Name: Maple Leaf Monologue by Richard Ebbs
Duration: 3 min 53 s
Description: An original acoustic folk-blues composition by Richard Ebbs. Harmony vocals by Anne de Haas

An original acoustic folk-blues composition by Richard Ebbs. Harmony vocals by Anne de Haas

Maple Leaf Monologue

An old, original, piece composed in between long wet walks in England's autumn rainstorms in the 1980s, rehabilitated and recorded using Audacity multi-tracking software, a laptop and a USB mic. The first guitar track uses standard tuning and a capo on fret 3, with a bassline that repeats D-E-B,D-E-C in 3/4 time. The second guitar uses this tuning: [from the bottom:] Eb,G,D,G,Bb,Eb and adds a deeper and more intricate bass. The third melodic guitar adds two really simple melodic lines in alternate phrases. The piece may yet get de- and re- constructed into something else again... nothing lasts forever

Walk In The Rain

Twenty years ago I left Yorkshire England and crossed the pond to marry a Canadian. I'm an ex-landscaper, ex software developer. Now resident in Grey County with wonderful wife Anne de Haas (professional photographer, check out her work online here and here).

I play solo with an acoustic guitar. Some of my own, and some covers. Some country, some blues, folk, pop and even the occasional classical piece.

I've played gigs at the Midland Tiffin Bay Folk Club (featured artist), in Georgetown at the Silvercreek Bistro and the Shepherd's Crook, in Acton at the Red Harp, the Ark Rockwood, Toronto's Free Times Cafe, at the Leeds UK Library pub with The Medicine Men. At the Bridge Inn in Pateley Bridge UK and at the Wallasey UK Embassy Club, among others.

Growing up in the UK I used to particularly enjoy going to folk clubs, where real, old, traditional music is kept very much alive. The traditional folk music of England, Scotland and Ireland is so rich with great melodies!

British 'folk-blues' acoustic guitarist Bert Jansch was also a big influence in my formative years - Jansch mixed formidable technique with creativity in unique and often genre-bending ways.

Now I'm particularly fascinated by the process of writing my own material: the craft of making those tweakable elements work together to create a good song: the melody, the rhythm, the lyrics and everything else.


Maple Leaf Monologue

Richard Ebbs

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