banjukebox - Posted - 12/12/2019:  22:15:31

Henry King's Reel is a tune I have been hearing more and more in our local jams in the PNW. It's a great little tune in the key of G written by Trevor Stuart who has (alas) since passed away. According to the liner notes, Trevor wrote this song for his grandfather (See Below).



I learned the tune from the Stuart Brothers' album recorded by David Bragger in the Old-Time Tiki Parlour.  For those of you who are not familiar with the Tiki Parlour, it's a great source for contemporary  Old-Time  recordings. David always seems to capture the essence of the performers and records them in an intimate setting. He usually provides audio and video versions. Here's a link to some of his recordings:

SampleTiki Parlour Videos

Here are the brothers playing on Youtube : Henry King

Another version by the Horsenecks with Gabrielle Macrae (from the Macrae sisters) on fiddle

Horsenecks Henry King

I have a tab written out, but won't be able to access it for a few days - I'll post it when I can.

A link to the banjo version: Henry King's Reel Banjo

Edited by - banjukebox on 12/12/2019 22:24:55

Henry King's Reel

 

banjukebox - Posted - 12/12/2019:  22:34:35

I just found another recording from Clifftop with Rhys Jones on fiddle and John Herrmann on banjo  (from Bigfoot)

Clifftop

RG - Posted - 12/12/2019:  23:56:49

This is such a great tune! Trevor was a really great guy, really miss him in this world...

Thanks for the kind words regarding Tiki Parlour, as David's partner in that endeavor your kind words are much appreciated...

Play this tune and keep it in the air!

WVDreamin - Posted - 12/13/2019:  05:04:39

I've played this a few times. It reminds me of the coarse part of "Morpeth Rant" (normally in A) tied to the coarse part of "Possum on a Rail." It didn't stick because of that. I better listen closer to the source for the differences.

JanetB - Posted - 12/13/2019:  14:36:25

Delightful listening! Your complex, well-executed up-the-neck maneuvers encouraged me to try something easier, Pat. On the cello banjo a double C equivalent tuning kept the tune at the 4th fret or lower. The fiddle/guitar duet of the Stuart Brothers, slowed down to accommodate me, is fun to play along with on the cello banjo. I read they played together for over 30 years since junior high school and Trevor was 47 when he died. Trevor's style reminds me of the hornpipes commonly heard in the Ozark/Missouri region, though they are from the mountains of North Carolina. Thanks for this good TOTW.

Henry King's Reel (TOTW)(CB)

Henry King's Reel (CH) tab

RG - Posted - 12/13/2019:  19:04:20

Trevor and Travis are twins, they had a unique musical sensibility and instinct that only twins can have. They were so locked in to each others playing, it was absolutely incredible.  When we recorded them for the Tiki Parlour release there was only 1 track that we recorded that required a second take... all the rest were first takes... in 25 years of the music business, I've never seen anything like that...

Edited by - RG on 12/13/2019 19:05:52

Jimmy Sutton - Posted - 12/15/2019:  01:49:25

I will probably be howled down but to me Henry King's Reel is an excellent FIDDLE tune. Transferring it to banjo kills the thing stone dead.

I have a friend who does similar to "Wild Rose of the Mountain" and others. There are enough good tunes out there to suit fiddle and or banjo without ruining masterpieces.

banjukebox - Posted - 12/15/2019:  06:47:58

@RG thanks for your input. Any other information on the Stuarts would be greatly appreciated.

JanetB As always, your contributions add variety and depth to the TOTW. It's amazing ho quickly you come up with your own version (and tabs!) each week. Sounds great on the cello.

Jimmy Sutton Things that make you go "Hmmmm"

Jimmy Sutton - Posted - 12/15/2019:  07:11:59

Pat Lyons,

Sorry, but what does that mean "Hmmmm" ?

Am I supposed to reply to something

banjukebox - Posted - 12/15/2019:  07:20:41

"Hmm" is an interjection "used typically to express thoughtful absorption, hesitation, doubt, or perplexity."

Jimmy Sutton - Posted - 12/16/2019:  05:18:28

So your comment re my posting is meaningless.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 12/16/2019:  11:08:04

Jimmy Sutton I think maybe what Pat is trying to say nicely is: it's your opinion and others don't agree.

If one wants to play a fiddle tune on the banjo, it's their decision to do so. If they like it, they like it. If you don't, you don't.

Maybe it's the difference is different meanings indifferent countries, but I understood his hmmm to mean what I wrote above.

Jimmy Sutton - Posted - 12/17/2019:  02:19:00

Sherry,

Thanks for your posting. If you read what I said you will see that I expected to be howled down.

I did not say that people shouldn't play what they want in any way they want, I did not say it was wrong to do it. Being that this is folk music there shouldn't be any rules.

I just feel that the fiddle tune has a nice continuous flow as opposed to the "jerkiness" of the banjo's short sustain. This is what spoils it for me.

Incidentally on a light hearted matter did you mean "in different" rather than "indifferent" or is that the way you see the UK maybe since our disastrous election last week.

JanetB - Posted - 12/19/2019:  11:49:39

Here’s one more try at Henry King’s Reel, this time on a Gold Tone mini travel banjo called Plucky. Again the tuning is equivalent to double D and I stay down the neck. The notes are at the same pitch as they would be on a regular banjo. The tab is the same as I posted above. The more I play this tune, the more I like it!

VIDEO: Henry King’s Reel (TOTW)
(click to view)

 

Clawdan - Posted - 12/21/2019:  10:31:13

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jimmy Sutton

...I just feel that the fiddle tune has a nice continuous flow as opposed to the "jerkiness" of the banjo's short sustain. This is what spoils it for me...

---

Interesting to note that on the Stewarts' recording (DVD that accompanies the cd) the banjo is played fingerstyle which does indeed change the character of the banjo sound making it likewise more smooth and flowing. You might want to take a listen to that recording and see how it sits with you.

Also, often "Hmmmmm..." means "Interesting comment. I will have to think about it." as opposed to a criticism of the post. Good to make folks think a bit.

I love the tune and do play it on fiddle with my current band.

Play Nice,

Dan Clawdan Levenson

Clawdan.com

Jimmy Sutton - Posted - 12/21/2019:  12:21:01

Hi Dan,

Good to hear from you. I just pulled the DVD from the shelf and agree with you that finger style as an accompaniment it works well.
It is when I hear it solo on banjo I feel uncomfortable with it. Just my personal taste I guess.

Incidentally in the you tube video from a London UK gig referenced in the OP Travis plays guitar back-up whilst the banjo lies on the floor.

Now you play fiddle does that mean that you have abandoned the harmonica. That's how I first heard you.

Best wishes

Clawdan - Posted - 12/22/2019:  18:36:12

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jimmy Sutton

...

Now you play fiddle does that mean that you have abandoned the harmonica. That's how I first heard you.



Best wishes

---

Hi Jimmy,

I was the Banjo player and sometimes fiddler in the Boiled Buzzards. Harmonica was Dave Rice. Still doing that too I believe.

Dan

Jimmy Sutton - Posted - 12/23/2019:  04:16:15

My apologies Dan,

My memory playing tricks I guess. I should have located the recording among the pile and checked before posting.

Best wishes for the new year