This week's winner is Year of Jubilo, which is also known as Kingdom Coming. Here's the abc and notation from abcnotation.com
Here's an arrangement in chord-melody style http://www.8notes.com/scores/18064.asp Melody only http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/am..._of_jubilo.htm
Once again, my version is based on a clawhammer arrangement by Dan Levenson. With so much energy wasted on the banjo chores, I played the melody straight without variations on the mandolin.
Nice pickin' crisscross, sounds good! You get a really sweet sound from your instruments, I like it. Below is my version, with many errors etc. It's the first time I've played acoustic in a number of years, and I'm clearly having difficulty with it. Just about all my concentration is focused on the basic mechanics of the instrument (holding it so it doesn't scoot around, dealing with the high action and general unresponsiveness to a light touch, etc), and that uses up all my attention, so when I try to make a li'l variation on the tune I end up screwing it up and playing wrong notes. Argh! (or direct link) The instrument was in storage in an attic for about 30 years and just last week it got hauled out and carted off to a guy who does part-time repairs. He fixed the most glaringly-obvious problems, such as the cracked top and the damaged tailpiece-block area. But other things such as bridge height, and the damaged peghead which makes me leery to bring it up to concert pitch for very long, still need to be addressed. One of the things this instrument desperately needs, is some arthritis-friendly tuners. Right now you almost need Vice-Grips to turn the tuners. Hmmm I wonder if a nice set of Fender Strat-style tuners could be fitted... I like that idea... will investigate later. So far, the only way I've found to coax a tolerable sound out of this instrument (short of playing in a deserted tunnel somewhere), is to use a cheap clip-on sensor/mic thingie that was loaned to me, and plug that into my little Roland Micro Cube with the sound-modelling knob set to "acoustic". Unfortunately, the clip-on pickup-thingie also picks up nearly all the fretboard noise, every time I plant a finger on the fretboard, there's a 'thump' - from left hand too, not just right (even when I'm careful to not touch the soundboard with right hand). So I don't think that's a long-term solution for this instrument. We might have to relegate this mandolin back to the attic, if I can't adapt to it better. When I get around to it I will see about lowering the bridge a little to improve the action. The bridge is non-adjustable so it'd either need sanded down or replaced. At least the bridge isn't glued down, I thought it was at first but it's freely moveable (without string tension, that is) so that's good.
Nice song! I can't compete with Will Fly's high-energy rendition, but I've picked my most-Old-Time instruments for this one: my 1921 Gibson Ajr and my ramshackle resonator tenor guitar (putting down a steady march rhythm and taking a turn at the lead in the repeat), with an added arpeggio backing on the acoustic tenor. Nothing fancy, but a nice Old-Timey tone. I've stuck with strict march tempo, 120bpm, although most renditions seem to be faster. 1921 Gibson Ajr mandolin Garry Probert resonator tenor guitar Ozark tenor guitar Martin
JL277z: In spite of all your reservations, sounds real nice! Martin: your typical touch of classical. Really enjoyable!
I have to agree, that old mandolin sounds really good to me, JL. And I love the way you play the tune. Very nice arrangements from everyone so far.
Martin, sounds good, I especially like your nice-sounding tremolos! I've never been able to do a decent tremolo despite a considerable amount of coaching from my dad years ago - he liked to play Chopin waltzes and (of all things) 1930s cowboy songs on mandolin and harmonica - but my wrist has just never been cooperative. But I like the tremolo sound, especially played smoothly like yours are. Nice music there. Marcelyn and crisscross, thanks!
Year of Jubilo by Henry C. Work, 1862 was popular during the American Civil War. My wife, Judy, and I are Docents at the Commanding Officers Quarters Museum. I have created a video showcasing the Commanding Officers Quarters Museum at Fort Worden, a Washington State Park in Port Townsend, WA. I have recorded four tracks for this project, A melody track on the Mandolin, a track of chop chords also on the Mandolin and two Guitar tracks. I also recorded a Mandolin track at Battery Ash to incorporate the natural reverb from the concrete bunkers. I was unable to get a clean recording, but included a segment in the closing credits. I have been playing Mandolin for almost 4 months now. I am progressing slower than I would like. I am having a good time and posting in Mandolin Cafe is a great challenge.
Nice work WikiG! Isn't Fort Worden the site for the American Banjo Camp in a month or so? I have to admit that I am a bi-instrumental. Maybe I'll see you there.
WikiGary, thanks for that great video! And, welcome to the club!
Enjoyed all submissions above. Crisscross’ Banjo playing reminded me on my Mandolin Banjo. I thought that’s the right occasion to take it out of its case. WikiGary, that’s a brave way to introduce us to your living at an original location. Hope we hear more of your mandolin playing. I made this recording the next day but hadn’t the time to upload it until today.
Oh my, Lordy. I hadn’t realised that this tune was so packed full of history.
Nice recording within your recording series At The Stream. I hope you feel at least half so relaxed while playing your octave like it looks and sounds.
The sound is much better here Simon. I'll let you know on YT how it sounds there. You have played this tune with excellence. I like the green though - I need to see green right now - with the snow we had today everything is sill brown.
Yes indeed! Sounds A-1 @Simon Ds (and really, everyone). This was one of the first songs I heard on the Cafe way back that made me want to go deeper.
Thanks guys, you know, Ginny Youtube have changed their settings now so you have to use a button on the browser to up the film and audio quality. I view some of the at 480 or lower sometimes, though Im not sure how this affects audio. Thanks Bbcee, I first heard this one played on mandolin by a guy at a party in Palo Alto California just after the earthquake in 1989/90. I played guitar then but thought ‘wow’ that mandolin sounds good!
Thanks now to Dennis for reminding me (years later) of this tune, Merry Christmas guys! Fine playing Frithjof, nice extra bits too. I like that banlo! And really nice Christian, banjo, guitar, upbeat tempo. But what about the tremolo?
