This is another “Sunset Waltz”, unrelated to the Mississippi Mud Steppers tune, transcribed at the request of a reader. The tune is in three strains, similar to a classic American march, and, as is often the case with marches, it modulates to the subdominant for the final strain. The first two strains are in the…
Sunset Waltz (Mississippi Mud Steppers)
Sunset Waltz is one of a handful of tunes recorded by members of the seminal African-American string band the Mississippi Sheiks under the name the Mississippi Mud Steppers. There are six known sides attributed to the group, and, curiously in an era of strict racial segregation, they were released in OKeh’s 45000 ‘Hillbilly’ series. Whether…
Good Night Waltz
Good Night Waltz is a lovely waltz in the keys of C and F that was recorded by early string band performers such as the Kessinger Brothers, the Blue Ridge Entertainers, and the Leake County Revelers. This transcription is based on a Leake County Revelers performance recorded in New Orleans on April 13th, 1927, and…
Don’t You Remember the Time
Don’t You Remember the Time is a beautiful waltz in G major that sounds surprisingly modern due to two simple surprises in the chord progression: going from the V7 to the IV chord in bar 5, and doing the same in bar 16. This transcription is based on a performance by Freeny’s Barn Dance Band,…
Alabama Jubilee
Alabama Jubilee is a fun circle of fifths tune that has been performed by such luminaries as Chet Atkins and the Kentucky Colnels, and has remained in the bluegrass and old-timey repertoire for decades. This transcription is based on a performance by The McClung Brothers and Cleve Chaffin, recorded in Chicago in 1929. It was…
Mississippi Echoes
The Ray Brothers recorded Mississippi Echoes at their second and final recording session, November 21, 1930, in Memphis Tennessee. The group was comprised of Will Ray on fiddle and Vardaman Ray on guitar. The tune was paired with Tuscaloosa Waltz, and released as Victor # 23552. The tune is comprised of two eight-bar strains in C, played…
Lazy Kate
The Leake County Revelers recorded Lazy Kate at their final session, December 18, 1930, in Jackson Mississippi. It was paired with a side recorded two years earlier, Memories, and released as Columbia # 15767. Theirs is the only recording of this tune under this title. The tune is comprised of two eight-bar strains played in the standard…
Avalon Quickstep
Narmour and Smith recorded Avalon Quickstep at a June 7, 1930, session in San Antonio. It was released on OKeh’s country 45000 series as OKeh #45469. It was also released on OKeh’s Mexican 16000 series as #16732. The Mexican series issue was titled Tiempo Alegre, and, per Tony Russell’s discography, may have been credited to ‘Duo Instrumental.’ Avalon…
Johnny Inchin’ Along
Johnny Inching Along is a fairly simple and straightforward AABB fiddle tune in G major, based on two four-bar strains. It was recorded by Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts at a March 15, 1929, session in Richmond, Indiana, and released as Gennett #7049. Roberts uses a variation of the ‘A’ strain repeatedly in his performance. This is…
Buck Creek Gal
Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts recorded Buck Creek Gal at an August 26, 1927, session in Richmond, Indiana. It was released as Champion #155500, credited to the pseudonym Fiddlin’ Jim Burke. The tune is unusual structurally. It can be broken into three primary sections: An eight-bar ‘A’ section in E minor An eight-bar ‘B’ section in G major…