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[nimrod]

I was thinking last night, nimrod, about how you and all the other musicians here can assess (evaluate? I'm drawing a blank on the best word) music in this manner, rather like I do with authors and writing. (Music, however, is so much more fun!)

I guess we all have our "special interests" so to speak.
As far as music goes Im a sloppy musician, not very good. But, I have a good ear and perfect timing so I can appreciate a wonderful trained musician, as opposed to a sloppy Joe, like me

[Hello Goodbye]

As I was watching I was thinking we all go on about great guitar players like Clapton/Page etc but I doubt any of them could play a guitar like Edson Lopes. Such timing, precision, clarity (not 1 unclear note) such skill.

I was thinking last night, nimrod, about how you and all the other musicians here can assess (evaluate? I'm drawing a blank on the best word) music in this manner, rather like I do with authors and writing. (Music, however, is so much more fun!)

I, on the other hand, can only offer observations that don't get much more sophisticated than "It sounds pretty" or "I really like that." 

Those are thoroughly fine observations, Kathy.  I formulate my feelings on artists starting with those very same observations.  Secondarily, I'll go on to assess (yes, that's a good word) their skills in songwriting and proficiency in the instruments they play.  I'm not a musician by profession but I have taught myself to play guitar, piano, organ, harmonica, and more recently bass guitar and 5-string banjo.  I studied Delta Blues Guitar under Ian Buchanan for two years in the early 1970s.  Who's Ian Buchanan?  I'll let Jorma Kaukonen tell you about him...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZOI2he4p5k" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZOI2he4p5k</a>

Ian Buchanan studied Delta Blues under two greats in that genre; The Reverend Gary Davis and Brownie McGhee.  It's a two-finger guitar picking technique similar to the way Paul McCartney plays Blackbird.  Jorma Kaukonen added a third finger to his technique of playing Delta Blues.

You might say that Ian Buchanan was a "purist" in that he never deviated from the way those first generation artists taught him to play.  He was a perfectionist and never missed a note.  He could have easily done well in the musical field but elected to be a teacher and pass on what he learned to the next generation of Delta Blues students.

I was just one of his average-ability students.  He knew my calling was in another field.  I related this story before on this Forum but now is a good time to repeat it.  One of Ian's friends was Al Kooper known for his organ backing for Bob Dylan and later on a member of The Blues Project.  One evening he paid Ian a visit just as I started a lesson.  He quietly sat down in the corner of the room until my lesson was over.  Then Ian introduced me to him saying "This is Barry. He's going to be a doctor."  Al Kooper replied "That's good!"

Perfection in playing one's instrument is not what's important to me.  But rather it's the overall ability of the artist that matters.  Here's an example using a video I recently posted...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFB-d-8_bvY" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFB-d-8_bvY</a>

Joni Mitchell giggles at 2:02 because she just strummed the wrong chord.  But we have to look beyond that and understand just how difficult playing guitar was for her.  Polio left her left hand weakened and she developed over 50 alternate guitar tunings to make it easier for her to play.  That BBC performance was spectacular.  Her missed chord and giggle made it better still!

[Hello Goodbye]

I guess we all have our "special interests" so to speak.
As far as music goes Im a sloppy musician, not very good. But, I have a good ear and perfect timing so I can appreciate a wonderful trained musician, as opposed to a sloppy Joe, like me

Kev, when we think of ourselves in that way, it helps us strive to be more proficient.

[Hello Goodbye]

I liked all of those clips, Barry, and I Googled the Son of a Bach group because their take was so unique.

I noted this statement on their website (emphasis added): "Son of a Bach is composed of two brothers, Florian (drums) and Johannes Weik (guitar), as well as their friend Julian Helms (sound)."

Sound?? Is that an industry term or a joking diss at their friend? 

I'm not sure what they meant by "Sound."  They're a German group so maybe something was lost in the translation.

I, too, found their performance of Bach's Bourrée BWV 996 for Lute unique.  Bach meant it to sound like this...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKebYt6m0t0" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKebYt6m0t0</a>

I'm sure he would have enjoyed the Son of a Bach's interpretation of his Bourrée.  He was a serious student of contemporary music since early childhood and was known for being more innovative than his musical contemporaries.

[Normandie]

I guess we all have our "special interests" so to speak.
As far as music goes Im a sloppy musician, not very good. But, I have a good ear and perfect timing so I can appreciate a wonderful trained musician, as opposed to a sloppy Joe, like me

I'm sure you're not giving yourself enough credit. 

[Normandie]

The information you shared on Ian Buchanan was interesting, Barry; thanks for sharing it.

I'm not sure what they meant by "Sound."  They're a German group so maybe something was lost in the translation.

I bet that's it. I hadn't even thought about translation difficulties. And Google Translate doesn't seem to be too efficient. I had to use it on the reference lists of several book chapters last spring, and when I asked the authors to verify the results there were many corrections.

I, too, found their performance of Bach's Bourrée BWV 996 for Lute unique.  Bach meant it to sound like this...

I hadn't realized the lute has so many strings. It looks like an incredibly difficult instrument to master. I did a search learned a bit about it. I also came across a list someone had compiled of the 10 most difficult instruments to play:

1. Harpsichord
2. Bagpipes
3. French horn
4. Accordion
5. Sitar ( )
6. Pedal steel guitar
7. Pipe organ
8. Theorbo
9. Theremin
10. Violin

I was interested to see French horn so high on the list, because my son played French horn in his school's wind ensemble. I don't recall him having a lot of trouble.

I've never heard of a theorbo, but I'm going to have to do a search on that later and get to work right now. At this point I'm running so far behind I'll likely be working on Christmas Eve. 

[nimrod]

Kev, when we think of ourselves in that way, it helps us strive to be more proficient.

That.....(and nice guitars Baz) 

[Hello Goodbye]

The information you shared on Ian Buchanan was interesting, Barry; thanks for sharing it.

Kathy, Ian Buchanan was part of the early 1960s folk scene along with Dave Van Ronk, John Sebastian, Geoff Muldaur, Danny Kalb, Bob Dylan and others.  His version of Winding Boy Blues that Jorma Kaukonen referred to appeared on the 1964 album The Blues Project...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNfywuCuUmg" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNfywuCuUmg</a>

Winding Boy Blues   Ian Buchanan


Ian taught the song to Jorma Kaukonen in the early 60s.  Hot Tuna still performs Winding Boy regularly...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI865_RmWnU" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI865_RmWnU</a>

Ian preferred to perform at small clubs and teach blues guitar.  I was one of the fortunate ones who studied under him.  Now, it's a good thing I didn't know that it was Al Kooper sitting there that night.  He suffered enough during my lesson as it was.  I can only imagine how bad it would have been if Ian told me who he was when he walked in.   

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq-bNR-z7Nk" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq-bNR-z7Nk</a>

That's Al Kooper playing those magnificent Hammond organ swirls.   

[Hello Goodbye]

That.....(and nice guitars Baz) 

Right, Kev.  Nice guitars certainly help. 

[nimrod]

Kathy, Ian Buchanan was part of the early 1960s folk scene along with Dave Van Ronk, John Sebastian, Geoff Muldaur, Danny Kalb, Bob Dylan and others.  His version of Winding Boy Blues that Jorma Kaukonen referred to appeared on the 1964 album The Blues Project...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNfywuCuUmg" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNfywuCuUmg</a>

Winding Boy Blues   Ian Buchanan


Ian taught the song to Jorma Kaukonen in the early 60s.  Hot Tuna still performs Winding Boy regularly...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI865_RmWnU" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI865_RmWnU</a>

Ian preferred to perform at small clubs and teach blues guitar.  I was one of the fortunate ones who studied under him.  Now, it's a good thing I didn't know that it was Al Kooper sitting there that night.  He suffered enough during my lesson as it was.  I can only imagine how bad it would have been if Ian told me who he was when he walked in.   

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq-bNR-z7Nk" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq-bNR-z7Nk</a>

That's Al Kooper playing those magnificent Hammond organ swirls.   

Very talented guy Baz. You were lucky to have him as a teacher. 

[Hello Goodbye]

Very talented guy Baz. You were lucky to have him as a teacher. 

Right, Kev.  I was very lucky to have him as a teacher.  He himself was taking jazz guitar lessons at the time he was teaching me Delta Blues guitar.  He taught me how to read music for guitar and a whole bunch of blues arpeggios so I could do some lead blues guitar licks.  He wasn't a Beatles fan but was familiar enough with their music.  Once when I was warming up, I started playing the opening riff to Michelle.  I played a few bars of the song and suddenly he said "That's not how it goes.  Try this."  He then taught me the right way to play it.

One time as I was finishing up a lesson, a couple of his band mates dropped by.  They were all going to a favorite hang-out of theirs...The Broome Street Bar and Grill in lower Manhattan.  Ian told me to come along.  So there we were at The Broome Street Bar where everyone knew him.  Now, our waitress was a young pretty thing with long brown hair.  She was wearing a halter top with hip hugger jeans which were vogue at the time.  When she took our order for drinks, Ian ordered mixed drinks for himself and his mates and pointed at me and told her "He's driving so bring him a Coke."  When she left our table, I told Ian "She's a 10!" He asked me what I meant and I said "A 10 in the Richter Scale."  His bassist Steve said "A major earthquake, huh?"  I answered "Is she ever!"  When she came back with the drinks, Ian pointed to me and told her "This is Barry.  He's my student. He thinks you're a 10."  That got both of us blushing.

So Kev, he was more than a teacher.  He was a good mate as well.   

[nimrod]

Right, Kev.  I was very lucky to have him as a teacher.  He himself was taking jazz guitar lessons at the time he was teaching me Delta Blues guitar.  He taught me how to read music for guitar and a whole bunch of blues arpeggios so I could do some lead blues guitar licks.  He wasn't a Beatles fan but was familiar enough with their music.  Once when I was warming up, I started playing the opening riff to Michelle.  I played a few bars of the song and suddenly he said "That's not how it goes.  Try this."  He then taught me the right way to play it.

One time as I was finishing up a lesson, a couple of his band mates dropped by.  They were all going to a favorite hang-out of theirs...The Broome Street Bar and Grill in lower Manhattan.  Ian told me to come along.  So there we were at The Broome Street Bar where everyone knew him.  Now, our waitress was a young pretty thing with long brown hair.  She was wearing a halter top with hip hugger jeans which were vogue at the time.  When she took our order for drinks, Ian ordered mixed drinks for himself and his mates and pointed at me and told her "He's driving so bring him a Coke."  When she left our table, I told Ian "She's a 10!" He asked me what I meant and I said "A 10 in the Richter Scale."  His bassist Steve said "A major earthquake, huh?"  I answered "Is she ever!"  When she came back with the drinks, Ian pointed to me and told her "This is Barry.  He's my student. He thinks you're a 10."  That got both of us blushing.

So Kev, he was more than a teacher.  He was a good mate as well.   

Haha Nice story Baz, is he still around ?

[Hello Goodbye]

Haha Nice story Baz, is he still around ?

No, Kev.  He was 33 when I started taking lessons at age 22.  He passed away young at age 43.

[nimrod]

No, Kev.  He was 33 when I started taking lessons at age 22.  He passed away young at age 43.

Oh, so young, very sad