I have chosen Walt Koken’s Banjonique for this week’s TOTW. It is a fascinating banjo instrumental that is both simple and complicated. It is a masterpiece, and it is a challenge to play it.
The tune Banjonique
The tune Banjonique is an original tune by Walt Koken, and was recorded on the CD “Banjonique” 1994 (Rounder Records – CD 0337).
Here you can watch Walt playing Banjonique (recorden in 2002): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I8fpSoff-I
The tune is fascinating in many ways. It is in the key of G and played in standard G tuning. The core melody is rather uncomplicated. The chords are mainly G and D, with an Em added in the third part, and the Em chord is shortly preceded by a short partial B chord (with the notes B and D#). Most of the chord positions are “two-finger chords”. Still it is a very difficult tune to play:
The banjo and his banjo playing
Walt plays on an Orpheum #4 banjo. The inlaid fingerboard is extending out over the banjo head, making extra action between the strings and banjo skin. He may have a little slacked head (on the banjo I mean). He seems to play a lot with the hand and not with the forearm. He plays over the head and makes a lot of thumping on the head, and also seems to scratch the skin sometimes.
Walt Koken has written this about his banjo (https://www.slippery-hill.com/content/sittin-catbirds-seat-1):
“In 1966 I bought the Orpheum NO.4 banjo that I still play today from a fellow named Dave Portman, who owned a music store in Ithaca, New York. I ended up painting his house in payment for it. The banjo was made circa 1916, so it was about 50 years old then. At this point, I've owned it nearly half its life, and most of mine. We have crossed oceans and continents together, and it has stood me well. Not long after I got it, I had "Rick" Rickard, a friend and founder of Ovation Guitars refinish the neck, as lots of bare wood was showing from wear by a previous owner. In 2007 I had a reproduction neck made for it, as the frets were well worn and during winter dehydration it bowed to the point where it was barely playable. I love the sound of it. In fact, I'm partial to most banjo sounds, especially those of the organic type.”
Tabs and instructions
A tab written by Walt Koken himself were once posted in this BHO thread: https://www.banjohangout.org/archive/227972, but the link to the tab is broken. I add the same tab as attachment to this post. I have also made a TablEdit version and posted in the tab archive (https://www.banjohangout.org/tab/browse.asp?m=detail&v=25998) containing tef file, pdf file and midi file.
Tom Collins has made an instruction video showing how to play the first two parts of Banjonique: https://youtu.be/ui4P-l0flac
I have been struggling with Banjonique for a while now. I have tried to make a simplified “fake” version (more playing on the lower parts of the fretboard) and I have tried a three-finger version, but it does not work! It is not the same tune as Walt is playing! Playing the notes is not the same as playing the tune…..
Other recordings
There are some other recordings of Banjonique to watch:
Tuomo Mäkelä: https://youtu.be/PFNTMGbFYhE
Frankie12string: https://youtu.be/ZQwp6sP9LTg
Matti Kurki: https://youtu.be/mKAV9iHmJlM
Jack Wardrop: https://youtu.be/NXI3Xs9KHYQ
John White: https://youtu.be/yG-KaIe6Ohw
Walt Koken Bio
Walt Koken (born October 9, 1946, Columbia, Missouri) is an American claw-hammer banjo player, fiddler, and singer. Koken's mother, Helen Hawkins Koken Pickel, was a classical pianist and a kindergarten teacher. Her family was English; the Kokens were from Germany. Koken's father, John C. Koken, was a math professor. Walt Koken started playing banjo at the age of thirteen in 1959.
Since 1965, Koken has played in multiple bands: the Busted Toe Mudthumpers, the Muskrat Ramblers, the Fat City String Band, the Highwoods Stringband, and The Cacklin’ Hens and Roosters Too!. Currently, he plays fiddle-banjo duets with his partner and soul-mate Clare Milliner, as well as with Clare, Kellie Allen, and Pete Peterson as the old-time string band, Orpheus Supertones. In 2011, Walt and Clare completed their multi-year literary collaboration, The Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes http://www.mudthumper.com/fiddletunesbook.html .
I’ve known Walt since he was 19. He was already an astonishing player. His playing has matured and mellowed over the years. In his pre-Highwoods days, he played banjo with the reckless abandon of youth. His right-hand rhythm remains the key to his playing, along with his use of ASPOs. Walt’s early playing with the Mudthumpers was little recorded. For a hint of what he sounded like, check YouTube for “Beasties in the Sugar” by the Spare Change Boys. It’s fiddle lead, but on a close listening, you can hear Koken staying note-for-note with Hank Bradley’s playing of his own complex tune. Walt has posted a number of fiddle/banjo tunes with Clare Milliner on YouTube under his own name. Well worth you time if you haven’t found them.
What an ambitious TOTW! And you, Jan, are the right one for the job. I look forward to trying this out.
David
Great TOTW Jan!!!! Walt is such an amazing player and this is a great tune... I've never tackled it, but I might now, well done!
I've always admired his playing; it is completely unique. Great tune!
Very clever way of playing Clawhammer. It's wonderful and fun to listen to...Jack p.s. would this be called a "Round Peak" style?
Edited by - Jack Baker on 02/04/2023 05:59:57
Walt is not a Round Peak player, neither in his right hand nor his predilection for using standard C tuning and playing chords up and down the neck. Nobody else plays like Walt.
@Jack Baker
Ok Bill and thanks. I could never figure out what round peak was....Jack
Walt is incredible...Whew!
Originally posted by Jack BakerOk Bill and thanks. I could never figure out what round peak was....Jack
I think that even Walt finds that one difficult to play. I got to see him about four years ago and asked if he was going to play Banjonique and he replied that he was not really prepared to play that one today. He played wonderfully on everything that he did play, but he must have had his reasons. He did take the time to show me his chord pulloffs that he used in that tune, very nice guy.
This is quite a tune choice, Jan! As soon as I watched Walt do his finger gymnastics up to the 17th fret, I thought "cello banjo for me." So, here's an arrangement that stops at the 8th fret, but gets in the notes (at least many) and plays in the key of G.
Nice version, Janet. You made a lot of changes but you managed to catch the tune!
quote:
Originally posted by janolovNice version, Janet. You made a lot of changes but you managed to catch the tune!
@janetb that's excellent work! It has the sound and feel but also has your signature sound.
Hey,
thanks janolov for sharing my video from a few years back!
I wish I played it a bit louder though. I might have to do a re-recording for this one.
I believe Walt plays basically with his fingertips instead of nails, which is also a big part of his unique tone.
For more tab of Walt's music, he has a book of clawhammer and 3-finger tab for the In the Catbird Seat album, plus other recordings and books at http://www.mudthumper.com
quote:
Originally posted by TuomoMHey,
thanks janolov for sharing my video from a few years back!
I wish I played it a bit louder though. I might have to do a re-recording for this one.
I believe Walt plays basically with his fingertips instead of nails, which is also a big part of his unique tone.
Tuomo, I think your version was very good. I really liked it. It was interesting about Walt playing with fingertips. I know some of the old-timers did so, because they couldn't have long nails due to their job. Walt worked as a carpenter for a time before he became full-time (?) musician.
Yes, Bill,
You are correct. I watched a video of this interesting technique posted by a BHO member. He explains and demonstrates exactly how to play Round Peak...Thank you for your post Bill...Jack
Originally posted by Bill RogersWalt is not a Round Peak player, neither in his right hand nor his predilection for using standard C tuning and playing chords up and down the neck. Nobody else plays like Walt.
@Jack Baker
Oh, I forgot to mention that the person I watched teach Round Peak was Tom Collins. I believe he's a member of BHO...Jack
Originally posted by Jack BakerOk Bill and thanks. I could never figure out what round peak was....Jack
quote:
Originally posted by Jack BakerOh, I forgot to mention that the person I watched teach Round Peak was Tom Collins. I believe he's a member of BHO...Jack
Originally posted by Jack BakerOk Bill and thanks. I could never figure out what round peak was....Jack
Round Peak is a place in North Carolina where a particularly exciting style originated. That's the home of players like Tommy Jarrell, Kyle Creed, Fred Cockerham, etc. Brad Leftwich has a book of transcriptions of their playing.
Thanks,
Tom Collins explained all about the style etc...jack
Originally posted by mjt0229quote:
Originally posted by Jack BakerOh, I forgot to mention that the person I watched teach Round Peak was Tom Collins. I believe he's a member of BHO...Jack
Originally posted by Jack BakerOk Bill and thanks. I could never figure out what round peak was....Jack
Round Peak is a place in North Carolina where a particularly exciting style originated. That's the home of players like Tommy Jarrell, Kyle Creed, Fred Cockerham, etc. Brad Leftwich has a book of transcriptions of their playing.
Worth reading:
Ruchala, James Randolph. Making Round Peak Music: History, Revitalization and Community, a dissertation submitted to the Department of Music, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Brown University, May 2011.
quote:
Originally posted by BrooklynbanjoboyWorth reading:
Ruchala, James Randolph. Making Round Peak Music: History, Revitalization and Community, a dissertation submitted to the Department of Music, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Brown University, May 2011.
Here is a direct link to that dissertation: https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:11260/PDF/
It is fascinating that people can make science of old time music!
I’m starting Chapter 2, 43 pp. in. It’s 500+ pp., but looks to be interesting. I guess it’s technically ethnomusicology. Promises to touch on history, sociology, anthropology, music and folklore. Apparently there will be quite a bit on Tommy Jarrell. Ruchala plays old-time banjo and now lives in the Round Peak area, where he’s been for a while, so he didn’t write it as an outside academic only peripherally involved with his subject.
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