Mike Compton & Norman Blake: Gallop to Georgia

[Mainer73]

I recently discovered this album. Mike Compton and Norman Blake playing old Narmour & Smith tunes. I think this is just superb stuff. I haven't seen mention of this one on the cafe. Incredible groove that the duo have. It seems discussion worthy....

[tmsweeney]

Oh yes, I do love that Carroll County Blues Doc Watson recorded it with Merle Watson and Sam Bush and his "Pickin' the Blues" album.

I believe they have the entire album transcribed in a booklet.

Its not so much Compton and Blake as it is Compton and Blake play Narmour and Smith as they really focused on authenticity here.
I'm surprised it hasn't wound up in a Ken Burns documentary, maybe it has.

[keith.rogers]

I love it. Definitely an "under the radar" release. I picked up a copy at the Monroe Mandolin Camp last Fall. (Didn't get the booklet - not kidding myself )

[Bacfire]

Yep. Spotify suggested it to me a couple months ago and they were Spotify-on with the recommendation. Love the laid-back groove and the clear, sparse feel of the recording. The fact that they're Mississippi tunes doesn't hurt anything, either.

[Don Grieser]

Love the recording and the tunes. Got Mike's book of transcriptions and have learned a few of the tunes. So much fun to play.

[Ranald]

I tried to post a video the the two playing "Gallop to Georgia," but the link wasn't allowed. If you go to YouTube and search "Mike Compton and Norman Blake/ Gallop to Georgia," you'll find it.

[Bob Buckingham]

The neat thing about the booklet is it shows how Mike thinks about mandolin. Being an long time lover of old time I found his arrangements fun and a tad quirky. But the real gem is his approach to a tune and there are some gems of technique in those tabs. Too bad the chords aren't included on the transcriptions, but he really doesn't play any chords on the recording either. Norman's guitar playing is mighty fine throughout. It is real down home music played at a high level.

[Scott Rucker]

I saw a Facebook post several years ago that had some of the pics from the album photo shoot and explained that there was going to be an upcoming album of N&S tunes. After what seemed like a LONG time (maybe a couple of years) I used the contact link on Compton's website to ask "Where is this album?" I received a prompt reply with purchase instructions. So, oddly, I ended with this album before it was officially released.

As someone who considers myself mostly an old time mandolin (and guitar and infrequently clawhammer banjo) player I love his take on playing fiddle tunes on the mandolin. The deep south tunes aren't always my thing but his playing more than makes up for my different taste in tune selection. I do appreciate that those are tunes he grew up with just like I grew up with central Appalachian tunes. I have learned a few of his arrangements from the tab book and think it has helped my playing. Hearing how he can listen to and internalize the fiddle playing and then make the most of the mandolin's abilities to interpret them instead of being a slave to trying to do exactly what the fiddle did on the record is liberating for me.

[Don Grieser]

Hearing how he can listen to and internalize the fiddle playing and then make the most of the mandolin's abilities to interpret them instead of being a slave to trying to do exactly what the fiddle did on the record is liberating for me.

This is what I appreciate about Mike's playing too. So great to learn from him at Monroe Camp.

[Mainer73]

I agree with Scott Rucker too. Thanks to those who mentioned the transcription book, I wasn't aware of that either.

[Jim Garber]

Great stuff from two of my very favorite players of today playing great tunes from two great players from yesteryear.

[Mainer73]

Great stuff from two of my very favorite players of today playing great tunes from two great players from yesteryear.

You put it perfectly right there. Listening again tonight. I really getting off on this one. It's injected some fresh energy into my own playing when I attempt to pick along.

[Mainer73]

Like Scott Rucker, I've always been more comfortable on mandolin and fiddle with music from other areas, but my early guitar playing years did give me an appreciation of a LOT of deep southern music but it was more in blues and rags. I learnt from this album that John Hurt would occasionally fill in on guitar so that made the circle complete for me I guess. It's checking off so many boxes...and I would have felt great to have played rhythm guitar like Norman does here. It's also helped me get back on the guitar a bit too.

[tmsweeney]

Mainer73 - Doc Watson often commented that Merle Watson was the only guitar player he know who could capture "that happy sound" John Hurt used to create on his guitar.
There is one not so young player locally who can do the Mississippi John alternating bass with his thumb, all while getting the chord up top.

Always a treat for me.

[r0gue]

I thought I'd give this a try.


edit: Not a total fail, but obviously, could have gone better. Hit the clicky clicky and check out the fretboard on that guitar! Crazy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUK6PUkRhfQ

NOTE FROM CAFE ADMINistrator: Mike Compton has set the video's permissions so that it can't be shared. Must be seen within his YouTube channel