I love this jig and hearing your version was what inspired me to learn it originally. I present it here, but it really doesn’t compare well to your rendition, both in terms of your execution, arrangement and the lovely tones of your banjo.
I like the relaxed, expansive approach you pull across your 5-string. Fun contrast. Mine's like football. Yours, ice-skating.
I’m skating on pretty thin ice Paul. Yours is definitely a touchdown but I’m out of my depth with these sports analogies.
Okay, I'll call your thin ice skating and raise you a sailboat. And, maybe prune mine back to a walk on a mountain trail. You won, and you'll be rightly awarded the Hundred Guinea Cup on August 20, 1851, by the Royal Yacht Squadron of Great Britain.
Tell us more about that banjo Paul. Tuning, make etc. it has a timbre that seems perfect for this style of music.
Paul, Laurence,
Wonderful playing and that banjo sounds amazing Paul. Laurence I love your shot at it also. You both are amazing players I think....Jack
Edited by - Jack Baker on 04/12/2025 09:50:40
I had Gold Tone cobble together this banjo from parts from some of their other banjos. I wanted to use nylon strings, so had them use a 12-inch rim, which I felt would expand the frequency response. I conceptualized it for GDAE tuning, and the intention was to achieve a mellow sound, on the opposite end of the spectrum from the metal-strung sound used for Irish music. After playing it for awhile, I found I liked what it sounded like tuned 4 semi-tones lower: Eb Bb F C. In John Henry, I tuned the 4th and 2nd strings an octave apart, and played in more of a guitar style.
PS I'll describe the neck-lift in a subsequent comment.
quote:
Originally posted by Jack BakerPaul, Laurence,Wonderful playing and that banjo sounds amazing Paul. Laurence I love your shot at it also. You both are amazing players I think....Jack
Thank you, Jack, that's mighty kind of you to say.
I love that tune. Those are both wonderfully play. I have worked out a three-finger version on my five string, but it is hard as heck to play. I am inspired to relaunch me efforts.
Thanks, Bill, I appreciate your comment. Which one are you doing 3-finger? I remember how exciting it was to learn Earl Scruggs' version of John Henry in D, a mere 63 years ago. Learned it from a British gal named Patti Hill who taught me a lot of tunes. It was such a gift to have her as a teacher. I wonder if I'll ever learn what became of her?
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