# Music by Genre > Jazz/Blues Variants, Bossa, Choro, Klezmer >  Eden & John's East River String Band

## Ed Goist

Here's the East River String Band doing _"Jake Leg Blues"_ featuring Robert Crumb with some tasty mandolin licks! Plus Crumb throws-in some neat historical information about the song.
I love these guys!




One more, _"Baby How Can It Be?"_ ...Crumb's mandolin is way up in the mix in this series of videos...Great stuff!

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## journeybear

Thanks for posting these. I found out about this outfit a few weeks ago on another thread quite unrelated except for a piece of R. Crumb's artwork. They are probably going to be my next big music purchase. (Big for me is over $20 - don't listen to much music, too busy with my own and/or other things.) I like what they are doing. I've had two bands that worked in this area, one which counted as its main influences R. Crumb & The Cheap Suit Serenaders, along with Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, the Holy Modal Rounders, and Leon Redbone. So these guys are right in my wheelhouse.

You posted the wrong video, so here is "Jake Leg Blues." Also Me And My Chauffer, which I heard first by Jefferson Airplane, of all things, on their first album, before Grace Slick joined them.

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## Ed Goist

Thanks for the follow-up post JB! 
I really like the historical background info from Crumb at the end of the _Jake Leg Blues_ video...
Really nice mando work on that tune also.
Eden & John are prolific YouTube posters...I always look forward to their new videos, and it usually isn't much of a wait between postings. GREAT STUFF!

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## allenhopkins

They could use a jug and a kazoo; otherwise great.

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## journeybear

Would you believe me if I told you that in at least one song Eden plays kazoo? Would you take my word for it? Because they have hundreds of videos up, and I saw one while searching through them. But I don't feel up to looking for it. Besides, I know you're kidding around. 

I could be wrong about this - but while they can get away with playing kazoo, occasionally, once you start bringing jug, washtub bass, and/or washboard into the mix, you can't call yourselves a string band any more, and must call yourselves a jug band. Perhaps this is something Eden and John wish to avoid. If you think the bluegrass police are tough, wait till you've been pulled over by the jug band police.  :Disbelief:

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## allenhopkins

> ...Besides, I know you're kidding around...If you think the bluegrass police are tough, wait till you've been pulled over by the jug band police.


1. Yeah, I was, but not really...their sound really could benefit (if "benefit's" the word) from kazoo.  My idol on that instrument was Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller, and I could hear him buzzing away in my mind when I listened to them.  The jug, well, yes, that was pretty much kidding around.  Now, washtub bass, that *could* be an addition; listened to Fritz Richmond enough in the 1960's to get a real liking for it.

2.  "Jug band police"?  I thought one of the characteristics of jug band was that almost anything goes -- trumpets, clarinets, banjos (5-string and tenor), mandolin-banjos, all types of hand percussion.  Are there "SPJBMA band contest rules" for jug bands?  My illusions of musical _laissez-faire_ and melodic anarchy are imperiled.

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## journeybear

I haven't looked at more than a dozen or so of their more than 300 uploads, so I don't know how often they use kazoo. Though it _would_ fit into what they are doing - as would jug and washtub bass - I have a feeling they may wish to avoid the perception of a novelty act the addition of these instruments would likely bring. By adopting their somewhat serious approach, the humor inherent in some of their material speaks for itself. Listeners unfamiliar with these instruments and how evocative they can be will probably spend a disproportionate amount of time at a show paying attention to them, rather than the entire ensemble. I think it's best to keep the lineup as is, with the oddest instrument the ukulele - or mandolin.  :Wink: 

I've been in a couple of jug bands, one of which had a jug/tub player who had perfect pitch, and even had a rig so he could play both at once. In his hands these instruments were remarkably powerful and his skill on them so impressive, that it was easy to forget what was producing these sounds. We did a festival workshop with The Jug Band once, and if you have any doubts that the kazoo can be a serious instrument, you should hear what Maria Muldaur can do with it. But the vast majority of people have not been introduced to its wonders and subtleties, so unless one is willing to put up with a good deal of smirks, it may be best to steer clear.

Of course I'm guessing about the intent of EJERSB; I haven't read their mission statement. They are darned near perfect the way they are; I don't see a need to change a thing. I can see them using kazoo for variety, though not too often. I think I saw one video with a lineup that included a clarinet, too. No cowbell, though ... yet ...

Oh, and the jug band police ... They are a sneaky lot, occasionally alluded to - always in hushed tones - but hardly ever observed in action. By the living.

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## journeybear

OK, here's one with kazoo - ironically/appropriately named. It was a little hard to find because it's a static long shot. And also, Eden's demure stage presence makes her tend to blend in with her surroundings.



Here's another. I don't know if it's the plastic kazoo or her style, but she isn't getting a good buzz out of it. I'm starting to pay more attention to Crumb and his mandolin - which I think was the original idea of this thread anyway.  :Smile:  He's no virtuoso, but he has a good feel for the material and the mandolin's role in it.

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## catmandu2

QUOTE=allenhopkins;956247].melodic anarchy are imperiled.[/QUOTE]

dam* yes!


yes, kazoo and the rest of the metal...crumb is like a more autistic gutbucket version of woody allen  - ...but Woody has Greg Cohen playing bass....keep the bass player!   :Smile:

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## catmandu2

btw - i hope you guys (and gals) get a chance to check out asylum street spankers from austin .. don't know if they;re still touring, I'd bet $100 that crumb would love them (loves them)..


washboard, uke, plectrum banjo, saw, MANDOLIN, two resonatoir guitars, ribald humor with frequent   scatological references ...

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## Ed Goist

> They could use a jug and a kazoo; otherwise great.

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## journeybear

Well, now! If, as they say (who are "they," anyway, and why do they know so much?  :Confused:  ), a picture is worth a thousand words, then you just said more than my last post and two more besides!  :Wink:  Guess I'll be going to my corner for a time out and some quiet time ...  :Whistling:

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## allenhopkins

> ...I don't know if it's the plastic kazoo or her style, but she isn't getting a good buzz out of it. ...


Concur regarding that second vid.  Sounds like the diaphragm isn't vibrating at all.  Did you know you can buy *replacement kazoo diaphragms* from Elderly Instruments for 60¢ each?  Don't give up on that old non-buzzing kazoo, there are always transplant possibilities.

Looks like the band lineup in the photo is completely different from the one in the vids, other than Eden and John.  It's a great sound, and a real archive of unjustly neglected songs and styles.  And Mr. Crumb is an effective mandolin player, fer shure.

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## journeybear

As far as I have been able to determine, Eden & John's East River String Band IS Eden & John - everyone else is a guest. The notes to this and other videos make that pretty clear:



Eden & John's East River String Band (Eden Brower & John Heneghan) with special guests Robert Crumb, Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops) and Joe Lauro (Lone Sharks) play the classic American party song live at The Stephen Talkhouse October 24th 2009.

I never did care for the sound of plastic kazoos. Nice to know where to get replacement diaphragms, though - thanks! I found a couple of old metal ones in the case when I pulled my EM-150 out of storage the other day - both need diaphragms) - true treasures, one being my old one going back to the 60s, the other given me by Fritz Richmond. Then I found another while cleaning my room today, works just fine. Have to see if I can work it into the act.  :Wink: 

(Yeah, I know - kind of a quick time out. Well, it was _almost_ an hour!  :Grin:  )

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## journeybear

Psyched to see this book is hitting the shelves. This might deserve its own thread, but for now I'm posting this here. The video was put together by John Heneghan, who, with Eden Brower, comprises The East River String Band (in case you didn't know or forgot or haven't read this thread to this point - and if so, you are missing out), of which R. Crumb, noted cartoonist, musicologist, and mandolinist, is an adjunct member. (And you thought there was no mandolin connection - Ha!) Ms Brower lends her vivacity to the proceedings a couple of minutes in, demonstrating one reason why the ERSB has fans around here. John makes an onscreen appearance as well, and there is some great interview audio from R. himself. My favorite part concerns "Singing In The Bathtub," a song which truly changed my life, for reasons far too complicated to mention here. Lots of fun in this!

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## Ed Goist

Their new album _Take a Look at That Baby_ will be out soon.
Here's a live performance of a track from it (featuring R Crumb on mandolin)

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## Big Rig

I really dig them in the trio setting, great stuff.

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## bmac

You can't get much hokier than the East River String Band... Absolutely wonderful.

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## journeybear

I assume you mean hokey in the good sense  :Wink:  (there are several), as they really are a hoot, largely because of Eden's charisma and personality. She is a pip (following her on facebook is a hoot and a half, and her youtube uploads include all kinds of random fun) and brings a liveliness to the proceedings that might otherwise be a bit moribund or pedantic if the music were treated as a sort of museum piece. The musicianship everyone brings to the party is considerable, but she really makes it a party.  :Mandosmiley:

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## bmac

Journeybear said "I assume you mean hokey in the good sense" 

I meant hokey in the "hokey" sense and that is good in this case. They seem to have more fun than we do listening to them. and they do seem to make fun of themselves. In addition to being fine musicians.

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## journeybear

Okey-dokey, smoky! It's just that ''hokey'' is usually used derisively, so I thought it best to try to be clear, in my own pokey way. Online dictionaries treat it thusly:

corny <the usual hokey melodrama>
obviously contrived; phony
overly sentimental; mawkish
viewed with suspicion and/or cornyness
Synonyms: corny, maudlin, melodramatic, cloying, goopy, mushy.

And what happens to the word at http://thesaurus.com/browse/hokey is pretty scary, and lengthy, and best not repeated here!

I'm all for being hokey. Heck, my middle name is Corny. (Yes, I know that is a corny thing to say.) Being hokey in an ironic or tongue-in-cheek way is A-OK, by the way, and there does seem a bit of that is sort of built-in with this kind of music, or the way they play.

These websites seem to completely ignore any connection of the adjective to the noun ''hokum,'' which the wiki defines as ''a particular song type of American blues music - a humorous song which uses extended analogies or euphemistic terms to make sexual innuendos. This trope goes back to early blues recordings, and is seen from time to time in modern American blues and blues-rock.'' And it goes on and on and on from there. A real fun read.

And that is hokey in the good sense.  :Wink:

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## bmac

Don't bother me with facts!!!

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## journeybear

Yeah, they're overrated, and got precious little to do with the truth.  :Wink:  Not E&JERSB - just the facts, man ...

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## bmac

In the jugband photo with the female jug blower the musician is Merideth Axlerod a well known guitarist and singer.. Check her out on this video and google her for others. Lots Available. a wonderful musician. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5e3J...eature=related

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## Tom Cherubini

Although the East River is in New York City - runs down the east side of Manhattan - I guess it's too presumptuous to imagine that this band is based in New York. If they were, it would add a touch of reality that would completely spoil their schtick. With a moniker like "The East River String Band", they've got to be in Baton Rouge or Gary Indiana.

Strings

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## Ed Goist

Strings, Eden & John live in the heart of The Big Apple.

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## journeybear

> ... I guess it's too presumptuous to imagine that this band is based in New York.


I guess it's too presumptuous to assume people do at least a _little_ research before posting.

BTW, following Eden on facebook is a real fun ride. She is quite a character!

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## Jim Garber

> Although the East River is in New York City - runs down the east side of Manhattan - I guess it's too presumptuous to imagine that this band is based in New York.


They are based in or around the New York area. They often perform at the *Jalopy Theater* in Brooklyn a great little place to hear all sorts of music.

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## edenbee

Hi and thanks for all the kind words! yes, we live in and are from NYC..we both lived a block from the east river a decade ago and now live in the east village. JourneyBear..would you be interested in writing the liner notes for out new album? We are almost done with it and it would be nice to not have to write about ourselves for each song but we plan on having liner notes so...we could send you the track listings and recording when it's mastered and you could write anything..short and simple..esoteric..whatever. People want the liner notes but we can't seem to be able to get them done..

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Ed Goist

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## journeybear

My goodness, Ms Eden, I would be honored! I am flattered you would think of me for this, and I hope I will be able to do you justice. I do have a little experience in this (reformed music reviewer and editor) so I am familiar with the lingo.  I'll PM you my particulars.

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Ed Goist

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## Ed Goist

Looking forward to reading the Liner notes.
JourneyBear is The Perfect person to do this.
Eden & Steve...You are two of my favorite people in the Cyberworld.

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journeybear

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## edenbee

Hah! Thanks Ed! Our new album will be done in a few weeks and the artwork is about ready to be mailed to us..

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## journeybear

Aw, shucks!  :Redface:  I'm getting all verklempt. BTW, Eden, today (well, yesterday now) is Ed's birthday, and inasmuch as you made my day, I'm sure you made his too.

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## bluesmandolinman

Eden, will Mr. Crumb be playing mandolin on the new album too ?

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## edenbee

Yes, Robert is playing both mandolin and banjo on this one and dod the cover art already. He can play just about every instrument and play them well too. HE IS WAY TOO TALENTED IN MY OPINION DAMMIT! 
xoxo
e

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Ed Goist

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## bluesmandolinman

so journeybear you need to hurry to get the liner notes done because I want to order the new CD !

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## Tom Cherubini

> I guess it's too presumptuous to assume people do at least a _little_ research before posting.
> 
> BTW, following Eden on facebook is a real fun ride. She is quite a character!


Yeah, and I guess it's presumptuous to expect people to recognize humor when they see it and not make snarky asides.

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## edenbee

Haha..Strings I want to put what you wrote in the notes! We have two more songs to record which we will likely do in the next two weeks. The art is almost ready to be mailed to us..and then it will take several weeks for everything to be mastered and finalized and to put it all together and then a few more weeks for the cd's to actually get made. So it will be a while still. But we are trying to get it done as quickly as possible so it's ready by spring. We have to wait on the vinyl but we will have that too eventually.

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Ed Goist

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## Tom Cherubini

> Haha..Strings I want to put what you wrote in the notes! We have two more songs to record which we will likely do in the next two weeks. The art is almost ready to be mailed to us..and then it will take several weeks for everything to be mastered and finalized and to put it all together and then a few more weeks for the cd's to actually get made. So it will be a while still. But we are trying to get it done as quickly as possible so it's ready by spring. We have to wait on the vinyl but we will have that too eventually.


Feel free, Eden. I do write. Here's my latest mystery novel.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Particle-T...0443362&sr=1-2

Take a look.

Strings

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## journeybear

> Although the East River is in New York City - runs down the east side of Manhattan - I guess it's too presumptuous to imagine that this band is based in New York. If they were, it would add a touch of reality that would completely spoil their schtick. With a moniker like "The East River String Band", they've got to be in Baton Rouge or Gary Indiana.


Guess I missed the joke. Don't understand how this is meant to be humorous; just seems clueless. Unless, of course, there actually IS an East River in Baton Rouge or Gary. Which there isn't, as far as I can tell. Then again, one could say I was using a bit of humor in my remark - but I guess it's presumptuous to expect people to recognize humor when they see it and not make snarky asides.  :Wink:  

Whatever! This doesn't make much difference anyway. It's got nothing to do with their music.

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## Tom Cherubini

Clueless? Well, you missed the humor. If the shoe fits . . . .

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## edenbee

I couldn't tell it was a joke either except that either way it made me laugh..Sounded serious when you explained where and what the East River was..then sounded like a joke when you said we were from the sticks and using a city name for a schtick..I am just happy people are talking about us in general! Did you really write that novel? That is pretty cool..been working on an autobiography type thing myself..Slumgoddess. 
We were contacted by Keep on Truckin' Apparel today and are getting t-shirts made up by them soon. They have all the old blues and country greats drawn by Robert on t-shirts, hoodies and bags.

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## journeybear

Very cool! I still have, somewhere in deep storage, a "Keep On Truckin'" mudflap from a semi I found by the side of the road back in the 60s or 70s. How I ever got it home when I was surely hitchhiking is beyond me. Must have made for some interesting conversations with the people giving me rides!  :Laughing: 

Say, if you don't mind my asking - How does R. manage playing in front of people? I've read he's extremely shy. Does he just keep his head down and ears open and and forge ahead?

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## Jim Garber

Years ago, in that little town by the East River, RC showed up to the School of Visual Arts. her gave a great lecture on the history and his role and approach to cartooning and the even ended with the Cheap Suit Serenaders serenading us in the school cafeteria. Maybe this was in the early 1980s? I don't recall his being very shy, but he was not exactly the outgoing party guy.

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## edenbee

Yeah. Robert isn't shy at all actually. He's hilarious and loves playing and joking around on stage and talking about the songs. But a signing in a comic book store is just too crazy and he can't deal with being mobbed and the autograph thing gets really crazy. We played Society of Illustrators once and it was like johnny depp was there or something..they had to have three bouncers and he was backed into a corner and couldn't move. We had to get him upstairs to eat dinner and there was just a red rope there with people on the other side trying to sneak in to ask him to draw something or sign something. He is too nice to say no so that ends the night pretty much. Definitely not outgoing but not shy unless people are taking photos and are getting crazy. If you listen to John's podcasts with Robert they are just hanging out in crumbs art room shooting the #### and you can get a better feel for what robert is really like..He has no issues playing music in front of people. Some admiring female fans being there helps a lot too I have to say.

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Ed Goist

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## journeybear

> Some admiring female fans being there helps a lot too I have to say.


Usually does, somehow.  :Wink:  Never have quite understood this dynamic, but am fine with it ...  :Whistling: 

I may have been trying to remember stuff from the movie "Crumb," through the haze of memory and time. That must have been difficult, cameras focused on him and digging into his past and family and private life. That would make a lot of people withdraw.

I'd really like to see a show sometime. I've seen lots of youtube videos but those are mostly the songs, what I've seen, and not the banter between.

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## edenbee

Well next shows with Bob was in South of France in July!

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Ed Goist

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## journeybear

Booking a flight right now ............................. Don't I wish!

I remember seeing some videos of all of you hanging around and playing music in someone's garden with kids running around and everyone having a grand time. Looked so idyllic. Like the essence of fun.  :Mandosmiley:

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## Jim Garber

> Well next shows with Bob was in South of France in July!


Hmmm... we actually are planning a trip to Europe possibly that time. Maybe see you there.  :Smile:

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## edenbee

Sauve is the village we will play a few gigs at. In the middle of beautiful nowhere..

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## mrmando

I thought all you had to do to be a jug band was to pass one around backstage. But I could be wrong.

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## journeybear

Nooooooooo ... but it might help some.  :Wink: 

Actually, what I've heard of the old jug bands, some of those guys had some serious chops. Even if they were playing rather <ahem> inexpensive instruments, they could blister when called for. And only a small percentage of them were recorded, so I can't help wondering how great some of them were.

Also, of the two jug bands I've been in, one had some seriously talented players (not necessarily including me). I'm thinking particularly of the jug and tub player, who had perfect pitch, and also a fine singing voice. He even had a rig that enabled him to play jug and tub at the same time, when desired. The other band enlisted me to increase their instrumental prowess, so you can imagine how badly off _they_ were ...  :Whistling:

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## edenbee

There are some incredible jug bands out there. Playing like you wouldn't believe..were out there that is!

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Ed Goist

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## Will Patton

We got to hang out and play music with Bob and Aline in Sauve on a couple of occasions, we are close friends with their good friend Maggie DeMiramon - he is a wonderful and crafty player and I can't steal any licks 'cause it's backwards and upside down.  It's hard to stop once we start, and the songbook is a large one... Tell him howdy from me - hope to see him in the fall in Sauve...
Will Patton

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## edenbee

Okay doke..we are staying in Maggie's old place this time. She is awesome.

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## edenbee

New music video we shot in France! Featuring Crumb on mandolin!
http://youtu.be/AFn6XFe3c2w

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## Ed Goist

> New music video we shot in France! Featuring Crumb on mandolin!
> http://youtu.be/AFn6XFe3c2w


*Priceless!*

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## edenbee

We did some small edits so had to take it down and put it back up...thanks!

http://youtu.be/zwicRHGd1VA

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Ed Goist

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## tmsweeney

great stuff!

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