Bluegrass And Geometry

Let's talk geometry for a few minutes. Specifically, let's talk about triangles with all three sides equal in measure - the Equilateral Triangle. Do you remember when you were in the grade school band with triangles and wooden blocks? Were those not the good old days? This is what my Bluegrass life has been reduced to - the lowly triangle; but at least I get to recognize the worth, quality and importance of my childhood.

It's a sad story really, but I'm not looking for your sympathy. The first instrument I tried to learn was a 5-string banjo. Well, that proved to be a tad difficult for me, so I moved on to a stand-up bass. "How hard could it be?" I wondered. Well, let's just say the bass proved too difficult as well. So, yesterday afternoon, I went to the MusicStop store in Saint John and bought me a triangle! How hard can it be?

Everyone knows I have strict rules as to the instrumentation I will allow at my Bluegrass jam sessions, so let me clarify why I need a triangle in a Bluegrass song. A small group of people, of which I'm a part of, have been working on the Flatt & Scruggs version of the Petticoat Junction theme song. Remember that old TV show that ran from 1963 to 1970? Well anyway, there are a couple of sound effects in the song that are done by a trainagle; at least that's what I think is being used to create the sounds. One of the sounds is a train bell and the other is a dinner bell. Come and ride the little train that is rolling down the tracks to the junction - ding ding ding ding ding ding...

While it is true the triangle is a bit easier than playing an upright bass and a whole lot easier than playing a banjo, I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea; there's more to it than you think. I mean, you have to hold the thing... and then hit it with the striker... with the proper timing, touch and tone. Through trial and error I discovered some of the intracasies of handling the triangle at various points along its sides and at its vertices. Wow, that's a big word. Any instrument that can be described with a word like that must have some degree of complexity associated with it, don't you think? Seriously though, the most difficult part of using it in Petticoat Junction is getting the timing just right with the proper tonal characteristics.

Just in case you're thinking you can bring a triangle to the Bluegrass Friends Weekly Jam Sessions and play along to all of the tunes being played, let me assure you, this will NOT be allowed. The use of the triangle in Petticoat Junction is a special effect. We're also planning on having a train whistle sound and a shaker to simulate a train chug. This is going to be really fun to play, or really corny, or both; you decide. I guess you could say from a literal point of view that we're going to have all the bells and whistles in this song. And guess what I get to play?

And you thought no one would ever put to use any of their grade school geometry skills later in life, didn't you? Come on now, tell the truth.

Bluegrass Jam or Bluegrass Boot Camp?

By now, you may be aware that I am going to resume (after an 11 month break) the weekly Bluegrass jam sessions at the Saint John Marina with the help of my wife Helen and some of my Bluegrass Friends.

When I started the original Bluegrass Friends jam sessions on July 25, 2005, everyone in attendance was enthused and excited; everyone was happy they had another place to jam and lots of people said "thanks for doing this." It didn’t take long however, before I realized I couldn’t keep everybody happy. I tried my best to accommodate everyone, but whenever I did something to make one group of people happy, I was making another group angry.

I had never done anything like this (organizing a jam) before and I didn’t know what to do about the unhappy people. It didn’t appear to take much to make some people unhappy either; something as simple as asking somebody to sit in the jam circle could set certain people off - who was I to make such a ridiculous suggestion?

After a couple months of organized chaos, I came to the conclusion that I had to stay true to my original intent of the jams; namely, to learn and play Bluegrass music. From that point on I was on a mission and I'm here to say that it wasn't easy trying to enforce the rule I had set forth - Bluegrass music only! Not John Prine, not country music, not rock & roll! Bluegrass!

I bet many people won’t believe this, but before I started the jam sessions I was mostly an introvert. Thanks to having to deal with the public at the jam sessions, I am no longer an introvert. In fact, I pretty much speak my mind now. Some people respect that; others don’t.

Some people equate the enforcement of the jam session rules with the idea that I like to tell people "the way it's going to be." Nothing could be further from the truth. I don't like having to confront people when they are not following the rules any more than the next guy, but it needs to be done from time to time for the sake of keeping the jam sessions on track and true to their purpose.

I find it very awkward when I have to speak to someone and I wish I never ever had to do it. There are lots of people that want to say something to somebody, but often times they let me be "the heavy" because in their minds I don't mind taking on that role, but as I said, this is not the case at all. I have even had people say to me "I don't want to say anything, but you can do it - you're used to it."

Something people have learned about me is that I’ll tell the truth when asked a question. With that in mind, you’d be much better off asking your questions to someone else if your only reason for asking is to hear a positive remark. I'm not saying that I never respond with a positive remark; I'm simply saying that you had better be prepared for a possible negative response as well. If a positive answer is appropriate, that’s what you’ll get. If you want an honest opinion, by all means, ask me. Again, some people respect me for my honesty, others don’t like it at all.

My son has accused me of running a Bluegrass Boot Camp at the weekly jam sessions. He says "just let people play what they want. You might hurt their feelings." I say "that's just too bad!" From the very beginning, inclusive of the first e-mail newsletter I published on July 18, 2005 announcing the first jam session, I stressed the purpose of the Bluegrass Friends jam sessions, which is to learn and play Bluegrass music; and I reminded people week after week after week until I sounded like a broken record.

If people don't want to conform to the Bluegrass only rule, there are several jam sessions in the Saint John and surrounding areas that offer a "do whatever you want" format, and that is precisely where I would suggest they go; others may suggest another place. I'm not offering a free-for-all type of jam; I have a mission and I'm going to do whatever I can to see it accomplished. If people don’t like Bluegrass music they shouldn’t be going to the Bluegrass jams. Why would anyone attend an event they don’t care for? If they do like Bluegrass, then the Bluegrass jams should be right up their alleys.

So, am I running a Bluegrass boot camp? Well, if you perceive trying to keep a Bluegrass jam on the straight and narrow Bluegrass road, then perhaps to you, I am.

The Bluegrass Friends weekly jam sessions will resume at the Saint John Marina on June 2, 2008. Welcome.

Keep pickin' and keep it Bluegrass!