The New Bluegrass vs The Old

R.D. Introduction by R.D. Lunceford: Long ago, the rich variety of 5-string banjo styles–once played all over the country in many different styles, many unique to those who played them–has been lost to history. The down-picked clawhammer style has been the predominant stylistic approach to the five string since the Folk Revolution in the 1960’s. Three-finger picking is almost exclusively bluegrass. Although there are some differences between the two camps, the original, highly individualistic methods for picking the five-string, including up-picking and two- and three-finger picking, as well as combination styles, dating back to the 19th century, are almost all gone. However, we have started to see the beginnings of a revival.

Bluegrass banjo and clawhammer have both established melodic schools that specialize in fiddle tunes. However, I believe it is rare for a player to combine these complex melodies with the strong rhythmic approach of traditional banjo-playing. This is not an easy task. The melodic approach is essentially a simple one. It requires the ability to play all the notes in the tune. Although technically challenging, it is conceptually very straightforward. It is much more difficult to take complex melodies and reduce them to their essence, and then create a banjo setting. This requires technical prowess but also an intimate knowledge of the music and a solid understanding of banjo structure.

After playing banjo for almost half a century it is difficult to not become jaded or feel like one has heard everything. It was because of this that I first heard Don Borchelt play banjo. Although I knew Don Borchelt as the BNL’s resident cartoonist for many years, I had never seen him perform. I assumed he was a three-finger picker of bluegrass, which was what I had in my ignorance. However, he wasn’t the typical mold. I could not have been more wrong.

YouTube had some Don videos. I was immediately drawn to his playing of a resonanced banjo with a brass overlay plate and three-finger style. When I listened, I was stunned to discover that he was playing alternate tunings of his fiddle tunes with three fingers. His style was different from the standard melodic three-finger that we have all known for decades. Don has created a unique style that blends the best of finger-picking and many of the more traditional elements we associate with clawhammer. His performances are exceptional in their intricacy, drive and pure banjo-ness.

 

Don’t fret the first five frets

Many people complain that traditional music is restrictive in its creative expression and requires strict adherence to historical practices. Others and I often try to explain that although there are certain parameters, there is still plenty of room for creativity. Don’s playing is a great example of this. It is both new and fresh, but it still maintains the tradition. Shane, an Irish BHO friend, best described Don’s efforts in a recent online conversation as “…he has created his own unique style of playing that sounds just like it’s been there forever.” This is a perfect compliment and a succinct description. This one line could have been the entire introduction.

Don’s use of alternate tunings is what makes Don’s approach so similar to Tony Ellis, another pioneering three finger picker. They have created some of the most beautiful and effective music that can be played on the banjo. Tony’s playing was once described as a reflection of the sound three-finger might have made if it wasn’t for bluegrass. Don’s method does offer a glimpse into an alternative reality where the three-finger style seamlessly and beautifully blends with the old-time genre.

 

Harvard Square: Don Borchelt and Ed Britt busking

Don’s musical genius is also evident in his duets featuring Ed Britt, the clawhammerist. Another revelation was that I hadn’t previously liked banjo duets. This could be because they are often played in the same way, with just enough variation in the settings to cause them to clash. This is something Ed and Don completely avoid. Their duet playing sounds like one instrument, which is the best description I can give it. Don’s three-finger playing and the strength of Ed’s clawhammer are perfectly complemented. Their material should be required listening–especially for people like me! It’s both instructive and entertaining.

I could go on and on but I will close by saying that Don’s achievements are extraordinary. Along with a few other stylists, he has demonstrated the viability and value of other approaches to the banjo than bluegrass or clawhammer. I hope other young banjoists follow their lead. Don is a banjoist who has been and continues to be a major figure in this period.

Don’s playing is like the best traditional musicians. It breaks down time barriers and connects us with like-minded people. These are the musicians from the past whom we cannot meet except through music. That is when I realized that Don Borchelt was more than a musician. He is a miracle. –By R.D. Lunceford