Andrew Lardner
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Moanin', arr. Davy Graham (Hullabaloo! version)
🕑 Added 2025-05-01 13:03:01 +0000 UTCFriends:
This month is a two-part post. The first focuses on Davy Graham's early arrangement of "Moanin'", originally written by Bobby Timmons and recorded in 1958 by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
Graham performed this version on the Oct. 5, 1963 broadcast of Hullabaloo! I just became aware this month that there is a DVD version of the complete series of the short lived Hullabaloo! program available, so I have a copy on order from overseas and hope to see some more footage of Davy Graham as he was a frequent guest on the show. Hopefully what's there will give some additional insight into his playing that will inform future posts. You can see his performance of this version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uGM1l7uqoc
In the lesson video I may mention that I was excited to find some footage from the same time he performed "She Moved Through the Fair," but that statement was incorrect. This was recorded a month earlier.
This early version of "Moanin'" is quite different from the album version released just over a year later. While the later recording is very reminiscent of Timmons' composition, this feels more only inspired by. To me, it could be considered a different piece altogether, and it fits in perfectly with the style of the British folk revival of the 50s and 60s.
The transcription should correspond exactly to this performance. Other than the tempo, I don't think this arrangement will be prohibitively difficult to most here. I was back and forth about how to write the rolling triplet hammer-on / pull-off in the main theme. This may cause some confusion if viewing the lesson video because I describe it as starting just after the beat, but ultimately I decided to write it as starting on the beat. To most this will likely pass by unnoticed, but those who are more keenly aware of rhythms may notice the discrepancy when comparing the lesson video to the transcription. The transcription is the most up-to-date of the materials presented and should be used as the reference.
I'm excited to teach this version because it is another piece of Graham's where we have clear enough video to accurately document his technique in the right and left hand. All editing should be regarded as the way he played the piece. Note that his guitar is tuned down a full step yet he capo's on the second fret which negates the detuning. I feel doing this helps achieve Graham's characteristic tone, so give it a shot!
My lesson video on the Hullabaloo! version can be accessed here:
https://youtu.be/ZknwpnFpLJU
The score is attached below. Stay tuned for part two to be posted in a few hours.
Comments
James Steinley
Looking good man
Michael L Ierardi
GREAT PIECE ANDY, I was hoping you would put another Grahm tune up. I never heard this tune, but another tune showcasing Davy's ability to master different music genres. He truly was an amazing musician,outstandi and world musician. The nuances in this are really great, really great use of space and staccato. I liked both versions, great choice
