strokestyle - Posted - 12/04/2008:  12:22:23

Well it was interesting to read a little about what quickstep is and how it has evolved. It seems that prior to 1920 this was a march-dance and often used for diplomatic presentation. I could not find much info on this dance prior to its popularity boom in the 20’s when the dance evolved from steps such as the foxtrot, Charleston, Shag, Peabody and the one-step. The dance became very popular in Britain. Looking up the definition of Avalon I found talk of the Island that King Arthur was taken to after he was mortally wounded in his last battle. The island belonged to healers that would supposedly cure the King and return him to the people. I am unsure if any of this has any meaning for this tune.
I became quite enamored by this tune for some reason, when I heard it for the first time on a cd played by Mel Durham. R.D. Lunceford mentioned this CD on a forum so I ordered the CD from Watermelon Pie Productions out of CA from Jack Phillips one of the banjo players on the Skillet Fork CD. Mel calls the tune Going to the Free State and Avalon Quickstep as recorded by Narmour & Smith in 1930. Mel is so cute I feel like I know him from his fiddling and listening to this cd has become a daily pastime for me. Thanks so much R.D. for being part of the BHO and many thanks to the people that preserved these recordings of Mel Durham. Mel Durham passed away spring 2008. The cd was was recorded in 2003.

You can read about Mel Durham in this article....
http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/durham.htm

I found this example on You Tube....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TycoikBqPrM

Our jam group played this tune for the first time in September 2008 when Billy Mathews was in town. I recorded it and have posted it in my music....
http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...asp?id=20281

A few members have posted versions of this tune....
Banjopa http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...asp?ID=24695
vrteach http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango....asp?ID=9282

You can order the CD here from Jack Phillips - you won't regret it!
jackn.phyls@verizon.net

Enjoy Everyone!

ZEPP - Posted - 12/04/2008:  12:53:15

I did a quick and dirty version of it back in 2003: http://zeppmusic.com/MP3/avalon_quickstep.mp3

According to my notes, I did it at a friend's request, but I don't remember now who that was... *sigh* I had learned it from some local (Raleigh NC) fiddlers, but I have no idea where they picked it up...

Cheers,
ZEPP

strokestyle - Posted - 12/04/2008:  13:04:42

Nice Zepp!

trapdoor2 - Posted - 12/04/2008:  13:05:01

From the Fiddlers Companion site:

AVALON QUICKSTEP. AKA and see "Going to the Free State," "New Charleston No. 1." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Mississippi. D Major. Standard or ADAE. AABB (irregular). The melody was first recorded in 1929 by W.T. (Willie) Namour and S.W. Smith, Mississippi musicians, and named for the town of Avalon, Mississippi (the name Avalon is the mythological isle to which King Arthur was borne after his death). The Avalon area was home to a number of influential musicians, including blues guitarist John Hurt and the string band the Mississippi Possum Hunters, who all knew each other (Narmour and Smith helped Hurt to get signed with the OKeh Records). Apparently, the town was so obscure by the latter part of the 20th century that it could only be located with the help of old maps. The alternate title was an attempt by them to cash in on the Charleston dance craze of the 1920's. The 'B' part has ten measures instead of the usual eight. Sources for notated versions: Arm and Hammer String Band (Vermont) [Brody], W.T. Narmour (Miss.) [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 30. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 2, 1995; pg. 16. County 528, Namour and Smith- "Traditional Fiddle Music of Mississippi, Vol. 1." Kicking Mule 216, Arm and Hammer String Band- "New England Conta Dance Music" (1977).

Cool tune!



===Marc

"If banjos needed tone rings, S.S. Stewart would have made them that way."

BANJOJUDY - Posted - 12/04/2008:  13:11:10

All the versions sound terrific. Zepp - love the triplets.

It is a great tune that I rarely play, but this Tune of the Week is so good for jogging my memory.

I still need volunteers! One more for December, and all of 2009!

Email inquiry@siliconheights.com to volunteer. Lots of lurkers out there - come forth!

********************************************************************''
Visit http://www.siliconheights.com
Where you will find great prices on
computer software for those who
qualify for academic pricing!
*********************************************************************

vrteach - Posted - 12/04/2008:  13:16:07

It's a great tune, innit? I was going to add that I also had a quick-and-dirty recording, and then I read more carefully and saw that you posted a link to it already.

I remember mostly working it out by having a contra dance LP playing, but slowed down from 33 1/3 to 16 RPM. I think the LP had a medley of Avalon Quickstep and Going Uptown, and so I always connect the two. The "Wry Straw" album called "From Earth to Heaven" also had Avalon Quickstep as part of a medley, but whatever was the last tune in that medley sounded so hard that I never really worked on it.

But also I believe that LyleK played it, as well as another archaeologist-fiddler named Debby something, so I probably got attuned to it by them in 1980-82.

Edit: Ah, looking at trapdoor2's text, it was the "Arm and Hammer String Band" on the "New England Contra Dance Music" LP that I mainly learned from.

Erich -- There''s always room for cello..

http://vrteach.org/banjo/
http://prairiegrapevine.org/
U of Illinois-Springfield Old Time Music

Edited by - vrteach on 12/04/2008 13:19:30

Randy Adams - Posted - 12/04/2008:  13:39:24

Oh I love this song! Lotsa great versions of it here...very cool Eric....definitive version there Zepp....Like your group playing of the tune w/ Billy Matthews Christine!
Great choice for tune of the week...
I learned it from dulcimer player Benjamin Wade.
I play it here...

http://ezfolk.com/audio/play.php?mo...song_id=4190

Randy Adams
____________________________________
http://www.myspace.com/oldtimetunes
www.myspace.com/littlebrownjugband
http://ezfolk.com/audio/randyadams

BAZ - Posted - 12/04/2008:  13:48:08

Strokestyle, what a beautiful tune and I loved the way it's played on the youtube video. No tab?

strokestyle - Posted - 12/04/2008:  14:39:06

Sorry I can't write tab - maybe someone will make a tab and post it here. I love this tune I am so glad everyone is enjoying it also! If you people play this one in your jam circles, then maybe when I go to my next music gathering I will hear people playing it in the campgrounds!

Randy Adams - Posted - 12/04/2008:  18:00:22

Here's a fax of it.....I love this song!



Randy Adams
____________________________________
http://www.myspace.com/oldtimetunes
www.myspace.com/littlebrownjugband
http://ezfolk.com/audio/randyadams

Edited by - Randy Adams on 12/04/2008 18:01:26

jojo25 - Posted - 12/04/2008:  19:14:49

nice selection Christine!

I love the stops/rests...this tune always makes me think of Mississippi John Hurt...one of my favs

I learned this from the playing of Walt Koken

Don''t forget to play all of the quasihemidemisemiquavers!!
Drop thumbs, not bombs

Joe

LyleK - Posted - 12/05/2008:  06:26:06

Yep, nice one. And because of the 10 measure B part (see Randy's tab) this tune tends to get overlooked ->Not considered "danceable" by the non-quick-stepping crowd.

LyleK
tabs at: http://lylewk.home.comcast.net

fergler - Posted - 12/05/2008:  09:00:02

Is this in standard G tuning?

strokestyle - Posted - 12/05/2008:  09:16:06

Hello Fergler

We played it in D - ADADE - no capo
or
GCGCD then capo at the second fret

Edited by - strokestyle on 12/05/2008 09:32:34

tfaux - Posted - 12/05/2008:  10:18:12

Great ol indigenous Illinois tune Christine.
& thanks for posting the Mel Durham article. I sure would like to have heard those Apple Knockers.

Tom

J-Walk - Posted - 12/05/2008:  11:36:03

The original Narmour & Smith recording is available at eMusic. Also at Amazon (for 99-cents).

ScottK - Posted - 12/05/2008:  11:55:07

Both volumes of Mississippi String Bands are well worth getting. I really like all the Narmor & Smith and all the Carter Bothers & Son selections on these CDs.

Another Narmor & Smith cut on Volume One that I like a lot, but haven't learned yet is "Sweet Milk & Peaches". Molly Tenenbaum has a great version of this tune on her "Instead of a Pony" CD.

Scott