Andante (Carulli) . .. . . ...... . ......... arr. Chr is Spcdd in g Andanlino, Op. 31 No. 5 (Sor) ..... . .. .. .. a rr. Do rward Ay, Ay, Ay .......... .. .. ................... arr. Vince Miller Barcarolle ... ........ ....... ... ... ... ...... arr. Loui s Gallo Believe Mc, If All Those Endearing Young Charms .. .... (Finger or P lec1rum) arr . Loui s Gallo Blue Danube (Strauss) .. .. . .. ... ........ arr. Geoff Sisley Blue Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geoff Sisley Blue Hues . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A. Ney & GeolT Sisley Blue Rays .. ... . ...... . .. .. ......... .. . .... ..... Ramon Gallo O1mp Fire Sere nad e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GeolT Sisley Camp Fire Songs (Ha llelujah, I'm a Buml•rnnkie & Johnny) .... .. ........ ... arr. V ince Miller Caprice . .... ...... . ..... .... ...... ...... ...... . .. .. . Terry Usher Ci1rm e h1 ... . ..... . .. ... ...... ............. .. arr. Vince Miller Carmineua .... .. ............ .. ....... ......... Angy Palumbo Carnival of Venice (w it h variations) ... ar r. Louis Gallo Cielilo Lindo ....... .. .................... . arr. Vince Miller Chicken Barbecue ..... ... .... .......... ..... Chris Spedding Chordially Yours ..... ..... .. ............. ... .. Louis Gallo Cornflower Blue . ... .. ...... ............ Dundas K. Bed nail Cosa La lino .... .. ....... ... ...... .. ... ........... . Ray Gallo Daviil of The White Rock ..... .... ... arr. Vince Miller F:! Cefiro (The Breeze) .. .......... . ..... arr. Vince M iller F.I Choclo (Villoldo) ...... . . .. ......... . . arr. Vince Miller El Cubo (B. W . Dykes) . ..... ..... . arr . M. Hodgkinson Elcgie (Les Erinnyes) (Massenet) .. . ... arr . Johnny Kent Flal Top Boogie .... . ............ . .. .. ..... C hri s Spcdding Flight of the Bop Bee .... ... ........ ..... .... L ouis Gallo Fr.rnkie and Johnny Blues (C. & W . style) .... .. .. . ... ......... arr . Chris Spedding Gallovanting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . Loui s Gallo Gavotle (Bach) ..... .. ....... . . .. .. .......... arr. Louis Gallo Gesture .... ........ . .... .... .................. Andre de Ve key Giddy Guitar ... ..... ...... ... ...... .. .. arr. Ch ri s Spcding Gilana Mia (D ykes) ... .. . .. .... . ... . .... ... arr. Milvcr ton Greensleeves . . .......... ... .. .......... arr. Chris Spcdding Guilana .. .. . .. ... .. . . . ......... . .. .. . ... . . . . ..... . . . .. ... . A . Ne y Guitar Boogie Shuffle (A rt hur Smith) ... . . .. . ... . ... .. . . . .. . arr. R. Co li cchi o Guilarrila ........... .. .. . .. . ........... . ... . .. . . ... Louis Gallo Gvns:v Guilar . .. ..... ....... .... . . ... . .. . .. . ... .. Louis Gall .o Harris in Wonderland .. .... ... ... .. . . . .. .. Albert Harris Hava Nagilla ...... ....... .. ..... ...... .. .. arr. Louis G all o Home on th e Range .... ..... . .. ...... arr. v .ince Miller Hone v Blonde . .. . .. . . . ... .. . .. . .. .. ... .. Dunda s K. Bednall Hot Copners ... . ... . .. ......... . ......... ............ Al Shaw I'll Take Yon Home Again Kathleen arr. Vince Miller Jn Lnnguid Mood (A Tr ibute to Rddie Lang) ... .. . ...... .. . Lon is Gallo Introduction and Valse .... ........ .. ... . Andr e de Vekey Island Serenade ....... ......... .............. An!!v Palumbo Jeannie Wilh the Light Brown Hair ... arr . Vince Mill e r

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l3 Jug of Ale, A ... ............. ......... ... . . arr. A La Borrachill1 (Es pe ro n) ...... ..... .... arr . A La Chaparril a (Mexican Song) .... .. ... arr. A La Cucaracha (Mexican Song) ..... .. .. arr.

Lo u is Gallo 20 GeoH Sis ley 20 U cofl' Sisley 20 V ince Miller 20 /\ La Gohmdrina (The Swallow) .. .. .. ... arr . Geoff Sis ley 20 A La Guilana (Tango) ....... .. ..... ..... .... .... Geoff Sisley 20 II Lazy Moments ........ ... ... .. ...... ........ A n gy Pa lumbo 20 B Lii.:ht Stuff ..... .... .. .... ...... .. ..... ........ .. . Vince Miller 20 i\ Londonderry Air .. ... ....... ... ... .. ... .... arr. Louis Gallo 20 A Lou is' Blue Boogie ...... .. .. . . .... ...... .. .. . Louis Gallo 20 B Lourc (J. S. Bach) . .. ... . .. .. .... ...... arr. C hri s Spcdding 20 ll Lullaby (Brahms) .... ....... ........... .. arr. Louis Gallo 20 ll Malai.:ucna (Lecuona) . ... .. . . .. . . .. . arr. Roland Harker 25 B Marc.:iclla Espagnol . . . . ..... Angy Palumbo 20 A Melody in F (Rubinstein) ... .. . .. .. .... . arr. Geoff Si-sley 20 A Mexican Hal Dance ... .... .. ... .. .. .... . arr. L o u is Gallo 20 /\ Minuc1 from 'Berenice' ... ..... ... ....... arr. Geoff Sisley 20 A ·i\fonwn 1 Musical (Schubert) ... . . . ar r. A ndre de Vekcy 20 /\ Muongluw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . Geoff Sisley 20 /\ My llonny ... ........ .... .. ......... .. ...... . arr. Lou is G allo 20 B Ni,rc.: issus , ... , .. .. .. .. . .. . . .. .. ... .... .. .. .. .. .. . . . .... .. Nevin 20 II N(•urly llluc ... ... ..... .. ..... ............ ....... .. Bert Bass e tt 20 A Nocturne (C hopin) ... (finger o r PJ.::c trum) arr. L. Gallo 20 A Oh! llo vs Carry Mc 'Lo ng (Fos ter ) . . , arr. Vinc e Miller 20 A Pnlm Trees .. ...... .. .. .... .. .... .. ......... ... . .. Geoff Si-sley 20 A Purly \-V11ll:r . ..... . .. . . .. . ..... ... .... ... . .. . ... . An gy Pal um b o 20 A Pcnclo11e .... . ..... ... ... .. .... ............. . Angy Palumb o 20 B l'clilc Soubrcllc .. .. .. .... .. ... ... .... , .... Andre de Vekey 20 A Plainsm:111,The .... ... ......... .... ... ..... ... . Ju dd Pr oc tor 25 H l'rclmlcs Nos. 7 mul 20 (Chopin) . . . . .. arr. Louis Ga ll o 20 B Prelude CRach111anir10ff) ......... .. . .. arr. Geoff S isley 20 A Rcsi~!mltion (Tani.:o) (D 'Orrcz) ...... a rr. Vince Miller 20 A Rc, ·crie llluc .~ ........ .. ..... ... ... ............ R. A. nrad ficld 20 B lfockct in Orhil ... ..... ..... .... .. ... .......... . Loui s Gallo 20 B ROl·kini.:ihe Minors .. .... ... .... .... ..... .. Angy Palumbo 20 B Rondo (Paganini) ... ... . . . .. . . . .... ...... a rr. Lo u is Ga llo 20 A Sanla l.m:ia ... ... ........ .... .... ... .. ...... a rr. Louis Gallo 20 B Sc~oviana .... ..... .... ... ... ... ... ..... ..... .. ..... A . P a lumb o 20 H Serenade (Schuhcrt) .... . .. .. . ...... . . arr. Rol a nd Hark e r 20 11 Sl1e'll Re Co min' Rouml lhc Mountain arr. L o u is Ga ll o 20 A She'll Re Comin' Round lhe Mountain a rr. Vince Miller 20 A Slumber Song (-Middlelon) .... .. ...... arr . Geoff Si sley 20 n Soliloquv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Usher 20 B Sorin!? Fever .... .. .. .. .. .... ........... .. .. .. ... Jvor M ai ran !6 25 R Stenhan,e Gavotte (Czibulka) arr . Michael Hodgkinson 20 Tl Sulton Mulfon ... . . ... .. .... .... ...... .. . ... . ..... Ca rl K ress 20 Tl .Swnnce River (V>1ried) .. .. .. .... . . . .... .. .. . . . Lou is Gallo 20 A Sweet ani'I Low (Barn by) . .. .... .... ... . arr . Vince Miller 20 A Take ii F:asv .. .. . . . ... . . . .. . .. .. . .. . . A. Pa lu mbo 20 Tl T aneo Del Coraeon ... . . . . ....... Lou is Gallo 20 R Teenam! Guitar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . Be rt Weedon 25 Tl Three Blinrl Mice ffrnnsn iption) . . .. . ... . . . . .. . Al Shaw 20 A. There is a Tavern in fhe Tow n . . .. . .. . . arr . Loni~ G 'lll o 10 Tl Tir.?er Rtg ... . ....... . ... .... ... .. . .. .... .. arr. nick S~rl!,•ir J.<; n Tonea Tn111!0 (based o n l $;i l.c i) .. . .... . . . . . T.o ni~ r. allo J.O A Trnnmcri t- (Schnrn ann) . . .. . .. .. .. . . . .. . :u r . G.:r, ff <;islcv 20 A Trisfes~e (Chopin) . . ... .... ... . . .. :,rr. Vince Miller 20 A Trn;s Pr.r:1 M n•<·e:u1x h• p,..,, cl' Av i1!no11: clema1Uo,ulc: A11Clnirdcl11T .un c) arr . Vince Mi ll e r 20 B \V,.v ;n• Corn (C',·11111lrv-\Vc •st<-rn thm slvlc) . . . .. . .. C hri , S~tldin!! 20 r W••••k.1·1111 .. . .......... . : ..... .. ...... . Andre J.0 /\ \Vh i~•w rir1n , . ..... .. .. , .. .. . . , . . . . .... . , ;l rr. ni l·k S·>
'""r

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American Scene

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Around the Clubs Barry Mason By Arthur Young

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Club Directory

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Alirio Diaz Recital By lvor Mai rants

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Fretted Recognition By Kealoha Life

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Frets in France By C.R. Hooker

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Guitar Music Review By Mary Criswick

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APRIL 1976

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Notes and Co,nments SOUNDBOARD, RESONATOR AND ROSETTE

In the course of the working month a steady stream of printed matter concerning fretted instrumentalists reaches the editorial office of this magazine , and it Mandolinata 203 is perhaps not surprising that the bulk of such mail consists of publications by, about, or for, guitarists . Furthermore-and .this is all to the good - there are Music Supplement 207-210 several well compi led bulletins or newsletters now firmly established on a regular basis in furtherance of a laudable intention to enhance the stat us of the queen of 195 fretted instruments. The Soundboard (the official quarterly newsletter of the On Guitar Improvement By Graham Wade Guitar Foundation of America) is a case in point. The October issue devoted many of its thirty mimeographed pages to evidence of considerable activity in the Pop and Jazz Chord Progressions 199 field of guitar publications in the USA, and of the steady increase of scholastic research into the origi ns and resources of the instrument. By John Bennett Looking Around

206

Pop Rhythms for Bass Guitar By Don Roberts

198

~agoss nig Lute Recording By Malcolm Weller

212

Small Advertisements

223

Teachers' Addresses

224

The Great Harry Reser By W.W. Triggs

198

The Orpheans-and others By Tarrant Bailey, Jnr.

196

Vista Espanola By Jorge Gardner

204

You ng Ladies and the Banjo By Eric Enderby

202

The Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) was established in 1973 as a nonprofit organisation, and the current board of directors includes s'ophocles Papas, Frederick Noad and Abel Nagytothy-Toth - all well known to readers of BMG. The Soundboard is produced for issue to GFA members and though it has yet to make its mark in the wider terri tories beyond its membership borders, it has "the potential, " as they say. From Fresno, California , we receive another quarterly newsletter - for, and about, the plectra! side of the banjo world. Known as T he R esonator, this fourpage mimeograph is "the official publication of Banjos Unlimited," a Californiabased association "de dicated to preserving the banjo and its music ." Naturally, in view of its limited print area, copy is confined mainly to news paragraphs of club meetings, rallies, get-togethers and banjoramas, and it serves as a very useful link between banjoists in the widely separated areas of the West Coast of America . Lincoln (Nebraska) houses the editoria l P.O. Box of Rosette, the bi-monthly journal of the Lincoln Guitar Society, which aims at the same target as the GFA and other like~minded organisa tions. Jn the issue for November-December 1975, the Editor, John George, refers to the Albuquerque Classical Guitar and Vihuela Foundation - whose existence may come as a surprise to those who may have regarded Albuquerque merely as a staging post on the long trai l westwards to Laramie.

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ARTHUR

YOUNG

A

T the end of last year the Purcell Room saw a series of concerts devoted to plucked instruments. The series was devised and introduced by Barry Ma son, and for each of the three monthly concerts he demonstrated different topics in the history of plucked instruments. The first programme of the Plucked String series was called Espana, and it looked at early Spanish music for Renaissance Guitar and Vihuela; with popular music by the exuberant couple Dorita y Pepe. The second concert featured Renaissance instruments with music for lutes, cittern, orpharion, and chitarrone . The last concert in the series traced the history of the guitar from the Renaissance to the present 194

day. All the instruments used in the concerts were either originals or copies of the origina l instruments. Mr. Mason explained that the series was not only a success in regard to capacity audiences, but also that the enthusiasm shown by many eminent players in the guitar world proved that a new developme nt in plucked instruments is imminent. With another series planned for this year, we invited Mr. Mason to explain how he became interested in old guitars and what his plans are for the futur e. My first influence was at the Royal Academy of Music where there was the general idea that gui tari sts were the most unmusical of al l professional musicians. I found that this idea about guitarists was more or less true as the four years at the Academy progressed. Looking for some way out of the classical guitarist's doldrums of playing the same standa rd repertoire (that is already played so well by Bream and William s), I decided on a two-fold study. Fi rstly a study of technique on the classical guitar, as this was the most sta ble of my instruments, and secondly a stud y of the lute and early guitars. This I did in my third and fourth years at the Academy where I studied the lute with Anthony R ooley, and continued my lessons with Diana Poulton at the Royal College of Music. Well, what happened, and what was the result of all this work, you may ask? The first thing that astounded me was the wealth of music for plucked instruments . There is a fantastic amount of music that is not played. Almost every period from the sixteenth century has more repertoire than that of the classical guitar repertoire as it stands today. After finding the music I had to find the proper instrument to play it on. At first I thought I was a bit pedantic when I started to order three different Baroque guitars for the three different tunings, but later this was to prove more sensible than I had thought. Having both the appropriate instruments and mu sic, I began to play. Then I met my biggest obstacle: how lo play a Renaissance, Baroque , or Nineteenth Century guitar with a modern technique . The use of modern technique-with all its confusion over angle of wrists and nails- is a problem when we come to play on older instruments. As far as I am concerned I tend to make a cornpromise; l use authentic instruments

with light tensio n stri ngs, and a tech nique that produces the fullest sound, keeping in mind the period of the music. After a coup le of years of practice and research 1 felt that it was time to give myself and t he · instruments an airing. The Plucked String Series was the result. Without seeming too philosophical I think its influence will be felt in a coup le of years' time, because it takes a little time for people to absorb new ideas. The most important thing for me was t he genera l feeling of acceptance; no one said I was a crank, messing around with old instruments, in fact it was quite the reverse, people seemed to be interested in the different sound and expression I produced. The most important breakthrough, 1 thought, was the Baroque Guitar, with its unu sual octave tuning s and strummed Alfabeto chords . This instrument deserves much more study. The other imp ortant instrument was my Nineteenth Cen tury Guitar (a copy of the "Berlioz") which l played in -the D Major Quintet by Boccherini. The sound of this guitar is extremely beautiful, and although it is less powerful than a modern guitar, its sweet pure tone could be heard even through the sound of two violins, a vio la, and a 'cello playing fortissimo. W ith all this talk about lutes and baroque guitars you may think that the future of the guitar depends on its history. This is not quite true; in fact, in the last concert we gave the first performance of three songs by the young composer and guitarist Paul Grego ry. I think there is a need for both aspects. For a healthy state of affairs it is time we looked again at the long history of plucked instruments, and this does not mean just transcribing the music regardless of different -tunings, technique or philosoph ica l background . J would therefore recommend that every guitarist, whether he is a beginner or not, looks at the history of the instrumen t, becau se there is much to learn from it, both from a •technical point of view and a musica l one. It is unbelievable to thin k that un til recent ly there was no book describing the history of the guitar accurately, much less have there been any concerts that give a faithful representat ion of the guitar's history in sou nd! I therefore hope that the next three concerts at the Purcell Roo m, plann ed for this year, will contribute to -this new interest in the art of playing plucked instrumen ts.

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Graham Wade

• • •

ON 6UITAB IHPBOVEHENT . .. INTERPRETATION

W

HEN considering interpret- musical activity, requires as much ation and technique it of.ten thought as it does actual physical pracpays good dividends to look in your tice; thought can involve reading about local lib rary for books on music relat- music, listening to records (and not ing to othe r instruments. Of particular only of guitar music!), discussion, value are books on teaching the 'cello, ensemble p laying and so on . the violin, and the piano; the reason Alfred Cortot was dealing for most for this being the long and dignified of his career with very talented young playing tradition of these and ·the musicians, and what he prescribed for adjacent teaching tradition stretching them can direct gu itarists to the heart back severa l centuries. The keyboard of what music is about. What Cortot heritage in particular can prove im - first intended to establish about a commensely valuable, and it is perhaps in position was the maximum amount of this area that experiences of great informa tion about a composer's aims players can unlock several doors for in writing a par ticular item. In his view the inquisitive guitarist. to achieve a poetic understanding of a One of the finest interpreters of the work, the player had first to analyse 20th century piano repertoire, for and discover the factual framework example, was Alfred Cortot, who was underlying t he piece in question. also one of the great scholars of piano So each student had to write an music, as well as a superb pian ist. analytica l sketch before beginning the Cortot (whose records are still avail- study of a composition; work at music able), like so many outstanding music - has to be crea tive and fru itful, not ians, unleashed some of his energies in routine and aimless. In the analysis the task of teaching and lecturing and the student had to write the following in his writing about interpretation we guide to the music: can find a gold mine of truth and (a) Surname, Christian names, place revelation. and date of birth and death of the Too many guitarists feel that they composer. can only learn the guitar when •they are (b) The composer's nat ionality. actuaUy engaged in the business of (c) The title of the work, opus numplaying it; hence they think too little ber, date of composition, and dedicaand fiddle away at various finger exer- tion . cises and pieces ad infinitu m without (d) The circumstances which brought taking time for reflection and the pro- about the composition as far as the cesses of pondering what is really on composer himself indicates. (Failing the printed page. It is rather like read- any indication from the horse's mouth, ing a textbook without ever lifting no· doubt students cou ld try to deduce your eyes from the print to weigh up the composer's circ umstances-a useful particular paragraphs, but ploughing imaginative exercise . A piece could be straight through. The guitar, and all written for a pupil, such as Tarrega's DON 'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIP

"Adelita" or as a study for a pupil as in the case of Carulli or Carcassi.) (e) The student had to make a plan of the work, showing its form, movements, and stating the keys. (f) The student goes on to deal with the outstanding characteristics of the work, through harmonic and rhythmic analY,sis, the influences present, and any other vivid impressions. (g) The performer now has to present what he feels is the character and meaning of the work. (h) Finally, aesthetic and technical comments have to be written with instru ctions for the study and inter pretation of the work. Cortot asked the pupils not "to accum ulate pages and pages of writing but to give me something to read which is your own." So my advice th is month is for guitarists who really wish to do something about improving their play ing; go off now and write on the Cortot model about your latest piece being studied, making it as detailed as . possible and really working hard at the eight problems listed. I would be inter ested to see any examples of these which you consider worthwhi le to send in and also any commen ts about the Cortot method of tackling interpretation. And- if you consider the exercise a waste of time and prefer to practise instead - remember that Cortot was one of the greatest instrumentalists of the 20th century. What was true once, must still be true now!

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195

nNSavoythe Orph early days of the BBC, the JI eans made a wonderful twelvi-iuch Columbia disc "taking the mickey out of" English radio. It was the custom of the BBC, amongst other indiscretions, to charter a well-known 'cellist to play in an attempt to make the birds sing, at the same time using their microphones to bring a breath of country air to stifled factory workers. The Orpheans did not miss the chance to parody this, and "Miss Phyllis M. Hancock and her 'cello" evoked loud donkey brays and an apology from the nightingale that he had a sore throat which he hoped to cure with Yahdil, a medicine that had just been proved to be a gigantic fraud on the British public. Well, methinks that if the old Orpheans were alive today, the BBC would give them material for a fiesta. Science in action is my biggest laugh. I have just heard a learned discussion on prostostamlins and anti-prostos-tamlins, or something like that, as part of the entertainment for today. On other occasions I have been informed that a certain archaeological discovery was some two million, four hundred (and thirty?) years old, and I have longed to shout out: "And two hours, five minutes." The cancer experts really go to town with their monthly new discoveries "which are believed to be an enormous progress in this field" but which (ALWAYS) are in the initial stages of experiment so that "it is much too soon to pronounce a definite opinion." In fact this scienti fic discovery programme is, for me at any rate, a good deal more amusing than the allegedly humorous programmes. I cannot help wondering what has happened to the truly British sense of humour. How many readers remember the Bruce Bairnsfather competition in Punch during World War On e, when Old Bill was portrayed surveying his empty rum ration bottle through which a German sniper had put a bullet near the bottom of it. Competitors must fill in the blank spaces of Old Bill's comments: " I'd like to catch the -man that did that. I'd -well knock his -head off." Punch gave an example of how it might be· filled: "I'd like to catch the bad man tha-t did that. I'd jolly well knock his silly head off." First prize three can openers, Second Prize forty thousand pounds and a month in Blighty.

195

THEORPHEANS ANDOTHERS by

TARRANT

BAILEY , JNR.

Of course, that is a desperate sort of humour in the face of national tragedy , but it was humour, and it was a safety-va lve. Nowadays we take ourselves so seriously, and the people who tell us EXACTLY what the world will be like in the year 2000 cannot laugh at, or understand, the mess we are in today. Our forward-looking progressives never take it that they can only better today by promoting those things tha t make for greater happiness now. Radio, once an entertainment, is now a grim educational propaganda vehicle, and a powerful diffuser of fear and depression. The stars are the politicians. The Orphean s were much more HONEST ENTERTAINMENT. Even in my extreme youth Clifford Essex remarked on my acute perception of rhythm and time. (He was commenting in BMG on my first professional discs.) But also I have seldom needed a watch to judge the passing of one hour exactly, and in more extended consideration it is clear -to me that one who entertained wounded soldiers with his playing in World War One, and who continued non-stop playing among the falling bombs of Wor ld War Two (when police duty permitted) - must naturally realise that his time is getting a bit short. This prompts me to assess my reactions to what has been a long lifetime of music. I played to those suffering soldiers in World War One because father told me to. From the age of fourteen years onwards I began to play because nothing else in life seemed so worthwhile. Now, towards the end, it is the only thing that offers me complete freedom from stress and worry, though so many years in playing posture also tend lo make me regard · myself something ak in to a butterfly stuck on a pin, whereas originally I was oblivious of everything except the music. But the sound of a well played ban io still jolts me into an illusion of youth.

The mention of the Second World War and the police brings back memories of the sergeant who said: "Bailey, who on earth ever heard of a policeman taking a banjo in his car to his police beat, and playing it in uniform to the Luca s firemen in the coffee break?"; it also recalls the tremendou s success of my Tarrant ellas, a group of pupils which included policemen. And- in case you think I didn't take policing seriously-I have done a twenty-hour non-stop duty spell amid a heavy bombardment during which I have :tended dead and dying, and looked for an alleged unexploded bomb with instructions not to report back before I found it. As I had to use my torch for the latter "fae na ," a nervous Home Guard sniped at the light and to complete the happ y picture there was no unexploded bomb anyway. So I got back to the station to make out the Jong report after a merciful inspector said "Find Bailey." Birmingham police records would not prove me a liar. Nor my friend Fred Clements (a member of the Tarrantellas) who was a regular policeman , and from whom I am most happy to get letters still, occasionally. I believe he still plays his wood-hoop Windsor banjo also. · Man y people ask me why I don't return to England (Won't you come home, Bi ll Bailey?). The answer is very simple. My nerve gave way before a t:ombination of climate, war and broken marr iage, and neither of these terrib le enemies has attacked me here. So far. The final blow was -the shifting of taste from my beloved instruments, to regurgitation s which foretold the Beatles, and I knew I just could not compete, nor lower my own musical standards . I can do more good where I am, maintain my health and wealth. and offer true culture to those who really want it. My postbag

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brought the comment: "Why don't you come down off your throne and really DO something for the banjo?" To this comment of a Federation official I have replied with the release of my playing on the new Barker-Bailey disc. It is more than fifty years since my first pro disc, and keen critics will note that I have slowed down a little, if I admit that ·the two final numb ers are old unrelea sed discs, whereas the other material was recorded in 1975. I hope that the disc wiU prove to English youngsters that ·the love of the banjo is not entirely a waste of time if one's playing is happy and carefree at near seventy. And that professionally it has seen me through the wilderness to an oasis- which is something. Granted I have made many foolish mistakes, but so has everyone else, and my musical mistakes are less •than average. Does that really answer my critics? Perhaps not. There is the unspoken word coward. You brave English people may justly use it if you so feel inclined aftet bearing in mind that I waged a one-man battle for long years for the banjo's pre-eminence , and when I very nearly died, so did the banjo.

We have both recovered a little. Old people who talk about •themselves are an awful bore. Though I could speak of incredible experiences, so could everyone else I expect. So I will continue the theme of my former comments by citing the help that you might give by supporting the banjo industry by buying the new discs and music that are beginning to appear once again. When the unrestrained hooliganism of war-bred modern music permits enough silence for harmony to be recognised, step in and enterta ,in your friends, even if the BBC won't have you. The world is passing through a battle waged by science and "t he humanities", not really between countries at all. If you blow yourself up, music may not be much use to you, but it would be very interesting to know what is. Science even demand s that a guitarist should risk his life electrically in order to be in popular fash ion. Although my part in the BarkerBailey disc is also a reply to the Federation official, I cannot help wondering if the same official has also surportcd the banjo by buying the disc.

A further "something" is the new banjo solo, Never Say Die, which your esteemed editor may include in this issue. It is a bright march, so give your interpretation the necessary verve and attack. I am sending your editor a recording of it, and perhaps he will like to give you more academic instruction on that point.

TAPE RECORDED INSTRUCTION for Banjo and Classical Guilar by Tarrant Bailey, Jr., former British slar of Decca, Parlophone, Imperial, l'athe, Regal and other discs. "Finest living fingerslyle player" ("Five Stringer" American 1974). "His technique on discs rema ins unequalled since 1925" (BMG English 1974). "Lesso ns exceed my most optimistic expectations" (Mr. Hanauer , 717 Nordyke Rd ., Cincinnati letter I 973). "Your (apes amongst my mo st treasured possessions" (Mr. Bladi er, 7 Fisher St., Malvern , Australia letter 1974). For full particulars send In ternational Rep ly to Tarrant Bailey, Jose Antonio 50, Finca Obi-spado La Cuesta, Tenerife , Islas Canarias Spain.

IVEJR MAIRANTS Britain's leading Guitar Expert contin ues to supp ly the grea t demand for guitars , strings , accessories , music , books and kindred items to players in an ever-increasing world orbit now extended to: AMERICA , AFRICA, AUSTRALIA , BELGIUM, CANADA, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, DENMARK, EIRE, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, HOLLAND, HONG KONG , INDIA , ISRAEL, JAPAN , KUWAIT , NORWAY , SWEDEN, SYRIA, TURKEY, WEST INDIES, YUGOSLAVIA and, of course , all parts of the BRITISH ISLES. Gu itarists appreciate th.:: meticulous attention given to the instruments so ld by the Musicentre. MARTIN GUIT ARS DIRECTLY IMPORTED ARE STILL AT 1975 PRICES D.45 including case £950; D.35 ... £345; D.28 ... £330; D.18 ... £250; D18-12 ... £280; 00028 ... £330; 00018 ... £250; 0021 including case £350; 0!6NY including case £250. JOSE RAMIREZ ARE STILL AT 1975 PRICES Concert Superior and case ... £545; Flamenco No. l and case ... £425. A new choice of MANUEL BELLIDO Concert guitars .from Granada, beautifu lly made of Rio rosewood . Choice of spruce or cedar top , including de luxe case ... £425.

Two master guitars by HOPF: No. 1 Concert including case ... £525; No . 2 Concert ... £350. THE N EW SAKURA STUDENT GUITARS ARE BETTER THAN EVER Cl 13A .. . £18; TG !O ... £27; TG20 ... £30; TG30 £33.

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197

POP RHYTHMS FOR BASS GUITAR

THEGREAT PARTIX

by DON ROBERTS

TJIHE next Clicquot Club Eskimos session took place late in Jan -

N

OW that you have become acquainted with the first blues scale on strings two, three and four, we are going to see this month how this scale can be used in various bass combinations and also in actual chord sequences, showing how the bass patterns can be used against chord symbols. Very often the bass guitarist may not be given a written part, but may be EX.I I UNIT

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given chord symbols only. Gettino used to playing these bass patterns a°gainsl chord symbo ls will help you to interpret chord symbols relative -to a bass part. When employing this, or any other blues scale, one is not bound to use every note of the scale, ju st as a cornposer is not bound to use every note of the scale to produce a melodic line. T~us Ex. I shows a basic bass pattern using only one note or unit from the scale. Ex.2 employs •two units from the scale, Ex.3 uses three units from the sca le, Ex.4 employ s four units from the scale and Ex.5 employs all the five units. All these examples use the blues scale of F in the first position and also employ differing rhythms by way of example. Ex.6 is yet another one that is extremely popular and sounds well and uses three units from ·the scale. It is this one that is employed in Ex.7 which is an actual chord sequence used in practice. It consists of 12 bars and many of you may recognise it has the conventiona l 12-bar blues sequence. All notes that are flat have been indicated with flat signs to help you remember this, althoug h in actua l practice the flat signs will only appea r at the first note in the bar, as all other such notes stay flat unless otherwise stated. The first fou r bars empl oy the three units from the scale of F in the first position, followed by two bars in t~e. sixth ~osition employing the three s1mtlar units from the sca le of B flat, followed by two bar s back again in the first position. followed by one ba r in the eighth position, followed by one bar in th e sixth position and concludino0 with two bar s in the first position. Next month the same scale will be given and listed on strings one, two and three complete with examples and a typical sequence.

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uary 1926 and was issued on 570-D. The titles were Chinky Butterfly and I'd Rather Be Alone, the second of which was also issued here on 3958 as the Denza Dance Band . All their recordings at this time have the same style, sleighbells at the beginning and identical instrumentation. There is, however, always an interesting difference between the various instrumen ts' distribution which never palls and is ever exciting. Chinky Butterfly begins ensemble and the banjos start with sax playing the melody, the former filling in beau tifully. The next moment of interest occurs when the banjos have the melody and leave the piano to fill in on its own . The final cho rus is spirited tutti and the whole piece bounces along in fine rhythmic fashion. There is, of course, the underlying Chinese theme which gives the number added character. I'd Rather Be Alone, issued here on 3958, provides us with another up tempo number, without so much stac cato as usual as it swings along in a very spirited and compac t manner . It commences with some rou sing banjo followed by sax and violin together. In fact, these two instrumen ts are featured more often here than is customary . ~eser has two good breaks, one especially notew orthy, and also a nice rhythmic coun ter melody against the sax; generally a more con trolled and easy flowing rendering than hitherto. Now we arrive at another coup le of Syncopator session s, the first for over three mont hs, taking place early in February as it does. It is rather an unusual session because it is one of the few which only have one matrix whereas th~y nearl y always came in pairs. The title was Love Bound and it was issued on 604-D. It is delightful to hear once again the bright and sturdy bra ss section

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POP AND JAZZ PROGRESSIONS

iARRYRESER by

W . W. Tr iggs

by JOHN BE NN ETT which can equally as well play just as subdued, and on this occasion, some muting is in evidence. Reser mixes some brave tremolo with lightning runs and triplets and there is much light and shade to enhance the vario us figures; a certain amount of staccato phrasing also exists with offbeat brass and it all adds up to anot her fastmoving example of expertise from Reser's boys. Their next session was on the first of March , and comprised three titles, possibly to make up for only doing one the previous month. T hey were Behind The Clouds, Say It Again and I'm As Blue As The Blue Grass in Kentucky; three good numbers. The first two were issued on 594-D, the second also on 3962 as the Denza Da nce Band, and the third on 604-D, being coup led with the title already discussed for the February session. Behind The Clouds (possibly another attempt to erase the unfor t unate Ha 102-H example from people's memories) is fairly straigh t to start off with, some chimes being thrown in, an d continues with staccato brass, the piano filling-in to comp lete each bar. Reser has a good chorus which he takes with mute, accompanied by rhythm and saxes; chord tremo lo and triplets - no single string-a re featured and create a surprising difference from what one has now come to expect. In fact, it is the first example of this and sounds rat her thin a lbeit very presentable. I have always been of the opi nion that muted tenor is better for a slow number where the notes are not so blurred to the ear when accompa nied by ot~r instruments, as they are on a fast foxtrot. Tt lacks the crispness which is essential to a recording of this type. Say It Again, for my money, is by far the best of all three titles and has a rea l jazz flavour about it, albeit con• trolled absolute ly. Every .instrument has plenty to do and Reser is certainly no exception; in fact, he displays more Continued on page 203

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II ( ONTINUlNG with the classifica- tension or accommodate a melody tion of chords, the fifth and last note: Example 4. Similarly, the root group to consider is the dim inished note may be altered to a maj.9th: chord. Although the diminished chord Example 5. functions as a triad in its simplest It is best to confine these alte rations form, it is generally played as a 7th to the top two voices. Altering the root chord in most pop and jazz progres- on the bottom of the chord destroys sions: Example I. t he characteristic sound of the dim. Using F as an example, the follow- chord. In any case, raising the root a ing chords are interchangeable: tone would result in a 2nd not a 9th, F" p •7 F"ma7 p 9 when the root is the lowest note. Example 2 shows the dim.7th chord Example 6 shows a common prowith its three inversions (written en- gression using a dim. chord. Example harmon ically for convenience). Because 7 shows the same progression with the intervals in this structure are all the varying degrees of tension added to same _ minor 3rds - each inversion each chord. The dom.7th chord has sounds exactly the same as the root had a lowered 9th added to it, result ing position chord; the only difference in an identical structure to a dim.7th being one of pitch. (The analogy may chord. By utilising this information, it be likened to a square being tipped is possible to convert a dim.~th chord over, each tip presenting the same into a dom.9 b. by adding a root shape.) This allows any note to be note at an interval of a maj.3rd below selected as the root note : Exam ple 3. the lowest note of the d im.7t h chord. When construc ting a bass-line, th is is Example 8 shows this device applied a very useful device as you have a to the progression given in Example 6. choice of four notes to select from. Note the dom. to .tonic movement in The dim.7th note may be alte red to ba rs two and three; this is a device I a maj.7th to create a little more shall be d iscussing in later articl es. 0

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N the near pre-war and wartime banjo world, due to panic selling at the auction saleroom s in London, banjos, domras and balalaikas were selling at eight shillings each (the contrabass variety of each, plus mandobasses and Mittenwald three- string double-basses, sold generally at five pouni:ls each), and at this price were seen the Rose Morris "John Grey", the "Victor Supremus" in the Windsor ' Whirle' range (usually warped if found nowadays) , and the excellent U.S. Slingerland; quite common were scrolled-head banjolins, and ukulelebanjos by Dallas, John Grey and there was even a wooden "Felix Mendelssohn" ukulele. However, the most incredible bargain I had (and never to be repeated) at a London auct ion -room during an airraid was a bundle (tied with rough brown str ing round the necks! ) of American Leedy "Indian-Head" banjos (two plectrums and one tenor). They were the ultimate in luxury, the resonators being decorated with the head of a Sioux chief in full ceremonial headdress in rubies and emeralds, with Florentine heels to the necks, while the heads and finderboards were exquisitely inlaid in figured hand-carved pearl. These were sold to me in 1938 for four sh illings each ... alas, I disposed of them mid-War. A. P. Sharpe was the Editor of " B.M.G.", and he wrote me about them, saying he could sell as many as I could find at £250 each (that was 15 years ago). At these sales, ten shillings would secure a Panormo guita r or a La cote 1820 (the latter can be recognised by a crown with the initials VR (Victoria Regina?) on the brass machine -head plates a 'tioer' stripe back, with 12 frets 'o n fin~erboar~. and eight on the sounding -top, and ivory frets , barrels , and thumb. pieces. 200

A most curious guitar, much in demand by professionals (and I'm sure, erroneously called "Swed ish Guitar", since the large pearl butterflies on the uncomfortably broad and deep fingerboard must have indicated a Sicilian or German origin), un-named, unlabelled, was everywhere, and was instantly identifiable by its huge-sized bridge (almost enough for a string bass) heavily-swelled back and front, back-canted neck, and large rosette; it g":ve out a deafeningly loud sound, with very penetrating basses. The brilliant accordeonist, Boris Neilsen Leifenstah l (cousin of the virtuoso accordeonist Toralf Tollefsen), used his "altera tion geniu s" many times, on these so-called "Swedish" Guitars, while I watched him. First, he would thin down the bridge considerably, then remove top and back of the guitar, and with a razor-blade, thin the latter to cartridge-paper thickness in order to make it vibrate like the top and back of a ukulele; finally, he would re-glue back and top, and then thin down at an angle, the side of the fingerboard nearest the player, in order to be able to use the thumb for covering both bass-strings simultaneously. Boris was guitarist in several of my early Hawaiian groups; after the War he jo ined the Levin orga nisation in Sweden as a repa irer. I would be interested to hear any information on these guitars , if anyone still possesses one, and perhaps our editor might be able to hazard a guess on the former staoe artist(s) who must have owned tl~t matching set of three Leedy "Indian head" banjo s. Concernin g pre-War and Wartime Electric Hawaiiaan steel guitars to look out for; I have seen several Emile Grimshaw model s around recently (made of African Obici wood)- and a f ew o f anot her very good make, namely

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Allied Electric Company's "Concord" twin-neck, with up-turned machines and massive powerful pickups, usually finished in blue. Incidentally, it was Grimshaw who made the beautifullyengraved pearl and gold-plated special model that bore my name, and which I used for many years on TV, stage, films, discs, and broadcasts. By the way. Harry Pah ene Broke r, and Sammy M itchell, used "Daykena" steel gu itars, made by Tommy Daykin, while Al Shaw and Wally Chapman favoured the "barometer" shaped U,S. National model. The post-war " Dynamic" model by this company is recognisable by its unique three clear octaves in black and white zig-zag, of which there was a Czech copy in I 958. A most excellent steel, the Supro, is still available, but the Oahu (favoured by Sam Koki), the Dickerson (used exclusively by Sol Hoopii, Dick Mcintire, and Bernie K. Kaai Lewis), and the Aloha (used by Val Hao) , as far as 1 know, never reached England. (The first is identifiable, by its name only; the second by its lozenge shapes on the front edge; and the latter by its completely pearl-inlaid fingerboard). Finally, the old Harmony "Cremona" (with its neck uncomfortably deep, and quite unlike the ultra -slim necked, double trussrodded "thin" Harmony electrics of today), is still knocking around; the latest "nightmarish" guitar from behind the Iron Curtain shook me rigid the other day; it was an acoustic instrument, with 14th fret extension fingerboard , two huge shoulder cutaway s, the one, nea rest the player having a large soundho le in it, in addition to the normal large body soundhole! (Could th is be !or " monitoring" the soloist's play. mg? ... ). The label was in Cyrillic characters, proving its Slav origin, but not being familiar with the maker's name (no country or city was indicated), only the word "Kremona" meant anyth ing to me!

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from GuitarWorkshopVol. I and an accurate reflectiC/11 oft he best of the contemporary guitar scene. Ralph Denyer,Features Editor,Guitar Magazine.

GU ITAR WO RKSH O P VOLUME TWO

ISAACGUILLORY·BOB FOSTER ·ADRIANLEGG BERNIE HOLLAND·PETE WILLSHER•PETE BANKS

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in the night just to have another " looksee." Renewed interest will be observed by a sudden keenness in cleani ng and polishing and that wonderful feeling that it does sound better than the old one. Barga ins are to be found and again: an incentive target to save for can always be fixed. . Finally, I must tell you about a pupil who came to me some time ago from Barcelo na with just one slim pr imer; although she wasn't a banjoist, that doesn't matter. I supp ose she could -....--..--...-..-.--.--..---by Eric R. Enderby -------..-...--.....--) have been. It appeared that she could play no actual published piece of music and RECENTLY received a letter from I say this becau se the young Lane- had been told that this would not be a friend of mine enclosing a short ash ire Miss was learn ing Paper Roses necessary for, on complet ion of the note from a young lady, a Lanca shire and why not? I have thrown in a few study of this pa rticular primer, she lass, bitten by the banjo bug and specials like The Wombl es to void this would be ready to learn almost any struggling to learn to p lay on an situation myself . . . . After all, this is piece of music of her choosing. This, instrument in dire need of care and music of their age and eventually I'm then, was the main purpose of her visit attention. This brings me to the prob- sure as interes t grows the challenge of to me for my recommendation of a !ems of these youngsters, some of Syncopated Sunbeams and the like will suitable reper toire. whom seem unable to find a suitable take over . So, to be fair to her and certain ly with no intention of pulling rank - if teacher , whose only medium of advice Then there's the tutor book. Trouble is often through BMG. here, and I refer to the com~lete works, that is a wise term-I decided to sort One decision that has to be made as not the first step books which are fine out a few fairly popular solos of the soon as possible is a very feminine one . as far as they go, is that the difficulty moderate kind and these I handed to Tho se silver, red, or what-have-you, to graduate through to the more diffi- her to play, keeping my fingers crossed highly varnishe d and lengthy left-hand cult sections is beyond most without a for her. Here 's where I stand down, nalis have to go! I once watched with teacher's guiding hand. I remember for although they were played a little grim intere st the contortions of one my first teacher pointi ng a fore boding too woodenly for my liking, I had to such young lady as she tried to avoid finger at a mid-section as he rema rked admit that it was as fair a bit of sightbreaking her treasured talons. She "Either you get past here or . . . " readi ng as I've ever come across, allowfinally chose to give up the banjo! and the finger was then passed omin- ing for the odd fluff here and there. I still have that primer as a souvenir Having to make do with a most ously across his throat! Needless to and on it is the teache r's name and unsatisfacto ry banjo, there are but say 1 flogged myself to the limits to address. Little purpose in my contactfew ladies' banjos around but again ensure that I didn't get the choppe r so ing him as I understand he can't read mostly it's a case of what's to hand at it worked with me. Engl ish and my Spanish is virtually a price than can be afforded. Female I've had some who produce pop useless. 1 have played this book let laps have a limit when it comes to sheets from their music cases when through ma ny times and it certainly is weight and I remember one lady friend they have discovered that I shall not comprehensive. I still think that Spanof mine (an ex-Cabaret artist) who, throw a fit. Indeed, this has often ish gent one hell of a character who owing to a stiff leg, managed to per - strengt hened their rapport with me and couldn't care Jess about keeping them form standing with the banjo on a rest. with the help of Roy Burnham's chord interested. You 've got to be dedicated Better I suppose than a circulatio n- book have turned to some account this to suffer a longish period (I'm nor sure stopping sling round a neck better letting off of steam. Many of them are now but around two or three years) of able to display a diamon d necklace. In anxious to join in at school parties and , concentrated cramming. all fairness, however, there are many hard as it is to believe. there are quite other you ng women who think nothing a few around who have never heard of THE IN COMPARABLE of holding their parago ns and the like Old Black Joe- let's be fair! I see the with great ap lomb . old ha iry one of keeping up the interest Another colleague wrote despairing- in a recent BMG. This is part of a NYLON STRINGS ly abo ut derogatory remarks an ex- teacher' s job, with new music, new are made in pupil 's parents had passed around ideas and co-operation . One thing different tensions about his teaching. Traditional ba njo never fai ls when interes t is flagging music issuing from young Annette's somewhat and that is a new banjo. to suit banjo had, it appeared, interfered with Funnily enough, it need not be much you r guitar and the telly. In the early days, of cou rse, better than the old one, which, anyyour style of playing it had been accepted that this would way, requires a face lift. There's someSec your usual supplier or write tobe; however, it had continued in the thing about a strange banjo that , to J. THIBOUVILLE-LAMY& Co. , form of, to them , unheard of music and my knowledge, has caused hardened 44 Clerkenwell Rd,, London EClM SPS the youngish parents had cried stop! friends of mine to come creeping down

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202

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,ta nbolinata

FOUR FIFTHS AND FIVE FOURTHS by J. 8 . NOLAN

T

HE cryptic caption above is by way of being a veiled allusion to the standard tuning of our instrument -and also that of its prestigious "fretmate," with whose name it is often assoc iated in musical literature. The guitar, of course, as well as having five strings related by intervals of a fourth, has a fur•ther stri ng, B, tuned a third above its G string; the whole tu ning making it most effective for securing correct harmonic progression. The sca le length of the guitar is roughly twice that of the mandolin. The compass of both instruments could be taken as two octaves in the first position . Take the scale of G major in pitch both instru ments have an octave in common. The mandolin, like the violin, with its tuning and small scalelength, is perfect for playing melody and passage-wo rk involving rapid scale playing. The older player who has attai ned some degree of expertise on the mandolin-or any fretted instrument - becomes more concerned wit h problems of the right hand - the master handand is inclined to forget his early strugg les to lea rn the fretted alphabet - the fingerboard. That is why I think it is impo rtan t for -the beginner to let his imag ination play with ideas of the function of his particular instrume nt; its differences and similarities to related instruments . Turning to the problems of the left hand in relation to the mandolin fingerboard, the player is again confronted with conflicting decisions. Should he set tle for the security of the first position - where the frets are widest and the tone the loudest - or venture into that strange hinterland beyond the second (or even the th ird) position in purs uit of doubtfu l benefits? Also, chord-playing is easier and there are more chords obtainab le in

Another use of the positions is where, for the sa ke of preserving the same tone colour the playing of melodic phrases needs to be kept on the one string . A fur ther case where judgment has to be exe rcised is in the use of portamento, particularly where the porta mento is used for point ing an exp ~essive climax in the music. The fourth finger is usua lly the beginner's bogey. Sca les such as A Hat, B Hat, G minor , etc., do not involve the fourth finger in too much of a stretch and give good practice in the initial stages. I have arranged a lively R ussian dance , Comarinskaia, which gives such practice in the G m inor section. Tn the latter 's four th bar a quick switch with the second finger to D gets the semiquaver group on one string . The semiquaver figure which occurs frequently in the G major sections needs practice to deliver neatly (see next issue).

the first position . So let us consider the benefits of position playi ng. Playing different scales and the ir chord interva ls in the first position involves the left hand fingers in different patterns for each scale. Take the scales of A major, B major et seq., starting on the lowest string. By starting these two-octave scales with the first finger and by advancing the hand HARRY RESER a step at a time up the fingerboard you Continue d from page 199 can play your scales using the same variety of stroking, picking and synfinger patterns somewhat like the copated phrasing here than perhaps piano. Whereas in the first position you a ny other record we have examined so have to use all four strings to play two far. Each note is crystal clear and this, octave scales, you can get the same coupled with the degree of "hustle," two octaves on three strings by making as it were, can only leave us gasping one a judicious shift with that first in disbelief. Equally so, brass and reeds finger; with just two shifts via three disp lay tremendous variety, and the strings you can even reach the third trumpet has a nice ad lib solo chorus octave note . You make your scale towards the end. A truly superb redescent mainly by using the third finger cordi ng and one that well justified a of the left hand . Using three strings in third take on this occas ion. this way, instead of four makes for The last title provides us with some more speed in playing. Of cou rse, in pretty earthy brass at the beginning , fast passages the overriding consider- nicely countered by a clarinet immedation must be to secure as fa r as pos- iately thereafter with the same brass sib le the regularity of the plectrum softly accompanying in the bac kstrokes. The fingering then is vitally ground. Reser has a nice eight -bar important and mixed use must be made break to follow; saxes and brass then of the first position a nd intermed iate alternate. throwing the melody about positions up to the highest note in the between each other and the t rombone phrase. This problem is best illustrated enter s in for a short moment before in studying a complex piece such as sliding out to let the trumpet take Eileen Pakenham 's Lark's Song. When another chorus befor e the two main shifting to a higher note the new sections conti nue the ·table-tennis leadposition should be established, that is, ing up to tutt i finale. held long enough for the playing of Again, and throug hout all these three or four notes. Otherw ise there records, there is the same vivacious and is a tendency for the hand to become ene rgetic drive , the main pu lse being unsett led in the higher position. ably controlled by the rhythm section Stu dying the positions is a mus t for and Reser in particular. At the risk of the student player until he attains repeat ing myself, I wou ld say once fam iliarity in their use. The expert again that Re ser never ceases to thrill player who has subconsciously assim- us with something new, and is always ilated their use is able to creep in and the inspiri ng facto r behind his musicout of the various positions, via the ians, thus enabling a well-abovehalf-positions , a1; the need arise s. average recording to be put out.

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PTI ON FO R M INS IDE BACK COVER

203

6spanofa

CI!r LEITER FROM ANDALUCIA by Jorge Gardner

T

HE survival and popularity of flamenco over the last twenty-five years, not only in Spain but the whole world, did not come about by the onset of tourism, but by small gro ups of Aficionados throughout southern Spain who met at fiestas and kept the art alive by talking and playing for days until drink and exhaustion overtook them. Today, flamenco festivals are big and well organised throughout the year,

with ten or more top professional sing e rs and five or six brilliant gu itarists such as Paco de Lucia, Manolo Cano, Melchor de Marchena , Pedro Pena, and "El -Poeta "; and to see and hear all these in one night can be quite exhau sting, for it starts at l l p.m. and finishes around 8.30 a.m, This particular one at Mairena del Alcor, near Seville, and birthplace of Antonio Mairena , the great singe r, started in 1953, and runs for two days every August about the 10th or 11th. There are many famous festival s around Seville each year, also at Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Benalmadena (near Malaga), and at Ceuta, in North Africa . Dozens of smaller towns and villages also put on smaller shows with a coup le of professionals and lots of good local talent. But now, to the delight of all guitarists here , there are two festivals for that instrument alone. Las t Decembe r in Granada, from the 9th to the 14th, La Triple Dimension Expresiva y Artistica , for classical, flamenco, and popular guitar , was organise d by the Univ ersity of Granada, and a local bank; the three principal playe rs being Manolo Cano, Ernesto Bitetti, and Victor Mon ge ("Serranito"). Manolo Cano also exhi bited his collection of antique gu itarssome of which he played on-a nd spoke about them at length. But my favourite guitar festival was at Jerez de la Frontera (last October

the 25th) for flamenco guitar only, organised by the "Pena Los Cernicalos." This is not a festival, as such, but a serio us open competition which attracts a large entry, with big money prizes, but best of all a gu ita r (valued at 50,000 pesetas) made by a famous craftsman especially for the competition as first prize. The first competition was held in 1971. Two years ago I handled and played the prize guitar made by the great constructor Jeronimo Pena Fernandez of Marmolejo, J aen, for that year's competition. He had jus t put on the strings that morning when I arrived with two other guitar ent hu siasts. The workmanship was per fection, and the clarity of sound resounded like crystal drops around the patio in front of his workshop. (He works with only one young apprentice) , I usually spend some time on translations for h!m. as everyone from San Francisco to Tokya writes in English. But one letter I picked up was written in Span ish and signed "Andres Segovia" asking for a concert special to be made - but more about that later . Hi s output is not vast but all is perfection. Many people coming to Spain expect to buy "off the shelf". But with the guitar he made especially for me, we has discussed and sounded the wood, which is kept under constant humidity con trol - more so during th e

Cont inued on bottom of next page

Directoryof 8. M. & fi. Clu/Js AMERICAN BANJO FRATERNITY. Exec. Sec. , W. C. Kentner, 2665 Woodstock Road, Columbus, Ohio, 43221. ASSOCIATED BANJO CIRCLE (Westminster). Sec: Chas. Mansell. 64 Brook Road. Benfleet, Essex SS? SJF. ASTON BANJO CLUB (Wimbledon), Sec.. R. G. Oram. 5 Chart Close. Shortlands, Bromley, Kent BR2 0EB. Tel.: 01-460 1995. BARNET. Sec., Cecil Daniels, I Birchwood Avenue, Hatfield . HAT 65140. BELFAST BANJO CLUB. Se
206

BIRMINGHAM. Sec., W. H. Richardson 147 Thornbridge Avenue, Birmingham B42 2AF. Phone 021-357 3176, BLACKPOOL. Sec ., C. R . Hooker, 114 Warbreck Drive. Tel : 55805. B. M. & C. Tape Club B. & M. Sec .. W. Spranklen, 6a Burton Rd. , Kingston-on•Thames,

Surrey.

H.C. See., J. D. Marsden. 74a Norfolk Road, Sheffield 2. BRITISH FEDERATION OF FREITED INSTRUMENTALISTS. Northern Sec .. Mrs. H. Jacklin. 103 Nicholson Ave., Macclesfield, Ches. Tel: 0625 20102. Southern Sec .• Miss H. Roler, 13 Estreham Road, Streatham Common, SW16 SNT. Tel. 769 8625. CROYDON. Sec .• Mrs. H. Sumner. 31 Cork.«:rew Hill, West Wickham. Kent. Tel: 777 5102. !>ARLINGTON BANJOLIERS. Sec., Mr, E. Watson,

204

DON'T

The cost of twel•• consecu1i.. in.« rlions under this heading it

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I JO Craig Street, Darlington, Co . Durham DL3 6HJ . EALING GUITAR SOCIETY. Sec., Mrs. P. A. McGlashan, 68 BelleV11e Road, Ealing, London, Wl3 8DE. Tel: 01-997 9449. rREITED INSTRUMENT GUILD OF AMERICA. See., Trcas., Ann Pertoney, 2344 South Oakley Ave .• Chicago 60608, Illinois, U.S.A. GARFIELD HOWE GUITAR ANO WINO CROUP . Sec.: Mdme. Garfield Howe, 25 Turberville Close, Abingdon. Berks GEORGE FORMBY SOCIETY. Sec., Billy Hartley, 99

Chequer!.

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60225. GLASGOW CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY. See., M iss Isobel M. Yule, 15 Banavie Rd., Gil SAW. Tel: 041-339 2801. HATFIELD. Sec., Mr. C. Daniels. I Birchwood Avenue, Hatfield. HAT 65140. 11, FORO. Sec., F. N. Perrin . 23 Mannin Road. Chadwell H eath. Romford RM6 4PT. Tel: 0 1-590 8226. LEICESTER CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY. Meets monthly every 3rd Wednesday. Sec., Mrs. H . Brook , 11 Sackville Gardens, Le icester LE2 3TH. Tel. Leic ester 704862.

MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION

LEICH-ON-SEA. Sec. . L. F . Head, Westbolme, Branksome Ave .• Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. LEWISHAM B. M . & G. CLUB. Sec., Mrs. M. H Torrence, 7 Chisle t Close, Beckenham. Kenl BR3 IUB. LIVERPOOL (J>rcmier). Sec.'. Miss E. M . Wood. Meredale Rd .. Liverpool 18. MACCLESFIELD. Sec., B. Jacklin, 103 Nicholson Ave.. Macclesfield. Chesh ire . Tel: Macclesfield 20102. MANCHESTER GUITAR CIRCLE. Sec., Ray Pallet, 291 Sandy Lane, Droylsden. Tel : 061-330 0942. NORTH LONDON. Sec., F . T. Boswell, 2 Marlborough Ave., N .14. Tel: 01-368 6637. OLDHAM. Sec., J. Taylor , 14 Wemeth Crescent. Oldham. Lanes. Tel: 061-624 1112. PORTSMOUTH B.M.G. CLUB. Sec., R. A . While, 29 The Downsway, Porchestcr. Hants . RUISLIP BANJO BAND. Sec. A rthur C. Jones, 36 The Chase, Jckenham, Middlesex. UB 10 855. Tel. Uxbr idge 38576. SOUTHEND CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY, Bob Alliston, .16 l'arkvlew Drive, Leigh-on-Sea. Essex. Tel. : Southend 525079. TUNBRIDGE WELLS & DISTRICT B.M .G. CLUB. Sec .• R . Warr ener , '"Cartref", London Rd., South• borough, Tunbridge Wells. Tel : 28533. UKULELE SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Secrelary: Bob EIHs, 13 Coldwell Close, Middleyard, Gloucestershire. WALLASEY ("Riverside "). Sec .• B. B. Thurlow, 6 n,e Aubynes, Wallasey . Tel: 051-639 2177. WATFORD. Arlhur Cooper, 17 Kenwood Drive, Rickmanswortb, Herts.. WD3 2YQ. Tel: 77903. YORK. Sec. Mrs. M. B. Hounam. 23 Middlethorpe Grove, York Y02 2JW. Tel. 65552.

FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

Osca r Caceres. There are one or two engraver's errors, such as misplace d or omitted accidentals, and even a barline missing, and although Schott's appear to be una ble to quote prices for Max Eschig publications, they are the suppliers for this country. If you want to play Rachminov's and ·Debussy's best known works on an instrument patent ly not suited to them, then ask for the Berben catalogue, for this misguided publisher's attention has been turn ed to a variety of such works, ranging from the piano-thumping Prelude of Rachman inov, through the gra ndiose Largo of Handel to two of Debu ssy's most delicate, impressionistic piano works. I fully expect Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture to be issued soon. For a gifted guitarist with a clear sounding instrumen t, there is a possib ility that Doctor Gradus ad Pemassum might just work in its re-arrangement by Abner Rossi; and Leo Delibes' Passepied, in a joint arrangement by J. W. Bickel and L. R. Pearson, has more than a sporting chance. At 30p only- all congratu lations to the pub lishers- it's worth a try.

GUITAR MUSIC REVIEW THIS MONTH:

19TH CENTURY MUSIC

By Mary Criswick

T

HE present Giu liani revival has tended to obscu re his contemporaries rather unfairly, and this month the balance is somewhat restored for Carcassi and Sor. Sor, in fact, stands apart from his fellow guitar compose rs as being the author not only of guitar music but also several ballet s and operas; indeed, it was only towards the end of h is life that he turned wholly to the guitar and composed prolifically for it as well as playing it. For many years he was reputed to have indulged in (friendly?) rivalry with another composer/v irtuoso , Giuliani , in London in 1832 or 1833. However, a newspaper notice was discovered some years ago, dated 1829, bearing news of Giu liani's death, which goes a long way to discrediting the story. Both composers are hand somely represented in Karl Scheit's volume of First Studies, which also contains contrib utions from Aguado, Carcassi, Carulli and Coste. Scheit's own contribution consists of "modernising" tt1e fingering, altering the part -writing so that we have a few more quaver tails and rests than we might be used to

seeing, and writing certain parts in sma ll notes, the purpose of which is not explained - maybe you don't play those bits until you feel really good, or perhaps only on Mondays. In other words, this collection is not deserving of Scheit's academic reputation. Composers like Carulli and Carcassi are usually known only for their didactic works, snippets of which appear in numerous collections, so it is heartening to see two fairly substantial works by Carcassi, edited by Schmid-Kayser (who modestly restricts the appearance of h is name to once, in minute letters), Three Sonatinas op. I . and Six Easy Variations, op. I 8. The fingering is sensible and accurate , and the Sonatinas in particular are pretty, if unexceplional. Abloniz's "revision" of Sor's Variations on a theme of Mozart, op .9, consists mainly of doubling the note values, which makes the music look a lot easier, and spreading the music out over seven pages, which makes it look even easier still. By contrast the serious concert guitarist can get twelve pages packed with music of Sor's best in the Fantaisie op.30, no.7, edited by

VISTA ESPANOLA

it's just for the children to play for amusement. Twice a week I stop on the way home to see two old friends: Anton ia, an attractive lady from Madrid. and her husband, Ricardo, at El-Palo, Malaga. She is helping me with "Calo" the gypsy language- as in flamenco there are the andaluz an d the gypsy stylesand when someone visits, a glass of wine and an extra guitar appea r . . . a neighbour from Seville looks in at the door ... it's so natural for someone to sing, or to dan ce the Sevillanas, that daily practice and experience grow naturally , and no one worries about wrong notes.

Continued from previous page

winter- and, with the pine, cedar, ebony, etc., sorted out after seven visits, I still had to wait two years and eight months for it to be finished, but the pride and p leasure I have can only be compa red with someone owning a Rembrandt or a Stradivarius. But guitars a re alive and do come to life in people's hands. To see a guitar throu gh a house window makes me hesitate, to look at the shape of its head; to know the constructor (by its design or .its colour) and, by this, to know that the owner plays well, or that DON'T

11,USS

K. SCHEIT (ed.) Fi rst Studies. Universal, £2.25. CARCASSI Three Sonatinas, Six Easy Variations , ed. Schmid-Ka yser. Vieweg/ Novello, £1.75 and £2.50. F. SOR Variat ions op.9, ed. Abloniz. Berben /Breitkopf, 80p. Fantai sie op. 30, no. 7, ed. Caceres. Eschig/Schot t, n.p. DEBUSSY Doctor Gradu s ad Parnassum, ed. Rossi. Berben/Breitkopf, 60p. DELIBES Passepied, ed. Bickel and Pear son. Oxford. 30p. Sabicas and Nino Ricardo must have been like us, once .. . .

•

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A COPY-SUBS~R IPTION FORM lNSIDE BACK COYER

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2-Siegfried Behrend , Bergisch Gladbach . 4- Narciso Yepes , QEH 7.15. 6- Sicgfried Behrend , Munchen Br Studio. 7- Les Luthistcs, Wigmore Hall. 7.30. 8-Forbes Henderson, guitar, Wigmore Hall. 7.30. 17-19- Eighth Annual C&W Fe stival , Wembley Pool. 24- London Pro Musica, lute solos/songs, etc. Wigmore Hall. 7.30. 25-Bengt Edqvist and Borje Sandquist, guitars , Wigmore Hall. 7.30. 29- Siegfried Behrend. Lippstadt. 30-Miguel Rubio , guitar, Wigmore Hall. 7.30. 30-Tomas Locri , flamenco guitar recital , University Theatre, Newcastle. 8 p.m.

planatory notes, and ·the emphasis is on the well balanced duet form, with pieces of varying length. A page explaning all the guitar notations used in the book is included, thereby forestalling possible queries. All in all, this is a splendid collection with something for everyone interested in the guitar. *

*

*

*

*

The expanding interest in the music of the late Renaissance is proving to be a source of unfailing delight to players, singers and listeners, and we take this opportunity to mention, with a glow of especial warmth for the pleasure it gave, The Penguin Book of Italian Madrigals for Four Voices, edited by Jerome Roche (U.K., £1). The thirty-two madrigals were chosen and edited with amateurs in mind, and Dr. Roche has obviously spared no effort to ensure appropriate keys and acceptable ranges for SATB. Prose translations and a guide to pronunciation give additional worth to this splendid collection. Seek ye something different? Here be airs a-plenty, sirs, for mandolin, mandola, lute or guitar-come, try your hand at accompaniment or counter melody!

*

The Aco ustic Guitar. Adjustment, Care, Maintenance and Repair . Don C. Teeter (University of Oklahoma May Press. $20.00). 2-British Federation of Fretted Instrumentalists ' Annual Festival, The Forum Setting himself a mammoth task, the Civic Centre, Wythenshawe (Manchesauthor-to stem the flow of questions ter) JO a.m. - JO p.m. which severely curtailed his working 22- Aston Banjo Club , Annual Concert, Merton Civic Hall, Wimbledon, 7.30. time- decided to write a book which, as he put it, would go further than Irving Sloane's Guitar Repair. The ff41. rw'l"llt•w • ••"' result- 200 large pages of practical advice, aided by over 150 photographs A Musical Voyage With Two Guitars. and line drawings- adds up to a monuVladimir Bobri and Carl Muller. mental assembly of "inside knowCollier. Macmillan. £3.50. ledge," extremely well bound. These "64 Duets from 34 Countries" Fifteen cha pters cover the essential are beautifully presented in th is 192 procedures : tools useful in guitar repage book which is an ideal compan - pair; materials; glues; techniques of ion volume to the 1972 volume Two crack -repairing; de-assembly and reGuitars by ·the same authors, being of assembly of guitar bodies; string act ion similar format and similarly graced and tension adjustment; tuning and by Bobri's excellent drawings. refretting; neck reinforcements; inton The itinerary includes Iberia, Latin ation and bridging; short cuts; pearl America, Scandinavia, Russia, the Far inlays; finishing and refinishing; care East, Africa, Europe, the USA and the of the guitar; suppliers of parts and British Isles. materials; glossary of terms and a Composers represented range from bibliography. Rameau to Tchaikovsky; from Stephen Don Teeter , an authorised Martin Foster to Segovia and Duarte . The repairman, has gone to great lengths various geographical groupings of this in this book to reveal everything he absorbing book are prefaced with ex- can to make the task of the DIY guitar

»~w IJ1~LIIAAt•lt,1•~

206

repairer as straightforward as possible. This is no "do it in next to no time" guide-it is a most useful manual. It deserves a protective cover to go over its dust jacket, so that it can be kept by the workbench, within easy reach. R.H. * * * Five Pieces from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Boo k; Dances of the 18th century (arranged Mary Criswick, published Max Eschig). Scarcely a week goes by, it seems, without a new book by Mary Criswick, whether it is books of ensemble arrangements or a book of solos. These latest two offerings from the Eschig stable are very suitable for the player looking for good playable music without great technical demands but full of musical wisdom. The Fitzwilliam Book arrangements contain works by Farnaby, Byrd and Farnaby's son Richard, and the music is totally delightfu l. The 18th century dances are by obscure but pleasing composers such as Pecour, Groscourt, and Isaacs; Mary Criswick has rescued these pieces for us from the museum shelves, and the pieces certainly deserve playing. Her arrangements are tastefully done with adequate fingering, and very clear presentation; no doubt there will be more of these on the way and I think they will be eagerly played by guitarists of about Grade V standard. GRAHAM WADE

By the way "Georgette Twain, "America's Queen of the Banjo," is now presenting her trio 'The Electric Twain Set"-Georgette Twain and Alice Wilson (plectrum banjos) and Brise Wilson (guitar)-at the "number one" hotel in Oakland, California. Miss Twain (now complete ly recovered after hospita l treatment for bronchitis) sends her best wishes to all the kind folk whom she met in London, including Bertie Owen, Billy Bignell and Howard Shepherd. G.B. *

*

*

Don Van Pal the ("The Flying Dutchman ") has very busy schedule for America's · Centennial Year, including many dates with the Western Fair Association and a fifteen-piece band back-up, as they sayif·Don has a new plectrum -banjo LP in the planning stage and his tuition cassettes are still in demand. G.B.

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BY THE WAY Continued from page 206

AMONG many interesting items in the last issue of T he Soundboard is the news of the award of Honorary Memb ership in the Guitar Foundation of America to Mrs. Yahdah Olc ott Bickford, whose connection with the American Guitar Society (of which she is president) began at its inception fifty-two years ago. Mrs . Bickford' s authority on all aspects of the classic guitar has Jong been known , especially in California, where she and her husband, Zarh, settled in the I 920s, having established a reputation in th e eastern states as outstanding musicians , executants and teachers of all the fretted instruments. Mandolini sts and banj oists among our readers had cause to be grateful to the la te Zahr Myron Bickford for the many fine instructive articles he contributed to BMG; his sedes on advanced technique for finge'fstyle banjo was particularly useful in that it offered solution s to many fingering problem s which had, until th en, hampered many players of difficult solos. * * * The winter issue of The Resonator has some sound advice for owners of fretted instrument s : advice which-sad to say- has become incr easingly necessary in the light of present -day circumstances . John Billon es (pronounced Bill-yo -ness) devote s a page of editorial comment to the need fo r precautions against Joss-by-theft of banj os; stressing the necessity of some form of num eral ident ification - such as a serial number - being stamped in "a n inconspicuous place inside that won't show but can be seen with the resona tor off." Where there is no seria l number, it is suggeste d that the owner inscribes his driving licence numb er. (Use of a Social Security Number is not advised: " It takes an Act of Congress to learn the identity of a social security number holder"). Apparently, when a policeman sees "suspicious property" he looks for a seria l numb er, has it tele typed through the official computers which are b ot h state-wide and nation · wide-and within one minute he learns if the property is "hot" and when and where it becam e so! Eventually, the rightful owner regains his property, and whoever was in possession of the item at the start of the process "ge ts arrested ."

According to our bush telegraph it may be necessary to make it clear that By The Way is a news and views column and not a music and discs review feature. Comments in th is column, whether on music or discs, are independent of whatever our regular contributors may say in th eir own feature articles. Having said that, we are delighted to be able to draw attent ion to a brace of recent albums distr ibuted by Music Sales Ltd. The first of these, A Va riety of Mando lin Music, has a to tal of thirty- six compositions , of which twenty are for solo only; seven can be played either as solo or duet ; four are for mandolin with gui tar accompaniment; two can be played as mandolin/ guitar du o or as .trio (two mandol ins and guitar). The four remaining titles are dut o-sty le solos, and the whole is excellent value at 95p plus postag e. With seven titles by de Pace , one by Per sichini, three by Francia, plus Stauffer, Bick ford , Grimshaw, Bassett, etc., the album m ore than ju stifies the relatively modes t price; even at the pre-war price of a bob a page this lot would have cost thirty-six shillings! Wherefore we echo the comment of Hug o D 'Alto n in his foreword: We should be grate ful to the publishers for making this collection possible. The banjo album is A l J effery's Pop Banjo (also from Mus ic Sales) hot on the heel (if we may di sto rt a phrase) of his enviable selection of classic guitar solos arranged for fingerstyle banj o. There are twenty -two famou s "chunes" as they say on the Beeb nowadays, and, since titles often prove useful, here they are: Leaving On A Jet Plane, You Ar e My Sunshine, Walk Right In, It's Four In The Morning , Teach The World To Sing, * * * Supply following ineluctably the law English Country Gard en, Que Sera, I of demand, it comes as no surprise to Lov e Y ou Because, The Entertain er, us to learn tha t the micr ofilm indu stry Maple L eaf Rag , Green Grass Of Hom e, had turned its eye to guitar literatur e, I'll Wait For You, Yesterday, Th ose in the form of texts of university dis- Were The Days , King Of The Road, cou rses on such topic s as the music of Bring M e Sunshine, You Won't Find Sor; the development of Italian key- Another Fool Like Me , Red R oses For board variation from guitar mu sic in A Blue Lad y, R elease Me, Tie A Yellow the XVII century; and the career and Ribbon, Morning Has Broken, and Chap compositions of Mauro Giuliani. Th ese lin's Eternally . are available as films, or "Xeroxe d" (in They've even included the wordseither hard or soft back) , from Univer- and Mr. Jeffery ha s obliged with chord sity Microfilms, Box 1307, Ann Arbor, symbols, too! Fifty-two pages of exper.t Mi chigan 48106. In cidentally , thi s arrangements-and all for 95p plus org anisati on can also supply all ttie post age! back issues of the magazine Guitar Playe r, in Xerox form. * * *

Stat e laws prohibit the possession of property with defaced or obliterated serial numbers - incl ud ing numbers originally inscribed by the legal owner, it seems !- therefore , if such property comes to the notice of police , they can seize it, arrest the one in possession at the ma ter ial time, and check the teletyped lists of stolen items, or even transm it a teletyped report themselves. Eventually, the rightful owner recover s his property . . . and as Earle Stanle y Gardner may have put it: "The D.A. Closes The Case ." Over here, the back of the peghead is ofte n used as the ea siest place on which to stamp or inscribe a stock number or customer's identity number, especially for guitars, mandolin s and othe r permanently closed-back inst rument s. The banj o family , with its inevitable perchpole (dowel stick in the USA) has an ideal solution: the top (face side) of the "perch" when in playing position, cannot be seen without the aid of a mirror (unless the " head" is a transparent type); and the majority of citizens would never think of looking there for a ser ial number, particularly as the trade practice is to stamp the maker's name and addr ess on the side of the perch which is visible at oncein the case of "open back" banj os- or as soon as the resonator is removed. It therefore beh oves all owner s of such instruments to keep note of stock number s for identification purposes . Mr. Bill ones reminds his readers that physical details will not do, because "descr iption s are not or derly enough for a computer ." He says : "T he finest, most exquisite. m ost extensively plated and inlaid banj o ever made cannot be listed in the crime compu ters without a number." Verb. sap!

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211

DIAZ RECITAL

RAGOSSNIG LUTE

RE~ORDING

by lvor Mairants

--------------------------------------IIIFthenguitar music the food of joy Alirio Diaz play on, for I have be

yet to hear a more enjoyab _le guitar recital. Not only was the music played with superb fluency and _perfect rhythm without apparently taxing the player, but the progr~mm~ was su_ch that it did not tax the hstenmg capacity of .the audience. Although at first the tone of the guitar seemed to lack body and clarity, one became used to it as the concert proceeded and the somewhat "blotting paper" basses and slightly distant trebles did not deter the listener, because the music was performed in the most masterly relaxed yet intense manner. The guitar he used had flame maple back and sides and was finished in a hideous shade of rose-pink but, as with any great artiste , it is the player not the instrument that matters. The first half of the recital consisted of Milan , Mudarra, Narvaez, Corbetta, De Visee and Sanz, and for my money I liked the music of Corbetta least of that sextet of composers. Diaz has recorded some of these pieces on Vanguard VSD-71135 and anyone who would like to recall the spirited renderings of the Diferencias, Sohre Guardame Las Vacas (Na rvaez) and Mudarra's Fantasia would do well to include it in their collection; it also includes the Zapateado by Regino Sanz de Ja Maza and Three Venezuelan Traditional Tunes by Sojo, which he played later on. The second half also included the Sonatina by F. Moreno Torroba which sounded as fresh as the first time of hearing . I suppose the fact that Diaz Jives in Rome has some J?earing on the inclusion of Acquarelli Napolotane by C. Cammarota (b.1905), the second movement of which was based on 0 Sole Mio and included the whole spectrum of guitar technique but contained no advanced musical ideas. The Two Pieces for Guitar by E. Castellanos (b. 212

Alirio Diaz

1915) on the one hand made much play of whole tone scales and augment ed harmony and on the other hand of melodies full of Eastern promise, neither of which was musically great. Diaz finished with Four Popular Dances by A. Lauro (b.19 17), the last of which ended in a fantastic technical display which brought the audience to its feet. Each encore was lengthily applauded and after the third encore (a Neapolitan folk tune) the audience had to be satisfied as they certainly were with a good two hours of happy, easy listening guitar music, played with ease, panache and musicianship which improves with each performance.

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Lute Music of the Renaissance: IV . Poland-Hungary. Played by Konrad Ragos snig. Arc hiv Pr oduktion . No . 2533 294. The se pieces are by a group of composers who not infrequently involved themselves in politics , spying and court intrigues, who often had to change their employment as the plots and counter -plots turned out disadvantageously. For all their worldly machinations and cour tly politicking, the record indudes compositions of considerable musical value . The pieces are fresh for being relatively unknown, except to scholars of the period, although this record is likely to bring them to the notice of a wider public and demonstrate their popular appeal. Some pieces are already well-known in alterna-tive versions-as is so often the case with Renai ssance music . From the first note of Cato's Praeludium one settles back secure in Ragossnig's thoughtfu l interpretation and impeccable technique. T he tonal contrasts always clarify -the musical argument. Occasionally the reflected phrases are a little over-obvious, such as in Chorea polonica by Dlugoraj and the sparse texture of the second Fantasie of Bak fark sometimes seems too thin ·to bear the slowly moving melody, bu t one · readily forgives Ragossnig. More frequently he excels himself, as in the taut inner tension of Dlugoraj's Fan tasia, and his Villanella-a partic ularly att ractive piece, tranquil and serene, played with great sensitivity, attent ion to detai l and exquis ite tone. Ragossnig's playing is characte rised by vigour, masculinity and intelligence. He plays with a bold clarity and adm irable musicianship - what more can one ask? An outstanding addition to a first class series. MALCOLM WELLER

Tuition by James Yohai

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JERRY BYRD says:

BENNY KALAMA

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ACH year from 2nd to 8th January inclusive, t~e members of the MELBOURNE MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA -ove r 40 in number methodically arrange for a MANDOLINJSTS' GET -TOGETHER , to which the frettists are made welcome. Our Sydney players received a hearty invitation and eight were able to attend. The venue was at "Pax Montis" -a one-time convent, now used as a guesthouse- located in MANSFIELD, Victoria, a distance of over 500 miles from Sydney. Several fine players also joined from Canberra. The M.M.O. has a good repertoire of classical mu sic, and the organisers were able to enlist the distin gu ished services of ENZO MARCIANO as guest conductor for the seven days. Their regu214

Enzo Marciano and family Jar conductor, Josef Rueker, was unfortunately unable to attend, Enzo is a fine organist and has studied conducting in Europe, achieving honours in Rome. He has conducted the Melbourne an
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ted their own items, I had the feeling of being a " Musica l Grandfather"! Because the Concerto in G for Two Mandolins (Vivaldi) was played by KEITH HARRIS (who graduated from my stud io about eight years ago) and his pupil, PAUL HOOPER. Some of Pau l's students also, are already in my Sydney Orchestra- so that makes me a " M" Great-Grandfather! But it brings home the truth of that old negro song 'He plays de Banjo better now than his ol' master do"! Their expert duo work, backed by the precision and sensitivity of the orchestra under Enzo's baton, provided a thrill both to the ears and the eyes. Here is the programme: Convention organiser: Dr. Peter Evans. Concert compere: Milton Sells. AUSTRALIAN MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA: Overture for Mandolin Orchestra. (Lipriandi). Concerto in 0 Maj or (Viva ldi / Behrend) Keith Harris and Paul Hooper with guitarist, Mrs . Adrian Hooper . Capriccio EHans Gal). Soloist, Heinz Becker. Song of the Seashore and The Flower (Hattori). Two Minuets (Bach). SYDNEY BANJO QUINTEITE: Overture Medley (arr. Grimshaw) . Show Boat (arr. Grimshaw). Vivace from William Tef.l (Rossini). SYDNEY PLAYERS: Hungarian Dance No. 6 (Liszt) Real Live Girl. Shining Moon (Russian Traditional Andreeff), conducted by Adrian Hooper. AUSTRALIAN MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA: Balkan Suite (Rosenfeld). Fiesta M exicana (Dunnebeil). Encore, Granada (Lara) .

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215

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ARL Scruggs brought his "Earl Scruggs Revue" to Mankato State University Thursday night, February 12, and it gave me a chance to visit with him and ask him abou t a couple of things. One was the airplane accident in which he was injur ed three months earlier and the other was the change in his playing from bluegrass to a more rock-orien ted sound. We met in the Mankato State student union ballroom where his band was setting up and warming up in the afternoon before the performance and he invited me outside into the band's comfortab le customised bus . Earl was still using a cane-crutch because of the cast on his left leg. The doctor had made him put it back on, he said, to protect it from the cold weather in Minnesota. This was Earl's first week back on the road after the airplane mishap which interrupted his career, and Mankato, Minnesota, was the fifth stop in that tour. The late night accident happened at a private unattended airfield near Nashville as Earl was returning alone from a concert in Kentucky. Earl often flies in his own plane as the band and equipment travel in the band bus. (Ironically, Earl took up flying -in 1957 after a car accident ,,when his doctor acivised him to avoid long tiring auto trips to protect his hips which were injured in that collision.) He remembers little about the accident except that something went wrong on the landing. Searchers found him wandering aimlessly ,through the weeds at 5 o'dock in the morning, nearly 4½ hours after he came down at the lonely field. His left leg, left hand and nose were hroken. DON'T MISS A 216

Earl Scruggs in action Many of the fans of the pioneer bluegrass banjo player may not realise how close that came to ending his career on the banjo. His doctor was not hopeful at first. "The doctor had a dim view for a while," said Earl. "He told my wife that he wouldn't encourage her to have any hopes of my ever having any coordina tion of my hand, other than knowing my determination and love for picking." At that point, Earl displayed the same will to continue playing charac teristic of so many banjoists faced by disability over the years. In an amazingly short period of recovery time he was able to get his fingers under control again and return to professional playing.

" It Was a little stubb orn to star t off with, but I just wouldn't give in," he said. ''It's working okay now." Scruggs repor ted he is stiH working on getting his strengt h ba ck and tendons limbered up, but that wasn't apparent as he whipped through "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," "Flint Hill Special" and other numbers associated with him for so long. Although he still does bluegrass favourites such as these in his "Earl Scruggs Revue," he said that he no longer considers himself a bluegrass ban jo player. "I just got tired of doing the same thing for 20 years," he said . Instead of working with the trad itional bluegrass band of five-string banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, fiddle and acoustic string bass, he now heads a country-rock type of group consisting of electro nic piano, electric bass, guitar, drums and himself on banjo, all generously amplified. While he still uses the basic techniques of his bluegrass style, he has adapted them to the intensity of the rock idiom and leans heavier on the elements of the blues than he did before. The hard -driving moment um which was always part of his style is emphasised all the more in these rhythmic electronic surroundin gs. He uses a Barcus-Berry pickup on his banjo which he believes gives him at least as natural a sound as playing throu gh a regular sound system microphone, without the necessity for maintaining position on the mike. On the negat ive side of that evening's performance, the over-amp lifica tion, to my ears, resulted in a metallic sound rather than natural banjo tone and lost

Continued on page 218

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AMERICAN SCENE Continued from page 216

the clarity of the banjo notes in a mu sh of too much rhyt h m backing. On the positive side of the perfo rmance, what Scruggs has d one is more than just plopping himself into the centre of a rock band for commercia l reasons. The band maintains a rhythmic feel which is more characteristic of the lively shuffle-step square dancing I've seen in Alabama a nd Arkansas than the cliche rhythms of the usua l rock band. The amplificati on emphasised thi s infectious rhythm to a point where it drew cheers and demands for three encores from a sell-o ut audience of 1,500 college -age young people . His band is lar gely a family group with son Randy o n lead guitar and fiddl e, son G ary on electric bass, harmonica and vocal lead, and son Steve on electronic keyboard and banjo. Scruggs' wife, Louise, is manager , and a long-time frie nd of the famil y, Jody M aphis, is on drums. Du ring my interview, I tried to pursue the point of how Scruggs had come to d evelop his unique three-finger sty le. One of his big influen ces as a ch ild, he related , was Smith Hammett of his native North Ca rolin a who had a special k ind of •three-finge r picking style. Wonde ring if the re m ight be any kind of a throw-back in the synco pat ed Scruggs style to the Vess Ossman-Fred Van Eps ragtime era preceding him, I him about thi s possibility. However , unle ss there was an indirect tie through Hamm ett, Scruggs revealed that there was none , nev er having had the o pportunity to hear a ny of their record s. He was familiar with the Ossman and Van Eps names only through their mention by the player of a gut-string banjo player he met briefly several years ago. Earl said he did play 5-string ban jo with bare fingers in his younger years but took to using finger picks for more volume when he started playing barn dan ces. LOWELL SCHREYER

*

*

*

*

Jackie s Corner 1

T

H IS report is from Chicago , where the Cincinnati Kid is vacationing. Centre of th e action her-~ is Jolly Banjos Ltd., 4424 W.Montro se. Ba nj o music is heard there every night and Al Kout , manager, introduced me 218

DON'T

to A nn Pertoney, sec retary of the Fret ted Instrument Guild o f America. Jack Meilahn p lay s banjo with a Dixieland band on Sunday a t JBs. O n Monday , musicians ' night, a number of banjoists perform. Bill Bailey's Banj os and Ed M cInt yre's Banjo Buddies are featured on the other nights. I also sat in at Chicago's Red Garter with banjoi sts Vern Timm and Ken Salvo. Unfortunat e ly, I had to leave before Feb ruary 22, when Andres Segovia was scheduled to perform a t Chicago's Orchest ra Hall. Meanwhile, back in Ohio , Carlos Montoya was in co ncert in D ayton on January 24 and the Class ical Guitar Ensemble of the University o.f Cincinna ti's Co llege-Conservatory of Music

gave its first performance of 1976 on February 2. Th e Storyville Rhythm K ings, Jerry Cowell (banjo) and Hank Needham (piano) are playing at the Underground O rleans in Cincinnati . The Classic Jazz Society of Southwestern Ohio (address : Box 653, Ci ncinna ti, Ohio 45201 USA) has recently sponsored local concerts by Ray Heitger's Cakewalkin' Ja ss Band of To ledo , Ohio , and Jim Cullum' s Happy Jazz Band of San A ntonio, Texa s. On March 7 they will host Gene Mayl' s Dixieland Rhyt hm K ings of Dayton , featuring Claire Austin. The College of Mt. St. Jo seph, Cincinn ati, will present Ma;x Morath on April 4th. J ACKIE LITZ I NGER

ALOHA

the Hawaiian language ,* a new interest in steel guitar, and the emergence of so me good new groups of k ids doing nothing but Hawaiian songs and mu sic. Q- Tell me about Alfred Apaka. A- Alfred was easy ,to work with and he had a magic about him when he sang. He pleased bot h sexes equally and was simply a great crowd pleaser. I worked with him from 1930 until his death in 1961. We appeared together in the Tapa R oom at Kaiser's Hawaiian Villaget (now T he Hilt on Hawaiian Village) from 1955 to 1961. We still miss h im. * * * Benny now appears in th e Royal H awa iian Hotel luau show every Sunday eve ning , followed by a 2-hour stint in the adjoining Surf Room from Continued on page 222

FROM HAWAII

Continued from page 213

Q-Your favourite writ ers of Hawaiian songs? A- Chas. E. King; Alvin Isaacs and Danny Stewart. Danny for his really beautiful hapa -ha ole so ngs (songs with Engli sh lyrics). Q- What do you see in the future for Hawaiian music? A-Well, first of all, I think it mu.,t return to its original identity. It is too integrated with foreig n so u ndsMexica n guitar sty lings; some rock sounds, even, and folk guitar and singing styles. The fut ure will depend upon what the yout h of Hawaii are taught abo ut th eir music . It is encouraging, howev er, to see a return m ovement by the kids -to their or igins, suc h a strong new interest in

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I had difficulty in finding the where-

FRETS

a bouts of the rehearsal rooms, but the

statio n-master very kindly directed me to a larg e hall, seem ingly far below the station and along many stone corridor s, where the players were already assembled-an ideal rehearsal room, large , centrally heated, comfortable, with a sma ll stage , and - of course sound-proof. The conductor - or, rathe r, "chef ,_ d'orchestre" -is M. Schneider, and the orchestra is beautifully balanced, with about 10 to 12 mandolins, 6 mandolas (they should be so lucky) , 8 guitars EFORE taking a late holiday and 2 bass mandolins . in Paris during November I To augment this ther e were 2 flautcontacted Madame Menichetti (widow ists, 1 oboe and 1 clarinet, plus 2 perof the famous composer of music for cussionists, one on tympani and the mandolin and guitar orchestras) and, other on drums and effects, but both in response to my enquiry, she inform- very much in the background . ed me that there is now only one good This combination seemed to give a mandolin and guitar orchestra in Paris perfect balance and produced a grand - the Railway Orchestra. rendering of the works performed. This, I presume , is run by members no efforts were spared by both conof the French National Railwa ys, with ductor and players to get the correct headquarters at the St. Lazare station, intonation and inter pretation. although I suspect that membership is Madame Adorfe, who plays prinnot confined solely to railway employ- cipal 2nd mandolin, very kindly offered ees, and has the imposing title of me her place (and a lovely mandolin) "Orchestra de !'Plectra." and I joined the orchestra in playing a Madame Menichetti said she had fine arrangement of Ketelby's In A made enquiries and found that al- Monastery Garden. I have never enthough there was no orchestral conce_rt joyed playing with an orchestra as during the week that I would be m much a s I enjoyed that hour und er Paris, I would be very welcome to M. Schneider's direction. The orchestra formed a semi-circle attend a rehe arsa l at the St. Lazare statio n and I was given a letter of fo rmation with the "chef" on a small introd uction to a Madame Adorfe who rostrum almost in line with the two has a shop in the Rue Saulnier and ends of the semi-circle - both 1st and plays with the orchestra. 2nd mandolins were to left of the

IN

FRANCE

1B

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conductor, mandolas to right and in front, and guitars behind mand~las and linking up with the 2nd mandolms. Woodwind at back of the central man dolas and batterie (percu ssion) on stage at back, the 2 mandobasses were to the right behind guitars. I noticed 2 bass violins in a corner, so l expect they will be used to augment the bass section at times, or perhaps used alternatively. Of further interest is the organisat ion that supports the players. In a. large office adjoining the hall was the ltbrary of over 250 orchestra tions docketed and numbered in a steel cabinet. As a number is taken out and passed to another member for distribution to the players, the titles are entered in a register, no time is wasted during practice as music is ready to hand , a secre tary was also at work on the books and correspondence during the whole session and another helper was on hand at all t ime seeing to the arrangement and comfort of the players-the whole rehearsal seemed to go with almo st regimental precision. I don't suppose the layout of the orchestra is new, but it certainly diffe~s from that in general use here, and 1t shows the advantage of a large mandola section which gives more scope for varied harmonies in that much neglected section . I am looking forward to another visit in the spring when I hope to learn more abo ut the continental manner of arranging and bal ance . C.HOOKER

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A\ l[?il)IU~ II) lrltiI~ iCILIUIUi Club secretaries! Here is your chance to put your Club under the spotlight! For a place in the new Club Page, send your news items not later than the 24th of the month . Good pictures welcomed-black and white preferred.

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LIVERPOOL We reproduce a photograph of the Liverpool Premier Orchestra, winners of the J edson .Challenge Shield and Coronation Challenge Cup at the Musical Festival held at Wythenshawe on the 4th May, 1975. The photograpn shows the orchestra acknowledging the applause at a concert in Sherdley Park , St. Helens, on the 29th June 1975. Th e orchestra has been playing in the open air theatres in Liverpo ol parks continually since 1948 and in Sherdley Park, St. Helens since 1968. During 1975 they gave concerts in four other parks in St. Helens and H aydock.

Banjo and Mandolin Section Two tapes and two cassettes were received last month. From Mike Broad, a 3 in. reel of fretted instrument variety, up to the high standard we have become to expect from Mike. From John Murrell , a 3 in. reel of banjo entertainmen t entit led "Memories of Billy H orne," a most delightful tape of rare banjo material , many thanks, Mike and John. The two cassettes ·were kindly sent by Phil Skinner of Mansfield , N.S.W., Australia. These very entertaining 220

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HATFIELD Looking in at the clubs lately, it is quite apparent that nearly all have one or two members on the sick list; mostly victims of the 'flu epidemic. Nevertheless, Hatfield were able to muster quite a good number for the public concert in which they took part for Music Week 1976 at the Welwyn Garden City Leisure Campus, on Thursday, 5th February . The Welwyn Times' report by Eric Hill commended H atfield - This club !ms got something - and noted its "gentle, honest and romantic" programme. J. ENNIS

cassettes of mandolin orchestral playing have been forwarded to Arthur Cooper, the secretary of the Watford B.M . & G. Club, as requested by Phil. No confirmation received to date; we hope he received them. All enquiries concerning the Tape Club should be addressed to the a:ppropriate secretary, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope (see B.M.G. Directory of B.M . & G. Clubs). WALLY SPRANKLEN HAWAIIAN SECTION Two new tapes have been received -from Canadian member Billy Reid two further programmes in his " Hawaiian Rendezvou s" series, and

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from Charlie Hynd a selection of multirecord ings made over the past five years, featuring a wide variety of music and styles. Two first-rate tapes of much more than ordinary interest. Best . thanks to Charlie and to Billy! A reminder that the Luau is drawing near! May 29th is the great night, and tickets should be ordered as soon as possible from Arthur Jones at 986 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham 27. The price is £5 each, including the cost of a sumptuous Hawaiian buffet plus an evening of entertainment by Wout Steenhuis and Kealoha Life, in addition to the many other performers who will be on hand. As an additional treat, Arthur inform s me that Ronnie Joynes will be present. Ronnie will be remembered by many for the years he broadcast with A. P. Sharpe' s Honolulu Hawai ians, and subsequently on Guitar Club. Ronnie is bringing with him a Malayan girls quartet, the Ip Sisters, who sing Hawaiian songs ; and, for any aspiring hula students, American hula instructor Mrs. Sandra Rodgers will be there! I t promises to be a first-class evening, and in addition to the enterta inments there will be the pleasure of meeting many fellow Hawaiian enthusiasts and Tape Club members. Ka lena and I will be present (all being wefl), and we hope to meet many friends old and new. So, don't delay-make sure of your tickets and book now for what promises to be the most exciting evening of Ha waiian entertainment of the decade! JOHN D. MARSDEN

FEDERATION NEWS SOUTHERN SECTION

The meeting for January was held at the Adam and Eve, Petty France , on January 30th, and was a very lively one . Much thought had gone into the new subs, and our chairman ou tlined his plans to make the situation a bit easier on everyone, and after much discussion, the following were outlined: The £5 fu)l membership (with voting power at AGM) . The £2.50 associate member ship (without voting power).

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Both the a bove carry full privileges, i.e., free entry to the rally, free entry to the contests. Thus it wiU be seen most members will opt for the £2.50. Long-standing OAP members, free, with all privileges. Under 18s £2.50, with all above privileges. Orchestras £5 per orchestra, with membership for all members (free rally entry, etc.). Or chestral contests £5 per orchestra (with membership for rest of year). Unlimited number of contests , free rally entry. I tru st the above will make clear what everyone has been asking-and now for the benefits to all : More cash available for Federation ventures. An assured income for the rally and a continuance of this, the only national organ isation. We have a new secretary, Miss Hansi Roler, who so kindly stepped in to replace Vera Godwin. We are at present negot1atmg a Saturday in October for the 1976rally; more news when this is finalised. v ur get-together on Januar y 30th was very well attended, with, believe it or not, a predominance of ban jos. Famous people kept dropping inamong them Ber-tie Owen and J. McNaghte n- all were welcomed. All in all, it was seven hours of sheer pleasure, our thanks are due to Jim Ennis for his organisation . We hope to put on another in lat e May or early J une at the Alliance Hall if available . On a personal level I took part with the Hatfield and Barnet clubs in a week-long music festival at Welwyn Garden city (campus west) and we had the great pleasure of introducing our music to Jots of people who had never perhaps visualised our instruments in this setting-and we therefore featur ed Joh B. Kok as our main inspiration. To all our friend s: we hope you will suppo rt us-and , in particular, the northern rally-for we all have the same object. Happy playing. R. V. SHE LTON Send for particulars of the

IVOR MAIRANTS

POST AL COURSES fo r Spanish and Pleclrum Guitar Eacl, lesson personally cl,ecked and correct,d Details from IVOR MAIRANTS MUSICENTRE 56 Rothbon e Place, Oxford Stree t , WI P JAB

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Dear Sir,- Mr. Selwyn Cash (a neighbour of mine) has just given me copies of your last three issues. I was fascinated by these, as they brought back memories of the days when I used to play the banjo , and was a regu lar reader of B·MG. I was a member of the Alverntone Banj o Band , and we went with our Club (run by the late Harry Har per) to the 1929 Rally. If I remember rightly , the test piece was The Blue Danube, There must have been at least six bands playing this, and believe me, we didn't wan t to hear it again for a long time! Mr . Cash thought your readers might be interested in the enclosed photo; I am not in the group, as l had a cold at the time it was taken. (As the photo goes back to the 1929/ 30 period, and I am now 72, I'm afraid most names escape me. I'm sorry I can't recall the name s of those in the back row, except our pianist Mr. Brazendale-second .from right. Middle row (left to right): Alan

Bowsk ill, Walter James , Jack Henricks, Harry Harper - ([ ca n' t recall the other two, alas!). From row: The young boy on the left was Trevor ; the lad on the right was named Cook. I beli eve he ran a banjo band in Wallasey for many years after tbe Alverstoncs broke up. We used to hold meetings in the Lib eral Club , Egremont (Wallasey). Harry Harper was a profess ional music ian a nd we b~n some very happy evenings. He died in thP. ear ly 1930s, aged 42. Jack Henricks was a fine fingerslylist; he was a deep sea diver who lost his l ife during World War Two while working on a bombed warship in the Medite rranean Sea. I believe Walter JamC6, of Wirral , still plays the banjo ; I'm sorry l don 't know what happened to the others. l' m afraid this i.s rather a long letter but I have enjoyed reading those BMGs - and the many happy me morie s of my younger days, brought back by "t he old mag." ROBERT REGINALD FROOM .

Dear Sir , - In the November i&suc I enquired about Rudy Wa rata 's LP It's Aloha Again! , mentioned by Jas. Curley. I would like to say many thanks to both BMG and Jas. Curley. I am now the proud possessor of this disc and quite a .few more Hawaiian records Mr. Curley has sent me and l am now a Satisfied Hawaiian Fanatic.-GLEN AT KINSON.

cor rect proced ure wuuld be in try ing to through your columns. l:f the problem is one of finding a secretary I would like to offer my services, if of course the project got under way.-A. W. HEALD . (From other reports of s ilence in the guita r section we assumed that there had been a loss of interest in the field. Doublless there will be many readers who will be only too ready to join a guitar section of the Tape Club if there are fresh signs of life, We urge would-be members to contact Mr. H~ald, 7 Prospect Way, Brabourne Lees, Ashford, Kent TN25 6RL. We will gladly give space to hclp.- Ed.)

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D ear Sir, -1 have been a member of the Tape Club HS G Section) for many years, and was also a member of the Tape Club's Guitar Section for a considerable time. I eventually resigned from -the Guitar Szct ion because there seemed to be no enthusiasm shown by the club secretary . J say this with no animos ity, but I wrote on two or three occa,sions and never had a reply . ft would appear this section of the Tape Club has been phased out, probably through lack of interest, which is rather surprising as the guitar is so popular, therefore with this in mind I would like to ask what the organise a Tape Club (Guitar Section)

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Dear Sir,-A word of gentle reproof for peda l guitarist Pete Willsher, interv iew in Magpie on TV on 30th January, anent the discovery of the Hawaiian steel guitar; alt hough I did not see the programme myself , correspondents, suitably shocked, wrote me to say that apparently Mr. Will-

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sher stated that the steel guitar evolved fro m "a warped Spanish guitar, played with a piece of bone," and went on to ~ay that the steel guitarist (Harry Pahene Brooker) in the accompanying Pathe Pictorial filmclip, Sophisticated Hula, wa6 playing "a standard acoustic guitar, with heightened bridge and adjuster nut, amplified with an attached pickup," (or words to that effect). I have a film "still ," and an action photograph of the film (on which I was playing plectrum guitar), which clearly shows Harry playing a ·'National" acoustic German silver de luxe, triple-con e resonator steel guitar; while on the soundtrack he used his nor ma l twin-neck electric steel guitar . The steel guitar has been " invented" with the aid of perfume bottles, steel comb, glass tumb lers, steel bolts, and many other metallic objects, but never with the aid of the muting device bone! Among those who have added to the mass of misinformation concerning the invention of our instrument (the most maligned in history!) are the American editor of a fretted instrument magazine who claimed it was invented by "a boy ( l.J.S.) from Kansas or Miami,'' and -the British contributor to a c&W magazine, who claimed Cliff Carlisle invented it; if the TV authorities don't get wise, we 5hall have producers assserting that it was invented by a balalaika-player.-KEALOHA LIF E.

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Dear Sir,-After a break of two year6 I received my Januar y BMG and was very pleased with it. You even have a Down Under sectio n, which I also enjoyed. I am just a strumming guitarist, mainly interested in jazz, but look forwa rd to any advice offered in your excellent magazine by topclass musicians. Here in Brisbane, sunny it may be, but that i.s no help when your 'cello guitar neck develops a twist, after eighteen years. Having tried every music store in town (with no luck) I came across a young man who makes classical guitars for a hobby. My "Aristone" soon lay on his bench awaiting overhaul. I then sought a new pickup unit to replace my original Watkins of twelve years ago. (The mulfled bass type of soun d-v ery original and good for the early Rock and Roll days-is useless for jazz.) I am still trying to get a suitable pickup unit-I ~et laughed at, and am offered units for 60lid6 or "roundhole" guitars. Oh, for a Cyril Proctor in Brisbane! Now, two appeals for help! How much is BMG's yearly rate in Australian dollars? (At the time of writing, approximately $6). Can any American reader give me details of Les Paul? [ would be glad to hear from a ny reader who cares to write on any jazz/ pop guitar subject . All the best to BMG from Down Under.-JOHN HOTSON, I Halcyon St., Rochedale, Brisbane, Queensland 4123.

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. Dear Sir,-1 was most intrigued to read m the February BMG , of Garnelt'6 Banjo Club on the way to the first Federation Rally al Blackpool in 1929. I well remember the event, as I mysel,f was an entrant, and came tirnt in the mandolin 6olo contest although only eight years old al the time'. I actually took part again in 1930 to achieve the 5ame honour. Although I still possess a couple of banjo-

222

THE BALANCE OF STRINGS

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HE string question with fretted instrument players is-or should be-the most important of all the material technicalities of their instrument. Inferior strings can make an excellent and favourite instrument an abomination while, on the other hand it i_spossible, by the use of best quality strmgs, to make an indifferent instrument quite pleasant to play upon. It is most essentia l that the whole set of strings should be equally balanced; the balance of tone throughout a set of strings being a most impor tant point. Many times we have tried novices' and students' instruments and found the balance of tone between the various strings woefully out in relation to each ot~er. This is mostly caused by the thickness of the strings being out of balance. For instance (taking the banjo as an example) a first a bit too thin and a second a shade too thick will cause mandolins-and indeed play them now and a dispa~ity that is fatal to good playing, again-I find that interest in this part of the country is almost non-existent· however I and 1t 1s the same between the second do derive great pleasure in ;hatting o~er and third, the third and fourth and "o ld times" with a few enthus ia6tic friends between the first and fifth. when I v isit my old home town of Preston . We have kn_own players use a part I thought you might be interested in the of a second stnng for the octave saying enclosed photograph taken in 1930. that it "would do", but let anyone try Incidentally, my late father was a great tenor-banjo ent husiast and wa-s a member of the disparity between the fifth string Eugene Earle's Banjo Band in Preston.(open) and the first string when stopMrs. JEA N GRAY (formerly Jean Grime). (Thank you, Mrs. Gray. Your photograph ped at the fifth fret, and then consider brought back our memories of Jean Grime, how the tones of the various strings too; the charming picture graced a BMG can be balanced under such circumsoon afte r the 1929/30 Rally , if I remember stances. Th 7 best of banjos strung hapcorrectly. Dear old Eugene and his Red hazardly with any kind of strinos will 0 Rose Revellers arc also conjured up by be spoilt. your letlcr.-Ed.) Let any banjo player go carefu lly up the scale of C or G from one string Continued from page 218 to another and note whether each 8.30 to 10.30. It is my pleasure to work string tone balances with the other as these shows with him. Most recently he passes from one string to the next we worked in a lovely Hawaiian show and he will soon discover if the strings at the new all-military hotel-t he Hale are balanced properly. Koa, just next door to the Hawaiian Village. The show closed on January 31, but may return again soon . Benny Kalama is also very much in demand by many local show producers to supply the arrangements which are consistently ·top-drawer quality and in p~rfect t~ste. Like I s~id at the beginnmg-th 1s guy does 1t all! Long Jive Benny Kalama! COULD HELP YOUR NAILS GROW NATURALLY STRONG * At this wntmg there are more EASIER TO PLAY GUITAR students studying the Hawaiian Ian,",SK IN YOUR LOCAL GUITAR SHOP gauge than ever in Hawaii's history. TERRY GO ULD M USIC t The Tapa Room burned to the The Old Crown Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire ground in 1973 and to date has not England NN7 3RF. been rebuilt.

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WANTED The cost o( adve rtising under this heading is 4p per word (minimum 48p, twelve words or lc.ss). For inserting Box No. add 25p extra. We regret advertisements arc not accepte d by telephone. FOR SALE offers. Early banjo music . Offers. Ring Bromborough 051•334 3680. After 6 p.m. CLIFFORD Essex Concert Grand plcc. BAN JOS banjo, block pearl pooitions. Excellent tone, etc. Reasonable olicr. Ellis, 352 Easterly FLETA guitar banjo . Vega Gibso n. Klaus Zimme r 51, Aachen Riit6chers tr 165, Ger• Road , Leeds 8. many . JAS. Morrison 5•string banjo , ci rca 1900, GUITARS inlaid neck. Excellent condition. £l00 o.n.o. Tel. 0494 30470. GOOD studc nl•pri cc classical guitars, inc. ABBOTI' Monarc h plectrum banj o with Mcrvi, Francisco, BM, Kimbara, Estrucb, case. £70. Farghcr, 7 Alben Street , Douglas , Alhambra, Garcia, Su:z.uki. Strings: Con• Isle o( Man. certiste. Savarez , Aranjucz, etc. Rentons, VEGAVOX I plectrum banjo. 1955. £230. High Street, Leamington, Warwicks. 0926· Klau s Zimmer, 51 Aachen, Riltschcrslr 165, 26703. Germany. HOFNER Bigsby "Vcrithin", semi-acoustic guitar, two pick•ups, excellent condition, SUTI'ON spec ial inlaid zither banjo. About red finish. £50 o.n.o. Tel. 01·361 0483 after 1903. Also con tempora ry music and Cam• mcycr tutors . Offers. Willis, 34 Midhurs t 6 p.m. Court , Mote Road , Maidstone , Kent. VECA li11lc wonder tenor banjo , 17 frets MANDOLINS with case and resonator. Good condition. £45. Phone Gftcr 6 p.m. Swansea 43.58.5 . MANDOLIN by Pecoraro. Embcrghcr PARA GON 4-string plectrum banjo . £300 style. Perfect tone and cond ition. As new o.n.o. Spo ! banjo £35. Zither banjo £25. with case, £ 150 o.n.o. Offers Orpington (Kent) 25362 evenings. Also BMG·s 1929•1955 plus (most editions)

SERIOUS writer needs back issues !Banjo World , Keynotes, The 'Jo, BMG before 1930, cte. Urgently need Keyno tes, Apri l 1928. A lso want old ba njo methods, photos, music. Box 8 19, BMG, 20 Earlbam Street , London WC2H 9LR. ENTHUSIASTIC collector seeking early banjos, fretlcss or fretted , any condition and make. Also piccolo•miniature banjos and parts. All realisti c price request& acc
VARIOUS CYRIL PROCTOR, Electro•Musical In· str umcn t Specialist, 180 Town Street, Leeds LS12 3RF. Special pickuP6 for E..H.G., pedal, etc. Adjustable poles. Six to twelve st rings. Also for bass guitar , electric and acoustic guitars, violins, banJO, etc. S.A.E. for new prices. MANY BMGs, 1960•1975. Good condition. Offers. Phil Coram, 50 Kay Road , Stoc kwell, S.W.9.

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A selection of very fine instruments Strings, Bridges, Capos, Music Octave and Te nor Mandola strings. Note our new address: 98 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, LONDON WCIB 3LA. Telephone: 01.636 4388

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MANDOLINS

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SATURDAY, 29th MAY, 1976 at the BOTANICAL GARDENS, ED GBASTON, BIRMINGHAM -featuring:

WOUT STEENHUIS : KEAWHA LIFE SIGNATURE .............. ...................... ......... ................................ .. . I KEONI : KALENA : MOANA I SOUTII SEA SERENADERS A DDRESS ········································ ····· ·······················" ········ ········ I AND YOU! ............................ --.................. ..... .....·............................................. . J ust br ing an inslru m i?nl.

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Cfearly print your advertisment in capital letters one wor d per square and include the price of the · article, also your address, telephone or box number. ..

Tickets £5. (including buffet) Tickets available from Arthur Jones, 986 Warwick Road , Birmin gham, B27 6QB. Cheques should be made payable to LUAU '76. 8 p.m . to midnight .

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CLOSING DATE: 22nd OF THE MONTH

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~T1t1chers and 11,e/rAddresses FREE INSERTIONS: To annual subscribers of "B,M.G." of not more than two lines, for each additional line 50p per 12 issues. Non-subscribers: Ads inserted at tl.50 per line for ll issues. LONDON AND SUBURBS

HAMPSHIRE

WORCEl,'TERS HIRE

BENNE IT , J. (G., P.G.) all styles; harmo ny, sigh tread ing, improvisation. Tel. 01-539 7953. COURT SUZANNE, B.Mus., C lassic Guitar Tuition from 'beginner to pr otess ional standard. London N.2. "Jel.: 01-444 0411. FORD, AMOS A. Spanish & Classical Guitar. 28 Barrett Ave. Wood Green, N .22. Te l: 88,3 0216. GALLO, LOUIS (G., P.U., El.P.G.). 6 16 Ureen Lanes. Harringay, N.8. Tel: 01-888 4666. HOPE HARVEY T. (G., EI.P.G., P.G., all sty les). Guit~r Study Centre, Welling . Te l. 01-856 4876. JEl't'IU sY, Al, TV's "Mr . Hanjo". (B., El.ll., _1'._B. , Folk B., T.ll ,, G .. U.). Vocal acct. a spec,a h ty. 66 Chepstow Road, W.2. 229 6856. KENT, A. (Pl. G.), 52 St. Jos eph's Drive, Southall, Middl esex. 01-574 4810. . KRAMER, ADELE . Prin. Professor at the Gutldhall School of Music and Drama. London , gives . lessons in classic guitar for beginner~ to concert standard . 24 College Cresc ent, Swiss Cottage, N.W.3. 722 5366. . LIPSCOMBE, R. F. (B. & P.G.). 34 Lune,dal e Gard ens Edgware, Middles ex. 01-205 5305. MARKIDES, A. (Bouzouki), 167 Valley Drive, N.W.9.

CARLSON. LEW (B., P.B .. M., G .• all styles), 29 Cliffe Ave.. Hamble, Southampton.

BROWN, HILARY, Classical and Fo lk Guitar, Mandolin, Piano and Singing. 92 Baldwin Road, Kidd erminster, Worc estershire.

R~E~~knss HANSI (Zither). 13 Estrcham Road, Streatham Common. SWJ6 SNT. Tel: 769 8625. STOITER, L. C. (G .• P.G., B .• P.B., T .B .• M .). Preparation for "B.M.G." Diplom as. SS Geere Road West Ham . E.15. Tel : 01-534 077~. WAKEFIELD, YVONNE, Classical and Flam enco Guitar lessons . Tel. 01-748 8942. WILLMOTT, ROD. (G., Lut e , Song Acc.), preparation for grade exams, college entrance, etc. 01-385 2560. BEDFORDSHlRE RHYTHMIOS GUITAR Road, Luton.

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SCHOOL.

Leicester

CAMBRIDGE SHIRE VANGO, GEORGE (B. , P.G. , G.). 13 Westfield Rd., Great Shelford, Cambridge. Tel: Shelford 2665 . CHESHIRE BAMBER, N. G. (Zither Banjo and Banjo). 28 Waterloo Road . Bramhall SK7 2NX. Tel.: 439 5159. SHEPPARD, A . E. (B .• M ., G., Clar., Flut e), 23 St. Elmo Rd ., Walla sey, Cheshire. Tel.: 05 1-~38 6448.

YORKSHIRE

KENT C.G.S, SCHOOL OF GUITAR. Sec. Mrs . V . White, 2 Lennox Road East , Gravesend, Kent . COLEY, V. F. Classi cal Guitar Tuition. Serious students and beginn ers . 121 Elsa Rd., Welling, Kent. Tel.: 01-304 0193 . YOUNG. ALAN (P.G .. P .B., Z.B,). Studio: 34 Hibernia St., Ramsgat e.

BATHAM, WILFRED. Mandolin artist. Mario de Pietro and Leopoldo Francia courses. Tuition o n violin by Sevcik method. Mandolin and guitar accompaniments; solo guitar. 29 Sorin2 Ave .. Gt. Harwood. HOOKER, C. R. (B . . P.B .. T.B ., M,, P .G .• H.G.), 114 Warbeck Drive. Blackpool. Tel: 55805. ROSCOE, BIX (P.G .• Bass G ., P.B., T .B., M.) 39 Bright Street, Southport. TAYLOR. J. (B., P.B .. T.B .• M .G.). 14 Wern et h Cres., Oldha.m. Tel: 061-624 1112. LEICESTER KATHLEEN WARNER, A.R.C.M . (Oass G.), "Ho lmwoo d", College Ave. , Leicester. Tel: 59461. Preparation for Examinations and Music Fe stival s. NORTHUMBERLAND

P.B.,

T.B.),

45 Melrose

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE KALAMUNIAK, VLADIMIR , Classical and jau guitar. 16 Glenmore Road , West Bridgford, Nott . Tel: 231053 and 865663. SPANISH GUITAR CENTRE. Princ ipal : Robin J. Pearson, 44 Nottingham Road, Basford, Nottingham NG7 7AE .

CORNWALL t>HILP, Wm. C. D. (P.G .• P.B., House. Ventonleague. Hayle.

B.). Naokerv is

CUMBRIA FRETTED INSTRUMENT STUDIO. G., M,. B. All kindred ins trum ents. Enquiries: 19 Jubil ee Terrace, Maryp ort, Cumbria. DERBYSHIRE BAKER FREDERICK (G.). Spanish Guitar Studi o. Tibsh~lf. Derbys DES SQD. Tib. 2414. DEVON G. TATHAM (C.G.), Oxenways, Membury, Axminster. Tel.: Stockland 402. DURHAM WARWICK, SAM, (T.B.), 2 Holm lands Chester-le -Str eet. Tel: 030-588 3281.

Park ,

DORSET HARLEY, DAVID, A .G. S.M. (Guitar T elephone Bournemouth 39013.

and Lute).

work.

PERCY , TED (B.M.G .• All styles). Advanced F/S Banjo Techniques. 121B Margu er ite Driv e, Leighon-Sea, Essex SS9 INN. Tel , 0702 712853.

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Quarry

STAFFORDSHIRE RIDGE. HORACE. A.T.C .L . (G .. P.). 206 Fenpark Rd., Fenton. Stoke-on-Trent . Tel: 313442. SURREY £MONDS, ANDRE, Guitar & Bass Guitar. Improvisation, Reading Technique. Studio Nea r Croydon. Tel : 689 2335. MICHALIS (Classical G.) 33 Ha velock Rd ., Add is• combe. Croydon. T el: 656 21.52. ROMERO, PEDRO (Flamenco Guitar Tuition) . T el: 399 7841. SUSSEX GEARON, FRED (B.M.G., Hawaiian Guitar. El. Bass and Ukulele (All styles). M.M. Winner 1933/ 34. (Assoc iated Board Royal Schools of Mu sic for Class ical Gu itar .) WARWICKSHIRE

ESSEX ESSEX ACCORDION & GUITAR CENTRE. Principal : Jerry Mayes, A .-Mus.L.C .~ ., A.B .C.A. (T.D.), Mem.I .S.M., B.C .A. & L.S .M. Examiner, Private address: 19, Colchester Road, Southend , Essex. Southend 40909. Clas sical/Plectru01. Beginner s and Advanced. For all grades and Diploma

Crescent,

Green•

WALES ENDERBY; ERIC (B., P.B., G., P.O.). 6 Cathan Crescent, Po rt Mead, Swansea. MILVERTON, A. (All frett ed lnsts.) Tuition any style. 95 Maesceionion, Waun Fawr, Aberystwyth . ROBERTS, DON (G ., P.G ., Bass G.). 98 Marlborough Road, Cardiff. Tel: 35508. LIFE, KEALOHA (E.H.G . , E,P.G . , Uke .), 22 High bury Place, Ely, Cardiff CFS 4LP.

AUSTRALIA BUNGAY, W., 17 Deborah Grove, Clovercrest, Medbury North 5092, S. Australia. ACADEMY OF GUITAR (Principal D. B. WALTON). Tuition by teachers with qualifications . Classical to A.M.E .B. Exam. standards. Flamenco and fo lk Guitar. Studio: Celtic Chambers, 246A George Street, Brisbane, Queensland. THE CLASSIC MlJSIC SHOP, St. Francis House, 40 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane, Q. 4000, Australia T el: 21 4357 . · TASMANIA McB:AIN, JIM (G . , H .G., M . , P .G., U.) . 16 Anderson Rd .• Launceston. Tel: 25644.

CANADA ALEXANDER, A., (B., P, B., G., H.G ., M.). Criss Creek ,- B.C., Via Kamloops, Ten Del, Canada.

NEW ZEALAND

SOMERSET KIRTLEY, TED (P.B. , T.B.. Road. Ale veston, Nr. Bristol.

SCOTLAND DAVIDSON, J. (G.), 108 Torphin tield N., Ulasgow G32.

LANCASHIRE

HOLLIDAY, JACK, (B., Avenue, Gate shead .

CALVERT, MALCOLM, C lassical Guitar, SA North House Farm. Cros land Hill, Hudd ersfield. NAREl'. J. (G., P.G.). 62 Woodside Drive, Cottingley , Bingley BDl6 IR P. PIDCOCK, H. (B.G.). 55 Pearce Road, Sheffield S9 4JG. Tel: 40979.

AMY M. WOOD (G . B.M.P .G.) . 11 Upland Rd., Selly Park, Birm ingham. Tel.: 021-743 5907. GUITAR SCHOOL. D . J. Brown (All Styles) . Write to : 274 Hagley Road. Birmingham 16. ADRIAN INGRAM, L.T .C. L., Cert. Ed. Advanced guita r tuition . Tel. : 021-429 7589. G. D . JONES. Private Tuition. B.M .G . Diplnm a Std. (C.G., PG .. Flam.G., Bass.G . . D.Bass. M.). 16 Shepheard Rd., She ldon, Birmingham B26 3RN . Tel: . 021-743 3145.

WELLINGTON GUITAR CENTRE. Len -Doran, 50 Willis St.. Tel : 556 474.

L.T.C.L.,

R.M.T.

RHODESIA SALISBURY •BARON, WALLY (B., T.B., M . & G . harrn ony and arranging). All styles. l3J Victoria St Tel. : 22461.

SWEDEN DIEHL, J. ERIC, Classi cal and F lamenco. Ostgotagatan 6, S 502 64, Boros, Sweden. (Cl. , FI., Fo., TB .)

U.S.A. C OOPER, PHIL (G., P .G., T.B .. M.). 32 Arthur Woods Ave., Bur!;~gton, Mass . T el. : 617-272 0152. MAIER , HOWIE ("J.B. , P.G., M. , U.) , 200 Caesar Blvd ., Buffalo, N. Y. 14221. MAIER MUSIC STUDIOS, Banjos, Guitars Mandolin. 200 Caesar Blvd., Williamsville 14221 New York. STROPES, JOHN P. (Gu itar ),. _1628 No rth Franklin Place, Apt. 30, Milwa ukee, vvisconsin 53202. TRUITT, RUSSELL (G., B .. M.). 1105 Federal St .• Pittsb~rgh, N.S. "Jel.: 321 6512. WILKING , PHIL (T-B). PO Box 327 Es tes P.ark, Colorado. Tel. 586 451 1.

WEST INDIES NICHOLAS, T. J, (C.G.), 4a St. Anos Ave., Port of Spain. Trinidad, W.I . Tel.: 62 41180.

DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSC RIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

C.E. UKULELE BANJO The arm is constructed from seasoned mahogany with a choice of rosevvood or ebony fingerboard, inlaid with motherof-pearl. Both neck and tailpiece are fully adjustable to suit individual tastes . The hoop is of laminated maple and the metal top ring is sec ured by four tee n tens ion brackets. Th e vellum is of finest calf-skin. The resonator is of the flatp la te variety with box-wood edging. Pric~ is £()7.20 inc ludi ng Value Added Tax and hard case. Dimensions are as follows: 15in. Scale length Nickel plated frets 15 Hoop and Resona tor 8 in. di ame ter Available from Cliffo rd Essex Music Co. Ltd., 20 Ear!ham Street, London WC2H 9LR --

REAL NICKEL-SIL VER --

Fret Wire GUITAR UANJO 1\·lANDOLIN

. . . 35p per yard 3511per y:ml ... 3Sp per y;ird

(Postage

ONLY SOLD

CI.IFFORD

9p c.xtra)

IN YARO LENGTHS

ESSEX ;\HJSIC CO. LTD. Lo111lo11. W.C.2

20 fa1rlham Stred.

For a really first-class repair or over haul-executed in the minimum time at a reasonable cost-entrust your instrument only to Clifford Essex craftsmen. We 11re cons t antly receiving letters from sa t isfied clients who have been highiy p leased with the work c.!lrried out on their instruments.

* ESTIMATES FREE * CLIFFORD ESSEX MUSIC CO.UD. LONDON,

Send now t0: B.M.G. Public a tions Ltd., 20 Earlham The only way to make sure Of Street, London WC2H 9LR, receiving B.M .G . each month is to Eng land. place a stand ing order with the publi sher. Please send me B.M.G. for the next

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SUBSCRIPTION RATE

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plus 75 ccnls if remitting bank clearance

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value £

A MINOR ADJUSTMENT TO A COMPLETE OVERHAUL

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U.S. $9.00 for 12 months U.S. $4.70 for 6 months

FROM

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CLIFFORDESSEXMUSIC CO. LTD. 20 EARLHAM STREET, LONDON

W.C.2

Accessories GUITAR (PLECTRUM AND SPANISH)

BANJO Each Plcctn1m-Banjo tai lpiccc extension type with hing ed cove r. £1.85 Nickel-plated . Complete with bo il an d itut 20 Single-note (G} Pitch Pipe SS Set of Pi tch Pipes (G.C.G.B.D.} £1.40 As above - C hromium plated £2.2 0 Grover Non-slip Pegs. All metal (,.,eh) 70 Non-slip peg with white pla st ic button 70 Octave peg with whit e plas1ic button GcarCd Banjo peg ! white bullon 85 70 Matching octave peg for geared peg Wedge plates (nickel-p lated) 95 Ebony for banjo finge rboard. Approx. 21in. x 2in. x ¼in. £4 .50 25 & 38 Tailpiccc bolts (nickel plated) 40 Tailpiccc bracket and nut Ebony wedges (per pair) so Nickel- silver frctwirc (Only so ld in yard lengths) per yard 85 Machine heads for zitlicr-banjo . (Various) (Lis t on applica£2.00 tion) From, per pa ir 45 Nickel-plated brncket and nut (will fll most mak es) Chrome-plated sho1; \\'ilil washer and screw 20 50 Elastic banjo capo £1-0 & £14 Ten or Banjo case1', Felt Lined 90 Havana Type Mute 40 Deluxe bridges. with ebony in~ct. 5•str ir,g only Maple Br idges (stat e 4- or 5-strin~) 30 £2.75 Schaller Gear ed Banj o Peg £2.20 Schaller Octave Ban jo Peg 60 Top Nuts . Ivory Resonator Cine. fillings) D.I.Y. kih only (inc. postage' £9.50 £3.60 Resonator Fittings . .. Banj o Cases D e Lu xe- P lus h lined ... £45.00 Tenor Banjo Necks shaped (ready for fretting & finbhing) £6.00

MANDOLIN White

Hardwood

Banjol in

Each 4S

Bri
Mandolin llridge Frctwirc . (Only ~o.Jd in yard leng th s). per yarG Si<1gk Note (A) !' itc h Pip es Set (4) P itch Pipes (i n container) .. Ki dnCy -sh apcd mandolin t;,ilpiccc . Nickel -plated Shell-shaped mandolin tailpiccc. Ni ckel plated Ma cl1inc Head s

85 35 20

60 80

Rosewood sadd le-type bridge with plastic saddle {No. 127) Rosewood bridge -pin type briiJgc with plast ic saddl e (No . 132) Ebony bridge for flat-top gu ita ~ w ilh plastic inse t for strings (No. 125) Scrawh plate for fht-top gll itar . Black M;ihogany for necks , pnrt lally shaped .. , Mahog.:rny. back and sid es 12 String Guitar floatin g Tailpiccc. Quick ac ti on slotted cast

Eac h 85 £1.00 85 40 £5.00 £ 17.00

£3.00 he:'\ds . (L<~neth from h~ad M hase 4 ½in.) Epiphonc type · ·com nc 11sator•f tailpiccc. Q llick actl on slo tted £3.00 he.,d. (Leng th 6in.) •. Floating 1:1il pic{;c wi 1h cast s lLHtcd head, Curved fur cello £2.00 type g~1itar (length 5in.) Flo.ttit,g tailpicce wilh pri::::sscd stri ng•hc ad. (Length from liO h~ad tu base 4in .) Floating tai lpiccc with cast !)lottcd•hcad . (Length from £1.80 head to hasc 6in.) f loati ng ta il piccc with c ast .-;lottcd-1,cad reinforced with three £1.80 stay -rods. {L<.: .nglh from hc.ld to base 4½in.) 90 Ela~tic Capo-6 St ring 20 S in glc•notc pitch pipe:-:. A or G (in conta iner} 90 Set of Pitch Pi pes (E, A , D, G. B, E} (in container) 30 Ebony end knobs 20 P lastic end knob!i:, blac k or white White plastic J)11rflin g , !in . wide . I f 16in. thic k . . . 2ft. 15; 3ft. 20 £4.50 Ebony fur gu itar finge rboard . Approx . 19in . x 2t in. x ¼in. £ 1.75 A11i..:rit.:an Spr in g-loa
t :> callers

unless or dered with

an irlslrum cnt.)

so £3.80

VARIOUS A an d G tuning forks Nickel-plated heavy-duty mu sic stand (Telescopic) . With rubber feet Plectra , pl astic and nylnn M anu ~cri pt book. l2•~t:,vc quarto size M.S. Ukule le tailpicccs Instrument stands . suitable fo r Gu itar or Banj o. Nickel plated , ru bber feet , fully collap s ible Table Music Stands .

*

HAWAIIAN GUITAR

Eacil 58 & 7/i

£4 .40 15

6.0 50 £4.50 £2.60

Set of pitch pipes ( E. C sharp. A. E. A . E) (in conta ine r) lmi tali on tort o i.-.;cshcll (p ]a,.::1 ic) tini;.cr .ind thum b picks lm it:1tion h orn thumb pick Metal finger and thumb p icks Tlrnmb Pi c ks (real tortoi~cshcll) National lype finger picks

Bottk: neck steel

POSTAGE EXTRA

Each 90 20 20 20 3S 20 75

*

Print ed for Henry G. Waker Limited (0 1-278 1522/3 ), 203 Kings Cross Road. London, W.C.1 by H. G. Lea tes Ltd., Proprietors, B.M.G. Publications Ltd., 20 Earlham Street, Ca mbrid ge Circus, London, W.C.2.

• C

and publi she d by the

J