Manhattan Island Serenade / living room jam May 2, 2012

Posted by banjoy, written by Leon Russell

- Play count: 126

Size: 5,177kb, uploaded 5/9/2012 4:02:27 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

This is a very cool tune by Leon Russell. This was recorded at a living room jam session last week, May 2, 2012. Me on banjo, Wes Wyatt on guitar, and my brother Kevin Eastes on bass. Kevin lives 3,500 miles away in Portland, OR, is a fantastic bass player, and it's always fun to make music with him. I wish he were closer. For what it's worth, enjoy :)

Manzanita (with tab)

Posted by banjoy, written by Tony Rice

[download]  

- Play count: 166

Size: 1,769kb, uploaded 1/8/2021 7:27:23 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

Manzanita: A banjo study

Posted by banjoy, written by Tony Rice

- Play count: 340

Size: 7,198kb, uploaded 12/20/2010 8:50:45 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

I was finding a few treasures on my cheap digital voice recorder I carry around with me. This is my take on this great tune by Tony Rice. If anything this MP3, which was spliced together from a series of living room practices, should be viewed a study of this tune and shows its progression as we got it worked up over a few months, between December 2009 and April 2010 with friend Tyler Balkind on guitar. It was at his suggestion that I attempt this tune at all. I think we got maybe 90% toward nailing it before moving on to other stuff. Maybe I'll dust the tune off again soon. Hope you enjoy.

Me and My Guitar

Posted by banjoy, written by James Taylor

- Play count: 174

Size: 4,096kb, uploaded 4/5/2011 9:00:08 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Recorded Mar 29, 2011 in my living room, using Tyler's new Zoom recorder. For practice and educational use only. Our take on this cool song written by James Taylor. This is based on Tony Rice's arrangement. I'm not real thrilled about my lead rides here but hey, these are practice tracks, expect a few mistakes or occasional fumbling, and a little conversation going on too. We were laying these down one after another to learn each other's material. I'm sharing a few select tracks here which I think are cool takes on these tunes ... some fun listening just the same. For what it's worth, enjoy... I am playing my Nechville Athena banjo; Tyler is playing his Santa Cruz guitar.

Meeting in The Air (Queener Tapes)

Posted by banjoy

- Play count: 97

Size: 3,757kb, uploaded 12/2/2009 3:03:25 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

Monroe Queener (dobro, lead vocal), D. Stout (bass, harmony), David Perkins (guitar, harmony), Frank Eastes (banjo, harmony). Recorded at practice 12/30/1990 in David Perkin's living room, Knoxville, TN. Practice Tape (c) Frank Eastes

Mexico (Queener Tapes)

Posted by banjoy

- Play count: 131

Size: 3,353kb, uploaded 12/2/2009 3:24:58 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

This tune has a cool rumba beat and is referenced as "Oleo" in an earlier recording of Monroe Queener playing this tune on the "Tennessee Jamboree" live radio c1969. As far as I know, this is an original tune by Monroe Queener but I am not positive of that. Monroe Queener (dobro), D. Stout (bass), David Perkins (guitar), Frank Eastes (banjo). Recorded at practice 12/28/1990 in David Perkin's living room, Knoxville, TN. Practice Tape (c) Frank Eastes

Mind Your Own Business (band practice 5-24-2012)

Posted by banjoy, written by Hank Williams

- Play count: 194

Size: 2,499kb, uploaded 6/1/2012 4:41:35 AM
Genre: Country / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

This is a great tune by Hank Williams, as done by our band "Fayssoux McLean and The Bluegrass Messengers" at band practice May 24, 2012. We were just sitting around a conference room table laying these down in one take each. Fayssoux McLean lead vocal and guitar; Wes Wyatt lead guitar; Steve Garret on bass and harmony vocal; Frank Eastes on banjo and harmony vocal. These folks are a true joy to play with. I hope you enjoy.

My Religion (an original song)

Posted by banjoy, written by Matthew Knights-Williams

- Play count: 126

Size: 3,496kb, uploaded 1/7/2012 11:35:34 PM
Genre: Folk / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

This is an original song written and performed by Spartanburg area musician Matthew Knights-Williams. Matthew had recorded a more hard-driving rock version years ago on one of his albums. I really loved his tune and I talked him into recording a slower and moodier acoustic version in early 2011, and I contributed some background banjo to this cut. ©Matthew Knights-Williams.

Natchez Trace (living room jam)

Posted by banjoy, written by Béla Fleck

- Play count: 224

Size: 3,466kb, uploaded 12/31/2011 1:43:36 PM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Recorded sometime in March 2011 in my living room, using Tyler's new Zoom recorder. For practice and educational use only. Our take on this cool tune by Béla Fleck. I had just bought the tab a month prior so go easy on me! ... some fun listening just the same. For what it's worth, enjoy... I am playing my Nechville Athena banjo; Tyler is playing his Santa Cruz guitar.

Nine Pound Hammer (living room jam)

Posted by banjoy

- Play count: 353

Size: 4,101kb, uploaded 5/24/2011 12:20:59 PM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Recorded sometime early-mid April 2011 in Tyler's living room, with Tyler's Zoom recorder. For practice and educational use only. Frank Eastes on banjo. Tyler Balkind guitar and lead volcal.

Old Home Place (living room jam, melodic version)

Posted by banjoy

- Play count: 264

Size: 3,682kb, uploaded 1/27/2012 4:35:48 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

This was recorded sometime between early March and late April 2011 on a Zoom digital recorder. I'm just now getting around to sharing a few more interesting jam gems. This is an interesting take on the common bluegrass tune. We're playing in the key of Bb, and I was throwing in some melodic stuff on the fly, which worked pretty well. You don't hear this on this tune very much. This is me picking on my Nechville Athena and singing harmony, and Tyler is picking his Santa Cruz dreadnought and singling lead vocal. Enjoy.

Old Riverman (band practice)

Posted by banjoy, written by Bill Monroe

- Play count: 225

Size: 5,968kb, uploaded 4/8/2011 12:35:43 PM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Band practice recorded 3-16-2011 crowded around a Sony digital voice recorder. This is the 4th time this group of musicians has gotten together to practice, and so this is a rough audio snapshot of us feeling around for our sound...intended for learning and practice purposes only. Enjoy:)

Old Spinning Wheel (Queener Tapes)

Posted by banjoy

- Play count: 245

Size: 3,365kb, uploaded 12/2/2009 3:27:11 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

Monroe Queener (dobro), D. Stout (bass), David Perkins (guitar), Frank Eastes (banjo). Recorded at practice 12/28/1990 in David Perkin's living room, Knoxville, TN. Practice Tape (c) Frank Eastes

One of These Trains (band practice)

Posted by banjoy, written by Pat Flynn

- Play count: 234

Size: 3,689kb, uploaded 6/9/2012 2:10:16 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Another take on this cool tune by Pat Flynn, and recorded by The Newgrass Revival. This is the 2nd time our band "The Bluegrass Messengers" practiced on this tune, captured on tape May 31, 2012. Wes Wyatt on lead vocal and guitar; Fayssoux McLean on guitar and harmony vocal; Steve Garrett on bass; Frank Eastes on banjo and harmony vocals. It's band practice, so it is what it is. I hope you enjoy :)

One of These Trains (live gig)

Posted by banjoy, written by Pal Flynn

- Play count: 92

Size: 3,166kb, uploaded 2/25/2012 6:28:09 PM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Wes Wyatt Band (one permutation of that group). This is our rendition of the this cool song by Pat Flynn and The Newsgrass Revival. Recorded at a live gig 8/7/09. Wes Watt (guitar and lead vocal) Frank Eastes (banjo) Bob Hinch (dobro) and Carroll Foster (bass). Thanks to the Country Jam, Blacksburg, SC for this recording. Sorry about the lousy harmony vocals in this cut. We've done it much better before. The ending was my idea... Enjoy :)

Pike County Breakdown / Al Osteen Lesson

Posted by banjoy, written by Scruggs

- Play count: 677

Size: 1,946kb, uploaded 12/20/2010 8:28:46 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

I was finding a few treasures on my cheap digital voice recorder I carry around with me. This cut is from a session just hanging out around with Al Osteen in his teaching studio on March 8, 2010, just a sliver of the afternoon spent there. I hope you enjoy. This is Al Osteen playing banjo, not me.

Pins and Needles in My Heart (Queener Tapes 2)

Posted by banjoy

- Play count: 92

Size: 3,769kb, uploaded 10/21/2012 7:14:49 PM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Monroe Queener (dobro, lead vocal), D. Stout (bass), David Perkins (guitar, harmony), Frank Eastes (banjo). Recorded at practice January 1991 in David Perkin's living room, Knoxville, TN. Practice Tape (c) Frank Eastes

Pins and Needles in My Heart (Queener Tapes)

Posted by banjoy

- Play count: 95

Size: 3,401kb, uploaded 12/2/2009 2:58:45 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

Monroe Queener (dobro, lead vocal), Shelly Perkins (bass), David Perkins (guitar, harmony), Frank Eastes (banjo), D. Stout (harmonica) Recorded at practice 12/30/1990 in David Perkin's living room, Knoxville, TN. Practice Tape (c) Frank Eastes

Poor Richard's Blues (cell phone recording)

Posted by banjoy, written by Sam Bush

- Play count: 168

Size: 593kb, uploaded 2/19/2012 4:24:51 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

This is the most recent tune I was working on, at the request of the guitar player I pick with. He had just bought a pristine copy of the album "Poor Richard's Almanac" off eBay, and wanted me to work up the tune "Poor Richard's Blues" off that album. This is a recording I made on my cell phone to email to Wes, the guitar picker. Since it's a cheap cell phone the quality is not all that great and my cell phone limits recordings to 1 minute. But, it's enough to get the idea of my treatment of the tune. The tune has two parts, and a bridge, which I didn't get to in my recording. The tune is in the key of Gm but I am playing in standard G tuning gDGBD. For what it is, I hope you enjoy :)

Pow Wow

Posted by banjoy, written by Pete Wernick

[download]  

- Play count: 106

Size: 2,331kb, uploaded 5/30/2021 5:52:32 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Another cut jamming with guitarist Tyler Leonard on April 19, 2021. My version of this Pete Wernick tune from the Country Cooking album way back when...