Jerusalem Ridge on flute..

[Ketil]

I have listened to and tried to learn to play bluegrass music for many years now, I play a resophonic guitar (dobro) in addition to the flute. The tune Jerusalem Ridge by Bill Monroe is one of my favourite fiddle tunes and I want to learn it on the flute.

After searching the net I just found 1 example of the tune played on flute, but it is not exactly to my liking. Here's a link;

http://aaronashton.bandcamp.com/track/jerusalem-ridge

Does anyone know of other flute recordings or videos of this tune?

Thanks, Ketil

[Feadoggie]

Does anyone know of other flute recordings or videos of this tune?

I know of no flute versions of the tune. I know that Kevin Burke has a fiddle version on one of his albums. And I've heard Aly Bain play it somewhere along the line - still on fiddle. Or (more fiddle) maybe Mark O'Connor's version from his Heros recording. He's Irish, right? A few Celtic rock outfits play it but none I can recommend at this time. Besides Big Mon's version, I'd suggest you work something up from the Rob Ickes version. Reso players usually play it in A minor (and detune the B strings to Bb). I'd guess it might sit better on the flute in B minor. If I get a chance I'll fool around with it later today to see.

ABC's and dots are out on "the Session" but you probably already have the tune under your fingers. Actually I think I remember you posting a request for tabs on one of the Reso forums. Was that you? I pick, therefore I grin!

Feadoggie

[Ketil]

Hey, thanks!
Yeah, I am a regular on reso-nation.org and have worked on the tune on reso. I tried it out a bit today in Am and the c natural and f key on my new M&E ebonite came in handy. Maybe I'll try it in Bm tomorrow to see what works best.


If some of the more experienced players here would like to give it a try I'd be more than happy to listen to a sound clip:-)

Ketil

[jim stone]

fishing in the same waters, or at least the same sea.

http://www.youtube.com/user/paganserena ... 7rrfy9rxbY

[Ketil]

Jim, that was cool! I listened to whiskey before breakfast and turkey in the straw particularly as I play them on the reso. I'll give them a go also!

Have you tried to bring your flute to any Bluegrass Festivals yet... Could be fun or could be suicide

[jim stone]

Thank you. I've brought flutes and whistles to blue grass ensembles, anyhow, and been well received.
Old Time is the least formal; people picked up whatever was around to play. The classic blue grass
ensemble is more fixed, so there is more possibility of static. But folks so far are having no problem.
Whistle probably goes better than flute, but that's speculation, really.

What I like especially about these genres is the opportunity
to improvise--we go around in a circle after the tune has been introduced and each musician has
an opportunity to improvise. Wonderful. Not part of ITM and, given the complexity of much ITM,
not possible for me, anyhow.

[dunnp]

Hi Jim and all,
I play a bit of Old Time on the flute as well after hearing Desi Wilkinson play Kitchen Girl on one of his old albums. I thought if Desi can get away with it, ah hell. Since then he's playing with Buffalo in the Castle whom I haven't heard yet but should be right up our alley. I got a list of tunes from a old thread from Jim and started on them. I've picked loads up off of an album on Spotify called Spirit of the Mountains which is nice and laid back and easy settings, if missing the nyahh of Old time a bit.
Here's a couple of quick videos I made a few months ago of some Old timey type stuff:
Peeler Creek and the Single Footin Horse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dSebF4V1bE
and some Civil War Marches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcomk54Xn9w
I am working on recording Pig Ankle Rag as I think its great fun on the flute. And recently learned Colored Aristocracy based off a Ted Andersen thread on the whistle page.
Maybe we should make a list of tunes that sit well on the flute?
Take Care, Pat

[Cathy Wilde]

Just had to chime in with a bit of a laugh -- I'm in a Bluegrass/Irish mix band and have spent about 10 years trying to figure out how to do this stuff on the flute (with limited success, but I'm kind of dumb that way). Anyway, two tunes we do that sit well are "Leather Britches" (kind of a variant of Lord MacDonald) and "Blackberry Blossom." We also do a couple of originals written by our mandolin player. ANYWAY, when I first saw the post about Jerusalem Ridge I thought "no way in **** that's a flute tune!' But then I started monkeying with it, just the Kenny Baker setting out of the Fiddler's Fakebook ... and hey, it's a hoot! I'm playing it in Bm on a low C flute and while I still haven't got the tag end sorted, it's actually pretty nice. I'm substituting a few rolls here and there for variation and jumping around the octaves but hey, it's fun! My fiddler sweetheart and I tried it yesterday and are thinking we'll spring it on the band. So If I get to a point where I won't die of embarrassment maybe I'll post something.

Meanwhile, in a more major but similarly groovy vein, here's a brilliant bit of playing of the Kansas City Hornpipe on the uilleann pipes -- Fred Morrison, with Bruce Molsky on banjo (this tune also sits nicely on the tinwhistle): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7zmd4rYh1o

As for a flute player who's doing neat things with kind of an old-time swing, I like Nicolas Williams of Crowfoot. They're totally worth a listen.

http://www.crowfootmusic.com

It seems the contra-dance band players in general do a very good job "swinging both ways." David Cantieni of Wild Asparagus is a terrific contra-dance flute player, so it might make sense to search for flute-friendly tunes in their repertoire and other contra bands.'

http://www.wildasparagus.com/about.html

... and thanks for the new tune, ketil and all y'all!

[Feadoggie]

ANYWAY, when I first saw the post about Jerusalem Ridge I thought "no way in **** that's a flute tune!' But then I started monkeying with it, just the Kenny Baker setting out of the Fiddler's Fakebook ... and hey, it's a hoot! I'm playing it in Bm on a low C flute and while I still haven't got the tag end sorted, it's actually pretty nice.

Very cool! I hope to hear your version some time.

Speaking of Kenny Baker, here's where I first saw Aly Bain get in on this tune. Who's that other fella in the hat?

This general topic comes up on the whistle board now and then and I generally point to the Transatlantic Sessions shows done by the BBC with Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas featuring the best from both shores. These shows illustrate what's common between the music on both sides of the pond. That Molsky/Morrison clip is from one of those shows. Most everything from the many seasons of the show are out on YouTube if you go digging. Cathy, I'm sure you've mined that treasure trove already. The flute is never (AFAIK) the featured instrument, but there is a lot of good music to be heard and seen in those shows.

Feadoggie

[sligofluter]

[ Thread revival. - Mod ]

Hi guys.

Do anyone knows how I can play this tune on a tin whistle (key of Am)?, maybe with a Low A whistle??.


Cheers

[MTGuru]

Hi, welcome.

If you want to play a setting in concert Am, like the one on The Session (where you also asked this question) ... You could transpose it to Em fingering and play it on a low G whistle (not low A). Or a high G whistle for that matter. Ouch!

Or, since this is the flute forum, on a G flute, or in Am on a keyed D flute by folding the A part up an octave.

[oldflutefan]

This chap plays seriously good fiddle.
He has some examples from his contra-dance band at the top of the page-
Some of these work well on flute, either D flute or F flute.

http://fandalism.com/fiddlewalk

[jim stone]

Here's an OT tune I recently recorded:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL5w4jBnApo

Here's another one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ITwq8sk ... ure=relmfu

[JS]

Glad to see the mention of Crowfoot. They're terrific. I had the chance to hear them at the Dance Flurry in Saratoga a couple of years ago, and to go to a workshop with their flute player--very interesting session on how to think about playing a tune in the contradance style. "Chickens" on their "Footpath" cd should be right up the alley for this discussion. Couldn't find it in a quick youtube search, but they do have plenty of stuff on there.