Big Boy Cleveland's Quill Blues from 1927 on Gennett Electrobeam 6108, is a… Read Full Bio ↴Big Boy Cleveland's Quill Blues from 1927 on Gennett Electrobeam 6108, is available on cd on "The Songster Tradition 1927 - 1935" and on "The Secret Museum of Mankind vol. 5" among others.
The Quills is an early American folk panpipe, first noted in the early part of the 19th century among Afro-American slaves in the south. They are aerophones, and fall into the panpipe family. They are assumed to be of African origin, since similar instruments are found in various parts of Africa, and they were first used by 1st and 2nd generation Africans in America.
The "Quills" are a set of cane pipes, numbering from two to at least 8, with each piece of cane stopped at one end by a node, and open at the other. The pipes are often bound together and are played by blowing across the open ends of the tubes.
The Quills would probably be forgotten today if not for the excellent recordings by the entertainer and early bluesman Henry Thomas, made in the late 1920s. Alan Lomax and others have recorded traditional players in the field as well.
History
The Quills are first mentioned in early American plantation slave histories, some dating back to the late 1700s. At that time, the instrument appears to consist of two or more cane pipes, played for recreation and dancing, accompanied by shouts, whoops and songs. They are mentioned fairly often in oral histories but little structural and musical information has survived. Considering how popular they appear to have been, it is surprising that they are almost unheard of today. Quills were also used by free blacks in New Orleans in the 1800s. Two bluesmen recorded songs with the Quills in the 1920, and a rural folk tradition has survived to this day in the American south.
I've heard that the word "Quill" is an colonial era term for a hollow tube of any sort, but have been unable to confirm this.
Surviving African Traditions
A number of villages in Zimbabwe and Mozambique maintained a tradition of pan-pipe playing well into this century, and a few continue to play to this day.
The earliest recordings of these ensembles are from the field recordings of Hugh Tracy, who travelled through southern Africa between 1935 and 1955, making a series of exceptional recordings of traditional music. His recordings are available from the International Library of African Music (ILAM).
The earliest examples that I am aware of are from the field recordings of Hugh Tracy, many of which can be heard on the recording Flutes and Horns. This recording can be previewed and ordered from this web site in South Africa: http://ilam.ru.ac.za/moa/moa030.htm
Some of these recordings bear a striking resemblance to the American recordings of Sid Hemphill.
Another great recording is of the Nyanga panpipes from Mozambique is "Traditional Music of Cancune, Mozambique",
It should be noted that southern African nations never had a substantial slave trade with the United States, and so it is unlikely that the tradition came directly from these tribes in southern Africa. The instrument may have had greater spread in west Africa in previous centuries, but perhaps has died out since then.
Are there any original surviving quills?
Lomax reports that when he revisited some of the locations where he had recorded Quills players, the tradition had pretty much died out. I hope that there are still some players from that tradition, and the skills of making sets of quills has not died out entirely, however I am not aware of any.
I also hope that older instruments still exist. It seems reasonable to think that these instruments survive, perhaps still kept in the family of the players, and perhaps in small museums in the south. If you know of the location of any, please let me know!
I was told by banjo scholar Scott Odell that the collection in the Smithsonian once contained a set of Quills that had been donated in the late 1800s along with a Mountain Dulcimer. Its current whereabouts is unknown, and it may have been lost.
Players
Only a few players have been recorded playing an instrument called the quills prior to the folk revival.
Big Boy Cleveland, Gennet 1927.
Henry Thomas, Vocalion 1927 and 1929.
Sid Hemphill, recorded by Alan Lomax in 1942.
Alec Askew, recorded by Alan Lomax in 1942.
Cleveland's Quills Blues can be heard at this site: Document Records (search for "The Songster Tradition 1927 - 1935".
http://www.sohl.com/Quills/Quills.htm
The Quills is an early American folk panpipe, first noted in the early part of the 19th century among Afro-American slaves in the south. They are aerophones, and fall into the panpipe family. They are assumed to be of African origin, since similar instruments are found in various parts of Africa, and they were first used by 1st and 2nd generation Africans in America.
The "Quills" are a set of cane pipes, numbering from two to at least 8, with each piece of cane stopped at one end by a node, and open at the other. The pipes are often bound together and are played by blowing across the open ends of the tubes.
The Quills would probably be forgotten today if not for the excellent recordings by the entertainer and early bluesman Henry Thomas, made in the late 1920s. Alan Lomax and others have recorded traditional players in the field as well.
History
The Quills are first mentioned in early American plantation slave histories, some dating back to the late 1700s. At that time, the instrument appears to consist of two or more cane pipes, played for recreation and dancing, accompanied by shouts, whoops and songs. They are mentioned fairly often in oral histories but little structural and musical information has survived. Considering how popular they appear to have been, it is surprising that they are almost unheard of today. Quills were also used by free blacks in New Orleans in the 1800s. Two bluesmen recorded songs with the Quills in the 1920, and a rural folk tradition has survived to this day in the American south.
I've heard that the word "Quill" is an colonial era term for a hollow tube of any sort, but have been unable to confirm this.
Surviving African Traditions
A number of villages in Zimbabwe and Mozambique maintained a tradition of pan-pipe playing well into this century, and a few continue to play to this day.
The earliest recordings of these ensembles are from the field recordings of Hugh Tracy, who travelled through southern Africa between 1935 and 1955, making a series of exceptional recordings of traditional music. His recordings are available from the International Library of African Music (ILAM).
The earliest examples that I am aware of are from the field recordings of Hugh Tracy, many of which can be heard on the recording Flutes and Horns. This recording can be previewed and ordered from this web site in South Africa: http://ilam.ru.ac.za/moa/moa030.htm
Some of these recordings bear a striking resemblance to the American recordings of Sid Hemphill.
Another great recording is of the Nyanga panpipes from Mozambique is "Traditional Music of Cancune, Mozambique",
It should be noted that southern African nations never had a substantial slave trade with the United States, and so it is unlikely that the tradition came directly from these tribes in southern Africa. The instrument may have had greater spread in west Africa in previous centuries, but perhaps has died out since then.
Are there any original surviving quills?
Lomax reports that when he revisited some of the locations where he had recorded Quills players, the tradition had pretty much died out. I hope that there are still some players from that tradition, and the skills of making sets of quills has not died out entirely, however I am not aware of any.
I also hope that older instruments still exist. It seems reasonable to think that these instruments survive, perhaps still kept in the family of the players, and perhaps in small museums in the south. If you know of the location of any, please let me know!
I was told by banjo scholar Scott Odell that the collection in the Smithsonian once contained a set of Quills that had been donated in the late 1800s along with a Mountain Dulcimer. Its current whereabouts is unknown, and it may have been lost.
Players
Only a few players have been recorded playing an instrument called the quills prior to the folk revival.
Big Boy Cleveland, Gennet 1927.
Henry Thomas, Vocalion 1927 and 1929.
Sid Hemphill, recorded by Alan Lomax in 1942.
Alec Askew, recorded by Alan Lomax in 1942.
Cleveland's Quills Blues can be heard at this site: Document Records (search for "The Songster Tradition 1927 - 1935".
http://www.sohl.com/Quills/Quills.htm
Fast Life
Big Boy Cleveland Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Fast Life' by these artists:
AR Lil nigga actin' hard tell him sit down I'm bout…
Asher Roth [Intro] Someone's always caught up in the... Someone's alway…
Asher Roth and Vic Mensa Someone's always caught up in the Someone's always caught up…
Ayelle I don’t wanna come to your party I don’t wanna dance…
azet Sag, wer will Beef, Neun in den Jeans Renn oder schieß,…
Bad Boy Bill Party every night Addicted to the fast life Non-stop fast…
Beatnick & K-Salaam They speaking on things when they dont no the business I…
Booba (Yeah) Izi (Fast Life) T'vois j'veux dire ou pas? Cent moins…
Booba ft. Ryan Leslie Héroïne, crack dans mon compte en banque, je pèse quelques…
Calin Yeah, žijeme fast life, málo jíst, pak spát Pade sem, pak…
Captaine Roshi Les outils (oh, oh) Fast life for real de janvier à…
Cardiac Nash Effect ay My niggas thats all they do ay, ay Fuck…
Christian Rich Sometimes it’s right, yeah Most the time, it’s what you make…
Clipse (Bridge) I can show you what my paper like Money…
Clipse feat Re-Up Gang [Bridge] What'cha paper like? What'cha paper like? What'cha …
Dave East I popped the Perky like Motrin It got me right back…
David Banner [Chorus] Got me living that fast life I think a nigga need…
DJ Holiday & Dave East I popped the Perky like Motrin It got me right back…
Dj J.L.P Uhm, that fast life What I'mma tell em, what I'mma tell…
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde [Verse 1] Now fast life cut him like a knife And this…
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde It's crazy how time goes fast seems like yesterday I was…
EL.SY. Ooh ooh Ooh ooh ooh Ooh I wasn't looking for anything out of…
emes Si no tiene arreglo Ya no se que es lo que…
Flenn J'etais fans-dé ki 9atli last night Hatat rasha mkhalya…
G.U.N.S. Be my muse our synergy for the music Love life, but…
Gab3 Fast life (fast life) The way we got accustomed to the…
Ghostface Killah * this cd is censored, no uncensored version available Yeah…
Ghostface600 Llouis ′Cause I can take you on this car drive, yeah Baby…
Guè DJ Harsh & North of Loreto Ah, ah Bella Busdeez Really livin' it (Gué Pequeno) Porsche …
H-Town Boys & K-Rino They speaking on things when they dont no the business I…
Hadise I'm always on the go I go from show to show Airplanes,…
Hardo /beta Fast Life Hardo I'm just rolling up my next blunt Pen …
Hardo feat. Mac Miller & Njomza I'm just rolling up my next blunt Pen and pad, I'm…
Hooky Ten years feeling like five Bad news think I got a…
Houdini She wan't a fast life, she wan't a fast life Go…
Htiekal Fast life,good drugs and friends Fast life,just fucked again…
I-Rocc Ah swerve in the whip I be driving too fast All the…
J Dilla and Nas The time has come, we gotta expand, the whole operation Dist…
J. Stalin Live the fast life go all out and it's the niggas…
Jammer Yeah icey Skepta jammer Living a dream Boy better know Wha…
Jammer Skepta & Lay-Z Yeah Icey Skepta Jammer Living a dream Boy better know Wha…
Jammer Skepta & Layz Yeah icey Skepta jammer Living a dream Boy better know Wha…
Jammer Skepta Lay Z Yeah Icey Skepta Jammer Living a dream Boy better know Wha…
K-Noe They speaking on things when they dont no the business I…
Kool G The time has come, we gotta expand, the whole operation Dis…
Kool G Rap The time has come, we gotta expand, the whole operation Dist…
Kool G. Rap The time has come, we gotta expand, the whole operation Dis…
Kytes Driving home for a night Just stopping by Got the stones by…
La Rosy Shoutout till bange min bror Fast life baby Fast life kolla…
LAY-Z Yeah icey Skepta jammer Living a dream Boy better know Wha…
Lil CHAOS Better watch yo homies cuz these niggas ain't yo friends The…
Lil Rob Ohhh... It's Lil Rob (lil rob...) Bionic (bionic...) …
Lowkey Yeah! Its Lowkey! Bruv it's 2004! That's right! Big up to…
Martha Da'ro Raindrops fall On your leather jacket We just met But…
Monsieur Nov Savoir quel est mon rôle? suivre les conventions la vie est…
Naptaker. I'm not living a fast life It's just sometimes it moves…
Nas The time has come, we gotta expand, the whole operation Dist…
nosnow I don't give a fuck I be just rollin rollin I don't…
OMB Peezy I can't sit on my ass and wait For shit to…
P.H.E.A.R. Uhm, that fast life What I'mma tell em, what I'mma tell…
Professor Green [Intro:] I just woke up next to this chick who I…
Professor Green Feat. Example I just woke up next to this chick who I…
Raahiem You baby, you never had a love like this And it's…
Re-Fuzz Chorus : Running to death I got Glock in my pant Nigga…
Re-Up Gang [Bridge] What'cha paper like? What'cha paper like? What'cha …
Roshi [feat. timal] Les outils (oh, oh) Fast life for real de janvier à…
Rymz Fast Life Vie rapide Fast Life Vie rapide Fast Life Vie ra…
Sam R.u.b.i.k They speaking on things when they dont no the business I…
Showtek This is the flight into the fast life And I’m ready…
Steph! Pedal to the medal, this the fast life Dealing with the…
Stepz (Nicki) Fast life Du ser mig ikk' på bunden, har mit cash…
Steven Christopher I'm feeling so lost thinking of you, feeling so bad I…
T.B. The silent stray inertia No burden on my back No determinanc…
The Alchemist & Oh No They'll tell a thousand lies a hundred thousand times What a…
The Alchemist and Oh No I am the roughest, toughest Bloodclot Jamaican Top speed no…
The Forty-Eight Long live buzzy long live Chinx New number you cud not…
the kHAN Know I'm getting paid When I show out If I can't turn…
Titou Comme dans un avion en direction d'un archipel Elle mpasse d…
Vado & Dave East I popped the Perky like Motrin It got me right back…
Vybz Kartel I am the roughest, toughest Bloodclot Jamaican Top speed no…
Wµ-Tang Clan * this cd is censored, no uncensored version available Yeah…
秦基博 もう 何を 俺は こんなに生き急いでんのかと 見つめてる 誘蛾灯 ファストフード ファストファッション 無料動画の末 深…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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