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A Gathering for Jug Heads

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A Gathering for Jug Heads A Gathering for Jug Heads BY BARRY MAZOR Louisville, Ky. M any associate the sound and fe'el of jug band music with the 1960s bands that took ver­ sions of it into pop: the Roof­ top Singers with ''Walk Right In"; the Lovin' Spoonful with "Jug Band Music." Others re­ call that era's folk-revival out­ fits, such as the Jim Kweskin Jug Band,· that celebrated and brought back the hot, free­ w and-easy street music of the i early 20th century. First g played by pick-up "spasm bands" that brandished home· made instruments, it had ::; been, in effect, raucous folk giDom Flemons Trio performs at the 2016 National Jug Band Jubilee. jazz, functioning for the � frisky young much as neigh- borhood doo-wop, garage rock and hip-hop would for Burns Jug Band to Louisville's and fiddle numbers for hun­ later generations. own veteran Juggernaut Jug dreds of enthusiastic Louis· And as with those later Band. Topping the bill was a ville school kids at Lincoln El· genres, some talents who tremendously promising, ver· ementary Performing Arts worked the style in the 1920s satile new act, the Dom Flem· School, a regular educational and '30s, particularly in the ons Trio, recently put to· adjunct of the festival. Friday river towns where the music gether by that Carolina evening, members of the Cin­ thrived, became recording Chocolate Drops co-founder cinnati Dancing Pigs band, stars-the Memphis Jug Band with fiddler-bassist Brian Far· among others, were jamming and Cannon's Jug Stompers row and percussionist Dante at the local Goodwood Brew­ from Memphis; Earl Pope. They wended their way ing Company tap room. McDonald, Clifford Hayes and through everything from The Jubilee itself-a non­ Whistler's Jug Band from A style that's profit funded by individual Louisville.I African-American essentially raucous and corporate donations-has music to begin with, it was been around long enough now quickly taken up by white folkjazzis enjoying to celebrate positive fallout country bands, too-washtub­ renewed popularity. from previous shows. Clint bass-wielding hillbilly outfits. Davis, front man of the G Louisville, whose stars Burns outfit, had grown up were among the first re· near Louisville, been inspired corded, had an abundance of by the Juggernaut Jug Band, the jugs that became the mu· and later founded the San Di· sic's defining bass instru· close 19th-century harmony ego group. High-powered ment, as the bourbon produc­ singing and vaudeville to, nat· Kentucky publicist Rodney ing center it remains. It urally, jug band standards Wenz, who died in 2008, had serves today as the home of such as Gus Cannon's "Going been inspired to found the Ju· the National Jug Band Jubi­ to German," Mr. Flemon's in­ bilee after seeing that same lee,I an annual free festival spired banjo work stunning veteran local band and com· held in the Brown-Forman those assembled. The trio is a ing to a new realization of the Amphitheater on the banks of thus-far rare example of music's role in Louisville his­ the Ohio that attracts practi· young African-American ta!· tory, and of Louisville in the tioners from around the U.S. ents bringing new life to this music's story. (That story is and beyond. From its found­ music. tracked in historian Michael ing in 2005, featured Jubilee Revitalizing and carrying L. Jones's book "Louisville acts have included Jim Kwes­ forward the music is a hall­ Jug Music"; the author is kin, Geoff Muldaur and Maria mark of the Jubilee's shows among the current festival's Muldaur from the '60s revival and mission. An hour was set directors.) Rest assured, era, and such latter-day stars aside on show day for work· though; there's nothing over- as the Carolina Chocolate shops offering tips for new­ bearingly educational in expe· Drops and Pokey LaFarge. comers on playing the jug, riencing the National Jug This year's consistently bones and kazoos, bowing a Band Jubilee. It delivers the pleasurable edition, staged saw and (with tots included) good time the music prom- Saturday, brought together slamming on washboards. The ises. eight practiced, audience­ previous afternoon, I caught grabbing groups-from Wa· the skillful G Burns Jug Band Mr. Mazor, based in Nash­ terloo, Ontario's Ever· Lovin' (named for a 1920s medicine ville, reviews count,y and Jug Band and San Diego's G show tune) playing banjo, jug roots music for the Journal. .
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