Post 305: 'MICHIGANDER BLUES'

Jabbo Smith

Michigander Blues was apparently written in about 1929 by Jabbo Smith and the word 'Michigander' simply means 'a person from Michigan'.

Having enjoyed very much listening (on YouTube) to the great young New Orleans band Tuba Skinny playing this tune, I wanted to play it myself. It's good to have a few minor key tunes in your repertoire. To hear Tuba Skinny perform Michigander Blues: CLICK HERE.

I spent a couple of hours writing it out. Like Tuba Skinny, I put it in D minor. Here's what I came up with. It doesn't sound too bad to me as a basis to work on. I tried it with some friends, playing pub lunch jazz at The Dog and Gun, in Syston, Leicester, and it sounded reasonably good. The first four bars are the Introduction; the next 16 bars are the Verse; and the rest (final 32 bars) are the CHORUS, which has an a-a-b-a structure.

Post 274: TUBA SKINNY IN AUSTRALIA

About 10,000 miles from where I'm sitting here in England, Tuba Skinny went a couple of years ago on tour in Australia; and I'm pleased I received a report from someone who was lucky enough to attend one of their concerts in Sydney.

He said they had a capacity audience of 460 people. That is really heartening. (I wish we could attract such audiences for traditional jazz here in England!)

My correspondent said Tuba Skinny comprised eight musicians on this occasion, including both tenor banjo and plectrum banjo (Ryan and Westen - two of the best in the business). As a kind of hors d'oeuvre to the performance, Shaye Cohn played half a dozen rags on the piano.

He said: 'the band played marvellously and my wife and I both enjoyed every moment. They all played so well. It reminded me of early Kid Ory and George Lewis.'  High praise indeed from someone who told me he is not normally very keen on New Orleans jazz.

I'm not surprised that Tuba Skinny have enjoyed going back to Australia, with such a reception. And I envy my correspondent the privilege of seeing and hearing them.

And I note from an Australian YouTube video that they continued to expand into more virtuoso, challenging music - Jabbo Smith's Jazz Battle. Wow! Have a listen by clicking on: