Comments on: Roots of the banjo on YouTube

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:49:34 +0000

In reply to Barbara. Hey, I'm glad to give exposure to bands like that -- no reason why the folkies should have them all to themselves. Thanks for stopping by.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:45:58 +0000

In reply to Patry francis. Cool. You can find a little more such music on YouTube, too, by searching "akonting."

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:31:47 +0000

Thanks, Dave, for the introduction to CCD.
I’ve been enjoying your banjo poems

By: Patry francis

Patry francis — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:26:28 +0000

Thanks for these, Dave. I still haven’t heard them all, but will return. Especially enjoyed the phenomenal Sana Ndiaye. Heading to his Myspace page now.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:58:49 +0000

In reply to John Piper. Hi John - Thanks for the comment. I'm really glad this is proving of interest to banjo players as well as those who know little beyond what we'll call the Deliverance stereotype. There's so much good stuff on Youtube now -- I feel like I barely scratched the surface.

By: John Piper

John Piper — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:32:02 +0000

Dave, I came across this link in the banjohangout.com forums. Thanks so much for putting this together, it gives the development of the banjo some historical context in an easy to understand presentation. Any student of the banjo would benefit from seeing the short video comparisons of instruments and styles.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:06:47 +0000

In reply to Clive Hicks-Jenkins.

I hope you enjoyed some of the videos. Obviously I was trying mainly to counter the stigma the instrument has acquired — a stigma which has existed nearly as long as the instrument, apparently — and make the point that, as Mr. Fleck says, it was not an instrument invented by Southern white people.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:04:08 +0000

In reply to Lucy. Thanks! Here's to long life for box elder, too.

By: Clive Hicks-Jenkins

Clive Hicks-Jenkins — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:44:37 +0000

WOW! Everything we need to know about the banjo and more! Well done Dave. This is to be my New Year treat in front of the laptop this evening. It’s a subject about which I have no knowledge at all, so thanks for this fantastic introduction.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:29:17 +0000

Ooh that ‘Pretty Polly’ one is macabre and funny!

Happy New Year, Dave, and long live the amazing bran tub which is Via Negativa.