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 Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: LarryBocaner 2017
Date:   2008-12-20 20:19

One of my young students wants to play this Dixieland standard for her grandpa for Christmas (he says it's his favorite clarinet tune). Does anyone know of a collection that includes this piece that we can, hopefully, find in a local music store? Or better yet -- a PDF file.



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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: redwine 
Date:   2008-12-20 20:41

Hello Larry,

Of course, I've got the piece in a leadsheet in an old fake book. Would that be enough information for you? If you need it, let me know and I'll scan it and e-mail it to you. It's Muskrat Ramble.

Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com



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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: LarryBocaner 2017
Date:   2008-12-20 21:08

Thanks Ben, that would be a very good start -- perhaps I can embellish the lead sheet.

Looked for you when I watched Navy/Wake Forest Eagle Bank Bowl game -- were you on that gig?

Again, thanks so much!

Larry



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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: redwine 
Date:   2008-12-20 21:10

Hello Larry,

I was there. The first half was quite comfortable, then by half-time, the weather was quite bitter. Unfortunately, Navy lost. I'll get to the scanner as soon as I can. Do you have a deadline?

Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com



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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: LarryBocaner 2017
Date:   2008-12-20 21:49

No deadline; thanks again!

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: Ken Shaw 2017
Date:   2008-12-20 23:18

Yeah, but Navy beat Army, big time, which is all that counts.

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 It is Muskat
Author: Jaysne 
Date:   2008-12-21 02:19

BTW, the correct title is Muskat Ramble.

Muskat is a type of wine. Somewhere along the way it got corrupted to Muskrat, which is a few shades less appetizing.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: BobD 
Date:   2008-12-21 11:30

"muskat"......colloquially is actually the grape while "muskatel" is the wine.

Since muskatel is traditionally the choice of "winos" (since it is the lowest cost) your comment has some validity...IMO. However, I am skeptical and would be really interested to know the source of your information. Since the Creoles ate muskrat and the animal has a rambling kind of gait I'd vote for Muskrat Ramble as the original title of Kid Ory's song.

Of even more interest to me is the intentional use of incorrect factual statements
as a learning tool. My Dad did this all the time "on me" with positive effect.

Bob Draznik

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: redwine 
Date:   2008-12-21 18:45

Hello,

I've only heard it called Muskrat Ramble, are you sure about the origins?

Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com



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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: David Spiegelthal 2017
Date:   2008-12-21 22:03

I've also seen it as Muskat (no "r").

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: ned 
Date:   2008-12-21 22:31

Search out practically any compilation CD of the Kid Ory band and you will probably see MR listed as one of the numbers....................then listen closely to the clarinet player...................could be Joe Darensbourg or Barney Bigard or Albert Nicholas you'll be hearing.

The sheet music may be of some assistance...........possibly.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: Mark Charette 
Date:   2008-12-21 23:05

In Kid Ory's Creole Band's recordings (Edward "Kid" Ory, 1886-1973, was the composer) the spelling is "Muskrat". In the NY Public Library archives there are 96 entries for "Muskrat Ramble", 4 for "Muskat Ramble", none for "Muscat Ramble (checked "just in case")..

Not proof, but close.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: Jaysne 
Date:   2008-12-22 02:11

I'm going by sheet music I read in a big band that played an arrangement of the tune. The music was quite old, so that seemed to lend an air of validity to the title.

You know that Duke Ellington piece "East Street Toodle-loo?" Well, the correct title is actually "East Street Toddle-loo." "Toddling" is a type of slow, meandering walk one would do down a street.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: graham 
Date:   2008-12-22 07:05

Muskrat is alliterative. Muskat is not

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: NorbertTheParrot 
Date:   2008-12-22 14:16

This is very nearly as gripping as the great "Grand Partita"/"Grand Partitta" debate.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: David Spiegelthal 2017
Date:   2008-12-22 14:43

Sure beats discussing ligatures, though.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: larryb 
Date:   2008-12-22 15:40

The correct title of the above mentioned Ellington composition is: "East St. Louis Toodle-oo."

As for Muskrat Ramble, it might be exciting for your student to play Louis Armstrong's solo from the 1926 recording. I'm sure it has been transcribed - no transposition necessary to play on clarinet.

Finally, Norbert: it's "Gran Partit[t]a," not "Grand."

Enjoy the holidays!



Post Edited (2008-12-22 15:40)

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: NorbertTheParrot 
Date:   2008-12-22 16:00

Finally, Norbert: it's "Gran Partit[t]a," not "Grand."

Whoops! You're quite correct, of course.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: Jack Kissinger 
Date:   2008-12-22 16:02

Jaysne wrote, "You know that Duke Ellington piece "East Street Toodle-loo?" Well, the correct title is actually "East Street Toddle-loo." "Toddling" is a type of slow, meandering walk one would do down a street."

Probably not. First of all, "Toddling" is not a slow meandering walk, it's the hesitant shuffle babies do (hence toddler) -- though there apparently was a popular dance called the toddle (a bouncy version of the foxtrot) that came into popularity around 1917. Also it's not "East Street " it's "East St. Louis." Finally, it wasn't "loo" it was "O" or "Oo".

In his book Ellington, The Early Years, Mark Tucker writes (pp. 250-51):

"East St. Louis Toodle-O" must have been in the Washingtonians' repertory by October or November of 1926. When Ellington went into the Vocalion studio on November 29 for his first date using only original material, he chose it as one of four pieces to be recorded, and his band gave every sign of being familiar with the arrangement. The name of the piece, however, may have emerged during the record session. Apparently Vocalion wanted to increase sales in the largely black section of East St. Louis, Illinois, hence the place name in the title.

The "Toodle-O" part of the title has an interesting history. In 1962, Ellington explained that this phrase – which he always pronounced "Toad'lo" – meant a kind of broken walk. Elsewhere, he recalled the picture Miley [Bubber Miley, the trumpet player] imagined for the piece: "This is an old man, tired from working in the field since sunup, coming up the road in the sunset on his way home to dinner. He's tired but strong, and humming in time with his broken gait." The term Ellington probably had in mind was "todalo," which referred to a specific dance style or step. Through printing errors the title was spelled different ways as the piece was rerecorded. It started as "Toodle-O" (Vocalion, November 29, 1926, and Brunswick, March 14, 1927) and went on to "Toodle-Oo" (Columbia, March 22, 1927) and "Toddle-Oo" (Victor, December, 19, 1927). Both the stock and piano versions published by Gotham in 1927 give it as "Toodle-O." The spellings seem less important than the correct pronunciation, which differs from the popular phrase for good-bye. Pronouncing the title Ellington's way links it to earlier pieces with "todalo" in the title... – and also lends support to Ellington's story relating the word to physical movement."


Performances by Duke Ellington if you'd like to listen to it:

Probably the original version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY5D6uzxLuU&feature=related

Probably the revised version first used on the Victor recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6LmSj26RRc&feature=related

Best regards,
jnk



Post Edited (2008-12-22 16:03)

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: BobD 
Date:   2008-12-22 17:01

"Toodle-oo" also means "so long" or good bye and anyone who has ever spent any time in East St.Louis could imagine being happy to leave.

Bob Draznik

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: ned 
Date:   2008-12-22 22:50

''This is very nearly as gripping as the great "Grand Partita"/"Grand Partitta" debate.''

It helps if you are interested in jazz..................

I venture to say that a few of us may not be all that enthralled to be bombarded with minutiae regarding Zinner blanks and Pomarico mouthpieces, no matter how enthralling these subjects may be for some.

You have the choice of course, of ignoring posts which do not interest you.

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: chris moffatt 
Date:   2008-12-23 12:40

as in many other cases in music "Muskat Ramble" is a simple copyist's error. Just check the verse out on the web. If it were to do with cheap wine it would be "Muscat Ramble"

cheers

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 Re: Muskrat (Muskat?) Ramble
Author: redwine 
Date:   2008-12-23 15:26

Hello all,

Happy Holidays! Would a muskrat by any other name smell as sweet?

Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com



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