CD Review: Pete Stanley & Whizz
Jones:
More than 16 Tons of Bluegrass
...and other fine stuff
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Roller Coaster
RCCD
3036
I was very excited when I heard this CD was to be produced. The early
1966 original LP of the same title that it is based on (but which had only
16 tracks, compared to the 24 here) was a milestone in its' day. Nowadays
it's a collectors item and commands over £100 ($150) in
auctions.
Pete in particular became more Bluegrass-oriented, much influenced by Bill Keith (amongst others) and was a great influence on many British 'folkies' to take up 5-string banjo and an interest in Bluegrass. 16 Tons Of Bluegrass was not their first recording release but a recent BBMA survey showed that it was one of the top two influences on the growth in interest in Bluegrass in the UK. The other one was Homer and The Barnstormers' Bluegrass Banjos on Fire (Who were they?) I was fortunate enough to have both these LPs. This new CD has 8 previously unreleased tracks, including Pete's own composition the fast banjo instrumental Riff Minor. All 24 tracks are very professionally played and form an important part of Bluegrass in the UK. There was almost no home-brew Bluegrass here at the time. Even Tom & Smiley's The Bluegrass Sound of Tom & Smiley wasn't released until 1968. The sound quality is surprisingly good considering the tracks were recorded (as Ralph McTell explains on the sleeve notes) "Directly onto quarter-inch tape, straight into glorious mono with no overdubs or drop-ins; all absolutely live!" Some tracks exhibit a sound style found on some Beatles tracks, where the voices appear to be behind the instruments. Who is this CD for? Well, anyone into nostalgia for a start. But more - anyone wanting to hear how numbers should be played and sung; or professional production; or how to package a CD to make it interesting even if never played. Or just anyone who wants a good CD that has lots of variety that they can put on and listen to. The package is not the usual 'Jewel case'; it is the far superior, more practical, 3-fold gloss cardboard with 5 full photos (both monochrome and colour). There is a 24 page booklet of historic notes which also has 10 historic photos (both monochrome and colour). The CD itself is also screen printed with the title cover photo (shown above). Buy it - you cannot go wrong! Commenting on the tracks: Riff Minor: This previously unissued version was recorded during the first session at Regent Sound session, along with the version of Hollis Brown that was abandoned and re-recorded later. The tune was put together by Pete while with the Tennesssee Three. Ramblin' & Gamblin': Here both Pete and Wizz play guitars on what was then supposed to be the title of their album. The powers-that-pay had different ideas and it became 16 Tons Of Bluegrass instead. Pete says this song came from an old 78 which someone taped and sent to him without any information! My Grandfather's Clock: This was a very popular piece in their live act; Pete uses the Scruggs pegs on the banjo and turns in a fascinating virtuoso performance. Burglar Man: Another hit from their show, even though the audience knew the outcome the delivery always kept them alert and amused. Freight Train: It was probably recorded in deference to their recording manager on the day, Chas MeDevitt, who with Nancy Whiskey had a hit with this song seven years earlier. Pete fingerpicks on guitar with Wizz on Epiphone. Clinch Mountain Backstep: Pete has made his banjo instrumental own, played in 'Mountain Minor' tuning (gDGCD). Kentucky Moonshiner: Wizz imparts a plaintive vocal on this old song, which Pete found in a 1920's Lullaby Song Book Teardrops In My Eyes: Originally a hit for bluegras duo Connie & Babe. Ballad Of Jed Clampett: This was the theme music from the hit TV series The Beverley Hillbillies, played by Earl Scruggs on the original soundtrack version. Kentucky Mountain Chimes: Was a hit originally for Rusty York and his Kentucky Mountain Boys. Pete had recorded this previously as a single with The Tennessee Three, a group he had been part of in the early sixties. The other two' Tennesseeans' were Dave and Robb Mangunan, from California! Teapot Blues: A melody composed by Wizz and Brian Kennedy in 1959. This was played to Alan Tunbridge who changed the feel from a slow blues in A to a chirpy tune with C shapes, adding humorous cockney words. In turn, in 1966, Clive Palmer, on the first Incredible String Band LP, transformed this into Empty Pocket Blues. Later re-recorded by Wizz and Pete with a 'jug Band' backing for release as a single but never issued. National Seven: Yet another chord sequence played by Wizz to Alan Tunbridge in a Paris hotel room, to which Alan wrote the lyrics. This wonderfully evocative song was to inspire many 'wannabe' travelling musicians, including the young Ralph MeTell, to tread the road, which bears this name down to the south of France. Iowa: Has an interesting pedigree. Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, a fine old-time string band, recorded this. Either Charlie Poole had imbibed too before the recording session or Pete had done the same before copying down the lyrics, but "I'm gonna live on the highway 'til I die" somehow became "... in Iowa 'til I die!" Devilish Mary: Another traditional tune dealing with a love-hate relationship that has always been well received in their gigs. Hesitation Blues: This jazz and jug band standard was also learned from a Charlie Poole recording. WeepingWillow Blues: An early attempt from Wizz to copy the playing of Blind Boy Fuller, using the famous Big Bill Broonzy thumb-thump on his Epiphone guitar. Stern Old Batchelor: Although Pete originally heard this Carter Family song from the late Derroll Adams about 1956-58. Derroll had been playing around the UK Folk and Skiffle clubs with Ramblin' Jack Elliott and they could have been the prototypes for Wizz & Pete, with their stetsons, banjo and guitar. Jack had even less dress-sense than Wizz, often preferring to mooch around with western boots and an overcoat thrown over his pyjamas. But whereas Jack relied heavily on his flatpicking and his affinity to Woody Guthrie's repertoire, Wizz tempered his own playing with the love for the blues. Though Derroll had a deep rich voice, Pete was soon to outstrip his technique on the banjo. However both duos had their own individual styles and both achieved mass recognition. Fiddlers Green: This place actually exists and is about a mile off the A30 in Cornwall. Pete composed this banjo instrumental with the bits and bobs left over after trying to work out how Bill Keith played "The Devil's Dream". Riff Minor: This is the version used as the B side of their 1965 single for Columbia and features John Bell on bass. The Ballad Of Hollis Brown: The Bob Dylan song that was Wizz and Pete's first and only single together. It was a brave venture to put out such a long track in the days when you could get away with something as short as a minute and fortyfive seconds. Wizz says the guitar tuning was DADGBD capo'd up somewhere! John Bell also played double bass on this track. The Cuckoo: A bluegrassy version of an old time modal tune, previously unissued. Walk Right: In Also previously unissued, this old Gus Cannon song really thrives from the pounding Wizz gives his old Foley guitar, it also features the trademark Wizz kazoo elastic banded onto his guitar strap! Shuckin' Sugar: Another unissued track, a traditional song arranged by Wizz and played on Chas' 12-string Gibson. Corrinne: One of Wizz' blues favourites; as you can hear, it only just managed to get squeezed into the session. The false start and preamble really conjures up the Wizz and Pete relationship which was part of their appeal - with Wizz deperately trying to squeeze a blues in before the end of the session! One converted Folkie.
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