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BANJO TABLATURE TENOR PATROL JERRY BYRD STORY SOLO FOR UKULELE

VOL . n No. 845 • SEPTEMBER 1975 • ]Op

Charles Ramirez and Helen Kalamuniak SEE PAGE 20

I

METHODS FOR

CLIFFORD ESSEX SPANISH GUITAR TUTOR

Compiled by Alonso Mcdio A reall 7 comprehen sife totor c,ontaio.lng complete ud detailed Instruction , eserdsc,, scalu and solos ba sed on the Turcga-Scgoria method. Ideal for the player without a teacher . U1ed b1 np-to­date teacher s all over the world . (Over 40,000 copi es sold .)

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ELLIS'S fflOROUGH SCHOOL FOR THE SPANISH GUITAR

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FERDINAND CARULLJ GUITAR SCHOOL Edited by Jos. Krempl

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CLASSIC GUITAR by Sophocles Pa,pas

Thi s Prim er has been designed (o r lhe beginner guilari st who may well pr ocee d melh o dica lly fr o m lesso n to lesso n , participatin g in the joy ol makin ,: music fro m th e ver y sta rt by pla ying a sing le not e to th e acco mpaniment of bis teacher .

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STORY OF THE SPANISH GUITAR

by A. P. SHARPE (4th Edition)

CONTAINS:

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IN THIS ISSUE

Aloha from Hawaii Jerry Byrd Story

American Scene

Around the Clubs

Band Amplification By Jeffrey Pocock

Banjo Tablaturc By Eric Enderby

Club Directory

Collectors' Corner By George Barnes

Correspondence

Cover Story By James Yohai

Down Under By Phil Skinner

Flamenco Guitar By Jaime Yohai

Guitar Music Review By Mary Criswick

Leilani .. . By Edward Kirkman

Letter from America By Lowell Schreyer

Looking Around

Mandolinata

Music Supplement

On Guitar Improvement By Graham Wade

Write It Down! By Kealoha Life

Small Advertisements

Tape Club News

Teachers' Addresses

Tenor Patrol By Sam Warwick

The Best Hobby By Tarrant Bailey, Jnr.

The Great Harry Reser By W. W. Triggs

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VOL. 72, No. 845 SEPTEMBER 1975

Notes and Comments By the Editor

ASPECTS OF THE FIGA CONVENTION

PRICE 30p

Tiie eighteenth national convention of the F retted Instrument Guild of America was a pronounced success, according to eyewitness reports, and ,the July-August issue of FIGA News, received as we go to press, confirms this. All roads, appar­ently , led to the Ramada Inn, Arlington, Virginia, on July 4th. Evidently the busiest day must have been Saturday, July 5th, when four distinct "workshops" were held, followed by an evening concert.

We were pleased to see that our old friend and columnist, Lowell Schreyer, was sharing the responsibility for one of the two banjo workshops , and that another old friend, Roger Sprung, was presenting the remaining one . It was interesting to note that the guitar , Haw~iian guitar, and zither were also repre­sented in workshops .

Another item of interest to Federation members , in particular-and especially those who participate in mandolin group activities-was the inclusion of six different ensembles in the concert programme. With twenty-one mandolins in the Takomas, eleven in the Queen's, nine in the Mandolin Symphonette, and six in the Neapolitan Knights, it would seem that the mandolin is rapidly regaining its former popularity in the United States of America .

For us, of course , it also served as a reminder of the heyday of the Luton Mandolin Band, The Romany Players, and · Mario de Pictro's Estudiantina, and the early days of the Federation. Those who wistfully aver that these days are gone forever should bear in mind the lesson implicit in the last FIGA convention: the good old days have been recaptured because a body of dedicated people were determined to do something about it-and have been successful. Co-opera­tion and a willingness to help ensured for those who worked to make memo rable the &atherings at Wythenshawe and Arlington, Va., a satisfaction which should mamfest itself in even better rallies next year.

VOLUME 73

This issue marks the end of volume 72 of BMG; in October we begin our seventy-third year. The world's oldest established fretted instrument magazine will be delighted to accept new subscriptions for its birthday.

DON'T MISS A COPY ----SUBSCRIPT [ON FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

HOW TO PLAY

FLAMENCO GUITAR T H E PICADO

THE picado is of great import­ance to the flamenco guitarist

and the learner needs a great deal of patience to master it correctly.

The best way to play the picado is to rest the thumb on the sixth string while the index and middle fingers are employed alternately in the striking of whatever string is required to be play­ed - as in scale playing, where the index and middle fingers rest on the previous string.

Usually, we find the picado employ­ed in variations and other passages which require to be executed rapidly. It can be-and is- employed on any

-or all of the guitar's six strings, and the only change of procedure arises when it is necessary to use picado on the sixt~ string.

In this case, the thumb cannot rest on a lower string; it roust, therefore , be raised clear of any contact with the strings, so that the index and middle fingers may operate freely at speed.

Basic procedure for acquiring the knack of the picado is to begin on the open strings, working upwards from 6th to 1st, then from 1st to 6th, as in the example given on this page.

by James Yohai

PICADO STUDY ON OPEN STRINGS

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PRACTISE THIS SPANISH MELODY IN PICADO STYLE IN THE KEY OF D mino r 42 · ,a, · 3 3 3

4•Hrrtft1i tli ,mw1~ ~P 1Fffrcr, J, ~), 1 1 m 1m 1 m s1m1le ~@--' @ ~@

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2 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

After getting the "feel" of the action the student should now try the follow­ing study in A Minor, which includes all six strings and should help to im­prove the mobility of the right hand at the same time.

This picado study in D Minor is an important one for the student, as the chord sequences and melodies in the key of D· Minor will be found more difficult than those in A Minor and more care will be required in playing them. The time-signature here is 3/8 and the melody is really based on the style of the Bulerias.

When lhe student has mastered this Spanish melody, i.e., when he can play it well, without apparent effort- he can begin on the first of the two little sets of variations on the form known as Soleares, reproduced on this page.

In the first example, note where the "repeat dots" occur - and observe them. Make sure that the triplets and their associated figures- the sextuplic­ates- are played smoothly, with due regard for musical balance. Remember to give proper attention to the melody­notes-those with the stems pointing downward.

Send I Op stamps for fully detailed price list of Spanish

guitars, lutes, music, etc.

Write to:

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A DAY FOR THE·CUITARIST On Saturday, November 29th Graham Wade is giving Guitar Master Classes dur ing the day, and a personal recital during the evening. Please send stamp for full details and application form for the classes to:

TRIAD REGIONAL ARTS CENTRE, Bishops Stortfo rd, Herts CM23 3DH.

DON'T MISS A COPY- SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 3

WE. all know that tablature has been around a long

time, dating back to the 15th century. Yet, even now, traditional players tend to shy away from the use of it regard­ing it as exclusive to those unable to read music . There is, of course, some justification for this statement inas­much as many tablature writers openly declare that they have no desire to be "lumbered" with orthodox notation.

However true this may be, the fact that the banjo has tablature at all is surely enough incentive for a look-see in case we may miss any origi nal ideas and material they may have to offer.

Generally speaking, there are _ two main types of banjo tablature around. Those who favour the use of lines and those who use spaces to place the fret numbers on.

Similarity ends In the case of the former, the five

lines of the printed standard music stave can be used, but there the sim­ilarity with orthodox notation ends. The five lines represent the five banjo strings . If, therefore , we turn the tabla ­ture clockwise until vertical we have the strings as they appear on the arm of the banjo. The fifth string being on the left automatically becomes the bottom line when the tablature is turn ­ed back to the horizontal .

The fifth string (being rarely fingered by the left hand) remains constant at 0.

No barres are indicated as in stand­ard banjo compositions; the fifth barre would be indicated as 5555 (octave string excluded). I take it you know that the numbers indicate the frets up the banjo arm to be fingered from the nut. It will take no genius then to work out that 7.5.5 would simply mean our old fret posit ion of the 5th position­barre.

Awkward to read

Time is mostly indicated normally as in music, however, many publica­tions favour an X or a series of Xs when, in particular, the tablature time is in a series of quavers or other even -time- as in a lot of Bluegrass music. I find tablature awkward to read from sight; maybe owing to a strict musical background and , for what it's worth, the only real help I can offer is to transpose (as I did originally) a few to music; a chore , I know, but to good end.

Banjo Tablature For

Begin11ers ------ by Eric R. Enderby ---------------

The second type I referred to I find easier to read as the spaces are used to indicate fret numbers. This avoids the lines cutting through the numbers, otherwise the basic principle is the same.

A "hairy" point is the predominance of what are referred to as G tunings . Again, not a few look not too kindly on altered tunings. However, the late Bob White sent me a composition of his with an unusual tuning and he was a brilliant player. Also the classica l guitar has many lowered sixth string works and few argue about that, though I do find the standard banjo tuning a "must" for the fine library of music we used to be able to buy. I speak only in the _past tei:ise to empha­sise that all banJo music these days has something to offer at a time of "ou t of print" difficulties.

No problems

The right hand in tablature is indi­cated genera lly by T for thumb and so on, and this again should cause no problems.

One innovation that may require a good chord book to hand (I use Roy Burnham 's for reference) is the general acceptance these days of musical shor t­hand as it has come to be known.

Thi s is a quick way of putting in accompanying chords in their letter form by the use of the chord name and although the beginner may be well up on the basic chords, some of the more difficult ones may require research at first and this is a good thing.

Some tutors today give both tabla ­ture and notation -a nd this is fine, for many players first found their interest in the banjo via the various folk boo_ks. Through the use of such dual-notation works , interest may be aroused enough to justify a study of notation which , of course, is naturally superior, else the big orchestras would use tablature; can you imagine that!

Something alien

Most tablature has some individual notes appended to aid the player, as indeed did the supplement of Duelling Banjos that appeared in a BMG pull­out form . I have a strong feeling that those who didn't see the film or hear the mus ic were in difficulties and ma y­be this was again through inability or maybe avoidance of something alien to our ideas. I'm certainly not suggest ­ing that a wind of change has begun to blow or great things will take place in the tablature kingdom . However , a little fresh air can do no harm and if any interest in tablature is forthcom ing I am prepared to give some examples of tablature and music that I have come across that , unfortunately, would take up too much space to put here.

La st, but none theless important, is the hammer -on sign in which the note is struck once. Simple enough, except when used in a continuous sequence as in Bluegrass . Here the traditional player has been accustomed to a happy right-hand series of alternating finger movements and a break of miss one by the right hand can cause confusion for a while. The slide, too, can upset things in this style of banjo. No one can deny the popularity of folk banjo and its brilliant performers, however.

One other point has just occurred to me: I have come across tablature that has the vertical note lines stopping at the stave line; here, too, the fret number is in the space above but, again, no rea l problems are caused by this.

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4 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE :BACK COVER

THIS month we will discuss the actual mechanics and routines of

daily practice sessions, a topic which fascinates most guitarists as thes,~ vital hours decide your eventual destination as a player. It is also important to appreciate that the wrong kind of prac­tice - -that is meaningless, unmusical practice-can in the end be more lethal than no practice at all! Here, then, are some suggestions of the various kind s of work which may prove worth think­ing about.

1. Warming up; the athlete does not leap onto the track and immediately run a mile against tough competition; firstly he warms up the muscles gently. This should be the same with the musician. Play a few of your favourite pieces first of all , the smaller items which you really enjoy, or play a few chord progressions-C, Am, Dm, G7 , C-using various right hand combin­ations, such as p.i.m.a., or p.i.m .a.m.i., playing gently and not forcing the tone or volume. This is then a little like meeting a friend-not plunging into deep conversation first of all but en­joying a little exploratory small talk. Get the feel of the guitar into your fingers, and the sound of it into your ears.

2. The main task; each week and month, there should be some primary object in your study, some piece to master, a technique to grapple with, a new concept to learn. This main task should come early on during the prac­tice sessions when your energies and concentration are at their best. Here it is preferable to do a few bars well, rather than many bars badly.

3. Assorted technical aspects ; scales, arpeggios, ligados and all the other aspects of guitar playing are not little trifles to be idly tinkered at. They demand enormous care, and should be played both slowly and quickly, and every note should be a perfect gem as far as you can make it so. Such demanding aspects of musical tech­nique are the equivalent of weight training for the athlete , and demand enormous energy and a careful ear . Small bursts of activity can be injected between the other parts of the pr actice, between piece~ and items of study; ten minutes of close attention to scales are worth far more than a poorly concen­trated two hour session!

4. Occasional rests; every twenty minutes or so, it is a really good idea to rest the hands and to walk round

Graham Wade ...

ON 6lJITAB

IMPBOYEMENT A Cou1•se of St ud y - Pra cti ca l Sess ion s

the room, pause for thought, gaze out of the window, and momentarily put the instrument down. No physical activity can be carried on indefinitely without fatigue, and there is also the significant factor of a second or two for mental relaxation as well. This is not the bigger ten-minute break you may wish to avail yourself of every forty minutes or so, but a temporary break in proceedings to take stock and prepare energies for the next onslaught.

5. Thought; practice on an instru­men t is not just playing the darned thing. Reading through the music silently , putting a record on the turn­table, bearing the music in your head, sitting quietly and pondering the im­plications of particular bar s- all these are vital components of a practice session. Remember that, like every picture, music has a frame - and the frame is silence; restful , quiet thought , reflection, and genuine effort to under­stand inwardly what has been attempt­ed physically on the instrument - these are the neglected aspects for so many amateur players.

-6. Revival of established repertoire; part of a musician' s duty is not only to add to his knowledge but to retain what he already possesses and to understand his repertoire further. Also merely playing your familiar items will enable you to improve your technical grasp of them , and if you use your head and ears as well, and occasionally refer to the printed page in close scrutiny of what the composer actually wrote , then the interpretative aspects will develop along with the technical control.

7. Playing for enjoyment ; every playing session should include some freewheeling, some moment when you can Jet your hai r down! At the end of the work, play for pleasure, some com­position long since mastered , some­thing you are confident of playing with panache. This ends the session con­fidently and you feel you are at leas t winning in some respects!

8. Reading and listening; reading books about music and listening to a wide range of music, even playing another instrument; these too are sig­nificant components of advancing understanding of the gui tar. Practice is not just slaving away with a sweaty guitar clutched feverishly, and the hot brow shak ing with effort.

Understanding music is a lifelong task , but one will never do this merely by playing; the ground must be pre­pared before the harvest can be reaped.

COULD HELP YOUR NAILS GROW NA'TURALLY STRONG

EASIER TO PLAY GU ITAR ASK IN YOUR LOCAL GU ITAR SHOP

TERRY GOULD MUSIC 28 Frognal Lane

Hbmpstead Village London NW3 70T England

DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE •BACK COYER 5

THE LEILANI I NEVER KNEW

by EDWARD KIRKMAN

This article is dedicated, with sy~pathy, to all of my readers who have lost some­one !hey love.

II N the sixties I made a tape for the II B.M.G. Tape Club about Harry Owens, writer of 300 Hawaiian songs and former bandleader at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu.

I introduced it like this: "On Octo­ber 19, 1934, a girl was born in Hono­lulu and her parents named her Leilani. The day after she was born, her father, composer Harry Owens, sat down to write a song about her.

"This song has re-echoed throughout the Hawaiian mus:cal world for more than 30 years . It has sold over 12 mil­lion copies of sheet music and records. Here is Harry's own latest version of Sweet Leilani."

I've lost count of how many times I've played Sweet Leilani over the years, or how many different ways: in th!rds, in sixths, in minor chords, in dominant sevenths.

I can close my eyes now and see Felix Mendelssohn and his Hawaiian Serenaders playing it on stage. The band in white, with leis; trumpet and three or four saxes at the back; Harry Brooker or Sammy Mitchell on steel guitar, with rhythm guitars and accor­d:on; the Pul u Moe trio, Cynthia Read, Kealoha Life.

In front, the eight South Sea Lovelies swaying in hula skirts and Felix him­self directing the orchestra. To the left, one of the guitarists is strumming away and sing:.ng:

Sweet Leilani, heavenly fl,ower Tropic skies are jealous as

they shine. I think they're jealous of your

blue eyes,

Jealous because you're mine. This is the story of another Leilani. In 1960 my wife Jessie had a baby

boy. The years went by and he re­mained an only child . Then, in Jufy 1972, when she had given up all hope of becom:ng a mother again, she be­came pregnant. She was 41.

She walked disbelieving out of the doctor's office. "It can't be true," she said. "I'm an old lady."

But it was true. Gradually, as she grew to accept it, long forgotten routines were revived : visits to the ante ­natal clinic, extra milk and vitamins, the midwife calling to book her in at the maternity ward.

My wife said: "If I am going to have a baby, I know it is going to be a girl. I knew last time that it would be a boy."

And so we chose the names: Maria Leilani.

Three months went by and then came a threatened miscarriage. My wife rested five days in hospital, had another positive pregnancy test, and came home. The baby was safe.

In November I flew out on a three­week overseas tour. I was reluctant to leave her, but the arrangements had all been made.

The plane took me south-east for 21 hours: first to the oil-rich Persian Gulf, then, as the sun rose on the second day, across India to Bangkok in Thailand. A city of happy smiling people, fairyland temples and palaces, suicidal traffic and steamy all-pervading heat.

I saw Buddhist monks- a Thai boy serves two years in the forces and three months as a monk . I watched Thai dancing, with beautiful slant-eyed

girls in golden head-dresses and silk creations like a butterfly's wings. I went to the Bridge over the River Kwai and the cemetery which marks the graves of the Allied prisoners who died build­ing it.

I travelled on across war-torn Viet­nam to Hong Kong with its busy shops and harbour. I went to the border with Red China, saw the sunken liner Queen Elizabeth, toured Wanchai - the -Jand of Suzie Wong.

I visited the Tsang Fook Piano Com­pany to see their pedal guita rs and the Tom Lee shop where they sell Japan­ese steel guitars .

I rang my wife from Hong Kong and her voice came through clear as a bell -like the next room, she sa id .. She asked how I was and if the salt tablets had made my heat exhaustion better . . She did not tell me that she had had another scare while I was away.

At last she felt her child kicking. At Christmas the doctor said that he could hear its heartbeat. But the baby seemed to have stopped growing.

On January 24, 1973 a third preg­nancy test was negative. That n ight my wife went into hospital and lost her baby. The doctors found that Leilani was already dead.

* * * I shall always blame myself for going

away. And I shall remember one night in Bangkok when we went out in boats to celebrate the Feast of Loy Krat ong, the Buddhist Festival of Light.

The boats are filled with pratangs, made of orch:ds poised on little floats, with candles and joss sticks.

You light the candles and joss sticks, cast your float out over the stern, and make a wish. The Buddhists believe that, if the lights stay on and the float stays above water, your sins will be forgiven and your dreams come true.

That night, as I wished, the little float wavered for a moment in the water, the candles blew out and it dis­appeared for ever.

Send for particulars of lhc

IVOR MAillANTS POSTAL COURSES for

Spanish •nd l'ltclrum Guitar Eacl, lesson perso11ally cl,ecketl and correctetl

. Oclails from I VOR MAIRANTS MUSICENTRE

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6 DON'T MISS A COPY- SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

THE GREAT HARRY RESER PART II

by

W . W . Triggs

lHAYlNG discussed in the June issue the first two records which

Reser made for this label, we can now progress to the next stage of the story, this being the records he made during Paul Whiteman's visit to England in 1923. These records, four in all, have the distinction of being the only ones he ever made in this country. The tour itself lasted from late March to early August.

These four littl e Columbia records were "hatched" at the Clerkenwell Road studio, the first being in April; it was issued in October on 3317, some two months after Whiteman, Reser included, had returned to the States.

Obviou sly, the initial effort just had to be his recent successes "Crazy J o" and "Pickin's", and he took along Ferdie Grofe as his pianist on this

occas ion. The so los themselves are too well known to need further comment, but it is interesting to note that he recorded the first title twice previously, in 1922, on Okeh 4571 (when the spell­ing suddenly became "Joe"!) and on Brunswick 2308. The second was only done once before, also on 2308. As most people know, Reser originally intended that "Crazy J oe" should really read "Crazy 'Jo", meaning crazy banjo and not crazy Joseph; I suppose we cannot blame those responsible for the printing on Okeh 4571 in view of the original mistake which Jack Mills Inc . made when they first published it. Since then, it's always been accepted as we now know it.

The next session was made in June and featured two numbers from a musical farce which was running at the time, "Stop Flirting"; the show was

a flop and a farce absolutely. How­ever, there were a couple of good tunes, "Eve ry Da y" and "Oh Gee! Oh Gosh!" and alth ough the label says "Harry F . Reser's Tri o", some people have been puzzled by the fact that four ins truments are featured, trumpet, saxop hone , piano and banjo. In actual fact, Reser plays sax when not on banjo and harmonises nicely with the trumpet. When he first came to New York, his initial work in the recording studio was on sax with various bands, one being Mike Markel's Orche stra . Th is record was issued in September on 3309 and has a surp ris ing extra thrown in for food measure; after the music ends, and before the needle's circling in the run-off area, there is a loud cry of "How's that?" As this occurs on the last groove. it is repeated on each revo lution as the needle returns to the groove from the run-oft area each tim e round. It shows how they really enjoyed themselves! If any­body has a copy of the A64 side with­out this embellishment, then we will know that more than one take was issued.

Continued on page 12

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5-STRING BANJOS: M207R £35, M.209R de Luxe £50, M.2 I 2R copy VEGA £75. FLAT BACK MANDOLINS: FM.117 £38, FM.120 £50, Martin style inc. cases.

FM. 128 £55, FM.138 £70, FM.150 £85, Gibson style inc. cases. LES PAUL COPIES (MA YA): LS2SB £44, LS28 £48, LS2GBS £55. STRATOCASTER COPY: SC.36D £50, SC .36DN (Natural) £55, shaped case £15. JAZZ 8AZZ GUITAR: JB.24 £60, JB.24D £70, J B.24DN £85, incl. cases COPY ES.175D: I 75DC £90, I 75DG· £ 110, inc. cases . COPY GUI LD MAHOGANY JUMBO: MD.25 £30. CLASSICS: 113A £17, 1148 £18, TGI0 £20, TG20 £23, TG30£26, Cl32S£45.

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DON'T MISS A COPY - SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 7

THERE can be no denying that a reel-to-reel tape recorder in good

working condi tion is of inestimable value to any instrumentalist who wishes to "monitor" his progress , and it is to assist the reader to keep his machine "on the road" that this article is written.

One has only to look in the shop windows to see the baffling array of cassette recorders, stereo cassette re­corders, and cartridge tape recorders , and to realise how these are catching on with the general public. Many man­ufacturers have either ceased, or cut back production of reel-to-reel mach­ines, and the time is rapidly appr.oach­ing when these conventional recorders will probably only be available in the high price bracket. The main reason for this is obvious; by far the greater part of the market for lower-priced tape recorders has always been the casual, domestic user - probably in many cases the type of user who literally buys a tape recorder as a "novelty", and it is largely this type of user we find changing over to the more convenient (if less versatile) cassette recorder. Thus we may well find we are confronted with the early demise of the cheaper kind of conventional recorder. One example is the discon­tinuation of the inexpensive B.S.R. tape deck that has remained substan­tially unaltered over the year s, and which has performed yeoman service in many makes of tape recorder­good, bad, and indifferent. We can discount the cartridge recorder as a serious rival to the conventiona l mach­ine, since it is most inconvenient for recording, and certainly does not lend itself to rapid replay of a wante d sec­tion of the tape, nor to splicing and cutting (the latter also applies to cassettes.

Natura lly, those who possess a standard tape recorder will wish to keep it in peak condition. I know of many who use tape recorders that are all of 10 to 15 years old, and in most cases replacement parts have become unobtainable. In the case of valves, transformers, condensers, etc., there is no problem , as these are standard service components . In fact, in the case of condensers, the new polyester types or infinitely more reliable than the original "paper" conden sers fitted some years ago.

If your machine is more than a few years old it will pay you to ask your

BAND AMPLIFICATION Tape Recorders

dealer to supply a full set of drive belts (or drive idlers, as the case may be) and also a pressure roller. Since these items will be either rubber, or neo­prene, they can perish even if not in use, so wrap them tightly in either aluminium foil or polythene, making an airt ight pack, and put them in a safe place. Thi s way you can be reasonab ly sure of keeping your tape recorder in good working order long after these spares have become un­obta inable. One word, though -p lease do not ask if I can supply, since I am unable to undertake the mail order supply of small components, and I have no doubt that your local tape recorde r specialist will assist you. In the case of some of the older valve-type Philips , Stella and Cossor tape record­ers the clutch operation is arranged by the appropriate key lowering the spool carrier slightly, and allowi ng it to rest on three neoprene clutch pads. Over the years, these pads perish and need to be replaced . A spare set (six) of these should be kept airtight along .with the belts for use when needed. I am not suggesting that a spare record/play head should also be kept, because just how long a head will last depend s almost entirely on how often, and for how long, the tape recorder is used. However, if one is realiy considering keeping a tape recorder for some years even this may be worth consider ing. Regarding the erase head, owing to the construction and the wide head gap, wear makes very little difference here.

Of paramount importance to the life and performance of a tape recorder is cleanliness. All too often I find tape recorders to be full of dirt and , in particular, fluff. One can only suppose these have been kept underneath the bed! An excess of oil or grease will cause fluff to adhere to important working parts , and owing to the in­tricate construction of most recorders it is extremely difficule to remove. Do remove the top cover occasionally and clean out any oxide dust. Most can be

by Jeffrey Pocock

removed easily by taking out four or five screws-that is, unless you have a Tandberg, when it is best to ask an escapo logist for h\s assistance! . Oil~d parts need only a tmy drop of thm 011; if in doubt, leave well alone.

Pressure pads can and do reta in a large amount of caked tape oxide. They can become so full of oxide that they become extremely hard, and their unyielding surface can press the t~pe against the head in one particular pomt or another, causing rapid head wear. All heads gradually wear, but they should do so evenly over the ent ire gap surface to obtain the maximum life. I have seen many examples of premature head wear caused simply by a harden­ed pressure pad.

A final word about cleaning plastic cabine ts: never use any cleaning fluid that may dissolve plastic. I have seen examples of this, and the result is a grained, matt finish! Safest and best_ is one of the proprietary makes of win­dow cleaning cream. Simply wipe on, and wipe off when dry. This easily removes dirt and grease , and gives a first-rate finish to plastics.

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8 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

Jlanholinata

Met hods and Studi es by J. B. Nolan

' N the course of an interesting letter II from an enthusiastic devotee of the mandolin, the writer gives utterance to a cri de coeur regarding the appar­_ent scarcity of mandolin music. Marius Pope goes on to say: "One of t he things that worries me is that, over -the years, mandolin music disappears; jt is left lying around in attics, the player dies, and eventually his heirs say 'Oh! Let's get rid of all that rub­bish' and throw it out. And of course for people like you and me it is price­less and irreplaceable. The ideal solu­tion would be for someone to compile a register of rare and of out-of-print mandolin music being held presently by players throughout Britain ." Any­pody interested in this worthwhile pro­iect could write to Mr. Pope who has been adverti sing during recent months fn BMG for mandolin music. . I can sympathise with Mr. Pope's viewpoint as even in life I have already f;ulen victim to the philistine attitude t_hat he complains of, and in the process have lost a valuable collection of mandolin record s and music. Some­thing that is bound to affect the corning standard of mandolin playing is the availability of top qualit y methods and studies. As such mater ial was at one time available in abundance I pro­pose to mention some of the methods, studies, etc., that I have examined and worked through, in the hope that inter­ested players can somehow get hold of them.

First on my list would be the Bick­ford Mandolin Method in four books published by Carl Fischer, New York. I consider this work ideal for self­tui~ion, particularly in view of the present dearth of first-class mandolin teachers . The author of this work, Zarh Myron Bickford, could surely claim with some justice to being the most versatile all-time exponent, teacher, authority on all the fretted inst ruments . During the last decade or so his series of articles on var ious

aspects of mandolin and five-string banjo technique would be familiar to BMG readers.

Par t I of the method Bickford dem­onstrates in minute detail and with profuse illustrat ions the correct method of holding the mando lin and the plec­trum: how to perform the basic strokes, i.e., the firm down stroke which cor­responds to the martellato bow-stroke of the violin, and the coule or glide stroke used with certain double stops and chords and also for playing six­teenth notes on rapid passage-work . Bickford holds that the learner should put in plenty of work with the basic strokes before attempting the tremolo; that the use of the tremolo requires a strict sense of rhythm which can only be developed and acquired through prior practice of the basic vigorous single strokes. His instructions for making the tremolo movement, in the final detail, while basically sound for beginners, differ somewhat from those propounded by another great teacher, Giuseppe Pettine , which I think are more correct. I will deal with this detail when discussing Pett ine's System for the Mandolin.

While the first part of Bickford's Method contains many pieces with guitar or second mandolin parts very suitable for use with a teacher, the player working alone will glean much priceless information ordinarily only obtainable with good private tuition. In this part he gives precise instruc­tions as to when to use the tremolo; starting and stopping the tremolo; when to tremolo quarter notes, etc. Many inspiring and amusing aphorisms are appended to various pages, such as:

"Call in Sweet music, I have heard soft airs can charm our senses and expel OU/' cares."-SIR J. DENHAM.

It is interesting how the different authorities under review: Bickford, Ranieri , Pettine, Calace, etc., stress different aspects of technique, each

having their own strong points. Grace­notes (which term includes the short appogiatura , double grace note, the Mordent, the Turn and the Trill) are particularly important to the mand­olinist as they immeasurably enhance the beauty of a melody. Bickford, in Part s I and II, devotes considerable space to the explanation of this aspect of playing.

There is considerable difference of opinion as to the correct manner of playing grace-notes; whether they should be anticipated, or subtracted from the main note. Bickford says " ... the impulse or beat starting with the grace-note. The main accent must come on the principal note ... " The modern opinion opts for the precept of anticipation. The player who thinks he is subtracting is kidding .himself; to the listener the strongest accent always coincides with the main beat.

Bickford Part II aims at amplify­ing and consolidating the basic rules laid down in Part I. Position playing and shifting up to the third position is covered; also the intricacies of syn­copation, displacement of accent as used in popular dance music. Through appropriate studies the learner is made familiar with intricate time-values, dotted notes and triplets in allegro tempo.

Book III of this work leads the player into deeper water with his much improved left and right-hand skills. A feature of the method is the use of well-known country tunes, hornpipes, etc., with second mandolin parts, as studies for synchronising the action of plectrum and left-hand fingers. A fine example is Hornpipe Clog (Le Petre) which calls for play in the second and third positions to facil­itate the work of the plectrum. Q!assic­al gems include the original Sonatina for mandolin and piano by Beethoven; the three original songs with mandolin obbligato by Mozart; arrangement for two mandolins of Chopin 's Funeral March (from Sonata in B flat, op.35). Arrangements for mandolin and guitar include The Shadow Dance from Din­orah (Meyerbeer) and Suite en Min­iature (Bickford); Etudes by Kayser. Over fifteen pages are given to the treatment of the "d uo" or unaccom­eanied style of mandolin playing. Many more topics and aspects of play are dealt w~th in this book which ends with an adaptation for mandolin of the violin part of the Gypsy Rondo, a movement from one of Haydn's piano trios.

OON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 9

The TENOR

PATROL

shop) I was so impressed my wife says I went into the sulks for four days. All lies-it was only three.

I would dearly like to tell you how the Vieux Carre hits me where I sit and I would like to mention the tor­tures I suffer to be in the scene.

But they say I am long-winded, when I've had a few, and a 900-word piece in this magazine is enough for anybody, and much too much for those not interested in the banjo.

So, for those of my kidney, can I please do the 900 words and hold the rest over until the next issue? O.K.?

• Well, here goes!

by

Sam Warwick

There are various forms of hell, but for me, playing the banjo in a strange eight-piece New Orleans type band in the following circumstances it is the Mark I in spades. The hotel lounge is large, beautifully furnished and decor­ated, but none of the nine windows ----------=----opens. They are covered with thick orange plush curtains and there is no

fm IAZZA Vecchio is Italian for Jr"' Vieux Carre which is French for the Jazz Centre of New Orleans. It means OLD SQUARE, where the seed was planted and now the foliage is all over the world. It is a coincidence that I, too, am an OLD SQUARE . In pubs mainly (but not in clubs) the devotees in all countries play for buttons and sometimes even washers.

Some professional men, doctors, engineers, studen ts and all sorts, tote hundreds of pounds worth of musical instrumen ts around and about, paying for petrol, beer, small cigars and the rest. In the hotel lounge they play for the love of it and when the boss says: "Thanks, it's been great," you push the pound note into your hip pocket and reply: "I've enjoyed it." If you had to pay a pound out of your back pocket it would have been just the same. It will cost a pound to wash the sweat off your cream Palm Beach jacket . . . so, as the tax man would say, "What the hell."

There are so many kinds of banjo players that there will be some who just don't know what all that patter is about. For example, there are finger picking, bluegrass, folk, trad. band die­hards, classical, and stage solo vir­tuosi and they all contribute to this magazine-which, as is known to one and all, is the "greatest of them all." That's a plug for which I hope to get a bob or two. Have you heard the Ed itor play? When I did (in the CE

ventilation whatever except up the stairs, out of the ladies' lavatory, or through the fire-escape door leading to the adjacent roof. The place reeks of Saturday afternoon drinking and smoking session. The lighting is sub­dued and the only lighting near the bandstand is red and is a spotlight shining in the eyes of the musicians.

I am there first and already in a sweat getting my gear out of the car and upstairs. I am overweight. There is no place in which I can hang my expensive cream jacket, so I gallop downstairs once again and put it in my car and my wallet under the carpet in the boot. I know all about this seaport town and in spite of the tropical heat­wave there is a sharpish breeze parting my wet hair. On the way back from the car park I am wondering how to spell pneumonia. Neither the union nor the factory inspector would tolerate these conditions in a work place, but making music is not work. Except for me. To begin with, there is not a sheet of music within miles, though the pian­ist uses occasionally a foolscap size chord book. I have my own which contains 283 hand-written numbers.

Now as an ear player I am a first­class chimney sweep. I can play any sort of music, read symbols or even •the News of the World. You didn't know that that paper published a half­sheet of music amongst the news in 1910?

I can also play from memory pro­vided a number has had its harmony

recorded in my memory-bank. Of course, much of the music of the jazz­men is standardise, BUT NOT ALL by a long chalk. There are many just plain oldies in the repertoire, like Ain't Misbehavin' (two changes in each bar), I Got Rhythm (ditto) and many others with juicy harmony rather than the predictable ding-dong. These boys know ALL the tunes_ They have been brung up with them. Amazing ly, they never play them as originally "wrote ." Their art is to play something inspired and as far away from the original melody as may be.

Anybody - trumpet, sax, clarinet, trombone, piano or banjo-who played the actual melody of Won't you come home, Bill Bai-fey would get first of all the Bateman stare of incredulity and then the sack. With me, generally, I have never heard the original tune of the likes of, for example, My Butter and Egg Man, so when I see the mike in front of my face and the boss says "Take a chorus, Sam" I take one and bring the house down, but it could not be the corny original melody because I have never heard it. My harmony will be "right" and the audience will think it is great-even the band applauds. If it is inspiration they want, they've got it. I certainly could not repeat it.

The bass and the banjo must stick to the original harmony or the melody men will be defeated. So should the pianist, but he doesn't always.

These boys are the "wallpaper" . What a calling!

Perhaps the melody men THINK in the proper harmony (and the original tune may be passing through theii: minds behind a veil) but what comes out of their instruments is their own version, wrapped in their own person­ality and "no two alike", as the market man says of the hand-painted plates. Now the pianist, when he takes his solo, is like a flea on a griddle, he has the piano front out and plays any sort of melody to any sort of harmony within the confines of the "key." He doesn't only go to town, he goes to all the villages round about. This man is complete ... on his own.

I don't know why they have a drummer.

To play the delicate, sensitive, two hundred pounds worth of Paragon, Vega or Paramount next to one of these is pure torture . If you have been in a Sheffield knife and fork factory­I'll say no more.

(To be continued)

10 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPT ION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

GUITAR MUSIC REVIEW

F IRST of all this month are three books of teaching material from

the Dutch publ;shers Broekmans and Van Poppel. Pieter van der Staak appears to be a prolific provider of music suitab le for beginners and near­beginners which is at the same time interesting and helpful towards the pupil's progress. His Easy Two, a set of six duets, would be equ ally suitable for the first year in school and for adult beginners who would thereby have the satisfac tion of creating pleas­ant sounds just by playing single lines. On the whole, the rhythms are straight­forwar d , but the melodic line springs a few welcome surprises. The Sentiment­al Waltz in particular reminds me of his Seven Easy Guitar Quartets which, although they've been available for some time, I strong ly recommend again fur all teachers.

The Three Comedies from the same composer are for two instruments ad lib (recorders, violins, flutes or guitars would suit) and three guitars, and so a re ~deal for use in school where a variety of instruments will be found. I feel I cannot stress enough the importance of playing in ensemb le for guitaris ts who up to now have had a tradi tionally lone image.

Lance Bosman perhaps feels the same way, for his contr ibu tion is the Dance of the Eighth Veil for three guitars with or without an optiona l pai r of reco rders. Like a certain con­fection, it is full of Eastern Promise, aboun ding in flattened seconds and augmented interv als. Each bar is numbe red for easy reference in prac­tice. To be really finicky I could quarrel with his use of a B flat key signature which in no way could refer to a piece so firmly rooted in the tona lity of A, with its near-ostinato A-E pattern in the bass. H owever, with about 90% of the Bs being played as flats, I can see that it saves time on the

THIS MONTH:

MIXED BAG

By Mary Criswick

part of the copyist.

Jumping back a few hund red years, we come to one Simone Molinaro who has the honou r today of seeing three of his dances arranged for guitar by Tagliav ini. Thi s part icular series from Berben (it comes in a grey cover with sepia cherubs in various poses) does not enjoy a reputation for punctiliou s editorsh ip and faithful adherence to original sources, but these Tre Pezzi at least are playable and attractive.

The three pieces by Ga spar Sanz, edited by Karl Scheit, are bound to· be welcome, especia lly the Canarios (of Rodrigo concerto fame). Scheit has also edited a Weiss Sonata in D minor, originally for the lute. The sco rdatura necessary has been kept to a minimum -just the low E is returned to D-and in the Prelude Scheit has sensibly added dot ted barlines for the use of twentieth century players. Although the work is called "Sona ta", it is in fact a suite of dan ce music simila r to the suites by Bach or De Visee. It should be noted that in the early baroque the sarabande was a lively rather than sedate piece, and even in this suite the sarabande could well go at the same speed as the two minuets flanking it.

Carlo Carfagna has arranged for two gu;tars a Gavotte from the opera Jphigenia in Au/is by Gluck. The music is pretty and the duet would suit secondary pupil s. I Ii:ked Alice Artzt's transcription of a Sonata by Cima rosa who was musically, if not chronologically, a contemporary of Mozart. The music is immediately appealing, not too difficult, and metic­ulously fingered.

I'm in the wrong country to check with the BBC, but I think that the Serenade, allegedly by Haydn (the attribution is apparently dubious), and now arra nged for guitar by Carlos Barb osa-Lima, used to waft through

my flat at the same hour every Sunday morning, heralding one of those delightfully relaxed record programmes on Radio Three. To see this essentially cantabile melody arranged for an instrument not noted for sustai ning power seems a little incongruous, but no doubt the Segovias of this world will have no problem. Pieter van der Staak. Easy Two, and

Three Comedie s, Broekman s/U niv ­ersa'l. £1 each.

Lance Bosman . Dance of the Eighth Veil, Broekmans / Universal. £1.

Simone Molinaro. Tre Pezzi, ed. Tag­liavini. Berben/Breitkopf, 80p.

Gaspar Sanz. Pavanas, Fuge, Canarios, ed. Scheit. Unive rsal, £1.35.

S. L. Weiss. Sonata in D minor, ed. Schei t. Universal, £2.

Gluck. Gavotta, ed. Carfagna. Berben/ Breitkopf, 60p.

Cimarosa. Sonata, ed. Artzt. Colum ­bia/Breitkopf, 63p.

Ha ydn(? ). Serenade, ed. Barbosa­Lima. Columbia/Bre itkopf, 98p.

SYDNEY EVANS Ltd.

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DON'T MISS A COPY-S UBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 11

HARRY RESER - cont. from p. 7

After this came 3326, made in July and issued in November, the titles being "Shy" and "Bye-Bye" . The former is credited to Reser and Gott (trumpet on 3309 and 3326), but mystery surround s the copyright an_d royalty situation; researches into this have been most interesting. The instru• mentation is the same again and Reser plays sax on "Bye-Bye" . On this label, the credits are "Harry F. Reser's Nove lty Trio " . The "Bye-Bye" side is by far the best of the four T rio record ­ings and there are some novel effects by Reser on the banjo and great harmony between sax and trumpet. lf anyone is interested in get!ing a gen~ral idea of what a tenor banJO part might have looked like, I suggest they obtain a copy of B.M.G. fo~ ~uly 19!2 . in which there is a tran scription . This 1s a good record all round and, indeed , all four sides contain many fine examples of harmony, break s and interesting effects; Reser's rhythm is, of course, the highlight of a ll. They are all very well worth having .

Last ly. we have two somewhat un­usual number s on 3334, "Page-Pader­ewski" and "Symphanola " (incorrectly spel t on the label as it should be "Sym­phono la") and th is was a lso recorded in July, being released in December. The former was composed by Samuels, Brier s and Wendl ing and was· a piano solo as was the latter, composed by Hen'ry Lange who is on piano for this session. On the Trio sessions, the pianist could be eithe r Lange or Gr ofe as we know that both of them accom­panied the tour , and took part on one or other of these fou r recordings. I strongly recommend that every tenor banj oist endeavour s to master "Sym­phono la» as it is a splendid solo and one of Lange' s masterpieces . Reser really swings into action ~n t~is and his early style shows defimte s1g_ns of mat uring into the more recognisable Re ser " touc h" . Jn fact, I have trans­cribed both these solos directly fro m the record and they make exceptional showpieces especially for Reser; he certainly doesn't disappoint us either.

I really feel that these eight sides are among the best examp les of his early work, and although getting scarcer as the years go by, they a_re still quite plentifu l- get them while you can, as they' re good!

W. TRIGGS

THE BEST HOBBY

by TARRANT BAILEY, JNR.

READERS of my June article may recall I cited the very ob­

vious fact that a depre ssing influence over the banjo scene is the absence of new banjo compositions worth playing. The fault lies not so much with com­posers as publishers, who simply will not bother expens ive setting up of a little-selling ar ticle, when the squawk­sheet music is much simpler and sells in millions. Now who can blame them? I have myself had a particularly fertile period of composing of recent years, but have not wasted time by seeking a publi sher, th ough it is on the cards that some of these new works will be heard on a disc in 1976. The com­positions are useful, meanwhil e, in stimula ting and uph olding the enthus­iasm of my pupil s, easy ones for the beginners, and ambitious ones for the adva nced, and the few copies needed can be photocopied and sent with the instruction tapes.

Jn the course of correspondence with one of my tape pupil s this gentleman emphasi sed how much his banjo hobby a nd his lessons mean t to him, and end­ed with the comment , "Every man should have a hobby", and though he didn ' t say it, I concluded he thought the fingerbanjo was the best , at any rate, for him. So then it occurred to me that the title The Best Hobby was not a bad one, and I set about to write a solo akin to that pupil's tastes, and at the same time helpfu l to his technique, and dedicated this work to him, be­cause he ha s mad e manif est the ban­jorial results obtainable by close co­operation of pupil and teacher when both act in good faith.

Now as usual I am faced with a dilemm a, because I wou ld like banjo­ists to have new solos, but do not see why I should not get a proper return for the compos ing, nor why my pupils, who do pay a proper return , might not resent the idea of music that is special-

ly written for them, getting into the hands of a third party, who does not. However in this one instance, I think I may ~ake an exception. presuming on the cordial relati ons between Mr. Bryant and myself; Mr . Bryan t being the Illin ois banj oist directly concerned .

Free instruction is not part of this offering and I can only say that part one is an exercise in clean left-hand snapping ; that the open harm onies in part two should be played with 1st a nd 2nd fingers, leaving the thum~ !ree for 4th string; and that the pos1t1ons should be slurred. The solo should be given a very lively interpretati on, and if BMG unhappi ly reproduce my script without services of a copyist, I admit 10 tieing with Van Ep s as the worst of scri pt writers. See Music Supplement. page 15

ON TAP ON TAPE Banjo and Clos.:iicol Ouitor l nsuuc1ion by

TARRANT BA.l lEY, Jnr. You coul d ,l1orc lhe knowledi:c of my pupils

in SPA IN, CANADA, AUSTRAL IA. SOUT H At 'HICA, ITALY. £ IRE. G REECE. U,S,A,,

£NCI.ANO. TRINIDAD ond dupl icoce chcir p0lishcd pcrfonn onces Qnd perhaps con tribute to thei r wriuen opprcciolions which J am proud 10 l)OSSICU, For part iculars. write. enclosing an Jntcr• n,cionol Reply Co upon, to-

Tarrant Bailey, Jnr., Jose Antonio SO, Finca Obispndo, La Cuesta, Tencrifc,

Onuiry Islands, Spain.

-GUITARS AND MUSIC

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12 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCR IPTlON FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

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notat ion. One clue-instead of putting a bar at the beginning, conta ining two crotchet rests, followed by the two crotchets on the words "From this ", rather write a double-bar , and put the two crotchets to the left of i t, using them as an introduction, whereby the melody starts after the do uble -bar . At the end qf the piece, these two intro­ductory crotchets will be the last two notes in the last bar, enabling the melody between the two sets of double­bars to be repeated in chorus form, without the use of "second-time" bars, since the melody is identical in each case.

B 5

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1 rrJ • 1 E I e ~ e

i by Kealoha Life !irn,1111111m1□1111111111111mm1m1m1~111illl!lllllllll:C111111s1;1m11m,111111111m11[1!1111m1il:lll!lillllUlllll,1111UllllllllllllllllllmllillllllllllmllllWllllllllllmlllL111111111nlllllll~IIIHIIWllllliUIIIKIIW.11111!11

In the first bar , where the words "valley they" occur, the nota tion is obviously a minim followed by two crotchets, the syllable "va l" being cov­ered by the minim, and the "-ley they" by the two crotchets; the second bar is similar, the word ing being "say you are" but the third bar differs, wherein the word "go-ing" is spread over the first crotche t in ·the bar, a minim (dot­ted), and over to the first minim in the next bar by means of a "tie", so that it is necessary to count, on the syllable " -ing", "2, 3, 4", and "1, 2" in the following bar, in which latter, the two crotchets at the beginning of the piece nx:ur as lhe last two crotchets in the bar.

/I"! REEK philosopher Carneades ~ (213-129 B.C.) believed that 'a lthough Man has no infallible criter­ion of truth, yet we infer appearances of truth , which as far as the conduct of life goes, are a sufficient guide ." So with life, so with musical notation , since the latter is only a rough guide , concerning phrasing; all the accents and dotted semiquavers in the world cannot enable the student (and we are all still students) to copy exact ly the sound intended by the composer or arranger-let alone that produced by the artistry of a virtu oso-but in order to avoid being slaves of a number­system or laboriousl y memorising re­corded works in order to learn the melody (already probably umpteenth­hand , and therefore distorted) we must be able to exert ourselves to the extent that we did in the learning of our arith­metical tables. This will give us a fair reading capacity in music since the rudiments can be memorised in a mat­ter of hours. Remember that although perfection should be 50% reading skill and 50% ear, intuition through exper­ience, and artistry-it is better to be a slow and accurate reader, with great feeling and brilliance, than the reverse, since the latter can only produce mech­anical perfect ion that relies purely on the orchest ra tor, rather than on com­mon sense, which is the musician's greatest attribute when sight-reading.

Write to read

One of my arrangers (I had several first-class arrangers in my large touring combination, as my rudimentary orch-

estrations tended to put the trumpet in several sharps too many, and make the poor blighter do himsel f a mischief blowing notes at an altitude only at­tempted by Maynard Ferguson) told me : "If you want to read music well, learn to write it well." Despite the seeming asininity of this statement, the reader can prove its veracity by taking a simple tune, known by everyone (1 hope) such as Red River Valley, hum­ming, singing, or whistling it, and then putting it down bar-by-bar in musical Continued on page 28

SPANISH GUITAR CENTRE Malcolm Weller~ M.A., Consu lta nt

NORTHLANDS HOUSE, 10 NORTH AVENUE, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE3 4DT

TEL: 0632-855046/857362

There is a quite outstanding collection of guitars in Newcastle that can be tried in tranquility; discussed knowledgably if desired; bought under guarantee ; and financed by an understanding arrangement.

This collection varies with the moment but as now includes: JOSE RAMIREZ (6); PAULINO BERNABE (2); MARCELLO BARBERO (Hl JO); MA,RCEL;LO BARBERO (PADRE) (2); ANTONIO DE TORRES; IGNACIO FLETA (2); SANTOS HERNANDEZ; DANIEL FRIEDERICH; AGUADO Y HERNANDEZ; MANUEL VELASQUEZ; CONDE HER­MANOS; SOLAR GONZALEZ; MANUEL CONTRilRAS.

We are very shortly expecting Marcelino Lopez and further Paulino Bernabe and Manue l Contreras guitars. Of course , we have a wide selection of studen t models as well and sometimes wonder who can rival such abundance.

We jmport all our guitars directly from makers personally know to us, as well as exclusive Frencl1 and Spanish strings.

DON'T MISS A COPY- SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 13

ll1tOU'llV

September 11-Yoshiaki Serizawa, guitar, Wigmore

Hall, 7.30. 19--John Edwards , guitar, Wigmore HaJI,

7.30. 20-Tarrago Guitar Quartet, Wigmore Hall,

7.30. ' 26-Julian Bream, Claydon House, Bucks,

8.00. 28-Anthony Rooley directs Le Tresor d'

Orphee (three lutes} Nat. Trusts Con­cert Soc., The Vyne, nr. Basingstoke. 7.00.

October 3-Andrei Mentschukoff, guitar, Wigmore

Hall, 7.30. 13- Nikhil Banerjee, sitar, Lakshmi Viswa­

na·than, dancer; Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, 7.45.

19- Paco Pena , Nat . Trust Concert Soc., Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds, 7.45.

23-Mahmud Mirza , sitar, Wigrnore Hall, 7.30.

24-John Williams, Wigmore Hall, 7.30. 25-John Williams, Wigmore Hall, 7.30. 30-Barney Kessel · Guitar Seminar, Imper-

ial Hotel, Newcastle-on-Tyne (details: Summerfield Bros.. Gateshead). The semina r lasts until November 2nd.

November 2-Ravi Shankar, sitar. Alla Rakha table,

Royal Albert Hall. 7.00. 7-Sergio and Eduardo Abreu , Wigmore

Hall , 7.30. 22-23-Sacramento Banjo Band: 9th Annual

-Banjorama, Quality Woodlake Inn, Sacramento. California.

28.,-Jordi Savall, Saracen guitar. Joaquin Herrero. lute , laud. vihue la, St. John' s, Smith Square , SW!.

New P11/Jllcatlo111 Prelude from "Espana". ·op. 165 (Albeniz), trails . Rafael Balaguer. UME/UMP. ,60p (30p per page).

There isn't much Albeniz to be had without technical tears , but this piece shouldn't overtax anyone above about grade three. A nice little thing to have up your sleeve for people who think of the instrument as a Spanish guitar

(which includes all Spaniards). Very decently C:one on all counts. Like r.ie, you may wonder how to play a ligado between a note on the open 3rd string and one on the 4th, particularly when it could have been avoided easily . Directions are in Italian or Spanish a capriccio - does pulgar menos mean "make your thumb smaller"? Ars. nat! looks 1;:ven odder on the English mar­ket ; must be the common kind.

Suite Margarata (Venancio Velasco). UME/UMP. £1.50 (15p per page).

If you can read Spanish you won't need me to tell you that this suite is a set of five pieces based on regional folk themes of Margarateria, where Velasco was born; if not, page 1 will be wasted (it's not counted in the 15p per page). It's all quite easy to play, tuneful in a very light way, and even the 5/8 time of the first piece is easy to handle. Great stuff for anyone who has to play for the public in, say, a coffee bar, or for friends who aren't musical intellectuals.

De Jos alamos vengo (Juan Vasquez) (trans, Venancio Velasco. UME/UMP. 73p (24.3p per page).

This is a very attractive transcription of a vilancico, a carol (but not as we now use the word, rather a village song) by the 16th century composer Juan Velasquez, one of the most musically aristocratic writers of his time. With D tuning , it is quite easy to play and enjoyable in the same way as the familiar Catalan folk songs, though it is, in fact, from Castile.

La chevelure de Berenice (Maurice Ohana) ed. Alberto Ponce Billaudot/ UMP. £1.05 (35p per page).

This is the fifth of seven pieces under the collective title Si le jour parait. Ohana's guitar works are few, but highly characteristic; hard dis­cords, dramatic effects and full of moodiness. Very difficult or, unless you have an 8-string guitar, impossible. Two pieces from this set are recorded by Ponce on the French Arion label, and his Tiento has been recorded by Yepes on Deutsche Grammophon.

TERENCE SLOANE

* * * Classical Banjo arranged by Al Jeffrey

Clifford Essex Publications (Musrc Sales Ltd .). "Mr. Banjo" himself has set down

for the delight of fingerstyle banjoists a fine collection of music written for classical guitar and brilliantly trans-

cribed by him to lie under the fingers of the five-string banjoist.

The twenty-three arrangements range from de Visee to Tarrega, including, of course , Recuerdos de la Alhambra, Lagrima and Adelita-an d there is also the ·legendary Capricho Arabe.

This is a selection for all banjoi sts who like good music . The choice in­cludes Carulli, Carcassi and Sor, and the whole book adds up to some really delightful music for fingerstyle banjo­ists- Cammeyer and Grimshaw fans especially.

Despite the non-class ical look of the fingerpicks in the cover picture-the banjo, incidentally, is the Clifford Essex "New Regal"-the contents are very definitely classical; what is more, these tra nscriptions give a very good insight into what is possible on the banjo when an expert arranger takes over. Don' t miss this book- it is outstanding. R.H.

By the way Barney Kessel will be presen ting his

Third Annual British Gu ita r Seminar at the Imperial Hotel , Newcastle -on­Tyne , October 30th-November 2nd. Th is will be followed by a ten-day concert tour of the U.K.

A ten-page booklet giving full details of the 1975 Seminar is available from Summerfield Brother s, Saltmeadows Road, Gates head NE8 3AJ.

Barney's record releases this year include "The Great Guitars" on the Conco rd labe l, "Blue Soul" - Polydor, and "Giants of Modern Jazz Vol. 2"­Sonet.

* * * Those enthusiasts who support the

theory that two guitars are better than one guitar will be delighted to learn of the approach of a quartet of guitarists: who make their English debut at the Wigmore Hall on September 20. Th ~ Tarrago Guitar Quartet have been heralded by an impressive brochure which recount s triumphal concerts in many European cities. Includ ed in the programme for September 20 are two items specially written for guitar quar­tet by Bernard Rovenstrunck and Leo­nardo Balada. Sound s promising!

* * * The Prom enade concert programmes

on BBC TV and radio have held one or two pleasant surprises for fretted instrumentalists, in that we had Hu go

Continued on page 19

14 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

The Best Hobby· Banjo solo Tarrant Bailey Jnr.

Dedicated to Mr . Roy Bryant of Illinois

Very lively and staccato

,~ II= J f f p I Ji'' g I J f f p I J f 1 · I J•#ij -6.@ I · snap

, J r r r 1lt ru I far 1; , , p , ;) 11 tH > .>

b R~

4 r l t g7 ~l 1f I g 1 [f2 ~ a-1 J i i @ 1 ;$$ o 1 1 i ,11 S hl IOP ·

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4. 1 .J :L,~ 1; L J , 1 rd I f , 11, l1 t 1 1 n , ~ 1

. . ). . SB.,. . L. ~ ). !~ Ji h repeat

4• -ct!tJ I LJ U If J f £ I LJ J bf IU f1 I f ~ i j =II Then 1st part - Interlude - 1st part again

4' IH1l ' ~ ' ~! ; f 1if 11 ~ I~ , f I J ' ~ ~ ,. , t ' f 1U f I 0 f =II Repeat and to 1st part.

© Copyright 1975 by the composer ·

B.M.G., SEPTEMBER 1975 15

Recuerdos de la Alhambra " (Mandolin duo with guitar )

Le nto (tremo lo throughout)

16 B.M.G., SEPTEMBER 1975

TARREGA Transc ri ption _by

. Phil . Skinne r

. A

,.

.~

NOTE: Choro Symbols are given simply as a guide to fingering- not as a rhythm accompaniment .

STRUMMING THE STRINGS UKULELE SOLO . ·EMILE- GRIMSHAW

.fu11,ll1U1!i1ffi1W ~ ~11•mmu.m ,ma 1

. .

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2- · . 0 . 0 . .. · . -0 + + · · ·· D.S.alFine

· · · omitting repe(lt

B.M.G., SEPTEMBER 1975 17

Lagrima PRELUDIO

Adelita MAZURKA

18 B.M.G., SEPTEMBER 1975

F. TARREGA Easy arrangement from E to A

By JAMES YOHAI

r® f D.C.

, F. TARREGA

Easy Arrangement from E to A By JAMES YOHAI

m · a

Fine

®f i D. C. al Fine ·

D' Alton and Robert Calcutt featured in Mahler's Symphony of A Thousand on July 25th and within the space of a week, both Hugo D'Alton and Freddie Phillips were among the featured players. Th:s is all to the good : the more exposure our instruments receive, the more converts are we likely to gain.

Dr. Malcolm Weller has told us that the (S) BASF discs recently reviewed by him have been transferred to Decca, with a consequent change of number­ing. viz: Renaissance Lute Music BASF BAC 3075-77 Dance Music of the Renaissance BASF BAC 3042.

* * * Our old friend lvor Mairants - for

several years featured guitarist with Geraldo's orchestra-was among the many who savoured the nostalgia and euphoria of the tribute to Geraldo at the Festival Hall. The BBC Orchestra under Iain Sutherland did the honours and Dorothy Carless was there to sing the first song she had sung for the dance orchestra maestro: A Night­ingale Sang in Berkeley Square. Further memories were evoked by Ragtime Cowboy Joe, Eve Boswell and Doreen Villiers. Another significant name from the era was that of Bill Finnegan­discovered in Paris by Ivor. who spent three days and nights in the process of persuading Bill to "arrange" for Ger­aldo. The Continental was his first a:rrangement. He later extended his reputation by arranging for both Tom­my Dorsey and Glenn Miller.

PACO PENA

D UR ING the Festiva l of the Arts on July 11th, a young

guitarist from Cordoba played to a capacity audience in the ancient Nor­man church of St. Edmund's in Salis­bury.

To many in the audience, it must have been a first introduction to a full concert recital of Flamenco guitar music, an introduction that could not have been bettered. Paco Pena is al­ready well known to many, if not all, regular readers of BMG, but for the benefit of those who are learning of him for the first time, here are a few details about him.

Paco Pena first came to Britain in 1963, as an accompanist to one of the Spanish dance troupes that periodically visit London and the provinces, and in this he was thus following the tradition-

al paths of all great exponents of the Flamenco guitar. His outstanding vir­tuosity was bound to be recognised. Such an impression did he make on both aficionado and critic alike that it was but a short time before he was established as a solo concert performer.

Inevitably, after television appear­ances brought him to the attention of wider audiences, there followed a big demand for his recordings, which are now numerous. Later on, he formed his famous troupe of two Spanish Fla­menco dancers and two Cantaors (chanters, or singers), and an additional guitarist.

This group, known as Paco Pena and his Flamenco Puro, have become fam­ous in many countries, not least in his native Spain, which does not bestow its musical honour s lightly. He became the very first Flamenco artist to per­form in a Spanish conservatoire of music. Among other honours, Paco Pefia was chosen to play a recital of Flamenco guitar music to mark the retirement of the Spanish Ambassador in London in 1972.

'Paco Peiia's recital in Salisbury in­cluded h:s own renderings of Alegrias, Soleares, Bulerias, Tientos, Seguirillas, Tangos, Granadinas , Malaguena, Ron­dena, Verdiales, Guajiras and Tarantas, Zapateado and Farrucas, as well as his own ararngement of a Zaronga from an original piano transcription made famous by the Spanish poet-musician Lorca. An impressive and superbly played variety of Flamenco rhythms. Paco's Rondena, he told the audience, was one he was inspired to base on a.'1 old one created by that greatest of all Flamenco guitarists, the legendary Ramon Montyoa , uncle of the great Carlos Montoya.

It is such artistry . .. the artistry of the Montoya, first Ramon himself, and now Carlos, that has inspired and become man:fest in the playing of Paco Pena. Such artistry has raised the Flamenco guitar to a deserved and honoured place alongside its classical brother on the international concert platform.

This recent concert in Salisbury by Paco Pena was the most memorable one. He used two Flamenco guitars, as is his usual practice. One was a trad­itional "peghead" guita r, while the other was a machine-head instrument. Bother guitars literally "sang" in the hands of this master.

Paco Pena did provide the audienc~ with one well-known piece, a Maia-

guena that was composed by Ernesto Lecuona as a pianoforte and orchestral work some years ago. It might well be the most famous malaguena outside Spain, and although specially com­posed, is nevertheless based on aid Flamenco rhythms . . . a fascinating piece of music at any time. When play­ed by a guita rist such as Paco Peiia an even greater experience.

If there is one guitarist capab le of (and, indeed, deserving of) eventually wearing the mantle now worn by the great Carlos Montoya, who instituted solo Flamenco guitar recitals on the international concert platform, that guitarist is Paco Pefia, without any shadow of doubt.

DOUGLAS PEEL

IN MEMORIAM THE LATE

BILL TRINGHAM

II F there were two things outside his II immediate family and home be­loved by Bill Tringham, who has died at the age of 72 after a long and pain­ful illness, then they were his love of music and of life itself.

Bill, Glasgow-born, bought a banjo during his apprenticeship to the engin­eering trade-and then took up the guitar. He joined Syd Roy's Lyricals, moved on to the Ambrose Blue Lyres at the Dorchester Hotel, and then worked the variety · theatres with a song-dance and instrumental group called The Th ree Happy Boys.

In the early 1930s he joined Geraldo - the orchestra was playing at the Savoy opposite Carroll Gibbons-and occupied the guitar chair for seven years.

It was during this period that he appeared-as a strolling musician-in a television play called "The Man With a Flower In His Mouth." In fact, I believe it was the first television play to be screened.

And it was in the early 1930s. too, that his little Francis, Day and Hunter guitar tutor first saw the light of day. At that time, a copy cost precisely a bob. The fact that it has continued to sell extremely well over the years says all there is to say about its worth as

DON'T MfSS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM lNSIDE BACK COVER 19

a tutor. It would be interesting to know just how many guitarists have been introduced to the instrument through this little gem.

After Geraldo, Bill became staff guitarist in the Light Music Depart­ment of the BBC. broadcasting-over fifteen years - with the Billy Mayer! Rhythm Ensemble, Fred Hartley, and the Southern Serenaders, among others.

During the Second Wor ld War, he was a Special Constable, and spent many a long night on the beat practis­ing his chords on a dummy guitar neck he carried round with him.

In more recent years he taught guitar from his home at Egham, in Surrey, where he and his second wife, 'Eva, enjoyed the happiest of marriages .

COVER STORY

( harles Ramiru and Helen Kalamuniak (since July 28th, Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez) who are also indissolubly Jinked with "The Goldberg Variations," created a stir in more senses than one, with their first perionnance of this hotly debated transcription-a brilliant work, by the way-a nd have since given further proof of their outstanding ability in the guitar duet .field, as witness their Wigmore Hall recital on July 15th, 1975.

At this recital, in addition to "the Goldberg"-as that feat of endurance will always be referred to, presumably-the duo presented seven pieces from El Amor Brujo (Manuel de Fa lla} and a co!lection of Tonadillas by Granados. These "second-half of the programme" items proved their command of the guitar's Spanish idiom, offering a wealth of brilliant technique, rapid apoyando and rich, sonorous bass. In the latter oontext, Charles Ramirez' bass string work is as l)oweriul as any I have heard in many a day .

These are sensitive and thoughtfu l musicians who are not afraid to let mood and emotion infiltrate into their playing, and, as they are both in their twenties, they have ample time to attain the world stature which will surely be theirs in the not too distant future. JAMES YOHAI

He was also, in 1963, a founder­member of The Waikiki Beach Boys, giving to the group not only the benefit of his experience but also the enthus­iasm , the thoroughness and, perhaps the most important of all, the humility•- ---- ......... """" .... ____ _ ____ ...,....,....., ........ .--------

which typified his approach to the music (and that meant all kinds of music), he loved .

Besides playing a major and in­valuable part in such behind-the­scenes work as arrangements and re­hearsals, he played acoustic guitar, electric guitar and ukulele on all the group's albums. With the exception, that is, of the most recent one. He was too ill to attend the recording sessions .

It's not the easiest thing in the world to pick out just one or two memories of the man after a friendship of 28 years. But I think I'll remember him part icularly for the handsome chords he laid down behind the soloist on his equally handsome Gibson Super 400; for his tremendous sense of humour; and for the determination, the cheer­fulness, and the sheer guts with which he fought his illness. It was a privilege to know him. S.G.

THE INCOMPARABLE

SAVABEZ NYLON STRINGS

are made in different tensions

to suit your guitar and

your style of playing See your usual supplier or write 10-

J. THIBOUVILLE-LAMY & Co. I 44 Clerkenwell Rd., London ECIM 5PS

BRITISH FEDERATION OF BANJOISTS, MANDOLINISTS AND GUITARISTS

to be held al

CAMDEN TOWN HALL, EUSTON ROAD, LONDON, N.W.1

on

SATURDAY , 11th OCTOBER, 1975 from 1 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.

CLEM VICKERY & HIS VELLUM STOMPERS APPEARING AT 3 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.

EVENING CONCERT: 8 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.

Artists appearing other engagements permitting:

Dorita y Pepe Hugo D'A lton Alan Hall Derek Lillywhit e Roger Nicholson and

Jake Walton Hansi Roler & Gretel

Mandolin Ragtime Guitar Zither Banjo Appalachian Dulcimer and

HurdyGurdy

Ridealgh and Anne Medina Zither Duets Ray Ursell Classical Guitar

20 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM lNSlDE BACK COVER

'

Q) h y

(() p H I

gl) L

s u n K

(ft I N N E Q) R

6 (R ii

Y OU will have already read the report of the visit of the Kei

University Mandolin Orch estra and its respl endent performances in Sydney. A review of the recitals given in Mel­bourne has come to hand from which we give the following highlights .

A company from the Melbourne Mandolin Orchestra was at the airport to welcome the visitors after their 80 minute flight from Sydney. The Chan­nel 2 TV crew were on the job and recorded some playing by the new arrivals, which appeared in the local TV newsreel that evening-affording a great publicity punch which we in Sydne y missed because of the Press strike on that occasion. The guests were then escorted to a coffee house where a light luncheon was provided through the courtesy of a donation made by a loca l Japanese firm.

At 3 p.m. a welcome was given by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Ronald

Walker, at the Melbourne Town Hall, and the Keios responded in the playing of Monti's "C.zardas", perhaps the most effulgent number of their Austra­lian tour. The hostesses then cared for their guests in their homes for the rest of the Wednesday-Ap ril 9th.

The first full recital was staged at the Monash University on the Thur s­day morning after tympani and other necessities were secured for the visitors , whose air travel did not permit the tran sport of these cumbersome instru­ment s. Th e audience was mainly of school children who were "completely entranced by Keio 's playing".

After a stro ll through the beautiful Melbourne Gardens , a second recital was given at Mo'.laSh, th is time for the university stude:1ts, lectm ers, etc., which commenced at 2 p.m.. Th e very appreciative audience "went into orbit" upon hearing Kei o's rendition of Waltzing Matilda - arranged by their guitarist R ynji Ueno (sub-conductor).

Thu rsday evening was prepared by the Social Committee as a film night with the dual interest of subjects from Outback Australia and Japan, topics which encouraged much bonhomie and thi s was cemented when each guest was presented with a record of the Melbourne Orche stra-a disc I know they will great ly prize. You will guess that autographs became the order of the eveni ng.

Frankston (south of Melbourne on the Mornington Penin sula ) was the venue for the concert on the Friday morning. Jt was given a~ the State Teachers' College, where a delightfully intimate auditorium, with a tiered semi-circular seating of some 350 to 400 produced possibly the most sa tisfy­ing presentation in the series. To quote Peter Evan s' words: "The first concert in the morning was given for the local schoolchi ldren and I've never seen an audience react in this way, it was the sort of thing you might have expected at a pop show; after about half way thr ough the concert they started clap­ping in time with the music, and Tadashi would conduct the clapping and give them 'piano' and 'crescendo' in clapping and it was a bsolutel y a spectacle to witness . The Keio's lined up outside and the kids all went past and shook everyone by the hand , all smi ling and happy ... it was really a wonderful expe rience. " After a lunch ­eon provided by the State Education Department , the concert was repeated for the st udents of the College, who

also went into raptures with the per ­formance. Pr ofessor Tada shi Hattori and his players were tremendous ly elated after th is memora ble event.

A rehearsal with the National Boys' Choir was arranged for that evening a lso fo r the two orc hestras to practice toge ther for the Saturday night 's con­cert.

A fter a · free Saturday, one of glor­ious Australian sunshi ne , the final recital was offered in the Melbourne Gr eat Hall , with the N at ional Boys' Choir and the Melbourne Mandolin Or chestra part icipating. The house was packed and many had to be turned away. Midway a mishap to one of the Melbourne players who was recovering from a broken leg, ca used considerable concern and delay, but the Professor 's charming persona lity and mu sical domination soon brought the evening to a victorious finale.

Mrs. Evans made a video tape of the concert which, by means of an attachment to her TV set , enabled her household to rev iew the whole per­formance , both in sight and sound!

A noteworth y outing on the Sunday took the form of a barbecue at Ma r­oondah La ke one of Victoria's most picturesque picnic spots, some miles north of the city. The highlight was "t he biggest Zo rba' s dance ever seen in the Southern hemisphere, with some 95 people dancing across the lawns !" Sunday evening culminated with many private parties with the various hosts, and Monda y was given over to sight ­seeing in Melbourne town.

Ear ly departure of the plane to Sydney for connection with the Tokyo flight necessitated very ea rly rising for the host s to get their guests prepared , and the report reco rds that the emotional farewells at Melbourne Air­port were very much in line with the embracing and tear- shedding that we experienced in Sydney.

Perhaps the Keio Universi ty Man­dolin Orchestra might consider an invitation to the Brit ish Isles some t ime? I heartily recommend that they be approached.

PHIL SKIN NER

:OON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 21

.AtOMA FRO~I

becoming musical director on the TV Grand U/e O pry series before moving to Honolulu in the summer of 1973. After the Kahala Hilton, with Danny Kaleikini, he took his own trio to the Outrigger Hotel, "on the beach at Waikiki."

JERRY BYRD STORY MAWAfl For record collectors we list some of the discs made by Jerry Byrd.

I ORN in Lima, Ohio, on March 9th, 1920, Jerry Byrd is ran ked

as America's "Number One" player of the electric Hawaiian guitar and he has certainly made rapid strides in the. past few years, being a top recording star for American Decca, RCA, Mercury and Monument labels. A number of his discs have been reissued in this country but not as many as enthusiastic players of the Hawaiian guitar would wish.

Jerry started his musical career in his home town of Lima, working on a small local radio station . John Lair, owner of the Renfro Valley Barn Dance, "discovered" Jerry Byrd and gave him his first break in big-time radio. After appearing on the show for a few years, Jerry Byrd went to Detroit where he helped to organise the "Good Will Frolic" over station WJR.

From there Jerry joined Ernest Tubb and his Texas Troubadours in Nash ­ville, Tennessee, on station WSM; later joining Red Foley's Cumberland Valley Boys.

Moves around

In October 1948, Byrd left Foley to go to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he teamed up with Zeke Turner , Louie Innis and Tommy Jackson to originate The Pleasant Valley Boys. After two years of successful appearances with this group he returned to Nashville where he replaced the Hawaiian guitar player with the George Morgan and the Kandy Kids group who had gone into the army. When George's guitar man returned, Jerry Byrd again work­ed with Red Foley.

He -led the band on the Bobby Lord Show on WSM-TV in Nashville, Ten­nessee, and worked for Fred Foster, President of Monument Records and Combine Music, as Nashville Repre­sentative.

For twenty years Jerry Byrd appear­ed at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry on both radio and TV shows,

(American issues): Mercury "Hillbilly" No. 61"1:5 -" Steel in' The Blues" and "Drow6y Waters " No. 619ll -" Byrd's Boogie" and "Moo nland" No. 621:5 -" .Steelin' The Chimes" and " Wabash Wah-Wah Blues" No. 6232 -" .Steelin' J,s His Business" and "Bandera Waltz" No. 6241 -" .Steel Guitar Rag" and "Panhand le Rag" No. 6255 -"T hree-String Swing" and "Kilima Waltz" No. 6291 -"Sout h" and "St. Loui-s Blues" No. 6305 -' ·Over The Waves" and "Twilight Blues" No. 6352 - "Blues Boogie " and "Cocoa nut Grove" No. 6393 - "Limehouse Blues" and "Ko hala March" No. 6415 -"Thisn' That" and "Hula Blues" No. 70184-"Gold Coast Blues" and "Hon<e'ulu March" No. 70130-"Elmer\s Tune" and "Don't Sing Aloha When I Go" MG-25169- (Album-33-} RPM -LP)-"Byrd'6 Expedition"

("Byrd 's Expedition ", "South Sea Moon" , "La Paloma", "Ji4terbug Waltz", "Go ld Coast Blue-s", "Honolulu March", "Kewalo Chimes".)

"Popular" No. 5531 - "Pagan Love Song" and '\Beyond The Reef" No. 5461 - "Harbor Lights" and "At Sundown"

with Jerry Murad and 1he Harmonicats" (Available in "45 RPM" as well a6 "78")

A 83 - Hawaiian -Album "Nani Hawaii" (with Danny Kuaana and the Islander&)

No. 6264 -" Mau i Chimes" and "I Regret To Say Aloha " No. 6265 - "Knimo.no. Hila " and "Makalapua" No. 6266 -"Be Mine, Sweetheart, Be Mine" and "Kaulana O Hilo Hanakahi" No. 6267 -"Hi lo March" and "Little Lani Jo"

(Available in 33, 45 and 78 RPM) A 134 -(Album-45 RPM)-"Pagan Love Song"

("Paga n Love Sol\g", "A4 Sundown", "South", "Harbor Lights", "St. Louis Blues", "Over The Waves")

Mercury Records No. 70245-"Farewell Blues" b/w "Byrd's Nest" No. 70312-''.Paradise Isle" b/w "Georgia Steel Guitar" No. 70337- "Turner's Turnpike" bf,w "My l6le of Golden Dreams" No. 70466-'' Sugar Blues" b/w "Texas Play Boy Rag" No. 70519-"Hawaiian Sunset" b/w "Wang Wang Blues" Decca Records No . 9-29646-" Paradise Waltz " b/w "Sweet Corn" Monument Records No. 411-"Torn Sarong" b/w ".China Night" No. 419-"Theme From Adventures in Paradise " b/w "Indian Love Call" No. 429-"Daydream" b/w "Dancing Under the Stars" No. 449-"Memories of Maria" b/w "Jnvi~ation to Love" No. 465-"Valley of Roses" b/w "Bel ls of St. Mary 's" No. 807-"Goodbye Ki6s" b/w "Sleepless Nights" Albu ms NANI HAWATI-A 83 (with Danny Kuaana) - Mercury Rec ords BYRD'S EXPEDITION-MG 25169- Mercury Records HI-FI GUITAR-DL 8643-Decca Records ON THE SHORES OF WAIKIKI - No. 20230-M ercury Records STEEL GUITAR FA VOURITES-Mercury Records-No. 20345 BLUE HAWAIIAN STEEL GUlTAR -' Mercury Records-No. 20856 MAN OF STEE L-Mercury Recor rls-No. 20932 BYRD OF PARAD ISE- Monument Records-No. 4003 and 8009 MEMORIES OF MARTA-Monument Records - No. 4008 HAWAIIAN BEACH PARTY-R.C.A. Victor-No. 1687 ADMIRABLE BY.RD-Monument Records-No. 8014 PARADISE ISLAND with Paradise Island Trio - Decca No. 4078 HAWAHAN GOLDEN HIT~with The Royal Hawaiian Guitars-Mercury No .

20693 HAWAII'S CALLING ME-Jerry Byrd and Marty Robbin s-Co lumb ia No. 2040 There are numerous other albums and single reco rds on which he played as a "star", but it would be impossible to lis t ·them here.

22 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

LOOKING FOR THE BEST STRINGS? - here's your guide to the world's highest grade in music strings

• RS 201 "Granada King". Light gauge for steel Spanish guitar. £1.37. • RS 500 "Classie". Nylon acoustic . £ I. 11. • RS 42 "Silk 'n' Steel". Designed for aut he ntic Country & Western. £1.77. • RS 208 "Jumbo King" . light, med ium for Blues & Folk. From £ 1.54. • RS 30 roundwound "Bar 30". 12 string set for Folk, CfW. From £2.15. • RS 51 "Concert King". Equal to the very best acoustic. £ 1.43. • RS 61 "Espana". The only elec.tro magnetic nylon set. £2.38. • RS 80 "Troubador" . The e lectric/acoustic set for Mando lin. £1.32 . • RS 65 "Swanee". The elect ric/ acoustic set for G Banjo. 73p . • RS 75 "Missouri". The electric/ ac oustic set for Tenor Banio, 66p.

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DON'T MCSS A COPY-SUBSCR IPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 23

T HE "Ragtime Nite" at the tl University of Buffalo C_offee House that I wrote about in the last issue was also the occasion for one of my rare public performances. They needed a "warm-up " performer to pre­cede Eric Schoenberg, who was the main feature, and asked me to play a half-hour of banjo music. I do not know if you have ever had to prepare a concert programme, but if you ever do, take my advice and find yourself a good accompanist. Fortunately a psy­chologist friend of mine, Evan Cohen, is an excellent pianist, with a beauti­ful touch at the keyboard, so I was in business.

I do not think I have ever pract ised so much before. The experience of rehearsing and practising with an ac­companist to play a specific programme is really different from getting together with a friend to bash out a few. After you and the accompanist have learned your parts and tried them a few times together, comes the work of getting the parts to mesh: working out tempo, dynamics, finding out where you have to ritard to hit a difficult passage to­gether at the correct tempo and avoid­ing the tendency to rush. It can be a lot of work, but it really helps when you step out on stage and to know that your pianist will not drown you out, lose his place, push you ahead or slow you down, and that he will stay with you and support you should you lose your place.

I was also fortunate in that the Coffee House uses a good amp lification system. Knowing that I could play lightly and stiH be heard, I borrowed my w:fe's Whyte Laydie banjo which has a sweet, even-balanced tone and is easy to play.

Evan and I played some real ragtime pieces, such as The Smiler (written for piano by Percy Wenrich) and Some­where in Dixie (written for banjo by

ls1::~11;11111!l":::1l"'(("lln:::1 ... ~Ill ... 1~ ... 111d h1111 11111 11 1h1 mu

George Lansing). We also included a few of Joe Morley's lightly syncopated cakewalks. Although Morley wrote pieces that were titled or subtitled "rag", "cakewalk" or 'walk-round", he really never wrote any pieces in the classical ragtime form of continuously syncopated music. It is true that strains of his compositions are syncopated (wch as the fourth strain of Nigger­town and the trio of Peach Blossom), but this tends to be a simple syncopa ­tion, and though the pieces have beauti­ful melodies, the syncopation remains rather uncomplicated, does not vary much and does not build. This is understandable in that Morley was a composer on, and for the banjo, which is not in itself a ragtime instrument. True ragtime requires a steady beat and a simultaneous syncopated melody. Piano does this easily, the left hand swinging back and forth to fay down a solid chord rhythm while the right hand tinkles away at the melody . This two­part playing can be a problem for fret­ted instruments. The guitar has enough range in its bass to enable a clever player to keep the thumb going back and. forth on the low strings while the index and middle fingers pick out the melody. This is possible on the banjo, but the Emited bass range seems to pre­clude doing this to good effect. The result is that when a banjoist wants to play ragtime he winds up playing the melody and gets an accompanist to do the steady rhythm part.

Have you ever noticed how limited the bass is on many banjo solos? It is not rare to find solos that hard ly use the bass strings at all. On the other hand, I have found that Morley solos such as Darktown Dandies and Camp­town Carnival often impress folk banjo­ists a great deal. I believe that this is due to the very effective use of the bass string, which gives a full sound that is rarely heard on the banjo.

In any case, whether lightly or heavily syncopated, our banjo and piano numbers seemed to serve as ade­quate warm up. Or, to phrase it an­other way, after our set the audience

seemed to be ready to hear the prin­cipal performer.

ELI KAUFMAN

11,M writing this Letter from America U directly from the 197 5 convention of the Fretted Instrument Guild of Amer­ica (FIGA) in Arlington, Virginia, right across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Just concluded, the convention included two evening con­certs, fretted instrument workshops and much informal playing in any spare corners left over between sche­duled sessions.

A new feature at this convention was the appearance of two zither artists, Sofian 7.apf and Frieda Seber of Phil­adelphia, Pennsylvania, who conducted a zither workshop in the afternoon, played zither duets in an evening con­cert and provided dinner music at the convention banquet. This was a par ­ticular treat to those of us who have tried to play this very difficult fretted instrument but have never bad the opportunity to see it played live by someone who bas mastered it.

In their workshop, Mr. Zapf and Miss Seber gave an historical account of the development of the zither from primitive predecessors to the concert instrument it became in the 1800s through the design genius of Nikolau~ Weigel and "Altmeister" zither com­posers such as Josef Haustein and Fer ­dinand Kollmaneck.

Continued on page 2-6

24 DON'T MISS A COPY - SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

~ ~,rrr~ LJ u.a.;;-

{)

~

Few Jazz Guitarists have not at one time or another had the burning desire to own and play the type of guitar used

by the legendary gypsy guitarist Ojango Reinhardt. But so few of these fine guitars were made that they

rarely become available loday and only usually at a prohi­bitive price. At last, after over two years of research

and experimentation Summerfield Brothers, Britain's leading guitar distributors, now offer authentic replicas of

these beautiful guitars exclusively made for them in one of the world's best guitar workshops. At a suggested

retail price of about £100.00 the Gypsy, a guitar almost identical in every way to the original, (complete with a fitted De Luxe hard shell case), is now available to all guitarists.

est GUITARS ARE DISTRIBUTED EXCLUSIVEL y BY

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SALTMEADOWS ROAQ, GATESHEAD, NE8 3AJ

Battle of Britain Wings Appeal SE PT 15th-20th 1975

Please help us maintain our Home lot the Permanently and Severe ly Disabled and our conva lescent homes for those Ex R.A .F. men and women who are in need by giving all you can for • an emblem during WINGS WEEK or please send us a donat ion .

~ WEARTHISEMBLEM ~ ON SATURDAY

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DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSC RI PTlON FORM lNSlDE BACK COVER 25

Visiting with Sofian Zapf following his workshop, I learned that he has not only performed many years on the zither, but also operates a music store in Philadelphia which still specialises in zithers and related supplies and re­pairs-a welcome bit of news for scat­tered American zither players who find it increasingly difficult to find a shop that knows anything about their in­strument. Zitherists interested in get­ting acquainted with Mr. Zapf may write to him at 5429 North Fift Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19120.

Americans seldom have the oppor­tunity to hear the mandolin played in ensemble. However, that wasn't the case at this convention where we heard groups such as the Queen Mandolin and Guitar Society of Richmond Hill , New York, directed by Edward L. Kribs. the chamber ensemble of the Mandolin Syrnphonette of New York, N.Y., conducted by Samuel Firstman, the Nassau Strings of Long Island, N.Y ., the Neapolitan Strings of Long Island, N.Y., the Neapolitan Knights of Long Island, N.Y., the Tillman Schafer Fret Quartet of Bedford, Mas­sachusetts, and the Metropolitan Quar­tet of Silver Springs, Maryland . The Takoma Mandoleers conducted by FIGA president Herman von Berne­witz of Arlington, Virginia, were the host orchestra for the convention.

the plectrum banjo to heights I'd never thought possible, while at the same time drawing from his jazz guitar ~ackground in chord work. Improvis­ing around pop standards, he would leave the audience breathless with dazzling, tasty plectrum banjo num­bers and then pick up the tenor banjo to rap off "Flapperette" or "Training the Fingers."

The other plectrum banjoist who particularly impressed many of us was Bud Puckett, a young physics research­er from Atlanta, Georgia. who follows through the stylistic directions laid down by fellow Atlantan Perry Bech­tel. Bud has long been a friend of the man who came into the banjo limelight with his RCA Victor banjo LP in the 1950s. He illustrated a few elements of the Bechtel style in a workshop and then applied them in his own playing at jam sessions throughout the conven­tion.

The banjo in the bluegrass setting was presented in workshop by Roger Sprung while I did a workshop on the history of the banjo.

This Letter from America was start­ed as the Schreyer family was packing up at the close of the convention and then continued in spurts as we made the 1300-roile trip back home by station wagon.

Just arrived home, the words of Queens Mandolin and Guitar Society conductor Edward Kribs still ring in my ear as a fitting climax to this fretted event:

"One thing I learned in music, what­ever you do, make it proper and open. The courtesy of music is only yours for one lifetime. Never hide, never be afraid of music. It 's internationa l.

Lowell Schreyer

Other mandolin performances at the .------------------------------­convention included the solo playing of Renee Kuebler of Chicago and Her­man von Bernewitz and the country­ragtime playing of the Mandolin Bro­thers, Stanley Jay and Hap Kuffner of Staten Island, N.Y.

Guitar was also represented at the convention and was the focus of inter­est at a workshop conducted by Till­man Schafer, string teacher from Bed­ford, Mass., who illustrated various ensemble combinations in which the guitar may be used effectively.

In banjo activity at the convention, we were treated to virtuoso level per­formance by two banjoists-one a pro­fessional, the other a non-profession­whom I had never met before. The professional is Buddy Wachter, a ban­joist in his early 20s, who toured ex­tensively with Fred Waring before settling down to the Baltimore, Mary­land, Shakey' s where he now plays five nights a week. I'd already heard of Buddy through mutua l friends in the East , but despite their advance reports of his skill, I was literaJly astounded when I heard him in person. He has developed single string technique on

Jackie1 s Corner The banjo's not the only fre tted

instrument that's thriving here in beau­tiful Ohio!

A course of study in classic guitar has been developed at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. Th e programme is in its third year of operation and five new student s are accepted each year by audition.

Over 60 students from all over the US applied last year, according to faculty member Clare Callahan. The course includes classical guitar reper­toire, padogogy and ensemble. Students can choose to study for a bachelor of science in music education, bachelor of arts or bachelor of music. Besides recital s, two ensemble programmes are given each year.

Advanced student s are also coached by concert guitarist Javier Calderon. a native of Bolivia. Both teachers have studied on scholarships with Andres Segovia in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

"When Segovia was in Cincinnati in March, he visited here and gave us some advice for our programme. He is very interested in having this kind of thing going," said Miss Cal)ahan.

A number of similar programmes have been springing up in the past few years, but the only other one Miss Callahan knows of at the conservat ory level is at the San Francisco Conserva­tory. She credits the recent interest to Segovia's manner of taking students in their 20s, then encouraging them to go out and teach.

Miss Callahan also studied classical guitar with Emile Bibobi in Wimble­don, England, and with Sophocles Papas , Washington, D.C.

Tea chers of classical guitar pro­grammes may be interested in the second annual meeting of the guitar division of the American String Teach­ers Association, to be held in late October in Cleveland, Ohio. I will for ­ward the address of anyone who wants information; write to me at 3336 R oyal Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208 USA.

JACKIE LITZINGER

26 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

A\ 112101u ~ 1u 1r lti ,~ 1CILIUll3i

to reel-to-reel group M. Many thanks to Jim Pound for sending a 4 inch reel of items played by the Watford B. M. and G. Club.

Tape Club "Special" Numbers one and two have been completed and are very good listening. These tapes will be released as club tapes very soon, all the members who participated in mak­ing these . tapes will hea r them when circulating their own group. Special Number three will be started as soon as all the members concerned have been notified as to their posting date. Should you receive a tape which seems to be blank, check tha t the tape has not been reversed, that is to say, oxide out and not facing the heads; this can happen so easily. Reference post codes: it would appea r the Post Office is re­quiring these to be used; please Jet me know by way of the next Comments sheet if I have not yet received this information.

Club secretaries! Here is your chance to put your Club under the spotlight! For a place in the new Club Page, send your news items not later than the 24th of the month. Good pictures welcomed-black and white preferred.

NOTHING like being prepared , as Barnet and Hatfie ld clubs

found when they played at St. Audrey's Home for the Blind in June. As the weather was fine, the matron asked if the band would play on the lawn. All went well until a gust of wind sent the music sheets flying all over the place. In summer, one gets used to hearing "ra in stopped play," but in this case it was "wind stopped play." However, Hett y Daniels (who looks after the equipment for the clubs) came to the rescue, hop­ped round home for a couple of dozen clothes pegs, and saved the evening. So there you are, then; if you are playing out in the open, remember the Scouts' motto, "Be Prepa red" and bring the clothes pegs. Apparently, the matron was also getting prepared, be­cause when she thanked the band for an enjoyable evening, she asked if she could book them for their Christmas party on December 19th. ' The following day I met Eli Kauf­man and his wife Madeleine, also get­ting prepared. They were packing the many films, tapes, records, and other items they had collected whilst staying in this country. However, they still found time on the eve of their depart ­ure home to visit the Banjo Circle at Westminster. Quite a nice evening. Charlie Mansell, the secretary, played some of his own composit ions, the Torrences, as usual, some duets, and we had solos from Derek Lillywhite, J . McNaghten, and other members of the club, and lots of community play­ing. And, of course, at the piano, Sally Murrell, complete with two cases of piano accompaniments, from Skipping Rope Dance to The Entertainer. She never knows what she will be asked to play.

JIM ENNIS

* * * MANDOLIN CLUB

Fi rst things first. May I thank BMG for giving valuable space in the March

issue, to my request for mandolinists in and around London to get together. There were about twenty-four of us at our first meeting; all very keen. We come from Watford, N. London, Tun­bridge Wells, Croydon and llford .. . one lady comes from Reading, and does not miss a meeting; can anyone be more keen?

I am pleased to report that Mr. J . Harris of The Watford Plectra Orches­tra is putting us through our paces. We have mandolins, mandolas (tenor and octave), mandocello, guitars, and double bass; we have not been able to secure a mandolone. I wonder when last such an amateur orchestra was heard in London- no vellum, piano, or drums!

FRANK PERRIN

J ., • ¼!l!!.) Banjo and Mandolin Section

We are pleased to welcome new members, Ted Waghorn of Benenden, Kent , and Arthur Kirk of Tw icken­ham, Middlesex. Ted has been attach­ed to "Cassette group two" and Arthur

WALLY SPRANKLEN

* * * Hawaiian Guitar Section

The following tapes have been re­ceived recently. From Bern Causley a further selection of music taped during his last visit to Honolulu, and includ­ing items from Chuck Machado's luau, Paulin Kekahuna, Eddie Kekaula, and others.

John Scott has submitted a tape of nice recordings by Charlie Kohlhoff of Feltham, and from Don Keating of Wrexham comes a very varied and well chosen selection of music, with some excellent playing by Don himself.

Finally, from Fred Barker an un­usual recording of Arthur Jones' South

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.... •• #

Sea Serenaders at a special concert held in St. Luke's church, Duston. This is believed to be the first time the steel guitar has been featured in such a setting in England, and the Serenaders may be seen in the accompanying photograph, along with Fred himself acting as narrator.

JOHN MARSDEN

WR lTE IT DOWN! - from page 13 From the first line of this tune, which

[ have analysed, it will be obvious to the reader how it is done; now, every time you sing, hum, whistle or play a tune, whether your own or someone else's, say: ''I'll try and put that down in music" , and before a few weeks have elapsed, you will find yourself able to jot down any simple tune.

Simplicity 6rst

Always strive for initial simplicity by writing it first in a simple key, and ·'slowing it down", by just using, at the most, semibreves, minims, dotted min­ims, quavers, etc.; if it is in 2/4 (march or ragtime), modernise the phrasing by doubling the time-value of all notes and rests, thus bringing back ·the mel­ody to modern Common (or 4/4) time; if it is very "corny", slow down the tempo altogether, as Bing Crosby ad­vocated, but don't lose heart with a number such as Ukulele Lady which, however slowly played, is the epitome of corniness (unfortunately, most pop­ular music is indescribably corny these days, from a jazz view).

A good rule of thumb, when dealing with syncopation is to take several bars of crotche ts and, if it is desired to pro­long the first and third notes in each bar, merely add a dot (which prolongs the note by half its value again) to these; diminishing in relation the second and fourth notes by adding a tail to these latter, converting -them into quavers. Conversely, if the pro­longation of the second and fourth beat notes is required, a general meth­od, which is nearly always correct, is to make these dotted crotchets, while the first and third beats become quavers; in groups of two, of course, these notes would be joined together in groups of two by cross-bars known

as "beams". When composing, distinct from folk­

music of some countr ies (that can have an unequal number of bars), remember that the number of bars must always be equal (generally 32 in the average standard), and that the oft-found two bars of the "second-time bars" must not be counted as extra bars, since they replace the last two bars of the first movement of 32 bars.

A closing thought by Rogers: "The soul of music slumbers in its shell, 'til waked and kindled by the master's spell: and feeling hearts touch them but rightly, pour a thousand melodies unheard before."

IT WOULD TAKE UP TOD MUCH SPACE for us to advertise all the goods and printed music we can supply. BUT . . . OUR COMPREHENSIVE LISTS ARE

SURE TO INTEREST YOU

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Dlrect-ry ol 8. M. & fi. C/11/Js . AMER ICAN BANJO FRATERNITY. Exec. Sec. ,

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ASSOCIATED BANJO CIRCLE (Westminster). Sec: ChAs. Mansell. 64 Brook Road, Bc.nfleet, Euex SS7 5JF.

ASTON BANJO CLUB (Wimb ledon). Sec .. R. G. Oram. 5 Chart Close , Shortlands, Brom ley, Kent BR2 0EB. Tel.: 01-460 1995.

BARNET. Sec .. Cecil Daniels, I Birchwood Avenu e , Hatfield. HAT 65140.

BELFAST BANJO CLUB. Sec . • J. Knowles, 206 Deef1)ark Road, Belfa st, 14.

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B. M. & G . Tape Club B. & M. Sec .• W. Spranklen , 6a Burton Rd ., King ­slon-on•Thames, Surr ey. H.G. Sec.. J. D. Marsden. 40 Orchard Lane , Beighton, Sheffield. Sl9 6EX.

BRITISH FEDE RATION OF FRETTED INSTRU­MENTALISTS. Northern Sec .. Mrs. H. Jackl in , 103 Nicholson Ave. , Maccl esfield, Ches. Tel : 0625 20102 . Southern Sec., Mrs . V. Godwin, 14 Trouvill e Rd. , London, SW4 8QL. ·rel: 0 1-673 2057 .

CROYDON. Sec., Mrs. H. Stunner. 31 Cork.screw Hill , West Wycombe. Kent . Tel: 777 5102 .

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The cos t o( twelve consecu tive £ I in!'.ert i.on, un d er this he::ad,ing i ,

EALING GU ITAR SOCIETY. Sec., Mrs. P. A. McGiashan, 68 Bellevue Road, Ea ling, London, Wl3 SOE . Tel : 01-997 9449.

FRETTED lNSTRUMENT GUILD OF AMER ICA. Sec . , Tr cas .• Ann Pertoney, 2344 South Oakley Ave. , Chicago 60608, lllinois, U.S.A .

GARF IELD UOWE GUITA R AND WIND GROUP. Sec .: Mdme. Garfield Howe, 25 Turberville Close, Abin gdon, Berks

GEORGE FORM BY SOCIETY . Sec., Billy Hartley, 99 Chequers Ave., L:.,ncastcr, Lanes. Tel: 0524 60225.

GLASGOW CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY. Sec . , Miss Isobel M. Yule, 15 Banavie Rd., Gil SAW. Te l: 041-339 280 1.

HATFIELD. Sec .. M r. C . Daniels, I Birchwood Avenue. Hatfield. HAT 65140.

ILFORD. Sec., F. N . Perrin. 23 Mannin Road . fi2'}tvell Heath. Romford RM6 4PT. Tel: 01-590

LEICESTER CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY. Meets monthly every 3rd Wednesday. Sec. , H . Brook, 18 Moat Close, Thurlaston, Leicester LE9 71N.

LEIGH-ON-SEA. Sec. , L . F. Head, Westholm e , Branksome Ave . , Stanford -le-Hope. Essex.

l ,EWISHA.VI B. M. & G. CLUB. Sec ., Mrs . M. H Torrence. 7 Chislet C lose , Beckenham. Kent BR3 IUB.

LIVERPOOL (Premier). Sec .• Miss E. M. Wood. Meredalc Rd.. Liverpoo l 18.

MACCLESF IELD. Sec ., B. Jacklin, 103 Nicho lson Ave . , Macclesfield. Cheshire. Te l: Macclesfield 20102.

MANCHESTER GUITAR CIRCLE. Sec., Ray Pallet , 291 Sandy Lane, Droylsden. Tel: 061-330 0942.

NORTH tONDON. Sec .. F. T. Boswell, 2 Marl­borough Ave . , N .14. Tel: 01-368 6637.

01.DHAM. Sec., J. Taylor, 14 Werncth Cr escent, Oldham, Lanes. Tel: 061-624 1112.

PORTSMOUTH B.M .G . CLUB. Sec., R. A. White, 29 The Downsway. Porchester. Hants.

SOUTHEND CLASSICAL GU ITAR SOCIETY. Bob Alliston, J6 Parkview Drive, Leigh-on-Sea. Essex . Tel.: Southend 525079.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS & DISTR ICT B.M.G. CLUB. Sec. R. Warrener, " Cart ref'". London Rd .• South · borough, Tunbridge Well s. Tel: 28533.

WALLASEY ("Riverside"). Sec . • B. B. Thurlow, 6 The Aubynes, Wallasey. Tel: 051-639 2177.

WATFORD. Arthur Cooper, 17 Kenwood Drive, Rickmansw o rth, Herts . . WD3 2YQ. Tel: 77903.

WOUT STEENHUIS APPREC IATI ON SOCIETY, Secretary Mrs. B. Baker, I Coburg Flats, Coburg P lace, Hastings , Sussex. Tel: 3132 .

YORK. Sec. Mrs . M. B. Hounam. 23 Middlethorpe Grove , York Y02 2JW. Tel. 65552.

28 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPTION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

C b

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C L G 0 L E 0 R E R G N C E

E T B A R 0 R N

R E s

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Tin Rainbow Ragtimers Ltd.-Banjo, Piano and Drums (Arnold Agency, Atlanta, Georgia, USA).

T,he Entertainer. Old Green River, Alabamy Bound, Toot Toot Tootsie. Alabama Jubilee, Amazing Grace, Temptation Rag, Closer Walk With Thee, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Saints Go Marching In, Big Noise From Winnetka.

The Tin Rainbow Ragtimers Ltd.­a qua:nt-sounding name for a trio of musicians - but, do not let this deter you from getting this album, for they emerge with flying colours from their recording, a thoroughly professional outfit and a most entertaining pro­gramme.

Richard Bronaugh, Bachelor of Science, plays piano; Douglas Mattocks, currently studying classic rags on the banjo, from the original piano scrolls, plays tenor, plectrum and five-string

banjo; and John Tutini, with experi­ence with the Marine Corps Drums and Bugles, plays drums; all three membe rs are in their twenties. Their many en­gagements include TV, radio and top locat ions in many states, including At lanta, St. Louis, Washington, Vir­ginia, California and New Orleans, where they were hired for four weeks and extended to a record-b reaking 42 week engagement. The scinti llating rag­time single-string tenor banjo is dom ­inant throughout and an unusual fea­ture and most enjoyable is the selection of songs, Amazing Grace, Closer Walk With Thee, Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Saints Go Marching In, played as a spiritual medley, for the traditional New Or leans jazz mus icians' funeral , with vocals on the last two numbers and fine-style banjo, with a pronounced feeling for each tune. Big Noise From Winnetka gives the drummer an oppor­tunity of showing what percussion in music is all about, without blasting up the works- an object lesson for many of today's one-hand drummers.

The Voice of the Blues-Bottle-neck Guitar Masterpieces, Various Artistes Yazoo Records , Ll046, USA). BARB ECUE Bon - Going V p The

Country. TH E GEORGIA BROWNS -Decatur Street 81. RAMBLING THOMAS - Ground Hog Blues. TAMPA KID ­Keep On Trying. THE HOK UM BOYS­Selling That Stuf]. THE Too BAD BoYs - Corrine Corrina Blues. SISTER TERRELL-/ Want You To Lead Me On. SAM BUTLER-lefle rson County Blues. OS CAR "BUDDY" WOODS-Come On Over To My House Baby. ROY SMECK-La ughing Rag. IR ENE S CRUGGS -T he Voice Of The Blues. l1MMI G DAVIS-She's A Hum Dum Dinger From Dingersville. BLTND WILLIE DAv1s-When The Saints Go Marching In - GEORGIA COTTON PICKERS - She's Coming Back Some Cold, Rainy Day.

The sound of the blues is one of the most fluent and moving expressions to reflect the emot ions of the American negro, and The Voice Of The Blues gives one an insight to the talents of some of the many performers from the Southern States of America. The diffi­cult styles of guitar playing, ranging from the "big beat" of Barbecue Bob (Robert Hicks) to the harmonic brilli­ance of Roy Smeck-all are here for one's listening pleasure . Thirteen items on th is album were or iginally recorded during 1926 to 1938 and one in 1951. Wh!te American Roy Smeck is the "odd man out" among~t the performers whose instrumental Laughing Rag, an

amazing performance on an eight-string gu itar is something I do not think any of today's performers could copy- and has never been dupl icated since it was recorded in 1926. Smeck devoted seven months' continuous practice on this solo- he normally played eight to ten hours each day- which, no doubt, war­ranted h:m to become known as the "Wizard of the Strings". Many of to­day's "blues" performers are but a poor imitation of the real thing, and it's always a sad picture for me when T look back to those far -off days when so many fine negro and white American performers were poorly paid and ended up more or less destitute.

Kokomo Arnold and Casey Bill Weldon-Bo ttle-neck Guitar Trend­~ettcrs of the 1930s (Yazoo Records, LI 049, USA). CASEY BrLL WELDON-You Just As

Well Let Her Go. Go Ahead Buddy, Lady Doctor Blues, The Big Boat. Hitch Me To Your Buggy, You Shouldn't Do That, Back Door Blues. KOK0MO ARNOLD- The Twelves (The Dirty Dozen). I'll Be V p Someday, Busy Bootin', Sage field Woman Blues, Back To The Woods, Salty Dog, Feels So Good.

Here's another "gem" from the Yazoo label for the blues enthusiast, especially those who are interested in inst rumental solo and accompaniment to songs. The 14 numbers on this album were recorded between I 934 and 1937 with "Casey Bill" (Will) Weldon, who was billed as "The Hawaiian Guitar Wizard" in 1935, and James (Kokomo) Arnold, who both carried on the great trad;tion of "bottle-neck" blues in the 1930s and r ivalled top names like Big Bill Broonzy for recording popularity . Weldon' s music was the most modern and sop histicated of his time, and his "hot" and rag-time style is very defin ite on this album, accompanied by the fine mando lin playing of Charlie McCoy in The Big Boat, the lead guitar of Will Shade in Hitch Me To Your Buggy and the solid chord work and elaborate breaks by an unidentified guitarist­probably Banjo "lkey" Robinson on four numbers , stamping him as one of the most outstanding guitarists of the J930s. Weldon's playing in the Lady Doctor number is reminiscent of the modern bluegrass dobro -guitar style of playing. James (Kokomo) Arnold, who used a bottle-neck on his "little finger, was a fine guitarist whose playing was often at a fast tempo and sometimes zany--much of which he exploits on this album.

DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRI PT ION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER 29

--------- <iWU@tt?PtD---- - -- ---READERS : This is the page for you to fill ... use it to air your views ... let us know what you think .. . others may learn from your letters .. . we'll be glad to have opinions, hints and tips you have found useful, and anything you know to help players ... let us hear from you ... your criticisms (and appreciations) are valuable!

Dear Sir,-As a reader of B.M.G., I under­stand that it is for all fretted instrumen ts, but I have yet to see one in which there was an ar ticle about the BALALAIKA.

I have often wished to play a stringed instrument as well as the wind instrument I have played for some time. Now on the wrong side of fifty years , I have purchased a balalaika and am struggling along but finding it difficult to achieve clear resonance on the two "E" str ings. One inst.ruction book suggests using the thumb. However , you may have some better ideas with your vast experience.

l t could well be that in some edition of BMG that I have miGSed, you have had an article on this instrument. If so, I would welcome the required information on how to purchase th is copy.

J . M. S. FOSTER (In lhe December 1970 issue, page 108, a

very useful ar licle by Clifford Essex shou ld prove helpfu l.- Ed.)

* * * Dear Sir,- 1 haven't written since 1972 when BMG was so kind as to show the 9:29ers (Mass. USA) Banjo Club on the cover of the October issue. The Club is still going strong in its I 9th year.

The change in BMG's format in 1973 caused some concern, although I appre­ciated . the flat envelope mailing method. T was happy when BMG returned , once more recognisable.

I am interested in a coming publication , The Great Harry Reser by W. W. Triggs, and read avid ly his Reser articles. Tell him to be sure I'm one of his first customers. My tenor-banjo lessons started in 1924 when I was 11 years old. Two years later, prodded by my banjo teacher , I was render• ing (literally) Reser's ar rangement of No la on the stage at the local junior high schoo l auditorium. Clad in white flannel trousers with a blue sports jacket, and playing a Vega " Little Wonder " with resonator, I wasn't sure l could live through it. Appar­ently I did, as two years later I was playi ng Reser's Lollipo J>S and The Clock and the Banjo. My teacher told me to get the Reser records as he would often include runs on the record which were not written in the music . I still play the Clock but have for­gotten Lollipops completely.

I am still playing tenor-banjo with a tenor-guitar substitution during the forties. At present at 62 am playing steady with a six-piece Dixieland band, doing some stroll ­ing minstrel and entertainment duo work, as well as working with the 9:29ers. In a six-piece Dixieland band, with each instru­ment ta king a solo chorus, eight choruses for each number are quite common . After a four-hour gig my left hand resembles a claw. I'm stupid; instead of holding one chord for, 63Y, two measures, I have to

change the chord every two beats because my ear 5ays "shade and support the mel­ody." True , many changes are only an inversion of the same chord, but I'm stuck with it

I especially enjoy The Tenor Patrol by Sam Warwick. I've been playing chords "down under", 3-string chords on the bot­tom 3 strings, and the top 3, too, for some time. Three notes are easier to play 1han four on up-tempo numbers, and usine four fingers for three notes some nice chord modulations can be made. In self defence, I'm using an amplified "Vega-Vox I" tenor banjo. I f any single instrume nt is louder on stage than a trumpet, trombone, or drums , it must be a steam calliope. I'm using a cheap dynamic microphone , inserted into a foam rubber block to deaden pick­shock effects, with a volume and tone con­trol mounted on the banjo rim. The micro­phone is loosely 1aped to the peg.

JOHN K. McCORD

* * * Dear Sir,-1 would like to thank everyone

who made me feel so welcome during my recent trip to London, <!Specially the staff at BMG and ClifTorr' ::Ssex, the A5ton Banjo Club and Cle .. , Vickery and the Vellum Stompers.

It was a new experience for this tenor banjo player to sit in with the five-stringers, and I was so impressed with the quality of the banjo music I heard in England! My only regret was that my visit was so short.

Tnanks again from a grateful Yankee! JACKIE LITZINGER

* * * Dear Sir,

Many thanks indeed for reprinting "Gavotte" (Bach-Sheaff}. I th ink it must have been abou t 1938, but possibly just post war. My old colleague , Stan ley Midwinter, now of Coventry , played it well on ZB, though now he favours guitar. Stanley called on you at Earlham Street and wrote to me an enthusiast ic account of his visit. I ho!')e to play at Southern Festival.

SELWYN CASH.

* * * Dear Sir,

I have r.:ccntly been thinking about the function of tone rings on banjos to obtain a brighter or snappie r tone , but cannot accept the statements made in some quar­ters that this is due to the "increased ten­sion" tha t the tone ring gives. One could J?O on increasing the tension on a banjo-wiTh or without a tone rin g- until eventually it ruptur ed.

I jotted down a few figures- area of an 11 in. diameter vellum is 95 square inches. With a tone ring fitted which reduces the diameter by ¼ in. all round giving an effec­tive diameter of 9½ in., the area is reduced

to 71 square inches which is only three­quarters of the hoop . This means that the weight of the vellum and also the mass of air to be moved is 25 per cent Jess. I found this very large difference rather surprising, but this surely is what is responsible for the brighter tone and not, as I maintain, "increased tension ".

It would be nice to hear other readers' views on this.

E. LAMBERT. Readers comments are i11vited.- Ed.

* Dear Sir,

* *

I always read your reviews of new music with great interest. This gives me the latest and up to da te informa tion that I can find anywhe re. I should tell you that my main interest is Guita r Mus ic.

Your reviewer Mary Criswick, is a de­light to read for she seems to go into so much detail which is always useful.

Your Terence Sloane seems to be qui te new to reviewing, but old fashioned in style and his comments on the prices are not generally relevant to the work. For ex­amolc in the August review, Fantasia (Weiss) transcr ibed by Jose Maria Sierra­the price 42.Sp per page may seem expen­sive but one can always buy rubbish a lot cheaper.

If he looked more at the music and less at the price he may yet reach the standard o.f Mary Criswick.

PHIL MITCHELL. * * *

Dear Sir, Further to my mention of the extra ­

ordinary Slav guitar encounte red recently , with an additional soundhole in the cutaway shou lder, I have come across a second one, this time with a full label denoting that the instrument originates from Bulgaria! I wonder if this strange style of construction evokes a memory of some Bulgarian fol k­guitar , like the "bratsch" of Yugoslavia?

KEALOHA LIFE . * * *

Dear Sir, I wonder if you, or any of your readers,

know what ha ppened to Harr y Reser's tenor banjo after hfa death ?

I. M. NICK.

* * * Dear Sir,

I must say that I think Terenc e Sloane is very much up to date in the way he reviews new guitar works by prices. It is indeed a novel approach and I am sure most of your read2rs will app reciate his cogent comments on pa11e 19 of the August issue. "Pilchards at cav1ar prices" is a new expressi on to me. Keep up the good work Mr. Sloane . Well done BMG.

LESLIE A. PECK.

30 DON'T MTSS A COPY- SUBSCR IPTION FORM INSfDE BACK COVER

The cost of advertising under this heading is 4p per word (minimum 48p, twelve words or less). For inserting Box No. add 25p extra. We regret advertisements are not accepted by telephone.

FOR SALE ARTHUR TILLEY 5-string zither banjo, ornate engraved rim, rare, unusual instru­ment. £45 o.n.o. C.E. Regal plectrum banjo (Alvey T urner neck) 11 in. hoop, heavily inlaid concave resona tor, beauttful big­toned instrument in first-class condit ion. Reluctant sale: £100, no offers. Rees, 32 Essex Road, Southsea, Hants. PLECTRUM banjo; Leedy Olympian model. First class concer .t instrument. Offers near £200 to 15 Shepreth Road , Foxton, Cambridge. Tel: 0223 870380. VICENTE CAMACHO guitar 1971 in beautifu l condi tion ; offers over £150. Tel. 021 704 9234. "THE BANJO SPECIALISTS": Twelve songs, three artists, one tenor banjo, two plectrum-banjos, a piano and ragtime music. Available for $5.98 plus $1.00 shipping, from House of Ragtime, P.O. Box 2192, Van Nuys, Ca., 91401, USA. WEAVER 5-string, 11 in. metal hoop, in origina l leather case; fine tone and con-

dition . Offers: Box 820, BMG, 20 Earlham Street , London, W.C.2.

RAMIREZ, Sanchis, Contreras, Conde, Francisco Guita~s. Also beginner 's mode l inc. small size; folk mod els inc. Yamaha , Harmony, Eko Hand-made folk instruments. Renton, 25 High Street, Leam ington, Warks . Tel. : 26703. RARE mandolin meth ods, hand bound, inc. Branzo li, Cristofaro, Francia, Munier, Siegel; a lso soft backs: Bickford, Moyer {duo 5tyle) and Ellis. SAE to Box 821, BMG, etc. WINDSOR Popular model five-string banjo. Good cond ition, frets, new vellum, with hard shaped case. £100 o.n.o. R. Chimes, 16 Cowdray Close, Lcamington $pa. Te l. 20282. CYRIL PROCTOR, electro-musical instru­ment specialist. 180 Town Street , Leeds LS12 3RF. Special pick-ups for E.H.G., pedal, etc.; adj. poles. six to twelve strings . Also for bass-guitar , electric and acoustic guitar, banjo, viol in, etc. S.A.E. for new prices.

,-·- -------------~-----, : WRITE YOUR AD. HERE 1.---- ---.--- ----.---~--~ ---~--I

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I Ciearly print your advert isrnent in capital letters one wo rd per square g 1- and include the price of the article, also your address, telephone or I· box number. I -1. CLOSING DATE: 22nd OF THE MONTH ... -· k~-~---~----~---------

CLIFFORD Essex Paragon ,tenor banjo in immacu late condit ion. This mus t be 5een. Complete with hard case. £200. Tel. Knu ts­ford 51091. GALLAGH ER G.70 Dreadnought acoustic guitar, hand made by J. W. Gallagher in 1965. Ser ial no. 349. With hard plush line d case. £450. 22A Adelaide Street, Liverpool 5, Lanes. LUDWIG tenor banjo , top tens ion, excel­lent condi tion. £60. Mitchell, "Torbrec k," Eldin P lace, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Tel. 0505 613275. FENDER 8 str ing steel guitar , twin pick­ups, with attractive veneered case. £70 o.v.n.o. Clarke, _ 7 The Grove, Wraxall, Bristol BS19 lLW . GIBSON A5 mando lin and case, as new, few months old. Serial No. 398827. £450 or offer (list pr ice £692). A. C. Wilkie , 136 Green Lane, Northwood , Middlesex, HA6 IAN . GIBSON Electric Banjo (with Vibrato attachment) in hard case, pre-war model in very good condition; owned and maintained by well known professional. £185 o.n.o. Full deta ils Box 823, BMG , 20 Earlham St., London WC2H 9LR.

WANTED WANT ED: Gibson F5 mandolin , top price paid . Box 823, BMG , 20 Ea rlham Stree t, London WC2H 9LR. WANTED: early banjos, crudely made, and fancy inlaid banjos; also parts of early banjos. "Reubens Banjo Collection". White Lodge, 55 Grove Park , Camberwell. S.E.5. Tel. Evenings 01-274 4822. The collec tion may be viewed by apoointment. SERlO US writer needs back issues Banjo World, Keynotes, The 'Jo, BMG, before 1930, etc. Urgent ly need Keynotes, April I 928. Also want old banjo methods, photos, mus ic. Box 819, BMG , 20 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LR. MANDOLIN music, methods , studies, so los, ensemble pieces, etc. Marius Pope, 51 Queens Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. 0892-23838.

VARIOUS BANJO CLASSICS Stereo LP record of finger.style banjo solos by Bill Ball and duets by the Torrences. A few copies still avail­ab le at £2.90 each (U.K. only) . App ly to : A. Wi lson, 11 Perr ing Close , Harrow, Middlesex. POSTAL guitar courses. Bass, plectrum, classical, jazz. Also gui tar arranging. Tapes avai lable. S.a.e. to Don Roberl6, 98 Marl: borough Road, Cardiff, for samples and deta ils. MANDOLIN classes : F ulham and Sou th Kensington Institute. Commencing 22.9.75. Beginners 7.30-8.30; intermediates 8.30-9.30. 385 6375 for details. CHORD FINDERS for ma ndolin and tenor bln jo. Practica lly any chor d in any position . Chords, Box 327, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, U.S.A. US$1.50 post paid. ZiTHER MAGIC. D ~cca LP ECS 2086 ideal background music, films, parties, etc. FLAMENCO and classical gui·tars repaired and renovate d. Perr y Westbrook. J l Bush Court, Shepherds Bush Green, Lon don W I2 8PN.

DON'T MLSS A COPY- SUBSCRIPTIO N FORM JNSrDE BACK COVER 31.

Te11che111111d Tllelr llddre1se1 FREE INSERTIONS : To annual subscribers of "B.M.G." of not more than two lines, for each additional line 50p per 12 issues. Non-subscribers: Ads inserted at £1.50 per line for 12 issues.

LON D ON AN D SUBU RBS

A ITKEN, LOCK. Has taught classical guitar in London continuously since 1952. Spanish Guitar Studio , 72 Newman Street, W.1. 01-580 8094.

BERGST ROM, CAROL (Mr .) (G., P.G .). 68 Chester Road, Wanstead, E.11.

BOLTON, C. (G), 48 Alicia Avenue, Kenton, Harrow, Middlesex. 01-907 0519.

DU ER . B. (Classical and folk sty les). 20a St. Luke's Road. W.11 01-229 4926.

EASTWELL, M. W ., 118 Creighton Avenue, London, N.2.

FOR D , AM OS A. Span ish Guitar. 28 Barrett Ave. , Wood Green, N .22. Tel: 888 0216.

GA LLO, LOU IS (G . . P.G., EI.P .G.) . 616 Green Lanes. Harringay, N .8. Tel: 01-888 4666. .

GEARON, FRED. (B.M.G., Hawaiian Guitar, El. Bass and Ukule le. All styles). M .M. Winner 1933/34. Te l: 01-743 8127.

JEFFREY, Al. TV's "Mr. Banjo" . (B., EI.B., P.B ., Folk B ., T.B ,. G .. U .). Vocal acct. a spec iality. 66 Chepstow Road, W .2. 229 6856.

KALAMUN IAK, HE LEN, Classical guitar. 61b Cromwell Road, Kensing ton, S.W.7 Tel : 01-373 1132.

KENT, A . (Pl. G .), 52 St . Joseph's Drive, Southall, Middlesex . 01-574 4810.

KRAME R , ADE LE. Professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Lond on, gives lessons in classic guitar for beginners to concert standard. 24 College Crescent, Swiss Cottage , N.W.3. 722 5366.

LIPSCOMBE, R. F. (B. & P .G.), 34 Limesdale Gardens, Edgware, Middlesex. 01-205 5305.

LOCKW OOD. JOHN, Classical Guitar Tuition. 17 Hambridge Road, Putney, S.W.15. Tel : 788 8622.

LO OMES, JA MES (Classic Guitar Tuition). 36 Pak· ington H ouse , Clapham Rd., 01-274 4410.

MAR KIDES , A . (Bouzou ki) , 167 Valley Drive, N.W .9. 204 8641.

MITCHELL, RAY. Creator of a guitar tuition strip syndicated throughout the world. Private lessons lay stress on practical musicianship, harmony and methods of utilising a minimal amount of time to ob tain a sure technique. Flamenco taught to a pro­fessional standard. All ages accepted, advice offered about your choice of guitar. 65 South Hill Park, N.W.3. Tel: 794 6334 (morn ings).

MYATT, B. (G. ). 13 Salvine Road, Putney , S.W.15. ROLE R, MISS HANS I (Zither) . 13 Estreham Road,

Streatham Com mon , SWl6 5NT. Tel: 769 8625. STOTTER, L. C. (G ., P.O., B., P .B., T.B., M.).

Preparation for "B.M .G." Diplomas, 95 Geere Road, West Harn . E.15. Tel: 01-534 0778.

WILLMO'IT, R O D, (G., Lut e , Song Acc.), prepor• ­tion for grade exams , college entrance, etc. 01-385 2560.

BER KSHI RE

CRAGG, SY D NE Y, Classical Guitar Tuition, from beginners to concert standard . Willowtree House, ll5 Park Rd., Didcot. Tel: 2349.

CAMB RIDGES HIR E

VANGO, GEORGE (B., P .O., G.) . 13 Westfield Rd., Great Shelford, Cambridge , Tel: Shelford 2665.

C HESHIRE

ASHURST , MAU RICE (G.) . 488 Woodchurch Rd., Birkenhead. Tel: 051-608 3532.

SPAN ISH GU ITAR STUD IO , 4 Upper Northgate Street, Chester. For details telephone Bromborough 051-334 4379 - 0270 811675.

SH EPPARD, A. E. (B . , M., G., Clar . , Flute), 23 St . Elmo Rd., Walla sey, Cheshire . Tel.: 051-638 6448.

CORNWA LL

PW LP, W m. C. D. (P.G., P.B., B.). Nank er_vis House, Ventonleague, H ayle.

DE RBY SHI RE

BAKE R, FREDK. (G. & P.G.). 5 Babbington St. , Tibshclf, and Hudson's Music Centre. Market Hall , Chesterfield. Tel. TIB 2414.

TAY LOR , BERNA RD (B., M., G. all styles). Pupils p repared for Associ ated Board exams . 18 Nor-th Close, Mick leover, Derby . Tel Derby 52011.

DEV ON

LEE, A. (G), 225 North Road West, Plymouth PLI 5DG .

G. TATHAM (C.G.), Oxenways , Membury, Axmins ­ter. Tel. : Stockland 402.

DURHA M - ------ -WARWICK, SAM, (T.B.), 2 Holmland s Park ,

Chester- le-Street. Tel: 038-588 3281.

ESSEX

ESSEX ACCOR DIO N & GUITAR CEN TRE. Prin• cipal: Jerry Mayes. A.Mus., L .C.M., A.B.C .A, (T.D .), L.B.C.A.(Hon s.), Mem. l.S.M, B,C.A. & L.S .M. Examine r. Classical and plectrum sty le. Finest tuition given for all ages and grades, also diploma. Tape recorder facilities and professional coaching. 19 Colc hest er Road, Priul ewell, Essex. 0702 40909.

PERCY, TED (B.M.G., All styles). Advanced F IS Banjo Techniques. 121B Margu erit e Drive, Leigh­on -Sca , Essex SS9 lNN. Tel. 0702 712853.

HAMPS HIR E

THE NE W B OU RNEM OUTH GUIT A R STU DI OS, Dir. D. M. Harley, A.G.S .M.-F .E. (Guitar Teacher to Bournemouth Education Comm.) and Sarah Berry . 14 Richmond Wood Road, Bournemouth. Tel: 56927.

CARLSON, LEW (B., P .B., M ., G. , all styl es). 29 Cliffe Ave., Hamble, Southamp ton .

HE RTFO RD SHIRE

CANNING, JOHN (Herts County Music School). Classica l guitar only. 38 Walsworth Road, Hitchin.

JERSEY (C.I. )

PLEECE, KEN (B., M ., G., V.) . 18 Belmont Rd., St. Helier ,

KENT

HOPE, HARVEY T. (G., EI.P.G.,_P.G., all styles). Guitar Study Centre. Welling. 1el:0l-8S6 4876.

YOUNG, AL AN (P.G., P.B., Z.B.). Studio: 34 Hibernia St.. Ram sgate.

C.G.S. SCH OOL OF GUITAR, Sec. Mrs. V. While, 2 Lennox Road East, Gravesend, Kent.

COLEY, V. F . Classical Guitar Tuition. Serious student s and beginner s. 121 Elsa Rd ., Welling, Kent. Tel.: 01-304 0193.

LANCASH I RE

BATHAM.- WILFRED. Mandolin art ist. Mario de Pietro and Leopoldo Francia courses. Tuition on violin by Sevcik method. Mandolin and guitar accompaniments; solo guitar. 29 Spring Ave., Ot . Harwood.

BETHELL, PI ERR E (G., P.G., H.G. , Bi'., P.acc) . "Studios". 10 Gardner Rd., Tuebrook, iverpool 13. Tel: 051-228 1253.

HOOKE R , C. R. (B., P .B., T.B., M., P.O., H.0.). 114 Warbeck Drive, Blackpool. Tel: 55805.

ROSCOE, BIX (P.G ., Bass G., P .B., T .B., M) 39 Bright Street, Southport.

SMIT H , N . (G), 7 M arsh Road, Little Lever, Bolton, Lane; .

TA YLOR , J, (B., P.B ., T .l;!.1

M .G.). 14 Wemeth Cres., Oldham . Tel : 06 I -6.lA 1112.

LEICESTE R

KAT HLEEN W ARNE R , A.R.C.M. (Class G.) , "Holmwood", College Ave., Leicester. Tel: 59461. Preparation for Examinations and Music Festival s.

LINC OLNSH IRE

ROBINS ON, KEN (G., P.G.). 69 Campden Crescent, Cleethorpes. Tel: 65977.

THOMPSON, KEN. Flamenco, Classical, Folk. 27 Woodsley Ave. , Cleethorpes.

NO RTHUMBE RL AND

HOLLIDAY, )ACK, (B., P.B., T.B.), 45 Me lrose Avenue, Gateshead.

N OTnNGHAMS HIR E

KALAMUN IA K, VLADlM lR . Classical and jazz guitar. 16 Glenrnorc Road, West Bridgford, Nott . Tel: 231053 and 865663.

LEVERTON, TOM (G ., P.G ., Bass G. , El .P.G., EI.H.O., H.G.). 16 T rentham Gdns., off Chalfont Dr., Western Boulevard . Nottingham. Tel: 294115.

SPAN ISH GOI TAR CENT RE . Principal : Robin J . Pearso n , 64 Clarendon St., Nottingham . Tel: 48325.

SOMERSET

KIRTLEY, TED (P.B., T.B ., P.G .), Stokefield Cott age, Thornbury, Bristol. Tel: Thornbury 3030.

STAFFO RDSH IRE

RID GE, H ORACE , A.T .C.L. (G., P.). 206 Fenpark Rd., Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. Tel: 313442.

SU RREY

EMONDS, AN DR E, Guitar & Bass Guitar. lm• provisat ion. Reading Technique. Studio Near Croy­don. Tel: 689 2335.

MICH A LlS (Classical G.) 33 Have lock Rd ., Addis­combe . Croydon. Tel: 656 21.52.

ROMERO, PED RO (Flamenco Guitar Tuition). T el : 399 7841.

WARW ICKSHIR E

GUITA R SCH OOL. D . J. Brow n (All Styles). Write to : 274 Hagle y Road, Birmingham 16.

G. D. JONES. Private Tuition. B.M.O. Diploma Std. (C.G ., PG., Flam.G., Bass.G., D.Bass, M .) . 16 Shepheard Rd ., Shel don, Birmingham B26 3RN. Tel: 021-743 3145.

WOO D, AMY M. (G., B., M ., P.G.) . 11 Upland Rd ., Selly Park, Birmingham. Tel: 743 5907.

WILTS HI RE

DACRE SCHOO L OF GUITA R , 35a Rolleslon e St., Salisbury.

WORCESTE RSHIRE

FO LK Guitar lessons for beginners. Enquiri es to Franks, 19 Knottshall Lane, Oldbury . Tel: 021-552 2915.

BROWN, lll LARY, Class ical and Fo lk Guitar, Mandolin, Piano and Singing. 92 Baldwin Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

YO RKSHIR E

C LANCEY, T. (B., M ., G. all styles). 39 Rough ­wood Rd ., Kimberworth Park , Rotherham. Tel: 4817.

NAREY , J. (G., P.G.) . 62 Woodside Drive, Cotting­ley, Bingley BD16 !RF .

NOCKALLS, MARTIN. C .. F.L .C.M., L .L.C .M. (T.D.) . Tel: Sheffield 349046.

PIDC OCK, H. (B.G.) . 55 Pearce Road, Sheffield S9 4J G. Tel: 40979.

SHEFF IELD, E. G. (M., V.) . Sevcik method . 19 Ashton Place, Harehills Road, Leeds LSS 5BP.

SCOT LAND

DAV IDSON, J. (G), 33 Gateside Street, Glasgow El. HAMI LTON, R. (CI.O.), 27 Durham Square, Edin ­

burgh EHIS !PU. Tel. 031-669 2009.

WAL ES

EN D ERBY, ERIC (B., P.B., G., P.G.). 6 Cathan Cresceat, Port Mead, Swansea.

M ILVERTON, A. (All fretted insts.) Tuition any style. 95 Maesceionion, Waun Fawr, Aberystwyth.

ROBERTS, DON (G., P.G., Bass G.). 98 Marl­borough Road, Cardiff. Tel: 35508.

U FE, KEALOHA (E. H.G .. E.P.O ., Uke.) , 22 High bury Place, Ely, Cardiff CFS 4LP.

AUSTRALIA BUNGAY, W., 17 Deborah Grove, Clovercrest,

Medbury North 5092 , S. Australia . VIRTUE, BOB BY (classical guitar), 2/ 16 Canary's

Rd . , Lakeroba, 2195, Sydney . . THE CLASS IC MUS IC SHOP, St. Francis House,

40 Queen ELizabeth Street , Brisb ane, Q. 4000, Austra '.ia. Tel: 21 4357.

ACA D EMY OF GU ITAR <Principal D . B. WALT ON). Tu ition by teachen. with qualifications. Classical to A.M .E .B. Exam . standards. Flamenco and Folk Guitar. Studio: Celtic Chambers, 246A George Street, Brisbane, Queensland.

TAS MA NIA Mcl:IA JN, JIM (G ., H .G., M ., P .G., U.). 16

Ander.on Rd., Launceston. Tel : 25644.

32 DON'T MISS A COPY-SUBSCRIPT ION FORM INSIDE BACK COVER

STILL THE LAR GEST SALES OF ANY GUITAR CHORD BOOK ON THE .MARKET

"DANCE BAND CHORDS FOR THE GUITAR"

by ERIC KERSBA W

EVERY CHORD GIVEN IN DIAGRAM FORM AND MUSICAL

NOTATION

* Recomme nded by Joun Gavan to players of the linger -sty le Spanish Guitar. Players of Ulis instrument will find this book of in-valuable help in locating every kind .:,£ chord they will want to piny.

Jn " DA NCE BAND CHORD S F OR THE GUITAR" . the author has listed EVERY chord the dance-band gui.tari st is e ver likely to be c.'llled u1>on to play; in ad ditio11 to th e more usual major, mmor, augmented, din1inisbed, seventh , ninth , etc. chord s , all ot h er chords --s uch ns minor cho rd s w ith added nlnths; minor chord s with added sixths; dom inant .seventh chords ,,.it _h augme nted fif!h; ninth cho rds with a ugmcnttd filth; chords of Ilic flnttcncd filth: elev enth s and thi r­teen ths, etc. are shown.

PRICE 9 s p NE1T

Postag,: l0p

CLIFFORD ESSEX MUSIC Co Ltd 20 Ear lham Street, London, W.C.2

-- REAL NICKEL-SILVER -

Fret Wire GUIT AR .. . 34p per yard BAN JO . . . . . . 2% per yard MANDO LIN . . . Wp per yard

(Postage 6p •~t ra)

ONL Y SOLD IN YARD LENGTHS

CLIFFORD ESSEX MUSIC CO. LTD. 20 Earlbam Street, London, W.C.2

TEA CHERS' ADDRESSES continued

CANADA ALE XANDER, A., Criss Creek, B.C ., Via Kamloops,

Ten Del, Canada.

NEW ZEALAND WELLINGTON

GUITAR CENTRE. Len -Doran, L.T.C .L., R.M.T. 50 Willis St.. Tel: 556 474.

RHODESIA SALISBURY

•BA RON, WALLY (B. T .B. , M. & G . harmony and arranging). All styles'. 13? Victoria St Tel. : 22461.

U.S.A. COOPER, PH IL (G . , P.G., T .B .. M .) . 32 Arthur

Woods Ave., Bur!i:,gton. Mass. Tel.: 617-272 0 152. MA I ER, BOW IE ('J.B .. P.G ., M. , U.). 200 Caesar

Blvd., Buffalo , N.Y. 14221. MAIER MUSIC STUDIOS . Banjos. Guit us Man­

dolin. 200 Caesar Blvd., Wil!iamsville 14221 Ne" York.

STROPES, JOHN P . (Guitar). 1628 North Franklin Place, Apt. 30. Milwaukee , Wiscon sin 53202.

TRUJTI. RUSSELL (G .• B., M.), 1105 Federal St .. N.S. Tel: 32 1 65 12.

WEST INDIES THORNH ILL, N . J. (C.G.). 4a St. Anns Ave ., Port

of Spa in, Trinidad, W.I. Tel., 62 41180.

IMITATION PEARL DOTS!

AT UNREPEATABLE PRICES Minimum Quantity 100

100 ...... ... £2.16 + !Op postage 500 .. .. .... . £8,.J0 + 20p postage

1,000 ......... £JO.SO+ 35p postage Subsequent 1,000s @ £9.72

CLIFFORD ESSEX MUSIC CO. LTD., 20 EARLHAM STREET, WC2

Tel: 01-836 2810

~: r c\\1 N C A s E s !

FLATBACK MANDOL IN (also suitable for Ukulele Banjo)

£5.50 TENOR BANJO £6.50

A vai/able lo callers only at:

CLIFFORD ESSEX MUSIC CO. LTD., 20 EARLHAM STREET,

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ATTENTION BANJO MAKERS !

We can now supply the following items,

whi le stocks /as1:-

RESONATOR kits, ·inside diameter 12", including fittings ... £8.65 + 60p postage

SHAPED NECKS, ready for fini6hing:-5-String Banjo ........................... £6.50

Tenor Banjo .. .. . . .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . £6.00 Plus 70p postage

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TONE R1NGS, brass, diameter 10¾-'' £4.50 + 40p postage

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CLIFFORD ESSEX "TONE TESTED" STRINGS Only the finest materials obtainable are used iri the manufacture of these high-grade strings, and each one is guarameed to be of the correct gauge for the particular instrument for which it is intended .

NY W N SPANISH GUITAR (Finger Style)

1st, best quality mono-filament 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, " 3rd, ,, ,, ,, 4th, covered on nylon fl066 5th, 6th, ,, ,, ,,

nylon (light gauge) (standard gauge)

(light gauge) (standard gauge)

(light gauge) (standard gauge)

Set of 6 strings (light gauge) for small guitars ... Set of 6 st r ings (standard gauge) for concert-s 'ize guitars

ULTRA LIGHT GAUGE PLECTRUM GU ITAR (Highly burnis hed)

each 18p 19p 19p 20p 20p 22p 23p 25p 28p

£1.29 £1.39

Plated steel, 1st, 2nd and 3rd 15p Monel covere d, 4th 22p

5th 23p 6th 24p

Set of Six Strings , £1.14

LIGHT GAUGE PLECTRUM GU ITAR (Highly burnished)

(Made specially for light ac1ion guitars and for players who use the finger-style folk method of playing)

Plated steel , l6t and 2nd . .. 15p Mone) covere d, 3rd 22p

4th 23p 5th 24p ~h ~p

Set of Six Strings , £1.24

STAN DARD PLECl'RUM GUITAR (Highly burnished)

Plated steel , Jst or 2nd 15p Mont:! covered , 2nd 22p

3rd 23p 4th 24p 5th 25p 15th 30p

Set of Six Str ings, £1.33 (A plain 2nd will be sent unless covered 2nd specified)

UKULELE Best Quality mono. filament

1st, 2nd , 3rd & 4th ea. Set of 4 string s

Steel , 1 st (E) ,, 2nd (CJ ) ,, 3rd (A )

HAWAIIAN GU ITAR

Monel covered , 3rd (A) Burnished copper covered 4th (E)

5th (A) ,, 6th (E)

Set of Six Strings , £1.30 (State wheth er plain or covered 3rd required)

BANJO

12p 48p

each 1·5p 15p 15p 25p 27p 30p 3Jp

"Silvering " Plated Steel , 1st, 2nd or 5th . . . . . . 15p "Tonal" Plated Steel (for plec. playing) 1st or 2nd 15p •" Long-Life ", mouel-covered, burnished 3rd ... 24p "Dura-Life" , ,, ,, ,, 4th .. . 25p Set of 5 string6 (all wire) for finger-style playing 94p Set of 4 strings (all wire) for plectrum playing . . . 80p

• A /ways srare whether required for finger or plectrum when ordering this string

N YLON BANJO 1st, best quality mono-fi lament nylon 2nd 3rd ,, ,, ,, 4th, covered on nylon floss 5th, best qua lity mono -filame nt nylon

Set of F ive Stringi, 98p Set of Four Strings , 80p

TEN OR BANJO

"Paragon " (special tensioned steel) 1st .. . , ,, 2nd .. .

" Par~gon " (m; nel-cove;ed) burnished 3rd , . u 4th

Set of Four Strings , 75p

MANDO LIN or BAN JOLIN

"Gold Medal" eteel 1st (E) "Gold Meda l" steel 2nd (A) "Gold Medal " monel-covered bu rn ished 3rd (D) "Gold Medal " ,, ,, . ,, 4th (G)

Set of Eight String6 , £1.52

TENOR MANDOLA

MA NDO ­CELW OR

18p 19p 20p 23p 18p

15p 15p 2lp 24p

l5p 15p 23p 25p

BASS BANJO

Plated steel 1st (A) .. . 15p 24p 28p 32p

Wire cov'd 1st (A) 25p Wire cov'd 2nd (D) .. .

,, 3rd (G) .. . ,, ,, 4th (C) .. .

Set of Eight S, r ings .. . £2.00

,, 2nd (D) 27p ,, 3rd (G) 30p ,, 4th (C) 35p

Se~ of Eight Strings ... £2.34 Set of Four Strings ... £1. I 7

POSTAGE EXTRA (Mini mum 10p)

CLIFFORD ESSEX MUSIC CO., LTD., 20 Earlham Street, London W.C.2

Pri nted fo r Heu,y G. Waker Li mited (01-:278 1522/ 3), 203 Kings CroH Road, Lon don , W.C .1 by H. G. Leates Ltd., aa d publ ished b:, the Proprieto ra, B.M.G. P■blication, Ltd ., 20 Earlbam Street , Cambri cle< Circu •, IMnclon, W .C.2.