Plays Hawaiian Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele and Guitar

Plays Hawaiian Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele and Guitar

Plays Hawaiian Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele and Guitar

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Roy Smeck was one of the earliest nonclassical guitar virtuosos, and his expertise on Hawaiian guitar, banjo, and ukulele is well-documented on this CD. Influenced by such greats as Eddie Lang, Ikey Robinson, banjoist Harry Reser, and steel guitarist Sol Hoopii, Smeck carved out a big-time niche as a "string wizard" on the vaudeville circuit. Unable to sing very well, Smeck had to grab the audience's attention with a dazzling barrage of stage tricks and gimmicks. These tricky novelty numbers are featured here, while many of his more tasteful accompaniment records are absent. Smeck was clearly a master musician and a gifted entertainer; unfortunately, many of these tracks would no doubt be more impressive witnessed as a stage act. Still, this CD is highly recommended. --Terry Zwigoff

Plays Hawaiian Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele and Guitar,Roy Smeck,Yazoo,Folk,Hawaii,Hawaiian Music,Int'l & World Music,Novelty,Pacifica,Pop,Slack-Key Guitar,Slide Guitar Blues,Traditional Country,Western Swing,World Music
Plays Hawaiian Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele and Guitar
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A WHIZ!
  • Dazzling, fireball fingerpicking
  • .
 Plays Hawaiian Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele and Guitar
Roy Smeck
Manufacturer: Yazoo
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Traditional BluesTraditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
Slide GuitarSlide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music
Western SwingWestern Swing | Country | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
Traditional FolkTraditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | International | Styles | Music
HawaiiHawaii | Pacific Islands | International | Styles | Music
Novelty MusicNovelty Music | Comedic Music | Comedy | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
GeneralGeneral | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Pacific IslandsPacific Islands | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Singing in the Bathtub
  2. Master of the Hawaiian Guitar, Vol. 2
  3. Master of the Hawaiian Guitar, Vol. 1
  4. Singin' in the Rain
  5. Hawaiian String Virtuoso: Steel Guitar Recordings of the 1920's

ASIN: B000000G7R
Release Date: 1992-09-15

Tracks:

  1. 12th Street Rag
  2. Frettin' Blues
  3. Shuffle Off To Buffalo
  4. Limehouse Blues
  5. Nifty Pickin'
  6. Tough Pickin'
  7. Slippery Fingers
  8. Steel Guitar Rag
  9. Tiger Rag
  10. Guitarese
  11. Farewell Blues
  12. Ukulele Bounce
  13. Bugle Call Rag
  14. Laughing Rag

Amazon.com

Roy Smeck was one of the earliest nonclassical guitar virtuosos, and his expertise on Hawaiian guitar, banjo, and ukulele is well-documented on this CD. Influenced by such greats as Eddie Lang, Ikey Robinson, banjoist Harry Reser, and steel guitarist Sol Hoopii, Smeck carved out a big-time niche as a "string wizard" on the vaudeville circuit. Unable to sing very well, Smeck had to grab the audience's attention with a dazzling barrage of stage tricks and gimmicks. These tricky novelty numbers are featured here, while many of his more tasteful accompaniment records are absent. Smeck was clearly a master musician and a gifted entertainer; unfortunately, many of these tracks would no doubt be more impressive witnessed as a stage act. Still, this CD is highly recommended. --Terry Zwigoff

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A WHIZ!.......2006-08-13

Roy Smeck could play any type of stringed instrument and play it like a man posessed. This CD covers the years 1926-49. He was truly a guitar whiz, and you will be amazed by his dexterity! If you like this type of music, you will probably also enjoy the music of Sol Hoopi and "King" Benny Nawahi.

5 out of 5 stars Dazzling, fireball fingerpicking.......2002-11-13

Hotshot trick guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Roy Smeck tore up the Vaudeville circuit in the 1920s and early '30s, playing a dazzling mix of jazz, blues and Hawaiian-style music on guitar, banjo, mandolin and ukulele. He also became a world-famous author of countless music instruction books... This CD samples some of his best Hawaiian-style recordings of the 1930s, ranging from straight Hawaiian music to ragtime-y material and jazzy flights similar to Django Reinhardt's early stuff. Cool record, though you have to be really into instrumental material to sit through the whole disc. Nice sound quality, too!

5 out of 5 stars ........2000-01-22

Four decades before Jimi Hendrix played guitar with his teeth, Roy Smeck was biting the strings on America's vaudeville circuit. An astonishing instrumentalist already, Smeck had to compensate for his lack of a singing voice by developing jokes and visual guitar gimmicks. Among his tricks were simulating a banjo duet on a single banjo, or playing Yiddish, Chinese or Scottish instrumental versions of "Yes Sir, That's My Baby." Roy could play anything with strings on it, and he could do it upside down, behind his back, or both. Eventually Hollywood discovered him and he was featured in the first talking picture ever. Ironically, "talkies" proved to be the downfall of vaudeville, and with it went Smeck's career. But to this day, Smeck remains America's original guitar hero. His virtuosity is rivaled by few, and this superb collection by Yazoo features 14 intrumentals with nothin' fancy but incredible playing.

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