Flavour of the month

[Alistair]

I haven’t posted anything for a while – but still practicing the songs.

It’s great to see sales of Jake’s work doing so well and with recent press, TV and radio coverage and your Jakefest, there’s a real rivaval going on.

I played at my local club last night – there’s lots of interest and new people doing Jakes stuff … so if you arrive late there’s a chance someone else has already done your number!

Has the site had a lot more hits recently and are you finding the same increase in popularity of Jakes work in your area?

Cheers,

Alistair :cheer:

[Malcy]

Hi, Alastair !

Great to hear you’ve joined our ranks of players performing Jake’s songs ! You may or may not be aware, but every summer we hold a big celebration concert where Jake players of all abilities and ranges can come and do some numbers. Sounds to me as if you’d be an ideal candidate for the next JakeFest come baggsy-time ! Which ones do you do ?

[Alistair]

I play: The Statues, Bantom Cock, Sisiter Josephine, Lah di dah, Only a gypsy, Widow of Brid, Grandad,To do with you, On again on again and The Blacksmith & The Toffee maker.

With most I need my book for prompts, but I mug up if I’m doing a support spot.

I am still after a recording of Our Dog – I’d love to learn it but I have forgotten the tune.

I’ll keep my eyes open for your events.

Alistair

[Gordon]

You will find the lyrics and guitar tabs for "Our Dog" here:

http://www.jakethackray.com/content/view/88/26/

[Malcy]

Good man, Alistair ! Great to see a "new recruit" who’s not shy of tackling the tricky bits. Certainly you’ve got a few there that only 3 or 4 other players do out of a potential pool of 20 or so… Should stand you in good stead at Baggsy Time !

Cheers –

Malcy

[philreckless]

For Alistair and anyone else who is interested – I have the melody (with chords) for Our Dog written out as dots on a stave. This can be sent as a graphics file (e.g. jpeg) or Sibelius file. Contact via my website which should appear at the end of this message.
All the Best
Phil

[philreckless]

oh and I can send the tune as an audio or midi file too!

Post edited by: philreckless, at: 2006/12/27 14:38

[Slybynight]

Hi all

I have always wanted to have the guts to perform, but so far its only unfortunate friends who have had the pleasure of my versions of the great mans songs! I am determined to give it a go, so I am studying in earnest (lucky chap). I therefore have no idea about "bagsying" of even what the 20 or so are that Malcy is talking about.

I play: Billy’s Ballad, La-di-dah, Bethlehem, Castleford LMC, Grandad, and Bantham Cock.

It sounds like most of those are common choices, so I guess I’d be pretty near the bottom of the bagsy pile.

What do all you guys play?

Which are the most popular?

Has anyone had a crack at tabbing out some of the more complex picking, eg bethlehem – I’ve worked out the first bit, but I just revert to standard up and down picking after that.

[Ian Burdon]

Hi Slybynight

Every year or so a ‘Jakefest’ is organised somewhere in the country at which -as a rule- allcomers volunteer to get on the stage and perform a Jakesong or two. There are a number of problems with this, one of which is the large number of people we now have who want to do this. Baggsying is the semi-controlled free-for-all which happens before a Jakefest when people are invited to scramble to be assigned songs which they know. This happens because there is a hard core of Jakes "big" songs which most people know but we can’t stage a show in which twenty people come on and sing Sister Josephine.

People submit in advance the songs which they want to do and other which they can do and someone – usually Malcy – tries to organise it all into a running order which ensures that no song is duplicated and everyone is more or less content with the song(s) which they are asked to do.

I don’t know when the next Jakefest is but when one is due a note will be posted on this site inviting performers – either existing or aspiring – to submit their preferences.

welcome along

Ian

[Ian Burdon]

Oh, and I should have added: you undoubtedly have a higher chance of performing the songs which you want if you explore the hinterland of Jake’s lesser known songs but a lot depends on who else is baggsying and the mix of songs on their lists. At the last Jakefest in Scarborough, which ran over two nights, upwards of fifty of Jake’s songs were performed.

There aren’t many which have never been performed but there remain a few.

As regards picking – we have a mix of performing styles – some sticking closer to Jake’s guitar style than others. None of us are Jake impersonators: the idea is to keep the songs alive and breathing.

Post edited by: aliasmacalias, at: 2007/01/30 07:32

[Malcy]

Hiya Slybynight !

Pausing briefly to echo what Ian’s said, I see that you’ve quoted Mr Garbutt at the end of your letter ! If you’ve managed to play whistle half as well as Vin, then you’ll easily manage Jake’s "tricky bits !" ;o)

[Author]

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