Sunday's banjo

Here is a photo from a couple years ago at the Litchgate House in Tallahassee. The occasion was that Mark Johnson was in town and look at all the Tallahassee clawhammerers that came out for it. Banjos that may be of interest in this photo: Mark's Ivanhoe, my Ramsey Woody, Howard Pardue's (front row--turquoise shirt) Kyle Creed. Bob Jones (white shirt) either has an Ome or a GT White Lady, but I can't see well enough to tell in the photo.
Hey Bob--if you read this--leave a comment which banjo you had that day. :)

Saturday's Banjo

Here is another of my favorite fiddlers, Alan Jabour. He has an extremely clean style and his tradtitional tunes are very even rather than crooked--so he is very easy to follow on the banjo. The banjo that I'm holding in the photo is my Ramsey Woody. It has a 12' head. You can hear it recorded on Suwannanoah Tunnel on my "Secret Life of Banjo" CD. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/maryzcox3
A news flash for instrument rescuers and collectors. The Dopyera collection is for sale at Elderly. http://www.elderly.com/articles/dopyera

friday's banjo

Here is a photo I took of Reed Martin with his 1870's banjo. He said he either paid $10 for it or got it for free as an add on to another order quite a few years ago. (I can't remember exactly) This banjo is the real thing--not a repro. It has a booming loud voice that I've never heard any repro duplicate. :)

Thursday's banjo

This is one of my all time favorite fiddlers, George Kralick of Prague. Here we are competing in the string band contest at the Florida Fiddler's Convention. What did we play? Tamlin, Suwannanoah Tunnel, and Soldiers Joy . I'm playing my modified Gibson RB250. George is a violin maker and is playing one of his violins. :)

wednesday's banjo

Bob Cox, Charley Groth & Katie Bailey picking a tune in the campground at the 2005 Willfest in Dade City, Florida. No banjo in this pic--because the banjoist was taking the photo. :)

Tuesday's banjo/Tallahassee

Boy is it ever hot outside--over a hundred degrees. Got to play indoors in the coolest room in the house. I've tried all day to make a little video of the Gabriella playing--but I keep losing the audio everytime I save to Quicktime.

Here is what Jezebel, our spoiled brat basset hound, thinks about banjo music.  

Monday's banjo

Here is my gourd banjo made by Jeff Menzies. If you'd like to listen to some gourd banjo playing go to David Hyatt's wonderful gourd banjo page at:
http://www.dhyatt.com/music.html
There are many wonderful banjos, tunes, and players of gourd banjos there.
Look for me playing St. Anne's Reel on this banjo--it is near the bottom of the list. :)

Saturday'sw banjo

Banjo picking shoes!

Friday's Banjo

Mary Z. Cox & David West pick a few tunes in the KOA campground in San Antonio, Texas.

Thursday's banjo

Even the banjo champions of tomorrow have to break for a little flower power. Photo courtesy of fiddler and vocalist, Cindi Trautman.

Wednesday's Banjo

whoops! Doesn't look like a banjo. Looks more like Jerry the cat in a boa! Probably a vocalist.

Tuesday's banjo

David Brose plays my Deering Gabriella in the quilting studio at the John C. Campbell FolkSchool.

Monday's banjo

You should have seen this student's finished banjo--very nice.

Sunday Banjo

Jerry King with his walnut banjo.

saturday's banjos

Here are the banjos they made in class. They limited the class to four students and one instructor. I can see why. Everytime I stopped by, they were all working like crazy to get these done by Friday afternoon.

Saturday's Banjo

A brand new banjo--made in only 6 days. They were really busy in the banjo shop.

Friday's Banjo

John C. Campbell Folkschool students build banjos in Jerry King's class/June 2005

Thursday's banjo

Jerry King showing a natural skin head that will go on a banjo in his banjo building class at the John C. Campbell Folkschool

Tuesday's banjo

It isn't a banjo at all--but a video of a uke performance that is truly awesome and should not be missed. One of my wonderful banjo students sent me this link and I'd like to share it .

http://www.collegehumor.com/?movie_id=159572

Thursday's Banjo

Back home again and still recovering from a bald faced hornet sting on my arm. I have never seen anything quite like it. :) My main computer is still down, so have no access to my new photos at this time.
Good news--the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina has their new catalog out and my banjo course in February 2006 is now listed and they are taking registration. They allow 12 students in the class and it will be a lot of fun. It is a continuing class rather than a beginning class--so I will have some new tunes and fun activities . If you already play a few tunes and have the basics down--this class will be perfect for you--and hope you will join us. :
Contact the school at: www.folkschool.org

Also--it looks like I will be teaching a three hour banjo worshop in Arkansas in March. I'll also be teaching a three hour dulcimer workshop, and Bob and I will be giving a concert. I'll post more details later--but this looks like a really nice festival and it will be the first time we have been in the Arkansas area for workshops and performance. :)

More later!

Tuesday's Banjo

For whatever reason, my big computer is on the blink and I am sending this from my husband's wireless computer. I do not have it hooked up to my photo index--so it may be a few days before I publish photos again.
We are getting ready to refloor our bedroom and have been trying to remove everything from it.
It is amazing the amount of junk that can pile up. I have been dragging huge black garbage bags out to the curb of old paper and junk that has accumulated. In the process, I've found old tapes, music, video tapes, set lists from old bands. Amazing! There are tunes on set lists to bands that I cannot even remember the tunes or the last names of folks in the band. :)
I will still have tons that I can't bear to toss. Afterall, how can I cope without the twenty odd participant buttons for playing at the Florida Folk Festival?
I took a few photos of the banjo building class when I was at Brasstown and will try to get them up pretty soon. I took string quilting while there and had a very fun time and have almost finished my project quilt. My husband, Bob, took scrimshaw and I think he is going to be a natural. He bought a walrus tooth while there and has it earmarked for a necklace for me!
I think he is planning on a very special scrimshaw on it.
I did see and play a very unique banjo while there that I normally would have included in my banjo rescue program. But--I recently rescued a Gabriella--and my funds and credit are pretty well tied up in this project. It has been worth it, though. This banjo was built in 1996 and locked away by collectors and really never played like a real banjo. Now I am playing it everyday and it is very happy. Also--I've had it less than a month and already it has been played by George Gibson, Steve Harvey, an David Broise(spel?) This is a very fine rescue already. I hope to begin some recording on it soon. :)
More on banjo rescue later. :)

Monday's Banjo

Hello and Happy 4th of July.
By the way--Sunday's photo is of Andy Rubin and his favorite banjo.
Here is his information. I love his banjo playing. :)

Andy Rubin
klezmer clawhammer banjo player from Sacramento, CA, and director of The
Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band, www.freilachmakers.com)

Sunday's Banjo

Hi Mary,

I've attached a photo of me in the middle of a Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
gig on 6.22.05 at a local branch library in Sacramento, CA. It's got a great angle
on my banjo (which was made by Dave Godwin of College Station, Texas back in 2000 -
unusual feature: a wider-than-normal fingerboard). The guy next to me on guitar is
Felipe Ferraz (there are 3 others on stage, but they're out of the frame).

The photo was taken by a friend, Gary Knutila.