[Dixielandjazz] Gene Sheldon Video

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

I have only played one time with a guy who had one of the knee mutes.  I 
thought it was pretty cool.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Woitowicz" <banjomusic at charter.net>
To: "Dixieland Jazz" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 11:32 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Gene Sheldon Video


> Fr. Mike said: "I've never seen a banjo player strum the neck!,..."
>
> This is a common technique employed by banjoists to get a softer, muted 
> tone in different parts of a song. It's used quite often by solo banjo 
> professionals. It's also part "show off."
>
> In the Sheldon video, you will also hear a mute sound which is activated 
> by a "knee mute". This lever arrangement causes a mute device inside the 
> banjo pot to touch the head and give it a softer tone. Sheldon does it so 
> smoothly that you can hardly tell he's activated it.
>
> Also, if you watch carefully in the video, you will see Sheldon performing 
> a "Figure 8" stroke style at the end of the last song, Alabama Jubilee. 
> This four string stroke technique was performed by vaudeville performers a 
> lot, but is seldom used these days. At least I don't see it much.
>
> I've seen the video countless times, and am still enthralled by his tasty 
> Eb version of "Coquette" , which is not an easy tune in that key on the 
> tenor banjo.
>
> Mike Woitowicz
> The Banjo Barons Ragtime Band
> The Dixie Barons Dixieland Band
> www.banjomusic.biz
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