[Dixielandjazz] Re: Vocal bass (was : A matter of substance) and Bass Cano

[david richoux]

I have been doing some serious exploration on the question of what is 
the "Bass Cano." I asked Lauren Miller, the host of the tubotonia 
WashTub Bass website and also chased down a few other possible leads. 
Coincidentally, someone named Lorenz Mueller has a website with 
extensive discographic blues listings that mention the Bass Cano (I 
think that discography was  "lifted" from the Document Records 
catalogue, but I am not sure.) I also asked on the generally very 
knowledgeable Contra-Bass list and got one possible clue.

Here is what I have found so far:

It could be a fancy name for a wash-tub or gut-bucket bass. There is no 
firm evidence.

A  one string  guitar - maybe just a couple of nails in a plank with a 
guitar string. There is some evidence of recordings made with such an 
instrument but I am not sure if the term Bass Cano can be linked to it.

Cano (with a tilde over the n) is medieval Spanish for psaltery (a 
large zither.)

I put the question to a Canadian musician Lindsay Morgan who recorded 
an album that has someone named  John Doerr on the (Bass)(Cano) - he is 
working on tour this weekend but his wife assures me that he will reply 
when he returns...

So maybe Alfred Elkins did "vocal bass" and "bass cano" and they are 
two different things - that would not be impossible. They could be 
different terms for the same thing. William Mitchell is also credited 
with some recordings on Bass Cano in 1941 with Sonny Boy Williamson.

Anyway, this is proof that not EVERYTHING can be found on the web - 
there are some mysterious facts that have to be chased down and 
captured the hard way!

Dave Richoux

On Jan 9, 2004, at 7:28 PM, Bill Haesler wrote:

> Dear Anton,
> I have 5 of the Yas Yas Girl (Merline Johnson) sides from 31 August 
> 1939.
> As you would probably have guessed.
> The Alfred Elkins' 'vocal bass' is exactly that. A credible imitation 
> of a
> string bass, with Elkins "doo-dooing' in time with the music, in tune 
> and
> chordally  correct. To the casual listener it would sound just like a 
> double
> in the manner of (say) blues bassist Bill Settles.
> I do not have the Monkey Joe sides.
> I also have 3 sides from the Jazz Gillum session of 20 March 1941, the 
> whole
> of the Yank Rachel session of 11 December 1941 (plus the 3 April 1941
> session) but not the Joe Williams session of 12 December 1941. Alfred
> Elkins' bass cano on these sounds to me like a single string imitation 
> bass.
> Could 'cano' be an abbreviation/mishearing for 'canon' or a European 
> name
> for 'canon' - in music: strict imitation or a composition in which 
> strict
> imitation plays a prominant part. (Source: A Dictionary of Music. 
> Penquin
> 1950).
> Very kind regards,
> Bill.
> PS: The Jazz Gillum and Yank Rachel sessions mentioned above include 
> the
> wonderful  Washboard Spam (Bill Broonsy's brother-in-law, as I recall).
> Thanks Butch. Loved that email squelch.
> 8>)
>
>
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