AcousticMusicScene.com

Jug band music, which had its origins among African Americans in the urban South who often played homemade instruments like washboards & empty liquor jugs (poor man’s tubas) during the early 20^th century, peaked in popularity during the ragtime era (1920s & 30s), and played an influential role on some of the leading names in folk and rock music in later years, is the focus of a new documentary film entitled “Chasin’ Gus’ Ghost.”   Written and directed by lawyer, businessman, music and film buff Todd Kwait, the historical retrospective will be screened at Woodstock, New York’s Bearsville Theater on October 13, as part of the Woodstock Film Festival. 

The 99-minute film, Kwait’s cinematic debut, draws its name from Gus Cannon & Cannon’s Jug Stompers, one of the influential jug bands of the era.  Cannon, whose tunes were recorded by bands like The Grateful Dead & The Rooftop Singers decades later, used a bread pan and a broom handle to create his first banjo.  In the film, archival footage and photos are interspersed with interviews and live performances by such artists as Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur, Maria Muldaur, Sam Charters, Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead (who recorded a version of Cannon’s “Minglewood Blues”), David Grisman, Charlie Musselwhite, Erik Darling, Bill Keith, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, with Taj Mahal standing in for Gus Cannon.  Both Muldaurs and Keith (formerly Bill Monroe’s banjoist) had been part of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band during the 1960s, while Charters was part of the late Dave Van Ronk’s Ragtime Jug Stompers.   Also featured in the film is John Sebastian, best known for his years with the Lovin’ Spoonful and his hit TV theme song “Welcome Back.”  Back in 1999, John Sebastian and the J Band also released an album that bears the same title as the film.

Although the film’s showing in Woodstock, long a haven for roots-influenced musical artists, is being billed as its official world premiere, “Chasin’ Gus’ Ghost” was screened in late August during the San Francisco Jug Band Festival, at which some of its stars also performed in a special concert.  A trailer for the film appears on YouTube.

Shot in color, using Dolby Digital sound, “Chasin’ Gus’ Ghost” was filmed throughout the United States, and also features footage from Japan, Sweden and Ontario, Canada. 

Among the U.S. locales where filming took place is Louisville, Kentucky.  Although best known as the home of the Kentucky Derby, Louisville also is one of the cities in which the upbeat, energetic, infectiously happy music may have first taken root and the site of The National Jug Band Jubilee. 

While some jug band aficionados will be watching Kwait’s film in upstate New York on October 13, others will descend on Louisville’s Iroquois Amphitheater for the annual event.  Presented by Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the two-day event, beginning Friday, October 12, features Carolina Chocolate Drops, Cincinnati Dancing Pigs, Dirdy Birdies Jug Band, Jake Leg Stompers, Juggernaut Jug Band, the Second Fiddles, and soloist Pokey La Farge.  For more information, log-on to www.jugbandjubilee.org.

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