TypoWriting

all on my lonesome - Dan solo w/guitar or banjo

Child #95, formally known as 'The Maid Freed from the Gallows.' Like most post-classic rock folkies, the first version I learned was Led Zeppelin's, but eventually Leadbelly's blew my mind. Other versions came and went, but when I heard Jean Ritchie's version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVafGE0L6dM) I finally wanted to sing & play it. It took a long time to work out a guitar arrangement I was happy with - I got caught up trying to replicate Jean's range and free meter, but again found that simplifying the melody and delivery a bit worked better with my so-called voice and also let me round out the guitar part a bit more. As usual with my guitar pieces this is a warts-and-all recording, so hopefully some of those warts add character. Thanks again for reading and listening.

Hangman

John Coltrane Oscar Peterson Stan Getz

A few months back my Soundcloud buddy Mark Pierce reposted a song by Cadence & Nathan, and I was immediately drawn to their material. Very catchy, slightly country sibling duo singer-songwriters, immaculately produced (seriously, I love whoever drums for them) and arranged, with Nathan's dobro adding a distinct instrumental flavor. I wound up getting their self-titled debut album from iTunes and recommend it enthusiastically; go buy yourself a copy so they can get around to getting some of their dynamite new material onto a second record! 

This is one of Nathan's songs, and I had it on repeat in the car for a week last month, then decided on a whim to try it on for size last night with a sort of Folk Revival picking pattern and arrangement in standard tuning (after failed attempts in open D and G). 

Recorded to iphone using the Soundcloud app, first try at that and I'm fairly impressed.

Nathan, sorry if I didn't get all the words right! Or if this stinks!

More on Cadence & Nathan:
http://www.cadenceandnathan.com/
https://soundcloud.com/cadence-nathan
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cadence-Nathan/217278478361767

Seen Its Day (Cadence & Nathan Cover)

Charles Albert Tindley was a remarkable man. Go read a bit about him. 

I learned this song of his from Sweet Honey In the Rock's arrangement. It was written in the early 1900s, apparently when the Reverend was going through some difficult times, and is both heartbreaking and hopeful. It's also a beautiful song in any arrangement.

This is played on my pop's 4 string guitar. Recorded on the eve of Hurricane Sandy, 2012.

Pic: Yeah, I've used snowdrops before, but this pic of s clump on my bank pushing up through snow fits the song's attitude, I hope. March 2014.

We Will Understand It Better Bye And Bye

Demo #1 for the Coo Coo collaboration with Justin Deremo. He'd sent me the beat already and I'd chosen Coo Coo to go over it; since the tune wasn't something I already had an arrangement for, I recorded a practice run-through on each of the banjos I was going to use. 

Coo Coo (steel string solo demo)

Noodling around in the basement last night on my dad's old plywood four string and one of my favorites from Graham Nash's first solo record.

Pic: Styrax Obassia (fragrant snowbell), 5/12/2017

Wounded Bird

I've been working on a fuller band version of this one (Child ballad 74) for the past two weeks, at least; I had one done but decided it could be better. It's been hard finding the time (and, um, talent) to get the revision sounding the way I want it, so in the meantime I recorded a more traditional sounding, one-take version of this ballad on my gut-strung banjo.

Little Margaret (solo)

Billie Holiday - Moonglow

07. Sidney Bechet - Petit Fleur

Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five – Heebie Jeebies (1926)

Recently, we lost a jazz legend. Thanks for the amazing music, Mr. Brubeck. I hope you are still trading fours somewhere.

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five (1966)

I muck about in the basement on a variety of instruments, a 4 track, and a pint of homebrew, trying not to wake the wife & kids. Starting point is traditional old-time music and Folk Revival fare, ending point is yet to be determined.

Always up for collaborating! A huge thank you to the many musicians who've let me wreck their tracks over the past few years. 

Since 2014 I've mostly been working alongside Jeff Burns, aka Squirrel Jam Zombie Banjo, in our imaginatively named project Greenwood & Burns:
https://soundcloud.com/greenwood-burns
Our debut album, Modern Sounds in Old-Time Music, and our guest-filled holiday spectacular, at Bandcamp: https://greenwoodburns.bandcamp.com/

Seen Its Day (Cadence & Nathan Cover)

lonesome d string band