Scott didlake and the origin of the banjo TBI 1992

[PeluMaad]

@metallicafan52893 ....I thought the banjo was brought to Ireland by American minstrels around the mid 19th century and around the same time the mandolin came to America in a big way through Italian immigration? The banjo and fiddle were the basis of American dance music since the early 18th century...moving from the Chesapeake and Sea Island coastal areas to the Appalachians where the Celtic aspects were emphasized and the African aspects de-emphasized somewhat. Mandolin and guitar were added.

[SuleDrum]

I was in the car on the way to MS to visit Scott on the day he died....

[writerrad]

Ulf is one of the world's experts not just on banjos but on the whole lineage of lutes and spike lutes as they ended up in the New World banjo. When Earl Scruggs wanted instruments to illustrate the ancestry of the banjo, he contacted Ulf, as did the banjo museum in Tulsa, as did the new museum of musical instruments in Phoenix.

[CrysallisJones]

I'm impressed with this man's knowledge of African history and American musical history. This is a MUST SEE video for anyone who loves music! And of course it is posted by someone who lives outside of the U.S. Thanks UlfJagfors! Sad that more Americans aren't into their own history. . .

[robfergusonjr]

God, I miss you Scott.

[Steadno]

peace and respect

[katrinaburgoyne]

Awesome work Ulfjagfors

Great video. :)

Much love Kat

[zerohero35]

Blacks were considered not worth more than a dog. So I'd ahve to disagree with them being treated as bad on the same level. Its not even close.

[10INTM]

This video is great! I found out not too long ago about the origin of the banjo. I knew it was, for the most part, built by African slaves in America that were basically recreating the African gourd instruments with which they were familiar. But this video really gives you the fascinating details to the backstory.

[UlfJagfors]

The New World banjo with African influenced music was spread to eastern USA during the first decades of the 18th century. The first written acount in US is from 1732 if I do not remember the exact year wrong.

Mandolins came into the Amrican music life at the end of the 1900 century by the large influx of italian immigrants. Already in the beginning of the 1890´s the banjo makers offered banjo mandolins in contrast to the original Italian egg shaped all wooden mandolins. Ulf Jagfors

[UlfJagfors]

By no means the Irish had anything to do with BG mandolins or banjos. The banjo is an New World invention based on constructions both from African skin head lutes and Europen, mostly Portuguese and Spanish small lutes. That happend in the late 1700 century in mostly the Carribian regions.

Ulf Jagfors

[UlfJagfors]

No. no ,no.You have got it very wrong. I urge you to make a little bit more study on all information on the net about American music history. The Irish indeed contributed a lot to the development of the minstrel and old-time music during the mid 1900 century that were the forrunner to the BlueGrass music. BG music was more or less single handed invented by Bill Monroe when he established the now standard BG setting in his band Bluegrassboys around 1946.

Ulf Jagfors

[philanati]

Wow I am very impressed on how a White Man actualy told true history on

African Culture experience in America pertaining to the Musical heiritage in this Country Wow.

[drybonesband]

This is something special. I learned a lot about a subject I thought I knew all about. Thanks for putting it up.

[robfergusonjr]

Scott Didlake was a talented man. I worked with him on the Choctaw Reservation in Mississippi. He introducted me to the Macintosh in 1986. He did some work on hyper linking documents.

[BrunoEspo]

love this

[bltbanjo]

Hi Ulf - I want to thank you for posting this amazing video.

Barbara

[UlfJagfors]

There are many sources for gourds in USA.I think there is also a gourd society. Google on key word Gourd

Ulf

[hugoestr]

Scot talked about growing gourds for banjos. Is there any information available on that? Where would one find that? This is such an amazing video.

[DRUMDRUE]

Nkoni from Mali and other regions of West Africa is a stringed instrument you should check out !!!

Bassekou Kouyate are a really good new group touring who have 4 Nkoni players.

They are hot

[UlfJagfors]

In my colletion of African string instruments I have both samples of Ngoni, Huddo, Molo and Xhalam lutes. They are in principle (number of strings can differ)the same instruments and also have to a certain degree the same repertoire. Xhalam playing can be seen in one of my youtube clips. I have also meet many times, last time one month ago, in US Cheik Hamal Diabate, a very skilled Malien Ngoni and gourd banjo lute player. I bought my Ngoni from Mali by him.

Ulf

[JakeRaytheRounder]

Where can I find the Deena epson book he refers to

[UlfJagfors]

Sinful Tunes and Spirituals by Dena J.Epstein, ISBN: 0-252-00520-1 1977

[iandsmith]

Learn a gourd/skin instrument. You won't regret it. Scott says wood and metal "industrialised" music. True. Gourd/skin instruments are about expressive technique rather than mechanical technique.

[forscaf]

fuckin hippy

[richroberge]

Scott was a passionate artist and researcher. He is already part of the history of North American folk. You don't have to like it, believe it or admit it. It is a fact. By the way, both of the words you wrote are misspelled, so what are you? A scholar?

[creamofcardstv]

Your video clip is great and I've rated it as awesome. Please check out mine on some 1920's trading cards of musical instruments, including the banjo.

[rottenhubert]

Great - keep 'em coming, Ulf! Thanks.