Vintage

Description

Itty Bitty Ditty (Rathje) 1:42 One More Chance (Thomas arr. Rathje) 4:34 Blarney Pilgrim (trad. arr. Rathje) 2:32 John Hardy (trad. arr. Rathje) 5:01 Cold Frosty Morning (trad. arr. Rathje) 2:16 Leavin’ Trunk (Estes arr. Rathje) 3:16 New Irish Barn Dance (trad. arr. Rathje) 3:12 Last Chance Blues (Cannon arr. Rathje) 3:42 D Mando Medley (trad. arr. Rathje) 3:26 Minor Modal Ramble (Rathje) 1:38 Total playing time, 31:22 Inspired by the purchase of a vintage banjo and mandolin, this CD goes deeply into the roots of country, blues, and Celtic music. The first and last tracks are original instrumental compositions. Track 2 is my rendition of Texas bluesman Henry Thomas’ “One More Chance.” Track 3 is my arrangement of the Celtic tune “Blarney Pilgrim.” Track 4 is an arrangement of the old folksong “John Hardy.” I’ve dug to find some older lyrics to this song, which makes the story more interesting. Track 5 is the haunting American banjo tune “Cold Frosty Morning.” Track 6 is my rendition of Sleepy John Estes’ “Leavin’ Trunk.” Track 7 is a syncopated version of the “New Irish Barn Dance,” featuring vintage banjo and mandolin sounds. (The song is reputedly Swedish in origin.) “Last Chance Blues" is my arrangement of a song by Gus Cannon and his Jug Stompers, a Memphis jug band from the 1930s. “D Mando Medley” combines the traditional tunes “Napoleon Crossing the Rhine” and “Whiskey Before Breakfast.” Dean Rathje: voice, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro, piano, bass.