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Thread: Billy in the lowground

  1. #1
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Billy in the lowground

    I mean Monroe took the part of the clarinet in the big band sound of the thirties and played it on the mandolin.

    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    That was fun.

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    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Okay, that was cool!

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Ed Helms of The Office and The Hangover, right?
    Jim

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    Registered User Dan Adams's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Best video I’ve watched in a while. ‘Billy’ is a great tune to swap the melody back and forth.
    Play em like you know em!

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    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    That was indeed interesting. BTW, I think that was a soprano saxophone.
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    Registered User jefflester's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Ed Helms of The Office and The Hangover, right?
    Yep. He got hooked up with the Largo (L.A.) crowd and started doing the Bluegrass Situation there about a dozen years ago and that led to the Whisky Sour Radio Hour.
    https://www.laweekly.com/bluegrass-s...ut-of-a-banjo/

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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Quote Originally Posted by HonketyHank View Post
    I think that was a soprano saxophone.
    Yes, it was. If it's Kenny G, yup. BTW, a much as I loathe his music, he shows here he's got some chops. And when he's not playing his brand of elevator music, what he plays can be fairly palatable. I learn something new around here almost every day. This is today's lesson.

    I believe Mike's comment was a general observation, not specifically referring to this. Similar cross-pollination has occurred in other genres, perhaps most significantly how Bob Wills and others mixed big band arrangments and country instrumentation, creating Western swing.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  11. #9
    bon vivant jaycat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Gotta post it ...

    "The paths of experimentation twist and turn through mountains of miscalculations, and often lose themselves in error and darkness!"
    --Leslie Daniel, "The Brain That Wouldn't Die."

    Some tunes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa1...SV2qtug/videos

  12. #10
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Not wanting to bash the unabashed yet very bashable, just trying to be helpful to members who might have some difficulty hearing all the words - they do come around pretty quick - if you follow the video to youtube, you'll see the lyrics. Or maybe it's my setting. So here:

    I agree with Pat Metheny
    Kenny's talents are too teeny
    He deserves the crap he's going to get
    He overdubbed himself on Louis
    What a musical chop suey
    Raised his head above the parapet

    Well Louis Armstrong was the king
    He practically invented swing
    Hero of the twentieth century
    He did duets with many a fella
    "Fatha" Hines, Big Hoagy, Ella
    Strange he never thought of Kenny G

    A meeting of great minds, how nice
    Like Einstein and Sporty Spice
    Digitally fused in an abortion
    Kenny fans will doubtless rave
    While Satchmo turns inside his grave
    Soprano man's bit off more than his portion

    Oh brainless pentatonic riffs
    Display our Kenny's arcane gifts
    But we don't care, his charms are so beguiling
    He does play sharp, but let's be fair
    He has such lovely crinkly hair
    We hardly notice, we're too busy smiling

    How does he hold those notes so long?
    He must be a genius. Wrong!
    He just has the mindlessness to do it
    He makes Britney sound like scat
    If this is jazz I'll eat my hat
    An idle threat, I'll never have to chew it

    So next time you're in a rendezvous
    And Kenny's sound comes wafting through
    Don't just wince, eliminate the cause
    Rip the tape right off the muzak
    Pull the plug, or steal a fuse, Jack
    The whole room will drown you in applause

    Yes, Kenny G has gone too far
    The gloves are off, it's time to spar
    Grab your hunting rifle, strap your Colt on
    It's open season on our Ken
    But I await the moment when
    We lay off him and start on Michael Bolton

    I agree with Pat Metheny
    Kenny's talents are too teeny


    Oh, and in the interest of fairness, what I said previously includes what is doubtlessly the nicest thing I've ever said about him.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  13. #11
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    I'm amused by things like this. Kenny G isn't my cup of tea but he's managed to do something the vast majority of us have not been able to accomplish even though we'd like to. Give him his due, he made a living playing music.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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  15. #12
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    I believe Mike's comment was a general observation, not specifically referring to this. Similar cross-pollination has occurred in other genres, perhaps most significantly how Bob Wills and others mixed big band arrangments and country instrumentation, creating Western swing.
    Correct. Most people would have problems seeing "The Benny Goodman type Big Band sound" in the early Monroe years but you have to understand that while he was creating that whole Bluegrass thing he was taking live music to the masses and many of those folks had been listening to something totally different on the radio. Most of them probably came to dance back then. I'm sure there were standards he was doing in the early years he never played again as his repertoire of his signature songs increased.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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  17. #13
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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    I always enjoy the first track on this album. Andy Statman’s break just after the one minute mark is smokin’.

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    Default Re: Billy in the lowground

    I've seen a few young and up and coming "folk" groups with bass clarinets ....an odd choice, but it works.
    Last edited by Mandobar; Jan-19-2022 at 9:59am.
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