Who's John?

What songs are you working on lately?

I'm trying to add Valse du Bambocheur, Choupique 2-Step and maybe some others. Exploring around on my two row too, to see is I can do some Ambrose Sam tunes.

Are you doing La Valse Du Bambocheur on your box? I was wondering if that could be done. That is one of favorite all time tunes, ancient sounding and a little haunting.

Hi Brian,

I don't know that I'm doing it very well, either on fiddle or box, but I'm trying. Some versions seem to have a B part, others don't. I haven't learned the B part yet.

My A part feels a bit plodding. Horace Trahan has an A part to it that seems to rock, but he only plays it on the box right at the end. Rest of the song is fiddle lead. This is on "Ossun Blues".

The fiddle version is kinda fun. Either play it on one string at a time and do some rocking between strings, or play a lot on that D note unison with the high string, which can sound abominable when not on the money.

I'd write some accordion tab if you're interested, but my box is disassembled right now. I'm trying to beef up the springs, and also glue one of the shafts of one of my stops to the wood block so it quits turning so easily. The box fell one day and bent the shaft, and the repair I had done, well, it isn't like it was before.

Ever find any Jai Etes Au Bal tab?

I always wondered if the B part was left off to make the song shorter on some versions. Too bad, song like that deserves its full length. Good luck with it, I'd like to hear an accordion version, but I figured there was a reason I never had.

Never found any J'ete' au bal tabs, but I was just stuck on a couple notes that I think I got worked out. Tabs usually only help me once I get it pretty much down but just missing parts. I do notice it gets easier and easier to pick out the notes. This contraption just gets more and more fun.

One possible thought on that stop shaft, a gunsmithing trick, is to use clear fingernail polish on the threads, about the same as using locktite I think. It doesnt glue it permanantly, but definately holds it.

We play also the Valse de Bombacheur with accordion.
I had also use the version of Horace Trahan.
I have also tabs of J'ete au Bal.

There's a bunch of ways to do this, as usual. I'll just do the easy/easy to tab version, A part only:

6' 3/7' 3/7'~ 3/7' 6' 3/7'~ 3/7' 6/7' 5' 5
4/7 4/7 4/6 4/6 4/7 4/7 3/7' 3/7' 6/7' 5' 5
6' 3/7' 3/7'~ 3/7' 6' 3/5'~ 3/5' 6/7' 5' 5/8
4/7 4/7 3/7' 6/7' 5' 5/8

That second line could be
4/7 4/7 3/6 3/6 4/7 4/7 3/7' 3/7' 6/7' 5' 5
that third line could be:
6' 3/7' 3/7'~ 3/7' 6' 5/7'~ 5/7' 6/7' 5' 5/8

Last year,I acquired a Baffetti GLII,4 reeds, black, very cool,red bellows, very masculine , big machine , probably one too many reeds Dwight, but so versatile.
Heavy, nah!,I play seated anyway, don't feel the weight at all.
Anyways, I'm learning some Zydeco, through, Coret Ledet instructional triple row DVD,and I've concentrated learning some of Roy Carier&the Night Rockers, Blues numbers like the ones on the " Offshore Blues&Zydeco" disc, and I can say that I have put my inimitable "stamp" on them .
But for me having so many different sounds trough the different switches use, offers far more possibilities as I grew up lessening to french tunes( France), and the tunes of your upbringing area never leaves your mind.
Anyways, the box is GCF tuned, witch most of Carrier tunes are, it's also dry tuned, as I'm not too fond of the factory tremolo offering.
I'm quite advanced on crossing over the 3 rows and it's a fascinating instrument to learn how to play.

Also knowing how to play competently a one row has helped me making the transition to a 3 rows.

'Nuff said.

Claude.

The only smidgling I have of playing cross-row on my GC is the Irish tune "The Butterfly", and then only the beginning, which I love. I'm going to do some close listening to Ambrose Sam and try to get some of his stuff.

Last year i tried to get some of Ambrose music, could find only one tune: Old Time Zydeco, I think.

What's your source?.

Claude.

an album I bought, and then digitized.

And?, you've got me practically drooling , what's the album's name?.

Claude.

Something like Zydeco: Volume 1.

I think it had one side with Ambrose Sam, the other side with Keith Frank's father and uncle.

Thanks for putting me straight there, Claude. I did actually know that - I was just being whimsical.

BJ