carlb - Posted - 08/20/2020:  19:44:29

Jack of All Trades

“Jack of All Trades” is a tune I learned from Melvin Wine and has over the last five years, or so, become almost a standard in some of the jams that I play in. From the Vintage Wine cassette notes “This old tune comes from Melvin’s father." I did try to find more information on the tune on line and from Drew Beisswenger, who wrote a Ph.D. thesis on Melvin, but we both came up blank.

While I’ve not written a tab for this tune, which I play in Old G (gDGde), there are some points in how I play this tune that are unique in this tuning. There are some runs that probably won’t play very easily in standard G (gDGbd). First of all, I often finger the 4^th fret on the 2^nd string, and strike it with a drop thumb before striking down on the open 1st string; the pitch of the 4^th fret of the 2^nd string is higher that the pitch of the open 1^st string (note that 4^th fret on the 2^nd string is the same pitch as the 2^nd fret on the 1^st string; I often use this redundancy in Old G as well as in double D (aDAde)). Also, the open 2^nd string figures in this particular phrase. The other, possibly unusual drop thumb is to the 4^th fret on the 4^th string. I realize that my setting is not the only one that will work with this tune. I'm sure many of you can come up with your own setting that will fit well with Melvin’s fiddling. The recording from Fiddle Tunes, 1982, with Melvin Wine, Carl Baron and Bob Carlin is attached to this post.

From Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_of_...r_of_none

"Jack of all trades, master of none" is a figure of speech used in reference to a person who has dabbled in many skills, rather than gaining expertise by focusing on one.

The shortened version "a jack of all trades" is often a compliment for a person who is good at fixing things, and has a very good broad knowledge. They may be a master of integration, as such an individual who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring the individual's disciplines together in a practical manner. This person is a generalist rather than a specialist.

Recordings

Melvin Wine (fiddle), Carl Baron (banjo), Bob Carlin (guitar) – Fiddle Tunes, Port Townsend, WA, 1982

The banjo is very clear on this recording, much cleaner than what I can do today. Melvin plays pretty fast, faster than his solo recording on the Augusta Heritage “‘One More Time’ The Life and Music of Melvin Wine” DVD-CDRom set.

Melvin also plays this tune on the cassette “Vintage Wine” with Melvin Wine (fiddle), Kate Brett (banjo) and Gerald Milnes (guitar), which is unavailable for posting and is out of print.

From Gail Gillespie’s media files on Banjo Hangout

Source: Melvin Wine. Alice Girard-fiddle, Gail Gillespie-3 finger banjo, Sharon S.-guitar

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...;archived=

The Soda Rock Ramblers - Lovely Jane and Jack of All Trades

youtube.com/watch?v=z4tC2HjB928

Banjo Tab and mp3

stringband.mossyroof.com/Jack_...rades.png

stringband.mossyroof.com/JackO...rades.mp3

There is an Irish polka, a jig and a song of the same name but they are each quite different from what Melvin Wine plays.

Irish polka of the same name

thesession.org/tunes/1620

Irish song

youtube.com/watch?v=DON3xCMwpqk

Irish jig of the same name

tunearch.org/wiki/Jack_of_All_Trades

Jack of All Trades

 

JanetB - Posted - 08/21/2020:  16:41:44

A great dance tune, Carl. That was quite an experience to record with Melvin and now you're sharing this rare tune, brand new for me. Glad to hear it's played these days. I'd sure call Melvin a master fiddler, but you'd know if he was a jack of all trades in other skills.

I stuck with open G tuning and alternated with using a Galax lick vs. a hammer-on run. Your tuning used that neat drop thumb for those same three notes. You often tune up your first string to an E, but as you say, other settings can work, too.

VIDEO: Jack of All Trades (TOTW)
(click to view)

Jack of All Trades (CH) tab

RG - Posted - 08/21/2020:  21:24:34

This is such a great TOTW Carl and you, Melvin and Bob playing it at Fiddle Tunes is awesome! Love playing this one, and you can never go wrong with a Melvin Wine tune!

Janet, as always, that's a real nice version that you play!

Edited by - RG on 08/21/2020 21:30:11

Mtngoat - Posted - 08/22/2020:  07:17:24

Inexplicably this tune somehow previously escaped my attention. The Soda Rock Ramblers link introduces Lovely Jane which is a lovely tune in its own right and deserving of its own TOTW. Maybe someone can tab that one out?

JanetB - Posted - 08/22/2020:  07:50:19

quote:

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Originally posted by Mtngoat

Inexplicably this tune somehow previously escaped my attention. The Soda Rock Ramblers link introduces Lovely Jane which is a lovely tune in its own right and deserving of its own TOTW. Maybe someone can tab that one out?

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Luckily Lovely Jane was covered last Dec. on TOTW by Carl with two tabs included. banjohangout.org/archive/359844.