The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-25
rnE STORY or THE BANJO.
CONTINUED from Sixth Pagel


lrlin and Vienna. Upon his return
this country he played with Haver-
Eve Georgia Minstrels, with Callender's
nstrels, and many other organiza-
MS, as we'll as in different resorts In
..w York. Chicago, and Philadelphia.
t was in 1872 that the writer first
4 III Horace, and was thunderstruck at
&s phenomenal proficiency and his
Characteristic appreciation of the music
lat was suited TO the banjo as a legit-
ate negro instrument, He was then
aging on Sixth avenue, with Blind
itler" as his accompanist on the
ano. "Crook-neck Jack" (Engle)
,ewise at different periods OBLIGATED
the same capacity for him, and both
4 these worthless We're almost as re-
arkable In their speciality as was Hor-
+ e himself in his. AT this period Of
s career he played in many resorts
4 New York, such as Caseys and Car
\ IFS saloons, both on Sixth avenue.
+ the Bowery and at Robinson hall.
orace's favorite banjo, "Old Suze.
wv stands In the writer's room, and
hany is the lesson Horace has given
I'm upon it. "Old Suze," his most
,lued possession, was sent as a pres
at at time when Horace was suffer-
LIS from severe attack of rheuma-
4 SIN, of which malady he was great
ctim. The poor darkey thought his
nd was nigh, and sent his daughter
18th the request that "Old Sue" should
iways remain In the writer's posses
I ION Horace used a thimble in strik-
4 lg the banjo, and always fiattened the
! p thereof in order to insure clean.
81 ,rong stroke upon the strings. His
ridge was extremely narrow, and plac-
N 4 nearer the tailpiece than is usual.
His "tremulo" with the thumb was
+ host remarkable, rapid, and effective.
md enabled him to impart the move
1ent simultaneously to all the notes in
n M chord.
Among his most celebrated selections
Eere the blue Danube" the Twenty
econd Regiment March," the "Califor-
ia Jig" and certain jig in the minor
I ey that Horace said he did not COM
Z hose, but dreamed out one night in his
Sleep, Gust like you would a policy
! tig" He died in May, $780, at the age
If sixty-five, and was buried in Ever
,reens cemetery. His son, George"
opted Horace's style, mannerisms. and
)eculiarities, but in no wise equalled
ais fathers wonderful execution.
Another negro who attained great
celebrity as a banjoist was Charles
3lackman of Albany. 1t was he who
Escorted to the peculiar device of rivet-
ng a pin head in his thumb nail in or
Ter to more effectively produce the
'tremulo," though of course the founda-
ion was not sufficiently enduring to
enable him to practice this means, ex-
cept upon special occasions. Blackman
played in a style considerly resembling
Horace Weston's, and one effected by
smost negro performers on the banjo.
!. The Bohea brothers, two colored play
ers of lighter hue, initiated Weston's
methods. and gave good exhibitions Of
their prowess in different resorts in
this city. They afterward went to
England and were there successful
|flalso
I "Sam" Pride, very "gallus" mem
II Der of the colored banjo playing con-
tingent, copied also after Weston. He
finally went to California, where he
h died. In bringing to a conclusion this
II list of some of the most popular banjo
lists, mention should be made of the
eccentric Demosthenes of Bryant's Min
trels, Jimmy Unsworth. There are
those who will still remember his ora
torical efforts and his astronomical
comments, with illustrative chart, upon
"The Milky Way" and 1.-THE Little Cas-
mo- He was a competent banjoist.
and his songs, usually in the minor
key, dealt with all sorts of amusing
] topics. He often used an Irish brogue,
/ even though his fact was BACKED.
Il There are some still in the profession
who will recollect the day he was put
through his PAGES in the back room at
Il Stewart & Prendergast's, to show If he
4 was worthy of an engagement. His
song the Charcoal Man." found it,
I way to Harvard college through ons
of his pupils, an undergraduate, and Is
i still on the list of songs popular al
4 the university. 1t rejoces now in tbs
4 title Michael Roy" in most Of the col,
/. lege collections, corruption of the
4 name McElroy, which occurred in the
original chorus. There are BILLY" Ar
I lington whose "essence" is still vel
known to the community; candy" Lea.
4 witt of Albany, who, besides being q
( tonsorial artist and wig maker, also
! made creditable music on the banjo
\ Lew Brimmer, always great favor.
4 lite, and the renowned exponent of "Hai
Columbia, Rightside, Upside;" George
Powers, with his prett harmonies an6
style of playing; Charlie and Lou
Morris of Boston, brother of the hirsute
BILLY" with his sweeping moustache
and all members of the quondam Morris
Brothers, Pell and Trowbridge's Min.
strels; J., K. Buckley, with his excellent
execution, and the supplementary
fifth" string to his banjo, all of whom
are still fresh in the public's memory
Besides these there are Billy Carter
Sam Devere, and ED French, ant
they are yet in active service, and Sc
favorably familiar to our theatre goinf
constituents as to call for no specia
exordfum here.
In old days banjoists either made
their own instruments or had them con
structed by some local general mechan
ic. The necks were, as rule, of great
err than the present established profes
sional length while the peg board was
either square or in theishape of a scroll
The rims We're of wood, with a spar,
scattering of brackets All sorts o
woods were used in the endeavor t
produce superior instrument, and tn,