The oldtime banjo blog from Kiel

M.T. is often quoted with the following sentence: "A gentleman is a man who knows how to play the banjo, and doesn't!" Shame on him for this! But I could not find the novel, short, storie or letter where he REALLY writes this. On the contrary it is said that this quote is used with lots of instruments, not only banjo. So may be he was a good American - and loved banjo? Don´t know. But I promise a free mp3 of  me playing "Cripple Creek" to the first person who can authenticate this quotation to me. Guaranteed! PS May this promise could be a reason not to call for this give-away?

Morgen ist (endlich) wieder Orchesterprobe. 18:00 Uhr in Hamburg-Winterhude. BitteCapo, Bleistift und Razzefummel nicht vergessen. Da werde ich auch was über das für nächstes Jahr geplante Dublin Retreat erzählen.

... but some Scottish music in the end ;-)

A few days ago I stumbled over an old Leonard Cohen song: Bird on the wire. It´s from the 1969 album "Songs from a Room" and I remember having heard (and loved ) it when I was a student. Today I could not help but giving it a try. At certain moments my voice is not really finding the right note (too high for me?). But I think our Transcontinental Jam Session could add some more instruments as mando and slide guitar. Please play a little louder at the - well, let´s say - "strange" moments of my singing and by such cover the wrong notes... Although the original song is in A I play it in G. Mine is in 4/4. Didn´t L.C. play it in 3/4? But Willie Nelson (on the CD "Tower of Songs") definetly uses 4/4 so I chose this way too. Bird on the Wire with guitar and banjo. I really would love to hear some mandolin and slide guitar to it.

Wir wollen uns am Donnerstag 25.11.2010, 18:00 Uhr in HH- Winterhude treffen. Auf dem Programm stehen die beiden Hits vom letzten Mal: The Wind that Shakes the Barley und Broyges Tants. Auch Neulinge sind sehr willkommen. Schreibt mir, wenn Ihr Interesse habt. Übrigens will uns Andreas am 25. einige seiner  Schmankerln zeigen, z. B. ein Cello-Banjo 6-String mit 5th-string (also 7 Saiten???).

The Retreat Guys had a terrific weekend in Newcastle, so I was told. That is why Alan tries to find enough guys who would like to come to Dublin for the next retreat in 2011 - to continue the series which began in Crisfield USA, spilled over to Sheffield UK, then to Kiel and now to Newcastle - Banjo rules the world! If you my dear reader have the same ideas about Dublin as me ("You say Dublin, capital city of the motherland of folkmusic? Where it all - at least my personal love for folkmusic- has its origin? I mean, you know The Dubliners? Have to go there!") go either to UKfolkies or drop me a line so I can tell Alan. The more the better!

Last week banjo ruled the world - well, at least nearly parts of Europe. On Crete I met the Headless Frailer and we sang and played under the bright greece sky. In England the guys from the Newcastle Retreat  met at some spooky venue which can be seen here . Obviously they had a great time. The next All-Over-Europe-Retreat will happen next year in Dublin - hometown of folkmusic. I`ll give my eyeteeth to join them.