[Dixielandjazz] washboard position

[Mike Durham]

Don Bill, scrubbers everywhere: the earliest washboard bands (on record, 
anyway) were the small black combos in 1920's Chicago, with exponents such 
as W. E. "Buddy" Burton, Jasper Taylor, Baby Dodds, Jimmy Bertrand and so on 
(all were drummers as well as washboardists). Bands were named The Washboard 
Wizards, Georgia Washboard Stompers, Washboard Rhythm Kings, even tunes were 
written about/for this much-maligned item (Washboard Blues, Washboard 
Wiggle, Washboards Get-Together) and Ma Rainey even toured and recorded with 
her Tub Jug Washboard Band in 1928. Clarence Williams used Floyd Casey on 
washboard throughout the 20's and well into the swing-minded 30's. So this 
humble percussive substitute has a long and noble history, extending into 
the very present moment. All hail the corrugated wonder, let no man 
henceforth traduce this noble instrument or its dedicated practitioners! (I 
hear that Ken Burns plans a ten-hour series on it for 2005, by the way)

Mike (I have no shares in the Maid-Rite Corporation, honest!) Durham



>From: "Don Ingle" <dingle at baldwin-net.com>
>To: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard at hotmail.com>,<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] washboard position
>Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 13:36:43 -0500
>
>Bill, et al:
>The premier washboard player was Spike Jones. His washboards were replete
>with cymbals, bulb auto horns, triangles and a few other assorted hardware
>story appendages. If you listen to the early Jones sides where his was
>mainly a Dixieland band sans harp and assorted added sidemen, you can hear
>the washboard as a rhythm instrument at its finest.
>As a youth watching the band from the wings, I marveled at the rhythm
>section of washboard, banjo, piano, full set of drums, and a clar. tenor,
>trumpet and trombone front line take on such classics as Jungle Town, 
>Goodby
>Tootsie Goodbye, Row Row Row, and other vaudeville tunes and make them
>romp along infectiously. Jazz drummer pro arte Wayne Jones said he 
>collected
>the Spike Jones stuff not for the hokum but the for the band's ability to
>play jazz. He was right. Mr.. Jones was the spark plug that drove the band.
>Other groups that used the washboards well -- the Hoosier Hotshots, the 
>Korn
>Kobblers, Early Freddie Fisher, and some of the early jazz band similar to
>the Mound City Blues Blowers.
>My friend and premier punster Mike Schwimmer does justice to the 
>Washerman's
>Friend.
>Now I plan to be on hand at Logan next June -- definitely set the date - to
>see the washboard in the hands of Father Bill and friends in the homeplace
>of this unheralded instrument d'jazz. I say unheralded because mention of 
>it
>was sadly missing from the Ken Burns series -- casting doubts as to the
>thoroughness of research that went into it. Flawed -- seriously flawed.
>With respect to the tummy thumpers among us,
>Don Ingle
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard at hotmail.com>
>To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 1:12 PM
>Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] washboard position
>
>
> > Listmates,
> >
> > Regarding Kash's aversion of washboards, I can completely understand his
> > reaction if his only exposure to the washboard is a couple of clowns. I
>have
> > similar responses when people approach the bandstand and ask to play
>spoons
> > or bones.  It's easy to form stereotypes from such exposures.
> >
> > But let me point to such musicians as Bob Raggio (RIP - he died just 
>last
> > week) long time washboardist with Kash's old band (South Frisco), Ralf
> > Reynolds - leader of the Reynolds Brothers Rhythm Rascals and 
>washboardist
> > extraordinaire, Stephen Joseph (passed away a few years back) who played
> > with a number of bands including France's "Hot Antic Jazz Band" and who
>was
> > probably the most tasteful washboard player I've ever heard.
> >
> > I know, I know . . . "Tasteful Washboard Player" does sound an awful lot
> > like an oxymoron but, there it is. Stephen was a marvel and we miss him.
> >
> > All of these musicians play simple hardware store type washboard rigs. 
>But
> > then there are other players such as the centerpiece of the Paris
>Washboard
> > band where the "percussionist" plays an elaborate setup of cymbals and
>other
> > percussive devices around a central piece of corrugated metal (the
> > 'washboard' part) and he is a wonder to behold.  Personally, his setup 
>is
> > too complicated for me but the band is extremely popular and they play a
>lot
> > of festivals. I enjoy the band but I'd hate to haul all that stuff 
>around
>.
> > . . it's as complicated as a full drum kit!
> >
> > Finally, let me state that the problem of unwanted sit-ins is not
>restricted
> > to washboards. You can find the arrogant and obnoxious bore on any
> > instrument (trumpets, T-bones, reeds, banjos, accordians, harmonicas, 
>etc.
> >
> > I call upon Jim to re-assess his evaluation . . . ("I've got two
>"washboard"
> > stories which have turned me off the instrument . . .  entirely.").
> >
> > Surely you can't be serious when considering an instrument with the
>musical
> > and emotional depth of the washboard!!
> >
> > Respectfully submitted,
> >
> > Bill "Thimbles" Gunter
> > jazzboard at hotmail.com
> >
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> >
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> >
>
>
>
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