Saint Anne's Reel with Marty Lebenson

Posted by Don Borchelt

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Size: 1,811kb, uploaded 7/15/2011 5:17:14 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Another tune from my jam session with harmonica wizard Marty Lebenson, at the end of the 2011 Harry Smith Frolic, in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Saint Anne's Reel is undoubtedly the most popular French Canadian tune among fiddlers here in the lower 48. Marty, who has been playing harmonica since the early 60s, manifests his complete unity with the instrument. I am playing my 1902 Fairbanks Whyte Laydie, three-finger style without picks.

Sal's Got Mud Between Her Toes from Clifftop, 2010

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 1541

Size: 2,431kb, uploaded 8/19/2010 11:55:41 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I first learned this tune at the Clifftop festival in 2009, from Robyn Treatman and Mike Burns, two wonderful fiddlers from Oregon. The I went and forgot most of it, but I learned it again from a bunch of folks at this years Clifftop. I showed it to Don Couchie, who picked it up on fiddle in no time.

Sally Goodin with Ed Britt

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 2006

Size: 2,097kb, uploaded 5/26/2008 9:07:53 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I still think of this as the quintessential old time fiddle tune. I'm picking this on my short scale Paramount, tunes aEAC#E (open G up 2), and Ed is picking his OME, open G up 2. Ragged but mostly right.

Sandy River Belle with Ed Britt

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 194

Size: 2,928kb, uploaded 3/3/2018 5:48:53 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Made this banjo duet recording with Ed Britt back in November, 2014. We still play it when we go busking in Harvard Square.

Santa Anna's Retreat from Clifftop 2012

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 282

Size: 2,581kb, uploaded 8/7/2012 7:34:58 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I first learned this tune from a Library of Congress recording of the western Virginia fiddler Henry Reed (1884-1968). Reed, who died in 1968 at the age of 83, learned the tune from his neighbor and mentor, Quince Dillon, who had been a fifer during the Mexican War. This recording is from a Clifftop jam with my pal Don Couchie, who is playing the fiddle. I am three finger picking on my short scale, semi-fretless Paramount, tuned aEABE.

Shoe Heels Cracking on the Floor

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 70

Size: 808kb, uploaded 10/27/2022 7:45:09 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Uploaded for the 10/21/22 Old Time Tune of the Week. I am playing three finger style without picks, so as not to disturb the cat.

Shoes and Stockings with Ed Britt

Posted by Don Borchelt

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Size: 5,541kb, uploaded 1/30/2012 11:53:31 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Ed Britt and I recorded this for the Tune of the Week for 1/27/12. I am three finger picking on my semi-fretless Tubaphone, Ed is playng clawhammer style on his OME. Both of us are in open G tuning.

Shove That Pig's Foot a Little Further Into the Fire from Clifftop 2012

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 769

Size: 1,807kb, uploaded 8/28/2012 10:23:48 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This tune comes originally from North Carolina fiddler Martin Marcus (1881-1974), who recorded it for the Library of Congress in the early 40s. The rather obtuse title makes sense once you know that a pig's foot is a blacksmithing tool. Another recording from one of our campsite jams on Geezer Hill. Don Couchie is doing the fiddling, I am three finger picking in open G tuning on my semi-fretless Tubaphone.

Sitting on Top of the World with Wry Whiskey

Posted by Don Borchelt

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Size: 3,029kb, uploaded 6/3/2012 7:16:27 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This recording was made in my living room in 1998; we called our trio Wry Whiskey. I'm picking banjo and singing, such as it is. The guitar player was Brian Clancey, who now plays in a duet with fiddler Robin Warren as Spirit Fiddle. Brian is the best back-up guitar player I ever heard, bar none. Here he is fingerpicking; we experimented a lot with the mixing together of finger style banjo and guitar. Tom Speth was the bass player; his knees have given out, and so he doesn't play much music anymore, but we've gone fishing together a few times over the last several years, which is almost as much fun.

Snake Chapman's Tune

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 49

Size: 2,648kb, uploaded 11/18/2022 7:40:23 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

In topics:
Snake Chapman's Tune

This tune is supposedly the legendary fiddler Owen "Snake" Chapman's (1909-2002) version of a Bob Will's tune called Home With the Girls in the Morning. I have heard it said that Chapman himself denied ever playing the tune. It is usally played on fiddle in an open D tuning (ADad). This recording is from an internet jam session with my fiddling pals John Maguire and John Reddick, from April, 2022. We are using a system called Jackstreamer, which reduces latency to a fraction of a second, so that you can play together in what is essentially real time. I am three finger picking my semi-fretless 1928 Vega Tubaphone, in open D tuning (aDF#AD).

Soldier's Joy from Clifftop 2010

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 738

Size: 1,794kb, uploaded 8/17/2010 9:18:20 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Another recording on my Tascam DR-1 from Banjo Hell Road, Geezer Hill, Clifftop, West Virginia, with Don Couchie and Jim Reed. This recording really features Don Couchie, who is clawhammering the heck out of Chip Arnold's 69 Baldwin at breakneck speed. I didn't think this was humanly possible. Awesome playing, Don. Jim and I are playing three-finger style; Jim is on that tremendous 25 ball-bearing of his, and I'm picking my demure little 64 Ode.

Soldiers Joy from Clifftop 2008

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 344

Size: 4,328kb, uploaded 2/27/2010 5:14:49 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

I've uploaded this as part of my contribution to the TOTW for 2/26/10. This is a recording from an outdoor jam session at the 2008 Clifftop festival, made with my little hand held Tascam DR-1. Please forgive the wind noise and static, and the fact that the banjo is just slightly out of tune. Sometimes you just have to do the best you can and jump in with what you got. Ed Britt and I were jamming with Jimmy Costa, who is just an all around terrific musician, and a truly authentic Uncle Dave interpreter. I was playing my Fairbanks Whyte Laydie in Open D tuning.

Soldiers Joy- C Tuning

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 352

Size: 1,220kb, uploaded 2/27/2010 5:09:50 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

I've uploaded this also as part of my contribution to the TOTW for 2/26/10. This is a tape I made around 1985, one of my first experiments in overdubbing. Back then, I played the tune in Standard C tuning (gCGBD), and capoed on the 2nd fret when I wanted to play with a fiddler.

Sourwood Mountain from Clifftop 2009

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 1559

Size: 2,735kb, uploaded 8/7/2009 3:34:57 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Another tune from my Clifftop picking with BHO member Don Couchie, who plays just the kind of fiddle playing I like to hear. This was just plain great fun. The Paramount semi-fretless banjo is tuned to open A tuning (aEAC#E).

Stoney Point/Cumberland Gap

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 242

Size: 1,517kb, uploaded 8/27/2011 5:41:25 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I've uploaded this as my contribution for the TOTW for 8/26/11. This is a practice recording I made back in the early-80s, playing both the three-finger lead and the frailing style back-up. This was my first experiment with three-finger/clawhammer duets, even before I got together with Ed Britt.

Sugar Hill from Clifftop 2012

Posted by Don Borchelt

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Size: 1,728kb, uploaded 9/24/2012 10:59:18 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This is another unusual tune from our Geezer Hill jam with Ralph Roberts. Ralph called this tune Sugar Hill, but it doesn't bear any resemblance to the tune I know by that name. It's a sprightly, bouncing little tune that sounds more like a distant cousin to Cripple Creek, one that Ralph fiddles with a lot of playfulness. Don Couchie is playing rhythm guitar, and I am three finger picking in open G tuning.

Sugar Hill with Ed Britt

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 2799

Size: 1,787kb, uploaded 3/29/2013 10:55:07 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Ed Britt and I recorded this in my living room back in January, 2009. I had just worked this up after listening to a fine version by West Virginia fiddler Jack Krack. Ed is playing clawhammer stytle on his Ome, in double C tuning, capoed on the 2nd fret, I'm three-finger picking on my semi-fretless Vega Tubaphone, in open D tuning.

Sugar in the Gourd from Clifftop 2009

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 505

Size: 2,161kb, uploaded 10/28/2011 8:33:17 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This is my contribution to the Old Time Tune of the Week for October 28, 2011. This is a recording I made at Clifftop with my pal Don Couchie. Don is on fiddle, leaning on those double stops just the way I like it; I am three-finger picking on my short scale, semi-fretless Paramount, in open A tuning.

Sweet Ellen

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 922

Size: 1,293kb, uploaded 11/4/2013 9:25:44 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I just learned this tune a few months ago from Boston area old time musicians Linda Henry and Jerry Dallal. It comes originally from Samuel P. Bayard's 1994 collection, Hill Country Tunes, Instrumental Folk Music from Southwestern Pennsylvania. I am three-finger picking in open D tuning (aDF#AD).

Sweet Marie with Marty Lebenson

Posted by Don Borchelt

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- Play count: 1113

Size: 1,952kb, uploaded 7/11/2011 2:24:20 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

A tune preserved from a magical early morning jam I had with Marty Lebenson of Jamaica, New York, at the 2011 Harry Smith Frollic, an old time festival held in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Marty is a master of the harmonica, I've never heard old-time music played on the mouth fiddle with more skill and spirit.