[Dixielandjazz] Banjo Styles

[dwlit at cpcug.org]

I've played as a member of a band, as substitute with another, where the
leaders wanted only 4/4, allowed some 2&4. Bloody boring. These were
3-horn, banjo, drums, upright bass, New Orleans style bands; they did
allow me to take some solos. Over the years I often heard the bands from
the audience, and I found the rhythm to be perniciously boring,
culminating in a feeling that I was being pounded in the head. Though it
didn't interfere with dancers or the horns, some slight variety from the
banjo would have lightened the rhythmic sameness, made the bands more
listenable. Admittedly I'm biased, but my opinion comes from long
experience.

Murphy's case is an exception, because the piano provides syncopation and
variety, so his insistence actually is reasonable (shudder).

I've had a couple of clients who hired me for 3 hours of background solo
banjo. I play chord melodies/solos and keep up a 2-beat rhythm, which I
deem to provide bright vibes. One client called me when I was already
booked, so I recommended a good jazz player (I've played with him many
times) who plays a lot of single-string solos. When I played the following
year, they said they were so glad I was back, because the frequent jazz
single string solos didn't do anything for them, didn't accomplish what
they wanted. I hadn't recognized the impact of our stylistic differences.
Sumpin' to keep in mind!

--Sheik


> There's more to banjo playing than "whacking on 2 & 4," although you would
> be hard pressed to find many OKOM band leaders would understand or believe
> that. It's been my experience that they're so focused on their own
> instrument, that they believe the others in the band are for background
> only [Let the flack begin on that comment!].
>
> Anyways, my workshop will focus on some of the techniques that define
> styles of banjo playing including (but not limited to):
>
> Full Chord Melody Style (such as Eddie Peabody, Don Van Palta, Doug
> Mattocks, Buddy Wachter, etc).
>
> Full Chord Syncopation (Eddie Peabody, Brad Roth, Buddy Wachter, George
> Formby -- O.K., not a real banjo player, but a good syncopater).
>
> Broken Chord Stroke Style or Sub-Style (Masterfully done by Perry Bechtel,
> Buddy Wachter and others).
>
> Single String Jazz (Elmer Snowden in the past; current proponents such as
> Jimmy Mazzy, Paul Erickson, Howard Alden and others)
>
> Single String Chord Runs (the late Maurice Bolyer).
>
> Complex chord harmonies, staccato melody lines and complex syncopation
> (Harry Reser, Howard Alden, and others).
>
> Note that these styles are not necessarily played continuously by the
> above players, but that they tend to use the listed styles a lot, and
> this, in my opinion, defines their playing. These are not the only styles,
> of course, but the ones I could illustrate and find recordings of in my
> collection. Not all of them are fully compatible with OKOM style. I have
> tried them all during the course of gigs, and some work better than others
> in an ensemble setting. Some are better used for solo work.
>
> I will be demonstrating some of these techniques, as well as playing some
> recordings illustrating them as done by the above players. It should be a
> fun workshop.
>
>
> Mike Woitowicz
> The Banjo Barons Ragtime Band
> The Dixie Barons Dixieland Band
> Solo Banjo Shows
> www.banjomusic.biz
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