''The Even Dozen Jug Band'' is the debut and only studio album by the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

jug band A jug band is a band employing a jug player and a mix of conventional and homemade instruments. These homemade instruments are ordinary objects adapted to or modified for making sound, like the washtub bass, washboard, spoons, bones, stovepipe, ...

Even Dozen Jug Band The Even Dozen Jug Band was founded in 1963 by Stefan Grossman (solo country blues and ragtime guitarist) and Peter Siegel (roots-based guitarist and producer) in New York City, New York. Other members were David Grisman (a noted mandolinist), ...

, released in 1964. Founded in 1963, the Even Dozen Jug Band recorded this, their only recording for

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...

. Members who later went on to successful music careers included

Stefan Grossman Stefan Grossman (born April 16, 1945) is an American acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and singer, music producer and educator, and co-founder of Kicking Mule records. He is known for his instructional videos and Vestapol line of videos and DVDs. ...

David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945) is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music". He founded the record label Acoustic Disc, which issues his recordings and those of other acoustic mu ...

, Steve Katz,

Maria Muldaur Maria Muldaur (born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato; September 12, 1942) is an American folk and blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s. She recorded the 1973 hit song "Midnight at the Oasis" and has ...

(then Maria d'Amato), Joshua Rifkin, and John Sebastian.Milton, Baggelaar. The Folk Music Encyclopedia. 1977.
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Reception

Music critic Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. in his

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

"Mandolins, banjoes, pianos, guitars, fiddles, kazoos, and trombones vie with one another, creating a raucous free-for-all. The vocals on pieces like "Overseas Stomp" and "Evolution Mama" have a loose, just-for-the-heck-of-it feel that keeps the material lively and irreverent. The multiple combinations of instruments and voices, along with an exuberant approach, guarantee no boredom on this lovely disc. Certainly no stickler for strict traditionalism, the band shows how blues, ragtime, and jazz can be used to freshen up worn-out material."

Reissues

* Ten of the songs were reissued in 1978 on ''Jug Band Music & Rags of the South'' by Everest Archive of Folk & Jazz Music. *''The Even Dozen Jug Band'' was reissued on CD in 2002 and again in 2008 by

Collectors' Choice Music Collectors' Choice Music (CCM) is an Itasca, Illinois, company originally primarily in two businesses, but since 2010 only in the second. CCM was best known for reissuing albums originally recorded in LP record form as compact discs. , its catalog ...

. *''The Even Dozen Jug Band'' was reissued on CD in 2005 by Elektra Records.

Track listing

All songs Traditional unless otherwise noted.

Side one

# "Take Your Fingers Off It" (

Will Shade William Shade Jr. (February 5, 1898 – September 18, 1966), known as Will Shade, was a Memphis blues musician, best known for his leadership of the Memphis Jug Band. He was commonly called Son Brimmer, a nickname from his grandmother Annie Brimm ...

Charlie Burse Charlie Burse (August 25, 1901 – December 20, 1965) was an American blues musician, best known for his work with the Memphis Jug Band. His nicknames included "Laughing Charlie," "Uke Kid Burse" and "The Ukulele Kid." The "uke" in his nicknames ...

, J. Jones, C. Pierce) – 2:26 # "Come on In" – 2:42 # "Mandolin King Rag" – 1:47 # "Overseas Stomp" (Will Shade,

Jab Jones The Memphis Jug Band was an American musical group active from the mid-1920s to the late-1950s. The band featured harmonica, kazoo, fiddle and mandolin or banjolin, backed by guitar, piano, washboard, washtub bass and jug. They played slow blues, ...

) – 1:45 # "Evolution Mama" – 3:19 # "The Even Dozens" (

Josh Rifkin Joshua Rifkin (born April 22, 1944 in New York City, New York) is an American Conducting, conductor, pianist, and Musicology, musicologist; he is currently a professor of music at Boston University. As a performer he has recorded music by compose ...

, G. Davis) – 2:55 # "I Don't Love Nobody" – 2:56

Side two

# "Rag Mama" – 2:13 # "France Blues" – 2:42 # "On the Road Again" (Shade, Jones) – 3:18 # "Original Colossal Drag Rag" (Rifkin) – 2:59 # "All Worn Out" – 2:51 # "Lonely One in This Town" (

Walter Jacobs Marion Walter Jacobs (May 1, 1930 – February 15, 1968), known as Little Walter, was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter, whose revolutionary approach to the harmonica had a strong impact on succeeding generations, earning him ...

, Lonnie Carter) – 3:02 # "Sadie Green" – 2:10

Personnel

– vocals, guitar, banjo *Pete Jacobson – vocals, guitar, banjo *Pete Seigel – vocals, guitar, banjo *Frank Goodkin – banjo *

– mandolin *Fred Weisz – violin * Steve Katz – vocals, washboard *

– vocals, piano, kazoo * John Sebastian, credited as John Benson – harmonica *Danny Lauffer – jug *Peggy Haine – jug *

, then Maria D'Amato – vocals *Bob Gurland – trumpet, vocals Production notes: *

Paul Rothchild Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity * Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

– producer, editing * Paul Nelson – original liner notes *

Richie Unterberger Richie Unterberger (born January 19, 1962) is an American author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing. Life and writing Unterberger attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he wrote for the university newspaper '' ...

– reissue liner notes

References

External links

Discography site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Even Dozen Jug Band, The 1964 debut albums David Grisman albums Maria Muldaur albums Elektra Records albums Albums produced by Paul A. Rothchild