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Sweden
Jan 7, 2008 19:02:38 GMT
Post by Ptarmigan on Jan 7, 2008 19:02:38 GMT
Good idea John ... looks like this one might run for a while! Anyway, regarding slow & fast music - I'm sure we're all the same, aren't we? e.g. there are times & situations where we like to either play fast ourselves or listen to fast lively music & by the same token, there are other times when we prefer to chill out & play at a nice handy speed or listen to relaxing, dandering tunes. Variety after all is the spice of life! So a concert or session which just has one speed of music all the way through, for me at least, would be totally boring. The very idea reminds me of a Status Quo concert I went to in Edinburgh, way back when .... not only was every song at the same speed, but I swear every song had the same tune! Or at least it sounded like it to me! In the world of Irish Music, some younger players prefer to play fast Reels (4/4) all night ... However, the best sessions, of course, make use of the huge variety of different rhythms there are in Irish music. So you'll hear 4/4, 6/8, 3/4, 9/8 Airs & Songs etc etc From what I can gather Old Time Sessions tend to be more of a monoculture, i.e. one rhythm for most of the time. If that is the case, then in my opinion, there would be even more need to vary the speed during the event. But hey, shucks, this is just my opinion, coming as it does from the viewpoint of an outsider, really. Living, as I do in an Old Time Gobi Desert! I did spend a summer in Brittany & all their music seemed to be of the same rhythm & speed, & with all the wine, you kind of just found yourself going into a trance like state! Maybe that's the form & crack at an Old Time Session? Anyway, I do hope I get a chance to find out for myself ..... before ALL my hair falls out! Cheers Dick
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Sweden
Jan 7, 2008 19:05:43 GMT
Post by Ptarmigan on Jan 7, 2008 19:05:43 GMT
Thanks for that John. I'll certainly watch out for those Old Time Swedes! Unfortunately my E-mail to the Swedish Stringband, New Mountain, just gets bounced back to me! Cheers Dick
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Sweden
Jan 7, 2008 19:26:45 GMT
Post by john on Jan 7, 2008 19:26:45 GMT
Hi and thanks, Ask the youngster to play an air. I did experience the same here in Denmark. The room was crowded with spectators and musicians and suddenly the whole evening was one big cutting contest. What a boring evening. But when you are young !!! I have been to a Status Quo concert and experienced the same thing. But I like them. To me the music is what counts. Liquer is fine ale is too but your hearing will be affected after a while. Alcohol has a tendency to deaden and muffle sounds. Which can be to a great help in some circumstances. I guess we see eye to eye. As pirates! Ay, mate cheers, john
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Sweden
Jan 7, 2008 20:55:02 GMT
Post by deleuran on Jan 7, 2008 20:55:02 GMT
Just a little comment on speed and variety. I love playing fast. Especially for square dance, but I love playing slower ballads as well. And sometimes I get bored stiff when I hear a record/cd with old time fiddle tunes all at the same pace and the same rythm. It's like, as much as I love old time music, I can hate it as much some times. Variety is a spice as you say, Dick. And I have tried playing instrumentals for squaredance for three hours in a row and loved every second, but I guess I would have hated to listen to it for so long. It's much more fun to play than to listen to. Sorry if I hurt somones feelings out there. So a little variety.... For instance a ballad in 3/4 once in a while as it seems like most oldtime are played in 4/4 or 2/2 or 2/4. No 6/8 or 9/8 there.
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Sweden
Jan 7, 2008 21:02:44 GMT
Post by tobias on Jan 7, 2008 21:02:44 GMT
With regards to rhythm...I also prefer to play steady and groovin as to fast as hell. Oldtime is very much dominated by fast reels, but it isnt allways necessary. Listen to one of the worlds most promising fiddlers, Jake Krack from West Virginia. www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=JAKKRKCORN-He is only 15!? The first tune he plays "Queen of the Earth, Child of the skies" from Edden Hammons. Beautifull tune. These types of slow airs arent very commonly played in oldtime. Too bad. /Tobias
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Sweden
Jan 7, 2008 21:11:41 GMT
Post by Ptarmigan on Jan 7, 2008 21:11:41 GMT
Aye Jesper, Listening to Irish music for over 40 years now, I guess I'm quite comfortable with all the above time sigs, but I must be honest, when I listen to some of the Jazz tunes my son plays, they just baffle me. It takes me all my time, just trying to work out when to tap my blasted foot! I've no idea how I'd get on with some of those Balkan rhythms like: 5/4, 7/4, 7/16, 11/16, & even 25/16 & 35/16!!!! There's a lot to be said for simply sticking with the Devil you know! ;D As for fast sessions, yes, I know what you mean, they sometimes just take off with a kind of a life of their own & you just have to go with them. Cheers Dick
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Sweden
Feb 9, 2008 11:10:38 GMT
Post by Susi on Feb 9, 2008 11:10:38 GMT
Regarding Rockridge, I checked them out at My Space the other day and their new stuff sounds really good!!!!!
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Sweden
Feb 18, 2008 21:48:44 GMT
Post by kristianrrb on Feb 18, 2008 21:48:44 GMT
Greetings! Yes, the Swedish scene is definitely alive and kicking. My favourites these days are G2, the nr1 European bluegrass band, if you havent listened yet, do yourself a favour and listen to them - they are such a breath of fresh air from all the normal bluegrass you hear. I guess I could throw in my 2 cents regarding the Rockridge Brothers style, or lack of same, since I play the banjo there. Thank you all for the nice comments, always appreciated, btw I would say that we play oldtime music, and I really dont know wether it is this or that style. I am not that much of a historian, perhaps Ralf (the fiddler) could give a more fulfilling answer, but I never thought too much about it. For me, number one is to play the music I enjoy. Plain a simple. Traditions should not be limitations (but that is a WHOLE new discussion for someone else to open in another thread I asume). But, I think we in Rockridge think a lot about entertainment value when we play. We have gathered a nice group of young, non-musician followers who enjoy the energy and attitude we project. Because we get to play on stage fairly often, and often outside the oldtime scene, our sound and setlists are mostly songs and mostly high energy. So I guess you could call it punk. We do -- but not in a bad context though. Our main influences are probably bands like the Chicken Chokers, Bubba George Stringband and Ace Weems. More recently, Morgantown Rounders, Forge Mountain Diggers and now the new Freighthoppers 08 - Frank Lee and David Bass together again, yipee! Ok, enough rambling, this is getting long as it is. In short, we play traditional music but we might not conform to the traditional way of playing it. Have a nice evening! /Kristian, Rockridge Brothers. PS: Sandy Boys Stringband are cool!
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Sweden
Feb 19, 2008 16:59:06 GMT
Post by john on Feb 19, 2008 16:59:06 GMT
I think that most of the musicians from Steamboat Entertainers play in Hot Corn Band. They have been at Kattinge many a time. They are awesome!! cheers, John
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yellowbarber
Old Time Washboard Player
guitar/fiddle/song/lessons
Posts: 22
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Sweden
Feb 27, 2008 20:57:15 GMT
Post by yellowbarber on Feb 27, 2008 20:57:15 GMT
Hi there, first, the Rockridge brothers are not a punk rock band with old timey touch. What they are playing is the west virginian style. I dont know if you mean western Virginia style or West Virginia style. If you are saying that they play West Virginia style, then I have to 100% disagree. I can hear absolutely no West Virginia sound in their playing. WV is know for its odd modal and crooked fiddletunes. ..... More of and Oldtime band with punk energy. /Tobias I am not an expert, just another knucklehead who spends all my free time making some noise I call Old Time Music. That said, as a native Virginian and firsthand witness to the Rockridge mayhem, I'd say that they do have a bit of a WVa sound. They also have a bit of a Galax thing going on too, not to mention a Carolina, Georgia and Alabama sound. However, because they're Swedish, it's a ridiculous notion to say that have any kind of specific regional sound apart from the obvious influences of previously mentioned contemporary string bands (i.e. Red Hots, Bubba George). I will say this about the Rockridge Brothers, they are as good a string band or better than most we have back here in the States. They have an incredibly good vibe and put on one hell of a show. If the notion to go "expert" on the list here strikes me, I'll have a few things to say about "WV is know for its odd modal and crooked fiddletunes." But I probably won't, just 'cause I'd rather not piss anybody off. Maybe just have a closer look at the repertoires of Clark Kessenger, Harvey Sampson, Melvin Wine, Wilson Douglas, Frank George... and you'll find that they're no more odd metered or modal than anywhere else west of the New River.
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Sweden
Feb 27, 2008 23:56:30 GMT
Post by kristianrrb on Feb 27, 2008 23:56:30 GMT
Yellowbarber, I like that! In Rockridge Brothers, we play oldtime in the traditional Swedish style which is known for the fun kickin' attitude. We just do what feels right and fun, and bottom line, that is really what it is all about for me. And thank you very much for the compliment, it is about the best we have gotten, I think!
regards, Kristian / Rockridge Brothers
P.S - watch out for those slow-walking people on the sidewalk! And see you this summer I hope (Clifftop 08!)!
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Sweden
Feb 28, 2008 12:19:17 GMT
Post by tobias on Feb 28, 2008 12:19:17 GMT
I am not an expert, just another knucklehead who spends all my free time making some noise I call Old Time Music. That said, as a native Virginian and firsthand witness to the Rockridge mayhem, I'd say that they do have a bit of a WVa sound. They also have a bit of a Galax thing going on too, not to mention a Carolina, Georgia and Alabama sound. However, because they're Swedish, it's a ridiculous notion to say that have any kind of specific regional sound apart from the obvious influences of previously mentioned contemporary string bands (i.e. Red Hots, Bubba George). I will say this about the Rockridge Brothers, they are as good a string band or better than most we have back here in the States. They have an incredibly good vibe and put on one hell of a show. If the notion to go "expert" on the list here strikes me, I'll have a few things to say about "WV is know for its odd modal and crooked fiddletunes." But I probably won't, just 'cause I'd rather not piss anybody off. Maybe just have a closer look at the repertoires of Clark Kessenger, Harvey Sampson, Melvin Wine, Wilson Douglas, Frank George... and you'll find that they're no more odd metered of modal than anywhere else west of the New River. Hi Yellowbarber I dont think that a nice discussion will piss anyone off. Not me atleast. I love discussions. Being proven wrong only makes one smarter. I totally agree with your statement about not labeling a swedish band by american regions. It is quite an absurd thought. One could argue that labeling an american musician/band regionally has been hard since the advent of the radio or the grammophone. Massmedia has in many ways eliminated regions. Sure there are people who practices the styles of certain regions, but that is very often as a side project to playing all sorts of "non regional" styles and tunes...You know, just OT in general. A swedish musician I talked to, said that some theories has been made in Sweden with regards to regional or local styles. It has been claimed that the local styles are more personal styles. That the playing of a certain fiddler in that area has created a styles that the people around him would imitate, and then later it was describes as the regional style. Food for thought. With regards to my earlier remark about WVa being mainly known for crooked and modal tunes, I know that is not entirely true. They played the standard dancetunes plenty. Edden Hammons played "Arkansas Traveller" like millions before and after him. That just brings me back to my statement about the question about the exsistance of "real" regional styles. So when the subject of a regional style is brought up (like in the case of Rockridge Brothers being WVa style), I look at a regional style as what tunes etc. that seperates it from other regions (or the music in general) and disregard all they have in common. That seems to me like the only way one could talk about a regional style these days. And to me the things that WVa has (kinda) of its own is those wierd archaic tunes like Yew Pine Mountain, Piney Woods, Shaking Down the Acorns, Shelvin Rock etc.. And I dont hear that sound in RR. /Tobias PS: I cant stop listening to Cum'er'lin Gap on Thomas Bailey's myspace. Thats a fantastic recording. Yellowbarber looks just like Thomas Bailey
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Sweden
Feb 28, 2008 17:18:55 GMT
Post by Ptarmigan on Feb 28, 2008 17:18:55 GMT
Well, speaking personally, I would hope that a Swedish band would bring something of their own countries traditional music to their Old Time sound & likewise any Old Time band from whatever country they were based in. So, just as in the States, there seems to be no one Old Time sound, but rather many variations on the Old Time theme, so should a countries bands reflect some of their own traditional flavour .. hmmm tasty! ;D I totally agree with your notion on regional styles too Tobias. In Ireland there is a lot of talk on regional styles, but when you boil it all down, strong local players have a big influence on other local players, so in any one region you would find numerous styles. Cheers Dick
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yellowbarber
Old Time Washboard Player
guitar/fiddle/song/lessons
Posts: 22
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Sweden
Mar 10, 2008 0:10:49 GMT
Post by yellowbarber on Mar 10, 2008 0:10:49 GMT
Oh, boy...I've really stepped in it now! A swedish musician I talked to, said that some theories has been made in Sweden with regards to regional or local styles. It has been claimed that the local styles are more personal styles. That the playing of a certain fiddler in that area has created a styles that the people around him would imitate, and then later it was describes as the regional style. Food for thought. This is pretty much exactly the case in the States. I'd assume that it's not so much a theory as a fact that reflects even the very little bit I've learned about Isish fiddle music. I spent three wonderful weeks touring Sweden with the Forge Mountain Diggers last Sept/Oct. For the short time we were there, I got a glimpse of some regional styles, mainly in Bollnäs, Järvsö and very breifly in Örnsköldsvik. As is the case in the States, the style of the region was played by the old timers and explorations were followed by the youngsters. We were never in one place long enough to get to "dig in" to the traditional Swedish fiddle music scene; although I did make a recording of some young folks in Bollnäs, I was told later that they were playing in a western style and not from the region. Hmmmm..... Remember that the source recordings we have of those WVa tunes are for the most part solo pieces. It's the 21st century and there's 50 odd years of the "Old Time" music revival to trace through from the Seegers to Erin Marshall. The world that created Tommy Jarrell and Eddn Hammons is long gone or hanging on by a thread at best. This brings me back to Sweden - what I'd learned in Bollnäs had much more to do with regional style than tunes as there are versions of those WVa melodies found west of the New River - as solo pieces. So now in the 21st century, if we really must have a regional distinction; I'd go so far as to say that the RRB could very well be the Camp Creek Boys of Stockholms län and Sandy Boys the Bogtrotters of Rattvik. Thanks for that, Lydia Martin's banjo really made that track. I'm sending a couple copies of It's Always August to Jesper so keep an eye out for it. best Thomas
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