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I've been really digging the sounds of the banjo lately. Can anyone recommend me some good instrumental, experimental, or improvisational banjo music?

[Savage Clone]

Paul Metzger - 3 Improvisations On Modified Banjo
-Absolutely essential!!
http://www.paulmetzger.net

His banjo has 21 strings; he plays in a virtuoso Indian style.
I know you will love it!

I also highly recommend Stone Breath.

[nomadicfollower]

That's who it is! Paul Metzger.
Damn, I just searched wiki and google for that name.
But yeah, that's who I reccomend as well.

[trance feeeedback]

cool, thanks guys, I checked out the preview clips and it sounds awsome! Thanks to the band ghost, i have been getting into the banjo and lots of other acoustic instruments. I love that reverbed drenched banjo in guru in the echo.

[Savage Clone]

The electric version of that song on the Moungod 7" rips! Possibly my favorite Ghost tune!
I used to cover it in one of my old bands; I'll YSI the track to you tonight.

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oh yeah, I think you uploaded it for me before along with your loop covers, but I lost it, so I would love to hear it again.

[scott v]

The Silver Apples - Contact

features songs with Banjo... though the oscillators and drums is what made them amazing.

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I know how influential they are but I have never really heard much by the silver apples, I need to change that!

[krastian]

Well really most bluegrass is improvised so you really can't go wrong with good ol' Ralph Stanley.You might want to check out Bela Fleck too especially without the Flecktones.

[marleypumpkin]

Steve Martin: One of the all-time great banjo players.

[johnnywinternoshow]

steve martin the comedian? Billy Connelly plays banjo too with a band called the humblebums which also featured gerry raferty of "stuck in the middle with you" fame.

Definitely check out ralph stanley as krastian mentioned

[marleypumpkin]

Yeah, Steve Martin the comedian. I could upload some of his banjo material that he does on stage if anyone would enjoy that.
I know I enjoy it.

[Mildred Pierce]

What about Earl Scruggs, he invented the solo banjo pickin, first it was more a lead instrument and because of Earl it bacame a solo instrument. I saw a tape with him playing "little Maggie" and soome other traditionals, in one song he de tunes his 4 strings at the top in the song and tunes them back again, amazing. He also played a lot with Bluegrass musician Bill Monroe.

[themawt71]

my step dad(rip) bobby thompson played banjo and was actually a big influence on modern day banjoists like bela flek and others. he sucessfully worked out a way to play more of a melodic style compared to the earlier earl scruggs style. this was in the late 50s when he started to record and tour with jim and jessee. in the 60s he moved to nashville and got into the studio scene and even played banjo in the house band of hee haw. remember hee haw? he was the bearded guy in the back on banjo that never smiled. in the late 60s and early 70s he got sick of bluegrass and the lack of movement in the genre so along with some other nashville studio musicians he began to mix more rock elements(banjo with wah wah-fucking cool) with country elements. they were called "area code 615" and made 2 really good records. for the 70s and early 80s he played on records with everyone from willie nelson, chet atkins, neil young(i am told i was in the control room for part of this session tho i remember very little about it, iwas 6)elvis and the monkees. he got MS in the early 80s and retired in 85 or 86. in highschool bela flek came over with earl scruggs and played for bobby and my mom and i in our kitchen. it was very cool. check out
bobbythompsonbanjo.com. there is a comp cd called thompson picks that is a very small cross section of his recorded work. its got straight up bluegrass, rock stuff as well as some jazz tunes. he was an amazing person and i am proud to say he was my stepdad. in a few days he will have been passed for a year.


for more avante garde stuff there is this guy called uncle woody sullender who is a chicago guy. he does free improv stuff tho ive never heard him.

matt

[atari 2600]

I was listening to a 1958 soundboard (no less) from Flatt & Scruggs the other day...it was rollickin' fun. It's amazing how pristine the the particular recording sounds after all these years.

I wouldnt' say Steve Martin is "a great", although it's cool he plays (collects fine art too). Jerry Garcia taught him, by the way; the banjo was the first instrument that Garcia learned how to play.

wow, that's really wild, themawt71.

[krastian]

That's pretty cool Matt.

[Пятхъдесят Шест]

John Fahey often played the banjo on his earlier releases.

[atari 2600]

I sent Pynchon a letter proposing doing an opera based on "Gravity's Rainbow". I got a beautiful letter from him saying he'd be delighted, but with one stipulation: that it be scored for solo banjo. Some people have a great way of saying "no way".
- Laurie Anderson

[trance feeeedback]

thanks guys, for all the recommendations