If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News http://maryzcox.com/news.html Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page: News Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:16:49 -0700 Dog Days 2010 http://maryzcox.com/news.html#18 Hello Friends and family,


Hope it's cooler where you are than in Tallahassee in August. :)


Lots of fun happening with "Drumming On the Edge of Banjo."  NPR's Thistle and Shamrock played a track from it in June and now they've sent me a questionaire for more information.  Oasis just sent out the radio sampler of world music which included a track and we've been hearing from DJs across the country asking for more. :)


I have been working on a banjo tab book to go with it.  We are leaving for Ecuador and the Galapados Islands in a few days and will be back by August 31st--so I will resume work on it then and hopefully will finish in the fall.


We are greatly looking forward to seeing everyone in Charlotte in September.


Thank you to everyone who has bought our new CD or download of it.  We really appreciate your support and also all your kind words about the music. :)


Best wishes always,


Mary Z


 

]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#18 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Thistle and Shamrock (NPR) http://maryzcox.com/news.html#17 We got a pleasant surprise yesterday.  When I was driving home from the grocery store I heard a track from Mary’s latest CD playing on “Thistle and Shamrock” (a Celtic music program) on our local public radio station.  They have posted the playlist but have not yet posted the podcast.   http://www.thistleradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=44&Itemid=91


 It is the June 17 program (number 1412).  Mary’s track is in the middle of the list.

]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#17 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Florida Folk Festival 2010 http://maryzcox.com/news.html#16









]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#16 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Florida Folk Festival 2010 http://maryzcox.com/news.html#15  
Bob and I will be at the Florida Folk Festival in White Springs on Memorial Day weekend. Here is where we will be playing:

 

Friday/May 28th   12:30 PM  Song and Story Tent

Saturday/May 29  7:00 PM Old Marble Stage

Sunday/May 30  12:40 PM Under the Oaks

 

Bob and I have been working up some nice new sets and hope you will come by and have a listen and say hello.

Notice that the Old Marble Stage is near the food vendors at dinner time and the Under the Oaks time is at lunch near food vendors--so you can actually eat and listen at the same time. :)

Mary Z. Cox & Bob Cox/Kentucky Derby party 2010
]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#15 Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Back story/ Drumming On the Edge Of Banjo http://maryzcox.com/news.html#14
This is not another African roots meets modern banjo cd. It began as an American story--a blend of Afro/Caribbean, Celtic, old time, and a fusion of American music from the 17th to the 21st century.

It began with "The Old Plantation" painting from the 1700s. Two men are pictured playing a banjo and drum for a dance--and we wondered--where would that music have taken them with today's awesome banjos and drums and the freedom to choose their musicians?



We chose Yazid for this project because he is not African--but African American--and his drumming has a heavy Caribbean as well as African flavor. He more accurately reflects the feel of the music in colonial America gone modern--more than current African/American blends. :)

Mary Z’s family roots are Scotts, Irish, English, Hungarian and Bohemian. Her Celtic ancestors came to the Americas in the 1600s and 1700s and her middle European ancestors in the 1800s. We believe we have thrown the feel of this early American mix of music into the cook pot, let it simmer, and—voila-- present day acoustic fusion.

The things we played J

Goldtone 5 string cello banjo, Lame Horse open back banjo, Gibson RB250 banjo, Deering John Hartford banjo,(the black and gold one) John Bowlin 1865 fretless banjo, (made from a tracing of Mary Z’s left hand) Ken Miller custom guitar, Blue Lion mountain dulcimer, Ron Ewing dulcimette, bowed bass, djembes, congas, bell, Revere Ware copper bottom pots and pans,(a wedding gift from Ma Cox) snapping fingers, (Gordy Cox) wind chimes from the front porch, shakers, tambourine, Gordy’s car keys, church bells, George Clinton singing “Old Groundhog.”]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#14 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Drumming On the Edge Of Banjo http://maryzcox.com/news.html#13 A fusion of a 17th century colonial American drumming and banjo with a 21st century edgy acoustic beat. This is the Afro/Celt sound that fuses old and new :)

engineered and produced by Gordy Cox
graphic art by Rich DiSilvio
AAG1902__DIGIPAK_DRP001.jpg_resized]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#13 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Line Notes for Florida Banjo Cd http://maryzcox.com/news.html#10 Mary Z. Cox 2008

1. Ponce de Leon (gCGCD#) Guitar: Ellen, Banjo: Mary Z., Bass: Jim
Ponce de Leon came to the Americas on Columbus's second voyage. He was a
wealthy Spaniard, who not only discovered enough gold in Puerto Rico to
increase his own wealth, but sent enough treasure home to make the king of
Spain a rich man too. As a reward he was appointed governor of Puerto Rico
and allowed to lead expeditions north in search of additional treasure.
Everyone knows of the quest for gold and the mysterious waters of eternal
youth. Instead, the Prince of Lions found a land of flowers. Somehow, the Gabriella seemed the right banjo for this tale of a quest for golden treasure. Played on a Deering Gabriella banjo. © Mary Z. Cox 2006

2. Spanish Fandango (aDADE) Mandolin: Ellen, Bowed Bass: Jim, Banjo: Mary Z.
We learned this traditional tune from dulcimer players in the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Association in jams. Mary began playing it successfully in dulcimer contests and we liked it so well, we recorded it on our “Dulcimer Fandango” CD. This time, we recorded it on banjo, mandolin, and bowed bass and hope you will enjoy this version too.
Played on a Custom Deering GDL banjo

3. Cluck Old Hen (gDGCD) Cigar box banjo: Mary Z. We’ve played this traditional fiddle tune for years. It just seemed the right tune to play on my fretless Joe Masel cigar box banjo that is strung with electric guitar strings. I played it in G sawmill instead of the more traditional A modal because it sounded better on the cigar box.
“My old hen, is a good old hen, she lays eggs for the railroad men.” Can’t you just imagine those railroad men smoking cigars and turning those boxes into banjos and egg baskets?

4. Ragtime Annie (aDADE) guitar: Bob, banjo: Mary Z.
This old time fiddle tune is a popular jam and dance tune. The earliest documented recording was in 1922, by Texas fiddler Eck Robertson, playing three parts. It is more often played with two parts for dancing. It seems that whenever we hear a third part played by fiddlers—it is seldom the same, and we suspect it got tagged on by different fiddlers as the tune was passed along. Here, we added our own third part because we don’t think fiddlers should have all the fun, and that banjoists should be able to add third parts too. Played on a Cedar Mountain A2 banjo.

5. Yearlings In the Canebreak ( c#AEAB) Fiddle: Kerry, Banjo: Mary Z., Bass: Jim Kerry Blech taught me this tune and sent these notes for it. This tune came from a 1925 commercial recording (on the Victor label) by Captain Moses J. Bonner (born in Alabama in 1848,though later lived in Arkansas, but most of his life in Texas -- He had
been in the Civil War and the Texas Rangers. I think his rank was from the latter). This tune is the antecedant to "Cattle in the Cane," which has been popular amongst bluegrass and Texas-style contest fiddlers. Played on a 12” Ramsey Woody banjo.

6. Shenandoah Falls (c#AEAB ) banjo: & mountain dulcimer: Mary Z., bass: Jim
We learned this old time breakdown jamming at festivals and playing at dances. I recorded a track in low A on a gut strung banjo. Then Marshall Goers showed me how to tune the mountain dulcimer in E AA to play the tune in A . I played two tracks of dulcimer (melody and a freelance harmony) to go with the banjo as a duet. Played on a Goldtone EC-1 banjo and a Kurt Simmerman mountain dulcimer.

7. Frankie’s Blues (dADF#A ) banjo: Mary Z.
This tune began as the traditional “Frankie and Johnnie”, but after tuning the fretless, gut strung, Hunchback Wunder Banjo in low D for this tune, it took on a bluesy feel.

8.Yellow Rose of Texas (aDADE ) Banjo: Mary Z.
This is the old time string band fiddle tune version—not the one from the movie. This is such a pretty tune that I slowed it down and added three banjo tracks so you could hear how pretty banjos sound played together. Played on a Custom Deering GDL banjo.

9. Chinquipin ( gDGBD) fiddle: Kerry, banjo: Mary Z., Bass: Jim
Kerry Blech taught me this tune and sent the notes. “This Chinquipin is from the playing of Roscoe Parish of Coal Creek, Virginia, near Galax. Tommy Jarrell played the tune, nearly the same way, but called it "Sail Away Ladies" and sang to it.”
Played on a Custom Deering GDL banjo

10. Waterbound (c#AEAB ) banjo: Mary Z. This traditional tune is played in low A on a gut strung banjo and recorded on two tracks. It is a traditional fiddle tune that we learned jamming at festivals. Although it isn’t a Florida tune, it always seemed to me that the words could be rewritten a bit and it would be an excellent state song. Played on a Goldtone EC-1 banjo.

11. Wind That Shakes the Barley (aDADE) banjo: Mary Z., bass: Jim
This is a Celtic tune that may be Scotts or Irish. I don’t remember where I first learned this tune, but I began playing it one day on the banjo and loved the melody.
Then I asked Jim about playing bowed bass with it, and here it is—a banjo/bass duet.
Played on a Custom Deering GDL banjo.

12. Peach Bottom Creek (f#DF#AD ) Banjos: Lo & Mary Z.
Lo taught me this tune and tuned both banjos in this tuning for this recording. I play the melody and Lo plays the harmony on our Cedar Mountain banjos. Jim just seemed to know the right bass to play with this.

13. Hail Agin' The Barn Door (c#AEAB) Fiddle: Kerry, Banjo: Mary Z., Bass: Jim
Kerry taught me this tune and here is what he says about it. “ Hail Agin' the Barn Door comes from the playing of Lum (short for Columbus) Hawkenberry, from a 1947 field recording of him that is in the West Virginia University State and Regional archives. I forget where in WV he lived.” Played on a 12” Ramsey Woody banjo

14. Turkey In the Straw (gCGCE) banjo: Mary Z., bass: Jim
I learned the basics of this tune many years ago from a tab in the John Burke book. Of course, my version is quite a bit different after all this time. By the way, I loaned my copy of that book to someone over 35 years ago and never got it back. I can’t even remember who I lent it to—so I hope they enjoyed it and learned to play lots of tunes from it! Played on a 12” custom Chuck Lee banjo.

15. Loch Laven Castle (aDACE) mandolin: Ellen, banjo Mary Z., bass: Jim
This is an old Scott’s reel that Ellen taught us. She plays the lead and I offer backup on the banjo in this version. This tune goes by many other Celtic names, but this one is named after a castle in Scotland from which Mary, Queen of Scots, escaped. Played on a Custom Deering GDL banjo]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#10 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Tied To the Tracks interview http://maryzcox.com/news.html#9 http://www.myrecordlabel.net/artistdetails.php?id=660&fns=1
There are five tracks to this interview that features the tunes: Winders Slide, John Stinson's #2, Western Cowboy, Rockin' In a Weary Land, Ponce de Leon & Liza Jane and you get to see and hear four different banjos and a Kurt Simmerman mountain dulcimer.]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#9 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News BanjoQuest is here! http://maryzcox.com/news.html#8 http://banjoquest.blogspot.com
Field videos of banjoists, banjos, tunes, and banjos in locations you may or may not have seen or heard before. :)]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#8 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News Old Blue Bus review of Florida Banjo http://maryzcox.com/news.html#7 http://oldbluebus.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-release-mary-z-cox-florida-banjo.html]]> http://maryzcox.com/news.html#7 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700 If you suspect you need a new banjo--you do. Trust your musical instincts. If a banjo calls to you to buy it, don't fight destiny. It was meant to be. :) - Mary Z. Cox Banjo Web Page - News