Alex Magee Plays `Canadian Capers`

[Shawn McSweeny]

To help celebrate Canada's 158th birthday today, Alex Magee plays his arrangement of this lively piece, accompanied by Karen Magee. They were recorded at a 1949 concert in New Rochelle, NY. The sound was quite muffled, as if the microphone were placed beneath several heavy overcoats while recording.

A few digital tricks have improved the sound quality somewhat, but transcription remained difficult. Inevitably I got stuck, reached out to the ABF library for whatever they may have for reference, and was stunned to receive an A notation, manuscript transcription of Alex's arrangement !! It is now transposed to C and typeset in both standard notation and TAB.

Incidentally, Alex liked to play as in the photo, sideways on his chair with his right arm draped over its back.

[Jody Stecher]

I think the sound may have gotten muffled due to a dirty tape head somewhere along the copying chain.  In the artwork what's the significance of the bellhops with sticks and ballet shoes?

[Shawn McSweeny]

Judging by the poor quality of my starting point, I suspect there were several copies in the chain and more than one dirty tape head along the way. 

Both artist and publisher were confused about Canada. The bellhops in spats and sticks look almost as ridiculous as the young woman sporting a giant mushroom cap on her head.  Back in 1915, when this was published, bellhops here actually wore snowshoes and carried tomahawks. Young ladies wore tall bear skin hats and red Mountie jackets.

Jody Stecher said:

I think the sound may have gotten muffled due to a dirty tape head somewhere along the copying chain.  In the artwork what's the significance of the bellhops with sticks and ballet shoes?

[Richard William Ineson]

Thanks for making this great tune available to the banjo world Shawn. I'm going to have a go at getting this under the fingers but at 78 years old it could be struggle. 

[Joel Hooks]

Keeping with the Canada theme, here is "Maple Leaf For Ever" [sic] arranged for regular banjo by Walter Kaye Bauer.

https://archive.org/details/maple-leaf-for-ever-walter-kaye-bauer

[Shawn McSweeny]

To facilitate his brisk tempo,  Alex kept the arrangement fairly straightforward - so you should be OK. 
Richard William Ineson said:

Thanks for making this great tune available to the banjo world Shawn. I'm going to have a go at getting this under the fingers but at 78 years old it could be struggle. 

[Shawn McSweeny]

Maybe next July 1, inspired by WKB, I'll post a few typically Canadian fiddle tunes arranged for banjo. 

Joel Hooks said:

Keeping with the Canada theme, here is "Maple Leaf For Ever" [sic] arranged for regular banjo by Walter Kaye Bauer.

https://archive.org/details/maple-leaf-for-ever-walter-kaye-bauer

[Jody Stecher]

Great idea!  Canada's got fabulous fiddle tunes. Don't forget the polkas....

Shawn McSweeny said:

Maybe next July 1, inspired by WKB, I'll post a few typically Canadian fiddle tunes arranged for banjo. 

Joel Hooks said:

Keeping with the Canada theme, here is "Maple Leaf For Ever" [sic] arranged for regular banjo by Walter Kaye Bauer.

https://archive.org/details/maple-leaf-for-ever-walter-kaye-bauer

[Shawn McSweeny]

Jody,  Your recent posts are of fiddle tunes from eastern Canada, esp. the Cape Breton area, the locale with the strongest fiddling tradition in the country.  The fiddle tunes characteristic of my area might be "southern Ontario fabulous"  but they simply aren't as interesting or creative as the tunes you've been posting. 

[Jody Stecher]

Well...first of all thank you for noticing the special features of the tunes I've been posting. I do especially like Cape Breton fiddling, especially the older styles, and Cape Breton composers of all generations.

And yes, my favorite Canadian polkas do come from the Maritimes. But I think there are some excellent tunes from elsewhere in Canada, including  the Ottawa Valley,  Manitoba,  PEI,  etc.

St Anne's Reel may be simple but it's a great tune (wherever it originated.... various Provinces claim it)

To prove my point  I'll see if I can come up with a banjo arrangement of Whisky Before Breakfast. On my side of the border it has become a particularly dumb tune; nothing but a pile of scales and arpeggios but it started out very well in Manitoba.

Shawn McSweeny said:

Jody,  Your recent posts are of fiddle tunes from eastern Canada, esp. the Cape Breton area, the locale with the strongest fiddling tradition in the country.  The fiddle tunes characteristic of my area might be "southern Ontario fabulous"  but they simply aren't as interesting or creative as the tunes you've been posting. 

[Joel Hooks]

That would be great!

Shawn McSweeny said:

Maybe next July 1, inspired by WKB, I'll post a few typically Canadian fiddle tunes arranged for banjo. 

Joel Hooks said:

Keeping with the Canada theme, here is "Maple Leaf For Ever" [sic] arranged for regular banjo by Walter Kaye Bauer.

https://archive.org/details/maple-leaf-for-ever-walter-kaye-bauer

[Shawn McSweeny]

If you have  a copy of "Banjo Songbook" by Tony Trischka, Oak Publications, 1977, there is a banjo arrangement of W. B. B.  (in tab, key of D) by a young Bela Fleck, on page 93. He sticks to the melody.

Jody Stecher said:

 I'll see if I can come up with a banjo arrangement of Whisky Before Breakfast. On my side of the border it has become a particularly dumb tune; nothing but a pile of scales and arpeggios but it started out very well in Manitoba.

[Joel Hooks]

Hi Jody, is there an "official" fiddle version of WBB?  I see a few, some in different octaves, some have the "habanera" or cakewalk rhythm in the first measure of B, where others don't. 

Jody Stecher said:

Well...first of all thank you for noticing the special features of the tunes I've been posting. I do especially like Cape Breton fiddling, especially the older styles, and Cape Breton composers of all generations.

And yes, my favorite Canadian polkas do come from the Maritimes. But I think there are some excellent tunes from elsewhere in Canada, including  the Ottawa Valley,  Manitoba,  PEI,  etc.

St Anne's Reel may be simple but it's a great tune (wherever it originated.... various Provinces claim it)

To prove my point  I'll see if I can come up with a banjo arrangement of Whisky Before Breakfast. On my side of the border it has become a particularly dumb tune; nothing but a pile of scales and arpeggios but it started out very well in Manitoba.

Shawn McSweeny said:

Jody,  Your recent posts are of fiddle tunes from eastern Canada, esp. the Cape Breton area, the locale with the strongest fiddling tradition in the country.  The fiddle tunes characteristic of my area might be "southern Ontario fabulous"  but they simply aren't as interesting or creative as the tunes you've been posting.