Comment by Jody Stecher on December 9, 2015 at 16:59

Here's another video made right after Cupid's Arrow. When Leslie brings the camera (her new mobile phone) closer in the tone quality can be heard in more detail. Here I sat back in the sofa and was more relaxed. Until the end, that is, when I began playing backwards chords.

Comment by carrie horgan on December 12, 2015 at 10:01

Sounds good Jody - I like the syncopated way you play the tune and the banjo has a nice brightness with the nylguts without being harsh on the ears.    

Comment by Jody Stecher on December 12, 2015 at 21:16

Thanks, Carrie. I'm timing it according to a dim memory of hearing a brass band play it. Listen to Marc Dalmasso's video rendition(s) for timing that is much closer to how Ossman and Van Eps played it on banjo. I find it hard to replicate. It's "rag" time in the sense that the rhythms are torn to shreds. I especially have difficulty getting the timing right on the intro. Marc got it though.

Comment by Eric STEFANELLI on January 1, 2016 at 16:43

Hi Jody!

Happy new year !

Nice rendition, the rythme is very hard to keep on this tune, especially on the intro, i remember the time i was learning to it, gosh, t'was painfull for me !

Comment by Jody Stecher on January 1, 2016 at 17:18

Happy New Year, Eric! When I watched the video I saw I was banging the downbeat on the banjo head. I didn't even know I was doing that. I used to do that 10 years ago when I first learned the tune but I had not been doing it recently. When the video camera went on I became stupid!  Soon I will make another video playing the banjo you built for me. That banjo is so good, that I have not been playing at as often as some of my other banjos. It's as if it was Too Good and needed to be reserved for special occasions. A few months ago I decided that was silly and now that banjo gets played a lot. It not only sounds good, the neck and fingerboard feel very good as well. 

Comment by thereallyniceman on January 1, 2016 at 18:24

Hi Jody and Eric,

I was taught the "Smiler" intro the "Tarrant Bailey Jnr" way. It is nothing like Jody's or Marc's.. but that is the way he taught it !

Jody, it is good to hear the you have Eric's banjo "for best".

I have told you before that I have an "upstairs" practice banjo, a "downstairs" practice banjo and one for "best"... I guess it is all making sense to you now?

Oh, of course you need a spare for each one and a backup banjo for each spare at least!

Comment by Jody Stecher on January 1, 2016 at 18:36

And one for the toilet?  You may not believe this, but I have a friend who , at least back then when we were young, would not put his banjo or guitar down when the call of nature called him to the john. He just wiggled until his pants came down and kept on playing. I know this because his banjo busy hands were not free to close the door. 

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