[Dixielandjazz] Banjo-- Eddie Peabody thread-- more tuning anecdotes

[Norman Vickers]

To:  DJML

From:  Norman Vickers, Jazz society of Pensacola www.jazzpensacola.com

CC: Jim Irvin and Dave Stoddard

 

<JIRVIN at millinglaw.com>

To: "Dave Stoddard" <dhs2 at peoplepc.com>

 

Jim Irvin discusses difficulty of transitioning from guitar, standard
tuning, to tenor banjo with standard tuning-5ths like a violin, mandolin.

 

My local friend, plays jazz/classical/ Latin guitar, nylon strings.  He has
a six-string Deering banjo which is tuned like guitar, so it's an easy
transition for him. Some years ago, another  banjo playing friend had
learned to play on guitar, so he just used standard guitar tuning on his
tenor banjo.

 

One anecdote from late  Brazilian classical and jazz guitarist Laurindo
Almeida.  He came from Brazil in the mid 1940s because his casino gig dried
up after a reform governor was elected.  He was picked up by Stan Kenton and
rode the band bus for 3 years until, as Kenton periodically did, Kenton
broke up the band to pursue other interests- in this case, studying
psychotherapy.  Laurindo then worked in the LA movie and TV studios. He said
that if one played more than one instrument on a gig, one got extra pay.
He was called by a producer, "Laurindo, do you play the balalaika"

LA:  Yes,

Producer:  Laurindo, do you play the mandolin?

LA: Yes.

Producer:  Laurindo, do you play the banjo?

LA: Yes.

 

Laurindo reported that he went to the music store, rented the instruments,
tuned them all like the guitar and played the gig for extra pay!

 

Thanks all.