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Topic: Dr. Hugh Jeffreys and "Easy Listening" |
Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Roy Ayres
From:
Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Dec 2003 10:14 am |
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Fred:
You bet Dr. Hugh has spent time with the great Alvino Rey. They are good friends and visit quite often by phone and in person.
Alvino was one of my early "heros" and the one steel guitarist that taught me to appreciate complex chords. While Hugh's playing reflects a lot of Alvino influence, it is not like Alvino's. For example, it is my understanding that Alvino plays with picks and never uses more than his thumb and one finger, getting a lot of his big chords with thumb-pick or flat-pick sweeps, where Hugh uses all five fingers and always plays without picks. That's part of Hugh's secret for getting that mellow tone. Hugh not only plays big chords with great voicing, he is also super fast on single-note runs.
Hugh is one of my favorite players, and I have his album stored on my hard disk for easy access. He and I cut our teeth on steel at the same time, and were contemporaries (along with Barney Miller) in Meridian, Mississippi in the 40's. Hugh wound up back in Mississippi with his medical practice, which is located just a short distance from Memphis. Hugh took his music seriously, and in addition to his medical training, he earned a college degree (a Master's I think) in music.
Hugh had planned on sitting in with us in Gulfport last week, but a death of a relative in Texas precluded his attendance at the show.
Glad to see you recognizing this outstanding and unique steel guitar stylist with a thread on the Forum. |
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Dr. Hugh Jeffreys
From:
Southaven, MS, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2003 8:30 am
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Thanks much for your big ball of twine about me! I'm graeful to you. I really appreciate all the wonderful emails, snail mails, and phone calls about my sharp right/left turn in psg playing. Playing today is more fun and is more rewarding than ever. Right Roy, I did earn a Master of Science in Jazz Composition years ago. I had the priviledge of studing with a fine jazzman who had left the Stan Kenton Orchestra to join the staff at the University of Memphis, Dick Steff. Also, I was 2/3 finished on a PhD in music when I quit: I was initially told by the Department Head that I could do my thesis on Pedal Steel Guitar, however, at a later date the comittee stated that there was not enough creditable information available in libraries to warrant a complete thesis. I argued to no avail, so I gave up, since I had been studing European Art Music (ie, Classical) in the interim. I did enjoy studies in the Classical field, but it would have been nice to have had a PhD in Pedal Steel Guitaring. I have met some fine guys and players while skirting the Steel Guitar Clubs' activities and hope to become more involved. Thanks again, Hugh
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 13 Dec 2003 9:34 am
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I forgot to mention b0b has this CD for sale on the forum. Just punch the "CD & TAPE" button at the top of the page and hunt up Dr. Hugh's effort.
Fred
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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real
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Roy Ayres
From:
Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 13 Dec 2003 1:35 pm
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Hugh:
Too bad you weren't able to complete the PhD in "Pedal Steel Guitar." That would have taken the pedal steel a giant step forward with regard to reputation, since many view it as primarily country.
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 13 Dec 2003 11:12 pm
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It truly is a nice CD. Dr, Hugh is not just another E9 clone playing "The Way To Survive" and SG Rag." He has a right hand technique that most of us (including me) would die for.
I wanted to go back to school and get my B.A. as a music major, and was told I would only be allowed to do so if I chose some other instrument besides the steel. One of the professors at the music department didn't even know what it is, and the others dismissed it as not being a real instrument but only a musical toy. |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 14 Dec 2003 2:46 am
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I have Dr. H.'s earlier CD, guess I should get the new one. The man can play for sure.
I think the best answer to these myopic music professors would be ;
to briing the steel, play it in front of them, and then.
Sit them down at it and ask them to play the "toy instrument".
While explainging in detail all the copedent changes you have made,
the general logic, etc. etc.
I think steel is an instrument that requires intense study,
and the rub seems to be these guys have no clue about that.
If they did they would be encouraging it,
much like Mike Idhe does.
Nothing like hands on to open some eyes.
Gee wiz, this is more complicated than I thought... hmm.
[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 14 December 2003 at 02:50 AM.] |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 14 Dec 2003 9:33 pm
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Fred-Thanks for posting this about Dr.Hugh, this is sure different from the usual E9 CD.
I have Dr.Hugh's CD and it sure is nice to hear the old big band tunes, which he does so well.
I too was a quiasi student of Alvino Rey. Starting in about 1938. He turned me on and got me charged up to play all those big band tunes with full chords.
He was a great influence on some of us guys in those days.
I wish I could pick like Dr.Hugh does with all his fingers, he is fast.
But I did learn to use 4 picks, Reece got me on that.
It is true that Alvino played a lot of spanish guitar on the bandstand and switched over to he Electra-Harp, and just used his guitar pick lots of times , when he was playing just a few bars of the arrangement.
He was the most advanced steel guitar player of his time.
He also put a couple of pedals on his D9 Gibson Console Grand, before Gibson came out with the Electra-Harp.
I would like to hear more of CD's like Dr.Hugh Jeffrey's. This would help show the expanded possibilities of the pedal guitar........al 
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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Paul Graupp
From:
Macon Ga USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2003 8:17 am
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Fred: Your e-mail address is bouncing back on me. Any chance you have changed your address ??
Regards, Paul  |
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Dec 2003 10:10 am
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Paul, no it's still the same...fjshan@crcom.net.
FRED
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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real
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