an experience of music and community

The Woods Banjo Class 1999:
Arnie's Picks for Banjo and Old-Time Music CD's

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Intro

At this year's Woods Camp of Music and Dance, I had the distinct pleasure of taking Arnie Naiman's Banjo Class. There were eight of us in the class, four rank beginners (my group) and four advanced players. After instructing us newbies in the basics of clawhammer rhythm and frailing, he sent us outside onto the porch to practice while he gave advanced instruction to the others.

We made quite a racket out there. I noticed that The Woods permanent grounds crew started making a wide arc around the beginning banjo players after the first day. Despite our lack of finesse, we thoroughly enjoyed Arnie's instruction and his obvious passion for banjo and oldtime music. Arnie brought in several CD's of banjo music and played cuts to illustrate various styles and techniques.

I asked Arnie if he would mind emailing us a basic list of CD's he would recommend for our continued study once camp was over. This he has graciously done, and here, my brothers and sisters in Beginning (and Advanced) Banjo, are Arnie's picks:

-- Gene Wilburn, Woods '99

CD's for a basic banjo / oldtime library

Hello Gene! I've been workin' my butt off this week, and haven't had any time for music since the Woods. It was great to be there! I hope you are banjo inspired now. Just in case you need some more inspiration I am sending you the list, so here we go:

Here is some great banjo instrumental music currently available. Try ordering from Elderly Instruments, or County Sales (both have web sites). You can order directly from Walt Koken on the web, and from Reed Martin by real old time mail.

Banjo Recordings

Bob Carlin Banging & Sawing

Now available on CD with previously unreleased tracks. Bob on banjo dueting with fiddlers James Bryan, Bruce Molsky, Judy Hyman and Brad Leftwich. CD ROUN-CD0197...

(This is my favorite banjo/fiddle recording yet - clearly played banjo with great players!)

Cathy Fink Banjo Haiku

26 tunes, mostly instrumental cassette COMM-C202....

Walt Koken Banjonique - hot platter!

one-time Highwoods Stringband fiddler with an all-banjo album CD ROUN-CD0337..... cassette ROUN-C0337.....

Walt Koken Finger Lakes Ramble

Self-produced treasure trove of tunes by this distinctive banjo-picker and former Highwoods Stringband fiddler CD MMUSIC-CD0070.... cassette MMUSIC-C0070...

Mike Seeger Southern Banjo Sounds

26 tracks surveying banjo styles from the earliest African-American traditions through early Scuggs picking, performed on 23 different banjos. Includes booklet with color photos of banjos, tunings, playing techniques, and history CD FOLKW-CD40107...

Reed Martin Old Time Banjo

37 tracks of great solo clawhammer and some picking! tunings provided. send $15.00 U.S. to Reed Martin 6431 79th St. Cabin John , Maryland 20818 (tell him Arnie Naiman sent you)

Here are some great Old time recordings of songs and tunes:

Charlie Poole

Charlie Poole, VOL. 1 CA...COUY-C505....

Old Time Songs combines 16 tracks from "Charlie Poole" Vol. 1 & 2 CD...COUY-CD3501..

Old Time Songs -- Volume 2 16 more songs from the North Carolina wonder, c. 1926-1931. Includes "Baltimore Fire" and "Movin' Day." CD...COUY-CD3508....

The Legend of Charlie Poole Vol. 3 1926-30 -- samples from many old time genres including "Goodbye Liza Jane", "I Once Loved A Sailor". "Too Young To Marry" and more CD...COUY-CD3516..

Uncle Dave Macon

Go Long Mule CA...COUY-C545 CD...COUY-CD3505..

Hillbillie Blues, Vol. 3 CA...OLDH-C184...

Just from Tennessee CA...OLDH-C185..

Keep My Sillet Good and Greasy CA...OLDH-C148.... OLDH-148....

Over the Mountain, 1935-38: Vol. 2 CA...OLDH-C183

Traveling Down the Road CD...COUY-CD115 CA...COUY-C115

Uncle Dave Macon: Original Recordings 1925-1935 CA...COUY-C521

Delmore Bros.

Brown's Ferry Blues CD...COUY-CD116 CA...COUY-C116

Delmore Brothers Vol. 1: Weary Lonesome Blues CA...OLDH-C153

Delmore Brothers Vol. 2: Singing My Troubles Away CA...OLDH-C154

Bruce Molsky

Bruce Molsky and Big Hoedown CD...ROUN-CD0421..

Double Decker Stringband

Chasing Rainbows CD...MARI-CD9065

Evolution Girl CA...MARI-C9021

For an Old Time Call ... CA...MARI-C9035

Riley Puckett

Old Time Greats, Vol. 2 CA...OLDH-C174 OLDH-174

Riley Puckett: Early Country CA...OLDH-C114

Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich

A Moment in Time CA...MARI-C9038

Brad Leftwich

Say, Old Man (Hot Platter!) Sixteen songs from Appalachia in the style of Tommy Jarrell, Matokie Slaughter and other mentors. Linda Higginbotham joins in with banjo uke and vocals CD...COUY-CD2714 CA...COUY-C2714

Well that will get you started! There is lots more to get once you're hooked! Enjoy!

Arnie (August 26, 1999)