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 20th 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
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
Shot in color, using Dolby Digital sound, “Chasin’ Gus’ Ghost” was filmed throughout the
Among the
While some jug band aficionados will be watching Kwait’s film in upstate
Like/Follow Us!