Have anyone done or heard this combo before? I am sure it has been done.. I have a friend that plays the 5 string banjo (3 finger Scruggs style) and we are planning to get together with a guitarplayer and play some tunes. We need some inspiration and maybe some tips on what tunes would fit (Banjo tuned in open G, D flute)
Any recordings or youtube clips you know of? No songs please, just tunes.
We have no intention on keeping it strictly ITM so we are open for inspiration!
Ketil
Try “Googling” “Buffalo In The Castle”. Individual tracks can be listened to and purchased through “iTunes”.
Seamus Egan guests on this great album by banjo-player Stephen Wade:
http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Parlor-Stephen-Wade/dp/B0000012F0
There is a 5 string player, Jerry Maloney in St. Louis, and at my local session we have Jim on 5 string. Sounds fine to me when I’m playing flute with Jim and years back when I played a few times with Jerry.
With Jim, there are a few tunes only he and I so, so apart from backers it’s just us and I really like it.
Eric
Paddy Carty’s classic irish flute LP has a banjo accompanist; iirc it’s a five string.
Paddy Carty was accompanied by Mick O’Connor on tenor-banjo [ 4-strings ], not a 5-string banjo. It’s very plain to see on the front cover of the original LP gatefold sleeve.
I’d play whatever tunes you all know. Play them and see if they sound good. If not, try another tune you all know! Sometimes it’s worth just playing for the fun of it and see what comes out.
This is with fiddle, not flute - but Jonny Toman has a nice approach and blends well. The clip is a bit over-arranged for my tastes, but it’s overall very nice.
FWIW I think bare fingers, a lighter touch and melodic thumb-dropping would work better than scruggs style which is inherently an ‘in your face’ style - Irish trad is traditionally a much more understated style.
It can and does work, I used to hear Tom Hanway sit in on sessions a lot when I was in the NYC area.