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Press release: book on banjo's demise
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Press release: book on banjo's demise |
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Subject: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: BK Lick Date: 17 Nov 06 - 08:20 PM Dunno if this is for real or a spoof, but it was posted here (click me!). -- BK Carole Wade's New Book "The Death Throes and Demise of the Banjo" Pursues the Failure of Today's Traditional American Banjo Player |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: BanjoRay Date: 17 Nov 06 - 08:41 PM There's been a big discussion on banjo-l about this book. Apparently it's one of those deals where you pay to have a book published about your hobbyhorse. They say she did another about how nasty dogs are. Ray |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Azizi Date: 17 Nov 06 - 09:13 PM I wonder if Carole Wade, author of "The Death Throes and Demise of the Banjo," knows of and had interviewed this group for her book: "Black Banjo Then and Now (originally Black Banjo Players Now and Then) was founded in March, 2004 as an online list group in Yahoo. We unite Black banjo with scholars, pickers, lovers, and builders of the banjo and related instrument concerned with preserving the heritage of past Black banjo players and encouraging contemporary Black banjo players. Black Banjo Then and Now includes African American banjoists who play old time music, classic banjo, blues, bluegrass, jazz and funk, as well as other banjoists, fiddlers, percussionists, and scholars. We have revived interest in historic Black banjoists such as Horace Weston, the great classic banjo player, Elmer Snowden, Danny Barker, and many other four string jazz banjoists, Dink Roberts, Odell Thompson, and Josh Thomas, other great Appalachian banjoists. We also began to call attention to the work of the growing number of contemporary Black recording artists playing banjo such as Taj Mahal, Otis Taylor, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Corey Harris Don Vappie, the Ebony Hillbillies, and Guy Davis. We've also injected a strong new voice into discussions in the banjo and old time music communities about both the historical influences and importance of Black heritage to the banjo and old time music. We've explained how the largely white banjo and old time music communities do not serve Black agendas. However, our greatest concern is not external beyond our people. We seek to return the Banjo to its proper place in the history and culture of our people. We seek to encourage Black expression on the banjo, and Black people's appreciation of our instrument." -snip- more at http://www.rhisong.com/blackbanjo/bbtn.html Also see this excerpt from http://www.rhisong.com/blackbanjo/ "We are posting the statement of purpose and preamble to the bylaws of a new organization that is in formation The Association of Black Traditional String Players, Inc. This organization to be incorporated in New York State as what the state calls a "not for profit" will seek federal 501c3 Tax Status. The major event on its schedule will be a general membership meeting to establish the organization fully that must take place some place in New York State. We believe that this meeting can take place sometime in the first months of 2006. The organization is an organization of African and African American players, supporters, and scholars of traditional music. As the preamble states percussionists and players of jazz and classic banjo are included. This effort has been the product of joint work of many of us who were centrally involved in the Black Banjo Gathering..." -snip- This is one group of people who are dedicated to keeping banjo playing traditions alive and well. I'm sure there are other groups and other individuals that book's author probably never heard of. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Charley Noble Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:07 PM Writers such as Carole Ward are merely trying to make some money denigrating something that people cherish. In this case she is beating a "dead horse." There really aren't enough people who hate banjo players to make her literary foray a profitable one. She could probably make more money playing banjo, especially if she had a lover who worked for a living! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Stewie Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:09 PM It is ironic that she shares the same surname as Stephen Wade, a master of the banjo whose playing could never be described as 'boring'. If you dont' know his work, check out 'Dancing in the Parlor' County CO-CD-2721 and 'Dancing Home' Flying Fish FF 70543. --Stewie. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: GUEST,Art Thieme Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:16 PM Just plain strange. I've had numerous e-mails about the book, and I'm just left scratching my head on this one.---------------- I knew the era well. I was there in Chicago then. I inhabited the coffeehouses in Rogers Park and all over the town. I don't think I knew this person. Seems that someone done her wrong back then-------one of us that played banjo there. And she is still upset... Go figure. Has anyone read it? Who are the pickers? What are the specifics? Art |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Peace Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:16 PM Is this the one who worked as an aide for Nixon? |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Peace Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:24 PM Naw, looks like not. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Ernest Date: 18 Nov 06 - 04:35 AM "5-string banjo - easiest instrument to learn"????? I don`t think she ever tried... "Wade has assembled thousands of pages revealing how the banjo died..." Writing books seems to be a lot easier then.... ;0) Best Ernest |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: kendall Date: 18 Nov 06 - 07:48 AM She is so full of it her eyes must be brown. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Jeri Date: 18 Nov 06 - 08:19 AM Thoughts: 1) How to turn a personal bugaboo into a book. Barry Finn should write one about singing from books. I could write one about ignernt people repeating themselves over and over, redundantly. Others could wri... 'scuse me - other books could be written to various types of judgement to not encourage them. Bedtime book. And then I could write about the overly redundant. 2) It's just wishful thinking. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: GUEST,Pete Peterson Date: 18 Nov 06 - 08:19 AM On another listserv somebody has done their homework and said this IS the same one whose "first job was in the Nixon White House." Google Carole Wade for yurself and see. Apparently she also does not like dogs very much. I've heard enough bad vanity CDs to know how easy it has gotten to make one. I guess this is the print equivalent from a vanity press. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: GUEST,picker Date: 18 Nov 06 - 01:54 PM Thank you Azizi, for that great link. I just joined the group. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: BK Lick Date: 18 Nov 06 - 04:35 PM There's been considerable discussion of this at Banjo Hangout. —BK |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Greg B Date: 18 Nov 06 - 04:57 PM "We've explained how the largely white banjo and old time music communities do not serve Black agendas. However, our greatest concern is not external beyond our people. We seek to return the Banjo to its proper place in the history and culture of our people." Well, I think that ship has sailed. To build upon a bagpipe joke that Tommy Makem likes to tell: The black man gave the white man the banjo, and the white man hasn't seen the joke of it yet. Greg (who learnt the five-string at age of seven simultaneously with classical piano) |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Azizi Date: 18 Nov 06 - 05:53 PM As some of you know, in the not too recent Mudcat past, I've had issues with the slavery/minstrel cultural symbolism of the Black banjo player. However, thankfully some folks here helped me see the error of focusing on that symbolism. I'm glad to know that there are a group of Black banjoists who have dedicated themselves to helping "encourage Black expression on the banjo, and Black people's appreciation of our instrument." I know nothing about this organization beyond what I read online. It seems clear from their website that the target membership of the organization is "American banjoists who play old time music, classic banjo, blues, bluegrass, jazz and funk,Black banjoist. However, in my opinion, the fact that the list of persons eligible for membership includes "other banjoists, fiddlers, percussionists, and scholars" means that non-Black musicians and non-Black scholars are also being welcomed as members of that organization. Therefore, be that as it may, GUEST,picker I'm glad you joined that group. Also, Greg B, maybe I'm humor challenged tonight having toiled from sun up to sun down [but not Thank God in the fields], but though I read it two times already, I haven't figured out the punch line of your joke. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Joe Richman Date: 18 Nov 06 - 06:23 PM Well, the banjo playing community in my opinion exists today outside the control of the music industry establishment. Even in Country Music, the one big commercial music industry that uses the banjo to any degree, it is sort of a poor step-child instrument. Used to give a "traditional" sound to some records. The D-Chicks had to fight the record labels to keep one in their band, as I recall. So it has mainly an amateur following, and amateur musicians tend not to be major innovators. But that has nothing to do with whether the music is good or will be accepted by an audience. Innovation can be vastly overrated. After all, how popular is Arnold Schoenberg's music? Innovative yes, appealing, no. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Leadfingers Date: 18 Nov 06 - 06:40 PM "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated" - Who said that first ?? |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Joe Richman Date: 18 Nov 06 - 07:18 PM Mark Twain... who purportedly also penned the following: The piano may do for lovesick girls who lace themselves to skeletons and lunch on chalk, pickles and slate pencils. But give me the banjo, when you want genuine music, music that will come right home to you like a bad quarter, suffuse your system like strychnine whiskey, ramify your whole system like the measles, and break out on your hide like the pin-feather pimples on a picked goose..... when you want all this, just smash your piano, and invoke the glory-beaming banjo. Mark Twain |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: GUEST,from the banjo, itself! Date: 18 Nov 06 - 07:35 PM The reports of my demise are definitely total hogwash! I know this woman, and her head is screwed way too tight. Watch closely for the impending big bang. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Dave Hanson Date: 19 Nov 06 - 03:28 AM Bela ain't gonna like this. eric |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: GUEST,Earl Date: 19 Nov 06 - 03:32 AM Anyone want to buy a Gibson Granada ? [ cheap ] |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Mark Ross Date: 19 Nov 06 - 10:42 AM How cheap? Mark Ross |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Cool Beans Date: 19 Nov 06 - 10:48 AM This thing sounds like a satire to me. I'm not going to bother to check it out, though. Who cares? Play what you want to play the way you want to play it. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: leeneia Date: 19 Nov 06 - 01:38 PM I observe that the article above comes from Los Angeles - LaLa land. So once again, somebody in the HQ of commercial music is trying to stamp out home-made music. This is not news. |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: Joe Richman Date: 19 Nov 06 - 01:51 PM Well, I live in Orange Co. and I know there are plenty of banjos for sale in LA. So the music industry can't even keep 'em out of LA. The banjo hating Lady works on the West side where the so called Industry is located, but just down the street is McCabe's music store. Laugh's on them!! Joe http://www.mccabes.com/brands.html |
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Subject: RE: Press release: book on banjo's demise From: leeneia Date: 19 Nov 06 - 05:19 PM Nice to hear, Joe! |
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