kevin toner
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Posts posted by kevin toner
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Rod, other than the slight modification below, the spec is on the video info - click on more info to see this.
...My range preference remains:
1) tenor-treble EC (have); then
2) baritone-treble EC (don't have) [ps: plus perhaps Duet (don't have)]; then
3) bass EC (don't have); then
4) extended treble EC (have)
Some of the notes I have to play are outside the bass range of the instrument. I then have to decide on what notes/bars or section of bars that I can raise an octave where necessary in order to retain the character of the piece. Some of these are deep double octave notes jumping down to the Bass EC range, which I'm happy to lose without detriment to the piece. This can all be pulled off by using either a TT or BT depending on the written piece. I'm lucky to have the extra low Bflat (Bf32) instead of the duplicate D#3, which helps minimise the need for the BT - meaning I can get on with a quite a lot until the latter can be acquired. I'll definitely be able to complete or extend upon my planned repertoire if so...
Thanks guys for these comments/questions. I've tracked back to an extract from an earlier comment as quoted above. This explains my luck of having a low Bflat in place of a low D# duplicate - therefore not feeling as much need for a baritone-treble just yet i.e. until I complete the some batches on my target repertoire using the [slightly modified] tenor-treble that I've inherited.
"...plus perhaps duet...", thanks Jim for your opinion on this. Bass/treble clef piano notation can be mixed using the EC layout, but I believe you can only site read one cleff at a time - I don't know if the duet layout is easier than EC, more like piano, in terms of being able to sight read both clefs at once!
In order to mix both clefs on EC, you have to laboriously construct the best fall-into-place fingering possible on a note-to-note/bar-to-bar/verse-to-refrain basis..., etc. then memorise/revisit until familiar. As said previously, I've inherited the added difficulty of de-memorising the treble-clef playing on my target repertoire. So hopefully that'll be some encouragement. This "Winter Wonderland" video is an example of starting afresh with that handicap - had I started without a knowledge of the treble clef on this song the video you see now would have been before you probably in mid January. Looking forward to now getting on with these. Through time I believe I may acclimatise to reading both clefs with greater ease - I can feel improvement already since adopting treble/bass reading since mid 2011.
ps: I've upgraded the link to a less blurry file. The former file had 49 hits - hoping to get more with the better file!
pps: regarding reading bass/treble together on EC - It was perhaps knowing how my granddad played/spoke that made me believe that this was possible. I've recently heard a fascinating interview/session with my granddad on such issues courtesy of Stuart Eydmann's PhD material, which I now have a copy of. Extracts of the interview are written in "The Life and Times of the Concertina" by Stuart, downloadable from this site on Concertina.net. I'm hoping Stuart can host the interview/session at some point on his raretunes or Scotchmusic.com URLs - fingers crossed, albeit it's almost an hour long despite being worth it. You will find out more on the specification and the remarkable history of this particular EC TT instrument. The copyright is Stuart's and family of the interviewee so I will have to consult him (and family) before any uploading can be done...
ppps: I'm going to have to reupload the older blurrier one as the unblurry one is not sound-to-vision coordinated. As mentioned I'll produce an actual mp3 later for sound quality, but for now I'm afraid we'll have to settle with the preferred lower res flv files. Here's the
again, sorry! -
My first amateur video on You Tube
.I thought I'd spring this one up before spring! I've added a description too. I've also discussed such songs on the General Discussion Page.
I concede the glissandos need practising - these were the last priority - however, as they are doable - through time and familiarisation - the piece will eventually be able to be played with greater character, swing, parody and of course much smoother, etc..., like second nature - Can't wait!
I read somewhere that this number almost never seen the light of day after it was composed in around the early 1930s until a change of heart - in fact Bernard may have even uncrumpled it from his bin (?)
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Boney, you caught me out there, it looked more like a silo to me, sorry! But, then again "silo type" water towers are relatively rare compared to the other types.
I managed to find one like yours on google images as per this link here. Some larches in the background too!
This arguably reduces my compound pun to a mere sextuple+ pun, but still not bad! However, apologies for trying to reinstate the thread. Please folks, no more puns!
back to images
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Photos of my granddad Danny playing will be on the way shortly.
Meanwhile here's some from Scotchmusic.com here.
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Yes, I apologise for the complexity of intertwined meanings!
LARCH was not my conscious intention although it makes for a worthy eggcorn that I'm inclined to claim! Another slim one is that birch rhymes with lurch, but larch might also have been in the back of my mind too...
The confusion might be a number of things, so I'll try to elaborate:
silo vision OR mentality is whereby everyone applies the same tact – in this case tree puns at the expense of silo puns. I thought you’d all got that one. Basically silo-vision connotes the vision of a silo in the background as well as meaning the one-sidedness/exclusivity of tree puns!
As there’s a silo in the background being beaten by way of pun offerings, I thought to stop the rot, or should I say Dutch elm disease!
However, as “silo vision” was going it alone, I thought another pun was due, i.e. lurching as opposed to lurking in the background. Lurch has a double meaning as well as rhyming with Lurk, which is significant as follows.
The word “lurch” is to add a friendlier tact than simply saying silo-mentality, e.g. as in friendly game play (Tree Vs Silo in this case) to express the silo puns scoring NIL in their beating. In other words they’ve been ‘grannied’ or ‘whitewashed’; or you might say 'lurched', which is one of the primary meanings of lurch.
Admittedly, I wasn’t aware at the time of writing that ‘Lurch’ is actually a legitimate secondary meaning for the word Lurk! “lurching/lurking” is therefore a double meaning pun [more examples please folks!] rather than a blatantly applied rhyming pun –
lurch rhyming with birch; or larch as an eggcorn of lurch might offer a little condolence for the rhyming [with lurk] pun not being valid [ps per se], albeit producing such a conceited double-meaning pun has made my day, but again I have to confess it was unintentional. Even if I was that clever, I would never demonstrate it – I was honestly trying to rhyme with lurk, not provide a rhyming synonym.
accidental luck...! Again apologies for being overly complex.
This was all I meant...
Eureka: If I may amend to - "too much silo vision larching in the background", I agree much better! but calling all literary geniuses - don't miss out the quadruple [arguably quintuple] pun in the usage of larching [i.e. septuple pun in total]! ps or perhaps even octuple depending on accent ie where there might be some vowel ryhming potential between larch[ing] and lurk[ing]
[ergo 1) silo-vision as 'vision of silo'; 2) larching as lurching, ie referencing wood in lieu of lurch ; 3) lurching as in the game-play meaning of being heavily beaten ie whitewashed/grannied and ps 4) as a pun [gaming alternative] to the use/allegation of silo-vision/mentality; 5) lurching as in lurking ie a double meaning or rhyming synonym; 6) arguably ditto as a rhymed pun – not as a double meaning, ie lurch connoting not denoting lurk; 7) lurch rhyming with birch..., ps: and of course 8) where larch rhymes with lurch in some dialects! apologies for the cheeky 8th - should be actually 7.5)!
Guys, thanks for direction - I couldn't have done it alone!
Reed Bellows, excellent sketch reminiscence/sourcing, hard to beat. Feeling unashamedly like one of these school kids!
All, sincere apologies for taking credit of the septuple pun, when originally it was thought to be a mere quadruple - you live and learn as they say!
So now on with the show - back to the photos of course!
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Gorgeous portrait. All color coordinated.
Beautiful!!!!
However,I should like to know if Jeff normally plays his duet while sitting up a tree? Is this an obligatory form of practice?
I think he's trying to branch out!
Sometimes, we all have a desire to be leafed alone.
I've just twigged, you're all barking.
The root of the issue is that I need to get trunk more often.
Well, ya wood, woodn't ya! It all depends on where your playing stems from!!
Chris
Is anyone else getting board with this?
I wonder how long before someone calls the copse on yew.
Too much silo vision lurching in the background!
Nope, sorry ... you totally lost me on that one, Don't understand that phrase at all.
I think he meant the larch. The Larch. THE. LARCH.
Number one...
Yes, I apologise for the complexity of intertwined meanings!
LARCH was not my conscious intention although it makes for a worthy eggcorn that I'm inclined to claim! Another slim one is that birch rhymes with lurch, but larch might also have been in the back of my mind too...
The confusion might be a number of things, so I'll try to elaborate:
silo vision OR mentality is whereby everyone applies the same tact – in this case tree puns at the expense of silo puns. I thought you’d all got that one. Basically silo-vision connotes the vision of a silo in the background as well as meaning the one-sidedness/exclusivity of tree puns!
As there’s a silo in the background being beaten by way of pun offerings, I thought to stop the rot, or should I say Dutch elm disease!
However, as “silo vision” was going it alone, I thought another pun was due, i.e. lurching as opposed to lurking in the background. Lurch has a double meaning as well as rhyming with Lurk, which is significant as follows.
The word “lurch” is to add a friendlier tact than simply saying silo-mentality, e.g. as in friendly game play (Tree Vs Silo in this case) to express the silo puns scoring NIL in their beating. In other words they’ve been ‘grannied’ or ‘whitewashed’; or you might say 'lurched', which is one of the primary meanings of lurch.
Admittedly, I wasn’t aware at the time of writing that ‘Lurch’ is actually a legitimate secondary meaning for the word Lurk! “lurching/lurking” is therefore a double meaning pun [more examples please folks!] rather than a blatantly applied rhyming pun –
lurch rhyming with birch; or larch as an eggcorn of lurch might offer a little condolence for the rhyming [with lurk] pun not being valid [ps per se], albeit producing such a conceited double-meaning pun has made my day, but again I have to confess it was unintentional. Even if I was that clever, I would never demonstrate it – I was honestly trying to rhyme with lurk, not provide a rhyming synonym.
accidental luck...! Again apologies for being overly complex.
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Can you see them now?
Yep.
Great stuff!Thanks.
Thanks Jim - and all the other IT helpers too!
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Gorgeous portrait. All color coordinated.
Beautiful!!!!
However,I should like to know if Jeff normally plays his duet while sitting up a tree? Is this an obligatory form of practice?
I think he's trying to branch out!
Sometimes, we all have a desire to be leafed alone.
I've just twigged, you're all barking.
The root of the issue is that I need to get trunk more often.
Well, ya wood, woodn't ya! It all depends on where your playing stems from!!
Chris
Is anyone else getting board with this?
I wonder how long before someone calls the copse on yew.
Too much silo vision lurching in the background!
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Thanks Reed Bellows, that should be them up and running! Thanks again
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I need to refresh the links - I'll be 10mins!
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Thanks guys/gals
That's them public now. Can you see them now?
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Can any of the photos be seen from posts #98 and #99 y/n??
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Here is my 1912 56key Aeola [passed to me from Granddad - Danny - in 2004] and one of Granddad's extras - a circa 1896 60key New Model[purchased 2nd hand for £5 sometime in the past, and gifted to another family member who gave up trying to learn it; and so it was the one I started off on] , i.e. a Wheatstone and Lachenal respectively.
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Great Granddad Michael Ton[n]er as previously mentioned. About 10-15 years between these images. Granddad Daniel Toner was the youngest in the family and has not been born yet in the photo, but Francis his older brother is on the far right, known in Australia as "the Concertina Wizard" - tapes may be uploaded along with Danny material soon; the "girl with the amazing voice" - Maggie [alias Peggy] Toner is there in between the Tina players.
ps These images were also corrupted, please refer to the link given at post #128 for re-uploads, including the photo of myself at the recent anniversary 2 years ago as mentioned above at #98
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33 years between the first 2 images, i.e. 1979/2012. Last image is me at a recent anniversary party almost 2 years ago.
ps These images were corrupted. However, I have now uploaded all of my passport photos here.
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No problem Wannaplayjazz,
Thanks for citing some of your repertoire.
I've also made some progress recently, not on the playing side at present (as I have an annoying finger ailment), but on the sourcing old recordings side. I imagine that some of the [authentically played old time jazz] tunes that I've been hearing/discovering (from home recordings) might get published online at some point as help is on the way. This is primarily solo work, but also includes frequent jamming; duets; vocal accompaniments etc., from my granddad that I'd mentioned earlier.
I'm sure he wasn't the only one that played in this style, but surely has to be one of the rarest and most naturally gifted... I'm sure some samples can be posted shortly, but needs time to organise. As a preview: I can only say, we've got much catching up to do!
Kevin
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Mellower tone than a metal ended version; extremely lightweight; fast response probably too as I seem to remember from last sampling one recently.
Very glad your pleased. I'm sure you'll do it justice as you've already begun to understand the layout, which is a good sign!
Kevin
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...the experience I DO have suggests that doing weird special layouts like this for individual instruments makes it much harder to play music in a pick-up fashion. For instance, my sister the guitar player couldn't look at this and play along with me easily. Nor could my Dad on the tin whistle.
Seems to me they could do so much more easily with this notation than with most other instrument-specific "tab".
- For the whistle and other one-note-at-a-time instruments, the melody is still there as itself and in standard musical notation, and written in the octave in which it is normally played, rather than the octave higher (in many cases) needed to keep it in the right hand of a standard anglo.
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For the piano, it's already in the piano-standard bass-clef-plus-treble-clef-notation, though the actual arrangements may not be suited to the piano.
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For the guitar, turning the lines of the bass clef into ledger lines should turn it into standard non-tablature guitar notation, except that the guitar is missing the low C of the C/G anglo. And as with the piano, even the arrangements that don't go below a low E may not really sit well on the guitar.
Your last point Jim, on guitar, is encouraging as the guitar is already conventionally and likewise written an octave higher i.e. in order to fit the notes onto the treble stave, which is why it sounds too bassy if played note for note.
This is good news because low tenor C is on the contrary actually included: it's at the 5th string 3rd fret so often assumed to be middle C (C4). I dont know if playing unison is the best idea, but definitely to be encouraged, only gravely unfair on the guitarist to be reading non-universally written notation as it has to be interpreted from 2 rather than 1 stave.
Jim, your 2nd last point, single-notes are usually already on piano sheet music: yes, but usually dedicated with a separate (3rd) treble stave at the top: called the voice, violin or whatever the preferred single instrument. And yes, very possible to extract/determine the single notes from the AC transcribed notation, but again very unfair to expect this of another instrumentalist who'd have to translate both staves as opposed to simply the one.
Kevin
- For the whistle and other one-note-at-a-time instruments, the melody is still there as itself and in standard musical notation, and written in the octave in which it is normally played, rather than the octave higher (in many cases) needed to keep it in the right hand of a standard anglo.
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That's how bands did/do it I believe albeit much more common in the past.
I stand corrected regarding the bass clef being down an extra octave. Forgive my ignorance - I hadn't realised the C/G Anglo went down as low as tenor C, like the standard tenor-treble of the EC system.
I see in your book that the tenor C is a very common note - so I do believe that you will find some joy upon accomplishing these.
I stand by my suggestion that the tunes appear to be treble in nature, naturally as an Anglo player is not a pianist doing bass accompaniment. So your suggestion that this is a single instrument notation [for AC} is very true. However, the piece I'm sure will be rewarding to solo in its own right without proper bass accompaniment by another.
However, experimentally speaking, I'd be trying to acquire/compare the piano music in the same key and borrow at least the bass clef notation to be played by another player - possibly a low-reach Duet; extended baritone EC or lower; or at the very least a tenor-treble EC or another C/G AC player for that matter; or best yet perhaps a harpist/pianist [ps: or guitarist]. My worst fear is that it might clash or be too busy. Funnily, I'm trying to merge both the treble and bass playing into the one tenor-treble instrument - I don't know if you'd be able to do this on Anglo though (?)
Simple line notation, if you can find it, in the same key for the tin whistle might be even too busy if it doesn't unify well with the AC transcribed piece.
Matching-key guitar tablature is likely to be available for these too somewhere, perhaps online as a first port of call!
Kevin
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Very interesting to see the Mel Bay sample pages. There's however a drop of two [not one octave] on the bass clef, which signifies that it is not bass proper that is intended, but rather treble - i.e. by using a clef/stave per hand for convenience.
That said, it signifies at least a start in the transposing of Anglo playing, which I'd like to see more of. I'd like to see standard ornamentation rules written down for ITM concertina if there isn't already. There appears to be rules written for every other ITM instrument in the Ceol Rince na hÉireann series, but alas AC is not included in the list!
I'd prefer to see AC transposed music written on the one stave unfortunately as an EC player. However, if it is more convenient to do otherwise then that's great for AC readers, but beware that it's a contrived form and not a universal form of notation...
That said, they look like great tunes to learn and I might some day go to the trouble to buy/convert it onto single stave in my mind to hear how the tunes have been interpreted by an AC player. Again, interesting!
Kevin
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Further to my earlier post and a possible debate on 'multi- Vs uni-', I'll be sticking to concertina for the record i.e. for any further musical development - not conventional training or playing by ear, as I can't, but by following written work. I won't be taking Guitar/Uke learning further and will be happy to remain content on my current proficiency on these for the time being.
However, I do hope to continue to use guitar and the uke for voice accompanying/development as I've already long known how to chord and site-read since a teen in the 1980s. like driving in a way, it never leaves you. Like EC, I don't/can't play by ear - I need to know the chord and see or memorise what's written. I'll persevere with the strings until the calluses appear again - I'm still looking into a solution against this inevitability as per my recent "residue build up" post and hope to get back on my findings - I'd imagine that the Harp would certainly be a more compatible bedfellow as a [fingertip friendly] stringed instrument.
I recall an earlier thread section that had debated 'playing concertina while singing simultaneously' - definitely a worthwhile topic. Singing-along helped me to focus on my tasks, but at the end of the day singing may affect the playing - irrespective of the player's familiarisation with the piece - which, for me, I'll be able to determine after my first attempt to record shortly. I said in one of my own recent comments on another thread that Roberton's 'Mingulay Boat Song' arrangement was definitely a challenge for me due to the rhythms [postscript: and very different phrasing demands] clashing/swapping occasionally between some voice and piano parts - then again isn't this a skill that some possess/boast (?) - An older relatives EC lesson was to see how long both pupils could play different songs simultaneously!
Some priorities and other thoughts:
My priority is going to be EC throughout. I don't think that Duet Concertina is going to be an option after having a quick look at the 64 key Hayden online [postscript: this is because the extra few and far between bass notes that I'd gain do not run chromatically until A2, i.e. I'd gain a B2; A2; G2 and F2, that's all, but it's tempting on second thoughts - tone quality (and difficulty?) would be the deciding factor/s. Again, my TT has been equipped with a Bf2 so like my thirst for a BT (on the same EC button layout) I'm in no rush for an extra few bass notes, as explained below, yet]!
My range preference remains:
1) tenor-treble EC (have); then
2) baritone-treble EC (don't have) [ps: plus perhaps Duet (don't have)]; then
3) bass EC (don't have); then
4) extended treble EC (have)
Some of the notes I have to play are outside the bass range of the instrument. I then have to decide on what notes/bars or section of bars that I can raise an octave where necessary in order to retain the character of the piece. Some of these are deep double octave notes jumping down to the Bass EC range, which I'm happy to lose without detriment to the piece. This can all be pulled off by using either a TT or BT depending on the written piece. I'm lucky to have the extra low Bflat (Bf32) instead of the duplicate D#3, which helps minimise the need for the BT - meaning I can get on with a quite a lot until the latter can be acquired. I'll definitely be able to complete or extend upon my planned repertoire if so.
Bass EC 3rd on my list is one of my fancies should [if I win the lottery!] I try my hand at layering/recording the clefs independently; or in the unlikely event that I'd find a dueting partner to share the piece with. This 3rd option won't ever oust the TT [or BT?]. It would simply be experimental - forgive my greed by this point - since a treble's tonal quality is unlikely to be matched, even where the few pieces on my repertoire are doable within a bass' range, not to mention the probable added difficulty of tackling the occasional deep double octaves that I argue are unnecessary.
That said, some arrangement classics are wholly within the range of even the standard TT (e.g. Roberton's 'Mingulay Boat Song' in F, 1938), which don't go below C3, but are rare - here the pianist's hands will be pretty close to each other, almost touching at points! This is an easy one to start with as there are simply no more than 4 notes to press at any one point, but beware of a second version - I've had the unfortunate pleasure of being mesmerised by my own family get-together band's wonderful rendition of this, which I have to temporarily de-embed when on the Roberton version. As the actual Roberton arrangements are fairly bear, singing-along simultaneously is absolutely essential.
My 4th choice of EC (ET) will be for when I finally get onto: 1) high end violin/piccolo range classical soloing; and 2) traditional fiddle styles [mimicry (?) - that's what I'm doing with the piano sheet music, I think I can do the same with some of the itm books that provide ornamentation and player transcribed notation, such as the "Ceol Rince na hEireann" series; including Scottish equivalents. I have to date enjoyed some of the Kerr's "Collection of Merry Melodies" series, but admit I need to give more attention to the publisher's prescribed ornamentation, which I'd begun to start doing recently, although it might not be the best plan for all I know].
I checked my vocal range today. I marginally Fell short of a full 4 octave C3 to C7 (at Ef3 to B6). This won't explain how I can't sing (instantaneously) along to the famously high Bf6 falsetto note in Bohemian Rhapsody although I can reach half a note higher within a typical scale test on that particular register – same goes for the extreme bottom end of my vocal range. Although I'm pleased to be finally reaching some common low notes without losing the high notes when I get to them - i.e. in all those [gliding up and down] vocal notations within the 1930s standards.
If an official music teacher reads this comment, I'm outta here! I should of course be learning to conventions(!)
Or is it okay to have your own? Another debate for another post!
Kevin
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Mines in order of proficiency is 1. [Tenor Treble 56 key Aeola] Concertina (a chromatic system - i.e. English Concertina (EC), not the Duet, although I'd like to try the duet to form an opinion), then 2. nylon string guitar, then 3. Ukulele within the last week, and finally vocal if you count that as an instrument.
In other words Concertina, Guitar, Ukulele, Vocal.
I can sight-read on guitar, and chording not a problem, but it comes 2nd in the scheme of things due to my focus on the Concertina.
My voice will develop as I didn't ever use it before, prior to when I decided to accompany my EC practise around a couple of years ago... - so early days yet. I use Vocal to really enjoy chording on both uke and guitar.
Kevin
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I recall saying on the thread that salvation army brass players may also have experienced severe finger perspirations during cold weather, but on second thoughts I forgot that gloves are worn, silly me! Albeit finger perspiration etc. is definitely an issue in some brass maintenance/cleaning forums.
I also said I'd refrained from guitar due to callous build up i.e. from playing those luscious chords associated with the 1930s standards, which are almost as equally spellbinding on guitar, nylon string being my personal playing preference as I haven't heard otherwise except through old Eddie Lang and Django Reinhardt mp3s. Nylon might be too bassy as a recording option though (?)
Well, I'll be reverting back onto strings once again. I know where I'm going now in terms of concertina and can now give guitar (and ukulele) some attention now too. I say Uke because I have recently acquired some independent Lawrence Wright Music sheet music that appears to have the uke chords tablature. The latter is a much bearer sound, but when the voice is applied over, it's once again a spellbinding experience, thanks to the LWM Co.
As for the possible eventual callouses, I'm wearing gloves at the moment, but I've another trick up my sleeve that I'm waiting to try out shortly, and will report back soon on this.
Kevin
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Wannaplayjazz,
Good to hear you've succeeded in a good find!
Good luck with that preferred style too.
My granddad Danny sometimes summed up his style by saying he plays simply "jazz". My initial thought/reaction was hmm interesting, but confused as I'd always thought jazz was post-war jazz - very different. He was definitely referring to the pre-war period as you do.
I had the impression that his favourite ca.1920s popular Nos may have been 'Alice Blue Gown' and undoubtedly 'Bye Bye Blackbird'. He was a firm believer in 'play what people will know of', mainly to accompany their singing! I would say he certainly slowed these down (improvised) to incorporate great harmonies, which I suppose you might label as jazz. Some uploads will be on their way shortly as previously promised. I think one of his favourite 30s songs might have been 'Brother can you spare a dime', as he often said to me if I'd known it - no I had to confess - a song that seemed to be rediscovered in the 1970s to an extent, perhaps in the folk genre (?) It might work well in your targeted style!
Danny mentioned "musical-comedy" was what he was drawn to (a google search might help define what this was), which I used to think referred to 'musicals'! and definitely an alternative to the quite different post-war jazz, which wasn't his cup of tea, and nor certainly was "rock n' roll" for that matter. [i can see that much 1930s, e.g. Duke Ellington written material, seems to have anticipated post-war jazz convention to a degree, e.g. 'Mood Indigo' and 'Sophisticated Lady'.]
I'll have to wait on hearing/studying any recordings of him before I can make assertions. I can't wait to find out as many as possible of the songs that he played - he was a big request pleaser and could play instantaneously in any key too. It's been so long since hearing him at his prime live back in the 1980s/90s around when I was a teen. Friends and family have promised me some material to hear/upload soon!
I would certainly recommend many of the 1930s standards, which are often skeletally 1920s if not in feel. I'd certainly recommend: 'Ida, sweet as apple Cider' and 'careless love' as 2 of the most enduring that had spanned the decades in terms of popularity; and then possibly such 1930s standards proper as 'Basin Street Blues', 'When it's sleepy time own south'; 'Have you ever been lonely'; 'Lazybones' and 'Back to those Happy Days'. Hopefully there are some worthwhile pointers there worth pursuing.
These suggestions are from the book compilation that I'd mentioned on the Strictly Ballroom thread recently, which comprise mostly regular dance hall or big band favourites.
[A song I’ve got practically ready for recording (my own playing) is ‘Memories of You’, 1930 which I’d say was either Ellington-esque or vice-versa an influence upon him (?), but definitely with a ballroom dance slant for sure. This is the first song that I've been taking seriously from that compilation - sorry that this might be off your beaten track by quite a bit, but I think that this one is probably one of the best jazz standards of its time. I'm also looking forward to catching up on 'I only have eyes for you' and 'once in a while' as other enduring jazz standards (plus ballroom classics) originating from slightly later in the decade, not to mention lots more from such compilations. I'm also practically ready with 'Winter Wonderland' 1933 after 6 weeks, a great xmas time jazz standard, but can be apt from 21 Dec. to 21 Mar. (or 1 Jun. to 31 Aug. if southern hemisphere) so don't hold back!]
Kevin
winter wonderland
in Concertina Videos & Music
Posted · Edited by kevin toner
Thanks Geoff, glad to hear you're interested and that I'm not alone. Although, I already had the impression that you (and others) were inclined towards exploring this side of the EC, thanks again. [ps: also looking forward to comparing renditions (of this song and others) no doubt at some point in the future]