[Dixielandjazz] To Those Who Dislike Jazz Banjo

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Hi Elazar,
 
Thanks for the good news!
 
I'm still regretting I started this original thread with a defensive  tone. 
 What I really wanted to achieve was to explain to any on the list  who did 
not know is that the banjo has never had the possible benefit of being  
presented to the world as a "serious" instrument with a formal pedagogy  
available beginning in one's youth and continuing to an advanced  level.  Nor has 
banjo ever been available for advanced academic study  with only a one 
person exception that I know about.  When one  majors in performance in college 
there has to be a professor available with both  the academic credentials and 
the instrument proficiency necessary.  
 
Cynthia Sayer told me early this summer that she was finding a number of  
twenty-something adults in the NYC area again interested in banjo.   And 
sometimes musicians such as Don Vappie gravitate to the banjo along with  their 
other instruments because as he says, "It's a funky  instrument."
 
The other day I was having an informal talk with the younger kids in  my 
band about why they liked playing banjo.  I was pleased with the range  of 
answers:
"Because I like music.
Because it's fun.
Because I can be unique by playing it.
My friends think I'm cool because I can play banjo.
Because I like learning the associated history."
 
These are kids ages 8 - 12 who have been playing banjo 1 - 3 years.  
 
My long range dream is that they could reach college age to find such as  
scholarships or loans available to "repay" some on their passion.  I  haven't 
got long to only dream in the case of some as I also have 4 students  ages 
13 - 15.  Indeed I am blessed by their ongoing interest.
 
I also would enjoy seeing more of these youth electronically find each  
other.  But the kids I teach have such full lives already, they are not  
hanging out much, if at all, in the electronic world.  I do forward  relevant 
YouTubes to their parents and hope they occasionally pass them  on.
 
Total kids here: 13 + 2 on military L.O.A. with their father.  And I  am 
trying to figure out what the teaching materials need to look like for a  
beginning age range of 8 to adolescent.  Have already thrown out my first  Intro 
Book.  Working on my second at present.  Today's kids have never  heard the 
public domain tunes, historical tunes such as Polly Wolly Doodle,  etc.  
Guess what?  They do think these tunes are cool in their  rhythms and 
fascinating in their historical context.  Camptown  Races helped build the 
railroads.  Really.  And if they get to  hear something like "Carolina in the 
Morning" they will ask if they can have a  copy to add to their books.
 
Finally, I am not qualified by academics or proficiency to be doing any of  
this.  Just following my heart.  So that's also my plea.  Maybe  others on 
the list can do more also.  I have recently witnessed an  "old-timer" in New 
York state cross paths with an interested pre-teen, agree to  try to teach 
him banjo, and they are going full-stream ahead.
 
Ginny
 
 
 
In a message dated 9/17/2011 2:38:53 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
jazzmin at actcom.net.il writes:

Shalom  Marek and Ginny, and fellow DJMLers,

Marek refers Shimi Gilad, who  plays banjo with my Doctor Jazz Dixieland 
Band, and also with New Orleans  Function. I taught Shimi to play over 10 
years ago, and he has become  quite a good player. I have a few other 
tenor banjo students, Israelis  ages 14 and a couple of 20-somethings. 
Don't know if they will turn out as  serious and competent as Shimi, but 
they're starting anyway, and have  bought their own banjos.

Note: I've been pretty quiet lately, but am  still lurking on the DJML. 
Just busy with music, marriage and  such.

Blessings from Israel,

Elazar

-- 
Elazar  Brandt
Doctor Jazz Dixieland Band
Jerusalem,  Israel
www.doctorjazz.co.il
(02) 679-2537
(050)  723-3914


Subject:
Re: [Dixielandjazz] To Those Who Dislike Jazz  Banjo
From:
Gluetje1 at aol.com
Date:
9/16/2011 9:58  PM

To:
marekboym at gmail.com
CC:
dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com


Hi  Marek,
Thanks for the cheers.  But there is no basis for cheering up  as long  as
we can name two young players per nation.  Rather it  just bears witness  to
my plea.

OK, folks, breath a sigh of  relief.  Getting back down off the   podium.

Ginny


In a message dated 9/16/2011 1:46:43 P.M.  Central Daylight Time,
marekboym at gmail.com   writes:


>   Those on the list who wish jazz banjo  would just disappear can  
probably
> reincarnate quickly without  fear of being exposed to any jazz  banjo in 
their next life.
>  Bottom  line: as jazz banjo is being lost, it is not being   replaced.
>
I don't know, Ginny.  New Orleans Function and   Elazar's Dr. Jazz
feature a very good, swinging and entusiastic young  banjo  player.  He
probably can play the guitar - I have never  asked, but  shall do so
when I next see him.  The banjo player of  Isradixie is  older, but he
led a rock group, and switched from the  electric guitar to  banjo.  He
swings like hell on both the banjo  and the guitar.   He, too, came up
after the peak of traditional  jazz.

An I do not  believe that banjo is taught in schools (hardly  any
musical education  there).


Cheers (and cheer   up)

-- 
Elazar Brandt
Doctor Jazz Dixieland Band
Jerusalem,  Israel
(02) 679-2537
(050)  723-3914

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