[Dixielandjazz] What is a banjo?

[Bill Gunter]

Hi All,

John Pembery wrote (regarding banjos in jazz):

>Five stringers have no place in jazz unless you do away with the fifth 
>string .

Don't tell this to Bela Fleck.

By the way, the Boondockers performs number where the banjo player starts 
out on his plectrum playing "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise." After a 
chorus, I switch from my washboard to banjo and join in, then the trombone 
player (Maihack) switches to banjo and joins in, the the cornet player (Gary 
Church) switches to banjo and joins in, then the clarinet (Edgerton) picks 
up his banjo and joins in and then the piano player (Ringwald) switches from 
keyboard to banjo and joins in. We're now a banjo sextet and everyone in the 
joint stands up and cheers.  I wonder how many notice I'm finger picking on 
a 5-string?

Cheers,

Bill "5 string twanger" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com