Sid Turner Plays 'Chansonade'

[Shawn McSweeny]

'Chansonade?'  Well, not really. That's the title his old friend Tarant Bailey Sr. used a few decades ago, when he introduced this piece on the home reel tapes he made for friends.

It is correctly titled "Marche Negre". Written by Turner, it is one of several numbers he recorded for Pathe in London, April, 1908. It bears the earliest catalogue number of the group, likely making it his first released recording. Turner was 26 at the time.

In the CE notation I have edited some note choices that departed noticeably from the recording. The banjo 1st, second, piano notation and banjo TAB are provided.

The recording is at, or near, score pitch and performance tempo.

[Richard William Ineson]

Nothing to do with the music, but Sid Turner was a hairdresser/barber in real life, his shop/salon was in Cheltenham, a very fashionable and 'posh' (upmarket) town in Gloucestershire. The surprising thing to me is that, the last time I looked, about three years ago, Sid's premises were still being used as a hairdressing establishment. 

[Joel Hooks]

Thanks Shawn, this is a nice march.  I played through the CE version last night and enjoyed it.

I wonder if the name change was due to the subject matter of the original?  While it is unlikely that Sr was concerned about racism, there was a general “let’s get away from all this darkey stuff”.

I’ve got no problems with changing titles for general audiences.

[Shawn McSweeny]

It seems likely that while Sr. was keen to share his old pal's earliest recording, he had grown uncomfortable with its title and so came up with his own. It's a good piece and Turner does a fine job.

General audience titles like 'Marche Banjo' or 'Marche Turner' would also work, maybe even 'Marche Posh Barber'.

[thereallyniceman]

Thank you so much Shawn, excellent contribution, as usual !!!

Ian