While the French have a legendary (and baffling) love for Jerry Lewis, at least one Frenchman has fallen in love with the American C&W music of the 50s and 60s. Marcel Dadi, sporting an accent that we usually associate with either the modern deconstructionist criticism of Foucault or rude waiters, clearly has great love for the music of Merle Travis, and he shares that love in this step-by-step guide to seven of Travis's fine guitar instrumentals. Viewers will learn, among others, "Fuller's Blues," "Cane Break Blues," "Memphis Blues," the classic "Saturday Night Shuffle," and for those who can fingerpick at warpspeed: "Walkin' the Strings." There's also the added treat of five filmed performances of Travis shot during the 50s.In The Music of Furlough O'Carolan, the gifted (and funny) Duck Baker bemoans the abandonment of the patronage system enjoyed by the 17th-century itinerant blind Irish harper Furlough O'Carolan, invites any viewers who wish to reinstate patronage to contact him, and then launches into detailed breakdowns of six O'Carolan tunes, including: "Planxty Irwin," "Blind Mary," "The Fairy Queen," and the quite difficult "Carolan's Concerto."Both programs utilize split-screen instruction, and both are highly recommended for larger video collections. (R. Pitman)
The Guitar Of Merle Travis; The Music Of Furlough O'carolan
(1993) 95 min. $49.95 (booklet included). Stefan Grossman’s Guitar Workshop. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 9, Issue 2
The Guitar Of Merle Travis; The Music Of Furlough O'carolan
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