Played by The Geoff Love Banjos

TRACK LISTING

SIDE ONE

1. CALIFORNIA, HERE I COME
(Jolson-de Sylva-Meyer)
2. I'M JUST WILD ABOUT HARRY
(Sissle-Blake)
3. BACK HOME IN TENNESSEE
(Donaldson-Jerome)
4. HOW YA GONNA KEEP 'EM DOWN ON THE FARM
(Donaldson-Lewis-Young)
5. MARGIE
(Davis-Conrad-Robinson)
6. BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME?
(Cannon)

SIDE TWO

1. GET OUT AND GET UNDER (He'd have to)
(Abrahams-Clarke-Leslie)
2. I WONDER WHERE MY BABY IS TONIGHT
(Donaldson-Kahn)
3. BABY FACE
(Davis-Akst)
4. LILY OF LAGUNA
(Stuart)
5. I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR LEAF CLOVER
(Woods-Dixon)
6. COAL BLACK MAMMY
(St. Helier-Cliff)

©1968 A Supertunes Production
 

The banjo is an instrument with a hazy history, and all we can say with certainty is that it was used in Africa some centuries ago, and became the predominant instrument of the Negro slaves in America. With the immense popularity of the blackface minstrel groups in the last century the banjo became the most widespread of all musical instruments with the possible exception of the piano, and its popularity has lasted to the present day, a popularity which is easily explained by its inexpensive construction and the fact that it is an easy instrument for the beginner, although there are no limits to the virtuosity which may be displayed on it by an expert. But above all it is the banjo's brilliant, percussive tone which makes it such an attractive and exciting instrument, ideally suited for the bright syncopated tunes which were in such vogue at the beginning of this century, and many of which have lost none of their vitality today.

On this wonderful album an orchestra of banjos under the baton of Geoff Love play some of the hardiest ragtime hits, from the classic 'Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?', written at the beginning of the century, to 'Baby Face', a 'twenties number which was so notably revived for the film 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'. Another classic is 'Margie', written in 1920 and surely one of the most popular songs of the century, while that lasting favourite 'How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm' ("after they've seen Paree") was born when the troops came back from Europe after the First World War. 'He'd Have to Get Under -  Get Out and Get Under - to Fix Up His Automobile', to give it its full title, was a hit of 1913, and 'California, Here I Come' began its long career when Al Jolson brought it into his hit revue of the early 'twenties 'Bombo'. 'I'm Just Wild About Harry' was the hit song from a very successful all-Negro revue of 1921, 'Shuffle Along'.

Here is a record packed with the sparkle and gaiety that so often seems to be lost from today's pop music, a real party of a record - Geoff Love's Banjo Party.

Blase Machin