paulcw - Posted - 01/10/2023:  17:16:48

New to all of this and he caught my attention, more for ethno-musical interest, but don't know enough to evaluate his actual playing technically.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/10/2023:  18:21:47

Yes, but his stylistic approach is different.

paulcw - Posted - 01/10/2023:  20:26:06

Bill Rogers How so?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/10/2023:  22:14:51

Particularly in not using as many uncommon tunings as Hurt. Hurt also has done a lot with an old Dobson banjo with a distinct tone. If you watch a number of videos by each, you’ll get a sense of the differences. Walt Koken is another great player to watch. He plays almost always in G and Standard C tunings.

KCJones - Posted - 01/11/2023:  07:28:08

Musical talent is certainly there for both of them. Styles are difficult to compare.

If you're just discovering him, be advised that Blount presents himself as an academic/historian but he's never actually published anything and the bulk of the "history" he presents is at best anachronistic partial truths and in some cases just downright factually incorrect. Enjoy his music, because it is great, but take everything else with a grain of salt.

jbalch - Posted - 01/11/2023:  09:18:33

I dont know Jake and have only seen a few of his videos. He is no doubt a wonderful talent and well-worth following. Bravo Jake!



I do know Adam Hurt and am truly honored to call him a friend. His playing is magnificent - definitely among the very best I've ever heard. I've been a fan since before he published his first cd. But one of the things I appreciate most about Adam, maybe even more than his playing, is his unparalleled skill as a teacher. Adam is simply the best teacher I have encountered. His well of technical and contextual knowledge is very deep. He has intentionally practiced, and mastered, the art of communicating his knowledge. There are many great players - but precious few truly great teachers.  

Americanraga - Posted - 01/12/2023:  04:34:46

I agree. I took a class from him at the Floyd Country Store in Round Peak clawhammer. He refused to hand out tab sheets until the lesson was over. While I thought I was floundering during the class, when I woke up the next morning I found I could play the songs. While something obviously had to do with method, a lot of it was the genius of his teaching. I say this having taught in higher education for 50 years.

Americanraga - Posted - 01/12/2023:  04:36:21

The above post refers to Adam Hurt, but I also heard Jake Blount at the Floyd Country Store as well, and it was a wonderful concert and his genius was apparent. I think it's a great time for clawhammer

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/12/2023:  10:51:18

Both are also excellent fiddlers—which further helps their banjo playing.

dbrooks - Posted - 01/12/2023:  11:46:16

I'm a fan of both Adam Hurt and Jake Blount and have attended multiple workshops with Adam and at least one with Jake. I have also written tabs based on their recordings. Nonetheless, I do not consider myself an expert on their "styles." Here are my impressions.

They both use a range of tunings and a lot of syncopation in their playing. Jake is certainly focused on the Black musicians, banjo and fiddle, who have received relatively little attention. He also stresses the importance of the rhythm of the tunes in his playing and teaching. In my opinion. Adam is perhaps more focused on the melody of a tune and how that can be enhanced and varied. 

David

writerrad - Posted - 01/12/2023:  17:27:12

That's interesting.   Adam used to distribute tab at his classes.  If i got out of this chair and reached over to the music stand, it has tab I obtained from Adam at a workshop ten years ago in a folder.   So his opinion may have changed.

 

I do know that many people I know inthe old time banjo world abhor Tab.  Some see tab as transforming the music into something like a bad fantasy of what Classical music is like, rather than the creative and recreative product of different banjoist adding in what they do.   I have been taking lessons from an esteemed old time revivalist banjoist in my age group (mid 70s) who has been well known for 40 or 50 years and even plays one of Charlie' Pooles banjos.  He can read music well and often alludes to both classical and jazz music concepts, but teaches by showing me how to play and having me play , and does not use tab.

I think anything that helps  a person is OK.  

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Originally posted by Americanraga

The above post refers to Adam Hurt, but I also heard Jake Blount at the Floyd Country Store as well, and it was a wonderful concert and his genius was apparent. I think it's a great time for clawhammer

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writerrad - Posted - 01/12/2023:  17:31:42

Both Adam and Jake share good parents who when each were children and teens in the Washington DC area sent each to take lessons with THE GREAT CATHY FINK.    Adam is a bit older than Jake actually.  I will see Jake a couple weeks from now and ask him if he knew Adam at that point.   

I particularly like Adam's willingess to have his own style and sensibility in the music rather than trying to reproduce this or that traditional musicians' style.  I love the power of Jake's music and his ability to see it as a creative process, including his going beyond trying to recreate what a traditional artist may have done and making his own art.

Both seem to be extremely giving and knowledgeable in classes and workshops I have had with them.  Each understands that instead of teaching peopl;e top play as they do, to help encourge each of us to play as we wish.

Thanks

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Originally posted by dbrooks

I'm a fan of both Adam Hurt and Jake Blount and have attended multiple workshops with Adam and at least one with Jake. I have also written tabs based on their recordings. Nonetheless, I do not consider myself an expert on their "styles." Here are my impressions.

They both use a range of tunings and a lot of syncopation in their playing. Jake is certainly focused on the Black musicians, banjo and fiddle, who have received relatively little attention. He also stresses the importance of the rhythm of the tunes in his playing and teaching. In my opinion. Adam is perhaps more focused on the melody of a tune and how that can be enhanced and varied. 

David

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Edited by - writerrad on 01/12/2023 17:33:52

strngbrnr74 - Posted - 01/12/2023:  18:42:07

Adam never lived in Washington D.C. and never took lessons from Cathy Fink.

quote:

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Originally posted by writerrad

Both Adam and Jake share good parents who when each were children and teens in the Washington DC area sent each to take lessons with THE GREAT CATHY FINK.    Adam is a bit older than Jake actually.  I will see Jake a couple weeks from now and ask him if he knew Adam at that point.   

I particularly like Adam's willingess to have his own style and sensibility in the music rather than trying to reproduce this or that traditional musicians' style.  I love the power of Jake's music and his ability to see it as a creative process, including his going beyond trying to recreate what a traditional artist may have done and making his own art.

Both seem to be extremely giving and knowledgeable in classes and workshops I have had with them.  Each understands that instead of teaching peopl;e top play as they do, to help encourge each of us to play as we wish.

Thanks

 

---

Originally posted by dbrooks

I'm a fan of both Adam Hurt and Jake Blount and have attended multiple workshops with Adam and at least one with Jake. I have also written tabs based on their recordings. Nonetheless, I do not consider myself an expert on their "styles." Here are my impressions.

They both use a range of tunings and a lot of syncopation in their playing. Jake is certainly focused on the Black musicians, banjo and fiddle, who have received relatively little attention. He also stresses the importance of the rhythm of the tunes in his playing and teaching. In my opinion. Adam is perhaps more focused on the melody of a tune and how that can be enhanced and varied. 

David

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writerrad - Posted - 01/13/2023:  10:44:49

You are right because the part of my brain that functions properly knows Adam is from Minnesota and not DC.

I am constantly learning that surviving into my late 70s is much better than the alternative, but my memory once accurate needs now to be double checked by reference to Google.

But I do know from being together with Jake and Cathy several times that Jake took lessons from her.

Thank you

mjt0229 - Posted - 01/13/2023:  10:58:52

I think the original question is sort of unproductive. I love both of their playing very much and they both have a lot to offer the community. I would love to be able to play one tiny fraction as beautifully as either one.

writerrad - Posted - 01/23/2023:  04:56:43

quote:

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Originally posted by mjt0229

Best point so far

I think the original question is sort of unproductive. I love both of their playing very much and they both have a lot to offer the community. I would love to be able to play one tiny fraction as beautifully as either one.  Adam has been at it a much longer time than Jake.  Both seem to be artists who put their explorations of tradition and production of meaning ahead of any showing of off "technical proficiency."

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I thought this was the best post on the whole list.

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 01/23/2023:  20:54:29

This all puts me in mind of something Allen Feldman wrote in his liner notes to the Topic recording, John Doherty, Master Fiddler of Donegal: Bundle and Go:

"He was capable of the most complex technical intricacies on the fiddle, but held these in reserve and played with a deceptive simplicity and directness."

John Doherty was about preserving a 200 year-old local/family tradition, and he put the needs of the music first.  To me, Wade Ward would be analogous... elegant simplicity.

I haven't heard Jake Blount (that's my deficiency- by all accounts he's excellent), but I enjoy Adam's music immensely.  For my money, Noah Cline is a true master.  His virtuosity enhances the music and it remains very traditional.  I admire that.  Check out his YouTube videos.

Edited by - R.D. Lunceford on 01/23/2023 20:56:43