Fingerpickers delight - John James playing Slow Drag and Silver Swan

[TBman]

Originally Posted by ewalling

For those of you that also love this kind of stuff, enjoy!

Is it me or ????

That sounds just like Cinicinnati Flow Rag, arrangement by Gary Davis, played by Toby Walker

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by TBman

Is it me or ????

That sounds just like Cinicinnati Flow Rag, arrangement by Gary Davis, played by Toby Walker

They're the same - Davis's Cincinnati Flow Rag is sometimes called the Slow Drag. But loads of people have done it with their own variations - even I have my version of it! I just thought the John James version was a really enjoyable and fun one. I think he even throws a bit of Sally Where D'You Get Your Liquor From into it.

[devellis]

Cincinnati Flow Rag and Slow Drag are, indeed, the same tune by different names. But neither is based on the Maple Leaf Rag. Davis's take on Maple Leaf Rag was the Make Believe Rag, or Make Believe Stunt, as it's also called. It's a clever name because if you say Make Believe Rag after a few beers it sounds a lot like you're saying Maple Leaf Rag. And if you listen to Make Believe Rag after a few beers, the melody sounds a lot like Maple Leaf Rag. But the Make Believe Rag (or Stunt) is really just a pastiche of the Joplin original, making the name (especially the Stunt version) a pretty accurate description.

I hadn't heard of John James but he's a great player. I'm not accustomed to hearing the Slow Drag played in such a bouncy, strict-time fashion (Davis was a lot looser) but it definitely sounds good and the man definitely has some serious chops. Of course, Toby does as well but most of us already knew that.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by devellis

I'm not accustomed to hearing the Slow Drag played in such a bouncy, strict-time fashion (Davis was a lot looser) but it definitely sounds good and the man definitely has some serious chops.

I think that bouncy quality you mention is one of the things that makes it so appealing. It makes you want to tap your foot as you listen to it.

[devellis]

Originally Posted by ewalling

I think that bouncy quality you mention is one of the things that makes it so appealing. It makes you want to tap your foot as you listen to it.

Nothing wrong with the bouncy quality. It's one choice that a performer can make when interpreting the tune. As the name "Slow Drag" suggests (at least to me), the tune is often played somewhat more slowly and with less bounce and a looser rhythm but I agree that this bouncy version is also very nice. It's a great tune -- one of my favorites. It's pretty rare that I'll pick up a guitar without playing it.

[BradleyS]

Enjoyed the video, thanks for posting.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by BradleyS

Enjoyed the video, thanks for posting.

You're welcome. Apparently, he's brought some instructional material which includes these two pieces. I may well buy it because I do like what I hear on this clip.

[Passable Player]

Is it just me or is that tone rare these days? All that big fat midrange, warmth and percussiveness. Is it the way it was recorded, the strings, the right hand attack? It's a mystery to me.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by eastcoast Chris

John James, great guitar player and a great sense of humor on stage.made a great album with another uk guitarist called Pete Berryman.Look on youtube for a recording called Pie in my Sky.

Chris has just written exactly what I was going to say.

I saw John solo and with Pete ...some time ago.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by ewalling

They're the same - Davis's Cincinnati Flow Rag is sometimes called the Slow Drag. But loads of people have done it with their own variations - even I have my version of it! I just thought the John James version was a really enjoyable and fun one. I think he even throws a bit of Sally Where D'You Get Your Liquor From into it.

Eureka!

Great stuff too.

That explains that.

[ChuckS]

That was great. Thanks for posting. Not much can top fingerstyle ragtime

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

That was great. Thanks for posting. Not much can top fingerstyle ragtime

I agree. People sometimes say that fingerstyle guitar is boring and some forms of it do seem so, but not when it's ragtime played well!

[Earl49]

I have an old Homespun instruction series by John James on cassette (yes cassette) tilted "Ragtime Guitar". Probably purchased in the late 1980's. The audio / tab is still available as CDLJAMRG99, as a download only. It looks like the same songs.

I've leaned a few songs from that package, but there are many more gems waiting. I have accumulated way more instructional material over the years than I have remaining lifespan to study it all. If I get two songs from a DVD, I call that a victory. And "Victory Rag" is one in my repertoire.

[JimW2]

I have one of his old recordings. Got it at the same time that I got one of Nic Jones albums. Both in vinyl so I haven't listen to them in years.

[G7th-nick]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Chris has just written exactly what I was going to say.

I saw John solo and with Pete ...some time ago.

Me Too!
I saw John a lot in the '70s... absolutely amazing.
I wore out my copy of Sky in my Pie on vinyl!

Here it is though along with Head in the Clouds where John is playing with the late, great John Rebourn:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-My-Pie-...=sky+in+my+pie

and in the US:http://www.amazon.com/Sky-My-Pie-Hea...=sky+in+my+pie

and finally... here's John's website: http://www.johnjamesguitarist.com

PS. He used to do a wonderful version of Nola... but I can't find it anywhere on Youtube. It's on the album though!