In the Summer of 2008, I embarked on a journey to learn how to play old time banjo. Known by many names including Clawhammer, Rapping, Knocking, or Frailing to name a few, this style of banjo is played predominantly in Old Time Music. Ill get into describing what old time is further down the road. This blog will take you on my life journey of learning this wonderful, annoying, beautiful and frustrating instrument.
My quest to learn banjo began September 26th, 2003. It is easy to remember the exact day because of two main reasons. First, it was my Sisters birthday, but that was not the reason I took up an instrument. It was on this day that Robert Palmer died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 54. Now, I was never a huge Palmer follower. I enjoyed some of his music and thought he was a good singer and songwriter. It was none of those traits that pushed me towards the banjo, but the fact that he was only 54. Now being 40, I recognized that 54 was not that far off for me. I began to think about the things I had promised myself I would do before I die (Yes the cliche bucket list). I had always wanted to learn to speak a language fluently. Five years of Spanish in high school and I all I can tell you is how to open a book or window and that El Cid was a very charismatic leader. I also had wanted to learn how to really play an instrument. Growing up on Long Island, my parents dutifully plopped me in front of our upright piano, secured lessons for me and my Sisters and said "Play" The very idea of doing scales and learning such classic tunes as "The Wigwam Song" did not sit well with me. Those lessons lasted less than a year and I was back to riding my bike and watching too much television. In college I did pick up the guitar. I did stick with the guitar for a few years, taking some lessons and trying to learn how to play Dust In The Wind, Landslide and tons of Simon and Garfunkel. I learned some basics, but quit being dilligent about it after a year or two. I have to say , it did come in handy later on in learning banjo, so all was not wasted.
Well, back to good old Robert Palmer. My state of mind was that I needed to do something about sticking with one of my lifelong goals. A few days later, walking on sixth avenue near 8th Street, I noticed a sign posted in the bulletin board of a local bagel store. "Learn to Play the Banjo" was written in bold letters. Wow, the banjo that is a cool instrument, maybe I could learn that, I thought to myself. I had always loved the sound of the banjo. Back in the day, when I was growing up, there was a Woolworth store in my hometown. In the back they had this 99 cent bin where you could pick up a record that was just not that popular. I remember finding an album called "Hey Mr. Banjo" in there and quickly scooped it up. I loved it and listend to this for hours on end. So why not play the banjo. I tore off one of the tabs with the instructors number, put it in my wallet and quickly forgot all about it. About a month later, I was invited to a party by my friend. There was a band called Citigrass playing, a name that sounded so familiar to me. Than it dawned on me. There in my wallet was the sliver of paper with the words "Citigrass" on it. I walked up to the banjo player and asked "Is this you?" Of course it was and my journey of banjo began. It was not old time clawhammer banjo, but three finger bluegrass style banjo that I took up in the beginning. I took lessons from Sandy Israel of Citigrass for a few months as well as many other instructors including the great Tony Trischka. I became adept at it, if not quite great, but I truly loved it.
Enough for now. Next post on to Old Time!
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