Hey, Wednesday afternoon has sure rolled around fast this week, and there’s so much to do, isn’t there? Never a moment’s peace, never any time to kick-back and take in some songs without words as you contemplate the trees without leaves. Which means that it is far beyond time for WPMBIMFAUK – yes, the ever popular Wednesday Post Meridiem Bluegrass Instrumental Music From Americana UK. And what a tune we have for you – from Wes Corbett’s latest album “Drift” the very special ‘Hartford’s Bend On The Cumberland.‘ How good is Wes Corbett as a banjo player? Well, don’t ask me, let’s ask Béla Fleck who says: “Wes Corbett explores Banjo Futures from his own unique view point, while making lovely and lively music. Good one, Wes!”
And that’s not just publicity fluff, no, no, no, Béla is the kind of man who puts his banjo where his mouth is (you know he plays with his teeth sometimes, right?). The banjo that Wes Corbett is playing on this tune was John Hartford’s, but it currently belongs to Béla Fleck. Cool. Wes himself says this about the tune coming together: “I was trying to find ways to evoke his playing on this track, for sure, I never knew him, but I’ve heard all these stories from Sam and others about the sort of old school Hollywood glamour John Hartford had to him. So when we were finishing the tune, we tried to capture some of that. For example, we tried turning Bronwyn and Jason (Carter)’s fiddles down in the bridge, but then it lost that Hollywood magic! So we kept them up at the front and fit ourselves in around them. I think it was his Eb banjo, and written on it, in his beautiful cursive, is ‘Eb’ and the string gauges he used. It’s beautiful, but also really functional. It’s the banjo-iest tune I’ve ever written in my life, and, I hope, a loving tribute to John.”
Thanks for highlighting this track. Drift is a nice album with some great players on it. ‘Hartford’s Bend’ has been in my playlist for weeks. Nods also to Bryan Sutton on guitar, Sierra Hull on mandolin and Vicki Vaughn on bass.