In the last column, I covered what may be the best known jam
or session tune – Soldier’s Joy - but
this column will dive into more obscure territory, although with a tune played
by two masters of their respective musical styles: Bruce Molsky (Old-time) and
Martin Hayes (Irish).
Before learning obscure tunes, it is always good to refresh
your memory of the classics. I recently jammed with some high schoolers. Sure
enough, Soldier’s Joy was a tune that
worked really well (as did Old Joe Clark,
Angeline the Baker, etc.). That actually
was one of my first jams this summer because my main activity this summer has
been riding my mountain bike from Mexico to Canada along the Continental
Divide. That ride was a little over 2700 miles and took a few hundred hours of
pedaling time. No music content, but here are my pictures from the ride:
On to today’s topic – how the same melody can sound totally
different in two different settings.
My first transcription is based on a track by Martin Hayes
and Dennis Cahill on their CD Welcome Back Again, a slow Irish Air entitled Coleman’s March. Martin Hayes epitomizes the fiddle music
of County Clare for many people, although has his own unique style and his
playing is immediately recognizable. As far regional styles are concerned, the
Clare style could be characterized by a slower pace and a more wistful or even
eerie feel. A contributing factor may be the use of
flat keys, F, Gm, Bb, or even Eb. Coleman’s
March (which sounds nothing like a march) certainly fills that description.
A few years ago, I learned a very different tune called Acorn Stomp from Bruce Molsky. It was
originally recorded by the East Texas
Serenaders in 1928, so one of the very early commercial recordings of
old-time music. Stylistically a bit between hoedown and ragtime, it leaves not
doubt that this must be original American material. The East Texas Serenaders
start with a 40 second Beaumont Rag-type introduction (not transcribed) before
they get to the actual tune, which they then play 4 times through. I tried to transcribe
the version I learned from Bruce Molsky, but he does not seem to have recorded
it. So when I could not remember how Bruce played it, I went back to the East
Texas Serenader version. The complete recordings of the East Texas Serenaders
were recently re-issued on CD, available from all the usual mail order places,
and their version of Acorn Stomp is also on a compilation CD called Old-Time
Texas String Bands, Vol. 1. Bit ff you need free immediate gratification, try
this link:
http://www.archive.org/details/EastTexasSerenaders-AcornStomp
So, what could these two tunes possible have in common?
Seems like nothing and I actually did not notice a relationship for a while.
But look at the transcription: The A part is identical almost note-for-note. It
will be a mystery how this melody made it into such completely different
settings, but that is one of the fascinating things about living traditions.
I don’t know how useful these tunes are for playing at
sessions. I would have put them into the “obscure” category, but I did hear Acorn Stomp being played in a jam at the
Goleta Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention last year.
But there was a much more important lesson for me here than
learning one (or two) tunes: It is not about the notes, it is how you play
them.
