Etta Baker - Fingerpicking the Piedmont Blues
When we first heard that Homespun Music had a new Etta Baker video out
we couldn't wait to see and hear it. The folks at Homespun have been producing
the finest quality music instruction materials for thirty years now, and
we knew that they were just the right folks to capture the spirit of Etta
Baker and her music. At $29.95 , the video is quite a bargain , and you'll
be certain to listen many times. It truly is a "must have" addition
to the blues and traditional music enthusiast's library. You can order
the video (and lots of other great music stuff) directly from Homespun.
They aren't on the web yet, but they've got one of those nifty toll-free
numbers that works just fine for getting a catalog. Call them up at 1-800-338-2727
Few
performers can rightfully lay claim to "living legend" status,
but for Etta Baker there is no doubt about it. She's been playing the Piedmont
blues for 80 years now, and she just keeps getting better. Her father taught
her to play as a child, and through Etta we can step back in time and listen
to the roots of traditional Southern Appalachian music. Etta first gained
a widespread following among folk enthusiasts in the 50's as a result of
her songs on the "Traditional Music of the Southern Appalachians,"
collection. Her relaxed and simple style are certainly a reflection of
her familiarity with and love of the music she plays. She could easily
be called "Queen" of the Piedmont blues, because she has a grace
and graciousness rarely seen. Between Doc Watson and Etta Baker, North
Carolinians have an incredible living history of the music of our region.
We should consider ourselves most fortunate to be able to experience firsthand
the music of these great performers.
Happy Traum of Homespun Music first learned of Etta when he purchased
"Traditional Music of the Southern Appalachians," at a
Greenwich Village yard sale in the early sixties. He eagerly transcribed
two of the tunes for his first book. It must surely have been a thrill
for him to come to North Carolina thirty years later to produce "The
Fingerpicking Blues of Etta Baker" video. The video is both a
wonderful conversation with a master performer and a very personal lesson
in the intricacies of her stylings and improvisations. Wayne Martin is
the host for the lesson, and his relaxed manner and keen eye are a good
match with Etta's playing. He reaches into the song and picks out the tricky
parts, and then gets Etta to tell a story and explain the music , both
techincally for the player, and historically for the fan.
Etta's many stories are the real treasure in this video, and allow us
a rare insight into her musical experiences. Etta's playing is the living
memory of simpler times and the love of her dad. At 83 years young Etta
has been playing since she was 3 years old, taking lessons only from her
father. Her lifetime of music is inspired by her dad, "I know that
this (music) must be the very thing that I must do," she said to herself
as a youngster, and so she has been doing it ever since.
Through tales about her son's bands, and her daughter's loving gift
of a now vintage Gibson Les Paul in the fifties, Etta weaves a wonderful
spell over her audience. Wayne Martin does an equally wonderful job of
drawing out the details, without ever causing Etta to break stride. Etta
plays some incredible old tunes including Dew Drop, where
she gives a lesson on the "rolling hand," and Bully of
the Town, another classic Etta learned form her dad. Dew
Drop is a 4-finger roll, one of the first pieces she learned. Also
on the video is the first blues song Etta ever heard her dad play Carolina
Breakdown, a song he picked up on a trip to Virginia.
Etta plays Carolina Breakdown right out, and the memories
it stirs in her come cleanly through the music straight into the listener.
With an elegant rolling style, solid bass rthym with simple highlights,
and crisply fingered details, Carolina Breakdown is the classic
Piedmont blues. Etta picks cleanly and firmly, smiling during a pause in
the middle which she later tells us was her daddy's "rest spell"
while he danced the "shifting sands." If you close your eyes
you'll swear you can hear him dancing on a dusty wooden floor.
The Piedmont blues is an elegant rolling blues. Thumb on bass, melody
from pointer, gently rolling. Etta goes through each song once at normal
pace, then Wayne steps in and gets her to play through the details more
slowly. Wayne really brings out excellent technique highlights and there
is great camerawork. Split screen shots let you see both hands close-up
in the intricate parts. Now I'm not a picker myself, but it is clear to
me that there are plenty of detailed tips and tricks being shared. "That's
fantastic," Wayne Martin says about one lick in particular, and Etta
jumps right in with a story about swapping licks with Taj Mahal.
Etta's signature piece One Dime Blues is included as is
its story. While stranded in West Virginia, a friend of hers started playing
the song and had " money comin' from all directions." Surely from
a time when a dime on the street corner could help a man get along. And
the story about her daughter buying her a Gibson Les Paul is a very special
moment. I can't wait to see her again so I can check out that fine guitar
up close.
Given a choice, Etta sings On the Other Hand Baby. It
is a tradional blues with Piedmont stylings, no flash just plenty of honesty
and feeling. Facial Expressions, smiles, gentle swaying, all add to the
song and draw you into Etta's very personal playing style. Then Wayne calls
out for a little "boogie woogie," and Etta slips right into Brown's
Boogie.
But the best part of the video is when Etta breaks out the slide and
her dreadnaught and plays in "KC" tuning her incredible version
of Goin' Down the Road. We gave the song a "Best
of MerleFest Award" when we saw Etta there, and this version leaves
nothing out. What an incredible artist Etta is. We are then treated to
another song from "Traditional Music of the Southern Appalachian"
, John Henry. Etta even tells of going down the tunnel where
John Henry laid his hammer down and looking back at the little spot of
light at the other end. And then she plays it as only a persons who has
seen that place could play it. For a real treat check out Doc Watson's
version of this song and compare the subtle differences in the styling
of the mountain and Piedmont versions of this classic standard.
When the last song is played, Wayne thanks Etta and she replies, "Oh
I have really really enjoyed it so much," So have we Etta, so have
we.
I highly recommend this video for anyone interested in learning about
Etta and the Piedmont blues. As they say in the Homespun catalog, "
Etta's heartwarming stories will delight anyone who loves her music. You'll
watch this video over and over - even if you don't play guitar. Pull up
a chair ! Here's a rare chance to have a private sit-down with a much-revered
traditional artist."
This video can be ordered directly from Homespun Music - try calling
1-800 338-2737. Or you can write to Homespun at [email protected]
We managed to round up a few other web resources related to Etta
For starters, check out her Rounder Records offerings - One
Dime Blues is her first full album - unbelievable !
She doesn't have a biography on the Rounder site, but she also appears
on Old
Time Music on the Air
CDUniverse sells her new CD, and has a brief
biography.
We'll being checking into the Archive
of Appalchian Music ourselves, they have some incredible material in
their archives, including interviews with Etta and Tony Rice.
The North Carolina
Folklore Journal published at Appalachian State University has several
issues with Etta related articles.
And of course there is our own NCNatural "Best
Song at MerleFest '96 Award" link.
A very high quality web site is Old
Time Music which has an article "What
is Old Time Music," written by Steve Goldfield. There is also
"What is Old Time
Music" by Mark Humphrey which offers another explanation. There's
plenty of great music stuff to browse through, and even pictures of the
webmaster.
by: Nicholas Holshouser - NCNatural.com