To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=22063
33 messages

Help: tenor banjo?

02 Jun 00 - 12:27 AM (#237264)
Subject: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,ruby

we just got a tenor banjo and i was wonderin if anyone knew some good examples of bands/artists that use it so we can get more of an idea about it thanx -Ruby


02 Jun 00 - 08:54 AM (#237350)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Mooh

Try Silly Wizard. Fits in very well with their other instrumentation.


02 Jun 00 - 09:53 AM (#237370)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: BeauDangles

I don't remember Silly Wizard ever using tenor banjo, but I do recall that Andy Steward is listed on my one album as playing one. I would suggest a man from california called Seamus Egan (not the guy from Solas, although he plays as well--just not so much in that band.) West Coast Seamus has a recording called In Your Ear, which is great.


02 Jun 00 - 10:04 AM (#237374)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Jon Freeman

ruby, a lot will depend on what style of music you are intrested in. The tenor is commonly used as a jazz instrument as well as in folk music.

If you want to listen to some really dazzling "Irish" stlye playing, try Gerry O'Connor.

Also, I have always liked the playing of Barney Mckenna with the Dubliners.

I'm afraid I have no sugesstions for the jazz styles.

Jon


02 Jun 00 - 10:19 AM (#237378)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,Mike Billo

For Jazz style, try Harry Reser (one of the best ever), for old time country, the Allen Brothers (Austin Allen on tenor banjo).


02 Jun 00 - 12:34 PM (#237444)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST, ruby

thankyou so much guys that helps us out a lot


02 Jun 00 - 12:40 PM (#237446)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Jon Freeman

Hang around a while ruby, you may get some more suggestions yet and, what is your tenor banjo? I have 2 and old 19 fret Dulcetta and a modern 17 fret Kildare.

Jon


02 Jun 00 - 12:41 PM (#237447)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: jeffp

Another person to listen to for Irish style is Mick Moloney.

jeffp


02 Jun 00 - 01:04 PM (#237463)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Mooh

Beau'... Try the live video from Atlanta (?) AMS plays it quite a bit. So you get the visual and the audio picture. Mooh.


02 Jun 00 - 01:30 PM (#237476)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,Anon

Back in the 70s, the Correctone String Band, out of Ithaca NY, used tenor instead of 5-string banjo. Great sound! They made at least one record; certainly out of print by now but perhaps retrievable from some archive source.


02 Jun 00 - 02:52 PM (#237511)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: zander (inactive)

Ruby, you can also try albums by two stunning irish players; Cathal Hayden and Keiran Hanrahan. You can find out almost everything and anything about tenor banjo's from Tony Sullivan [ also a great player ] at Halshaw Music in Macclesfield in England, they are on the net but the address just isn't to hand. Regards, Dave


02 Jun 00 - 02:59 PM (#237514)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Jon Freeman

Sully's site is http://www.halshawmusic.co.uk/. The Kildare banjo I own is one of excellent range of banjos.

Jon


02 Jun 00 - 03:09 PM (#237518)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Matticus

More great Irish players, Kevin Griffin who lives in Clare, plays alot in Doolin, his recordings include a great solo album, Down in Doolin, with loads of great west Clare musicians. Shaskeen Ceili Band banjo player Tom Cussins plays in a great old style, not unlike Mick Molony's playing. Tom is also a fine maker of tenor banjos by the name of "Clareen". (Mick M. plays one.) John Carty from around Roscommon has a few great solo albums, "The Cat that Ate the Candle" He's also a great fiddler.


02 Jun 00 - 03:50 PM (#237532)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Jon Freeman

As I gave the link to Sully, Tom Cussens site is http://homepage.tinet.ie/~tomcussen/. I have played a Clareen and liked it a lot.

Jon


02 Jun 00 - 07:39 PM (#237630)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,barry@mckee46,freeserve.co.uk

Ruby, Never mind all the names in tenor banjo players. I have been playing Tenor Banjo now for over 35 years, and the cleanest most perfect player I have heard is Barney mc Kenna (Dubliners)so take it from me

Benny.


03 Jun 00 - 12:16 AM (#237769)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,Jim.C.

Ruby,

I have been playing tenor banjo for almost 45 years and I have to agree with Benny. Barney McKenna is the best I have ever heard. His renditions of "Kitty Come Down From Limerick" - "My Love Is an American" and the Masons Apron sets him apart from all the other great players, like Gerry O'Connor, David Mc Niven, Hanrahan and of course Sully.


03 Jun 00 - 12:42 AM (#237779)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Jon Freeman

Ah well Ruby, I'm not going to get into a who is the best debate and the name I first mentioned is one of a newer and I think a little different type of player to McKenna but one thing I will say is that if I was ever asked which musician I most wanted to meet (any instrument) it is Barney McKenna. He has been a sort of hero of mine for years.

Jon


03 Jun 00 - 11:00 AM (#237841)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: zander (inactive)

There is no doubt about it, Barney McKenna taught everyone else in the world, Barney is the BOSS. Cheers, Dave


03 Jun 00 - 12:12 PM (#237864)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Mooh

ruby, Also try Brian Teheny's work with Loretto Reid. He's very good. Mooh.


03 Jun 00 - 05:45 PM (#237949)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,Big Phil

Barney is the best


03 Jun 00 - 05:52 PM (#237952)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,Valerie

banjo bonnie is


03 Jun 00 - 07:03 PM (#237976)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Frankham

Jazz banjo....try FIGA.... Fretted Instrumentalist Guild of America. You can find them on-line.

Jazz oriented type tenor banjo:

Buddy Wachter, Steve Bonaventura, Johnny Baier, Randy Morris, Tim Allan (Toronto)....these people can really play that style of tenor banjo.

Check recordings of Reser, Mike Pingatore (with Paul Whiteman) Elmer Snowden (formerly the leader ot the Duke Ellington orchestra), Roy Smeck (who played everything).

There are many fine tenor banjo players in this style and the above should get you started.

Frank


03 Jun 00 - 07:21 PM (#237983)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Peter K (Fionn)

I've got no argument with Barney's fans - I'm one too. But I vaguely remember a guy who played various instruments with various people, including (I think) lead guitar with Elton John, and I once heard him playing a tenor banjo fantastically well. On that occasion he was with Noel Murphy and he was playing under the name of "Shaggis". Does anyone know whether he had a more respectable name? Dave Something, I think, but I'm making my brain hurt.


03 Jun 00 - 11:04 PM (#238036)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Jon Freeman

Oh and Ruby, one thing that you are probably aware of but as you only just got the banjo, I will say just in case. The tunings tend to be different for the jazz and the "Irish" styles.

The "standards" are Jazz: C,G,D,A and Irish: G,D,A,E. Most sets of strings you buy are designed for C,G,D,A tuning and tend to be a little slack when tuned down to G,D,A,E and you may need to have to buy single strings to get a suitable set - Sully's site does offer some suggestions regarding guages.

Jon


04 Jun 00 - 04:53 AM (#238047)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: zander (inactive)

Fionn, I very well remeber Noel Murphy and Shaggis, you were right , his name was Davy Johnston, I don't know where he is now, or Murphy for that matter except that he now lives in Scotland. Regards, Dave


04 Jun 00 - 04:29 PM (#238170)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,Craigie the Banjo Boy

Just one to add to the list: Eamonn Coyne from Rosscommon--who plays with the band Russell's House-- fae Edinburgh. A fantastic tenor banjo player.

(Craigie the Banjo Boy's wife here: do any other banjo players take their banjos to bed and make their wives sleep on the sofa....or is this only MY problem????)


05 Jun 00 - 12:45 PM (#238433)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Matticus

One other young great on the tenor, Sharon Shannon's sister Mary Shannon is a sublime player, haven't heard her recorded, only in sessions in Galway.


05 Jun 00 - 07:42 PM (#238580)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,ruby

i didnt check this for days and then saw all these responses its great! someone asked what type of banjo i have its a 1918 bacon orchestra it sounds nice the only thing i have trouble with is tuning it coz im used to guitar which is not as sensetive. does anyone know what tuning is used for old country music on the tenor coz ive just been tuning it to CDGA ? thanx ruby


05 Jun 00 - 09:22 PM (#238616)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Cap't Bob

If you plan to play music from the ragtime era use the standard C,G,D,A as mentioned above. I use this tuning but tend to mix things up a bit. When playing Irish music I put the capo on the second fret and this makes your easy keys D, A, AND G. With the Irish music you then play mostly on the lower three strings ~ this also makes it easier to hit the high notes without going way down the neck.

Cap't Bob


06 Jun 00 - 01:31 AM (#238787)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,ruby

thanx cap't bob that cleared things up a little ive been workin out a little irish stuff which i translated from tin whistle and guitar so thanx for that info i only just found this site and i really cant thank you all enough all this info is kinda mindboggling to me im pretty much computer illiterate so i didnt know about any of this its amazing!! i think i might turn into a computer nerd and never leave the internet again....or not love ruby


06 Jun 00 - 03:56 AM (#238824)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Fiddlin' Big Al

Find Roy Smeck recordings, Hoosier Hot-Shots. Plays like a mandola or mandolin chord-wise if your hands stretch well. Fixture in Dixieland jazz. Just did sound for a dixieland fest in Spokane and heard lotsa tenors. Very much alive. Fortunately you don't have to try and sound like an Earl Scruggs - do your own thing. A thin flatpick and a bit of mando- style tremelo nervous hand twitch is cool. Bon chance!


03 Feb 04 - 10:41 PM (#1108749)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: GUEST,humanbeingboy@hotmail.com

I realize that I'm a few years past date, but I just found this site. I NEED to put in a plug for my own favorite tenor player, Jim Reidy. He played uke with the Chicken Chokers (southern old time) in the 80's, but he is a great tenor player. Check out Twang! on honkingduck.com. He also extends it to the tenor guitar and tenor national steel. I've seen him do early rock-steady/reggae, delmore and louvin brothers tunes, and NIck Cave and Spider John Koerner, too.


04 Feb 04 - 09:19 AM (#1109064)
Subject: RE: Help: tenor banjo?
From: Leadfingers

Ruby - If you are in UK check out John Alvey Turner in Ware Herts . The guy who runs the shop (Doug Parry) plays , sells , and repairs banjos and will sell you the right guage strings wether you want to
tune Standard or Folk.