[Dixielandjazz] eddie condon

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

I really enjoyed Eddie Condon's book-bio, "We Called It Music".  I did  
have to locate it via used books.  However, as I read how little he often  ate 
in his non money days, and how much he drank on all days, I cannot begin to  
explain the decently long life that he lived or even how he functioned!   
The book is basically a lot of fun to read and seems to convey the flavor  
especially of of his earlier days.  He started as a kid on  ukulele, then 
banjo.  He does not talk a lot about his playing, but on page  255 does discuss 
why he decided he preferred the chordal sound of  the four string 
plectrum-tuned guitar over tenor or ukulele tuning to  the extent that he initially 
removed the bass strings from a six string  guitar and tuned it plectrum to 
play.  He also says he never had the  desire to play solos.  He did love 
chords and rhythm.  Red McKenzie  had this to say, "Condon has a miraculous sense 
of time...........He doesn't  make much sound by himself in a band but he 
makes a lot of difference in how the  whole band sounds.  He knows music."  
(p. 162)
 
One day I mustered up my courage, took my f-hole arch top plectrum guitar  
(built by Scott Anthony on this list) and went to a jazz workshop at a 
nearby  college.  I knew already that I had never heard any of their faculty play 
 anything pre-bop.  So it was with some trepidation that I even took the  
guitar out of it's case.  As I did so, the faculty jazz guitarist said,  
"Aha, a Condon guitar!"  I knew then it might be OK to stay.  Turned  out the 
guitar was an item of great general interest -- but not enough so to  sell 
anymore that day.  Sorry Scott!
Ginny
 
 
 
In a message dated 9/14/2009 9:19:36 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
cebuisle2 at aol.com writes:

I just  revisited a CD I have of Condon's band-and saw for the first time 
he was  playing a 4 string guitar. Believe this is a tenor guitar? I always 
thought he  played a conventional guitar.
The 4 stringer has a rather thin tone-which  accounts for the fact I can't 
really hear him on recordings. Is it tuned the  same way as the banjo he 
used to play? I remember visiting his place in NYC  many years ago, and it 
seemed he was doing more table hopping than playing.  Given that he never 
soloed? how did he get a reputation as a top flight jazz  player??? I know his wit 
couldn't be beat--but his playing???????