Research on old-time and bluegrass music has surged with the work of a full generation of scholars over the past few decades. They have given us in-depth histories of genres, complex biographies of musicians, and vivid portraits of musical venues and media companies. When these writers have turned to specific instruments, their writing has predominantly focused on the place of the fiddle in old-time music and historical treatments of well-known guitar companies such as C. F. Martin & Co. The past two decades have included a growing interest in the banjo and its distinctive role in bluegrass and other musical genres. In Building New Banjos for an Old-Time World, Richard Jones-Bamman touches on the history of the bluegrass banjo but his focus is on the precursors to bluegrass. Most regard pre-1940s banjo styles as "old-time," but Jones-Bamman explains that there is a vital contemporary scene within which this music thrives. He makes an important contribution to understanding this music by studying the art of current banjo builders across the country. They not only craft replicas of early instruments but also actively innovate on earlier designs to meet the needs of active musicians within what he describes in a chapter titled "The Old-Time Nation."

"Old-time" is a surprisingly ambiguous term that encompasses a range of genres and styles. In relation to banjo playing, it is perhaps easiest to define in terms of inherent contrasts. Old-time banjo playing differs from bluegrass picking in numerous ways. Bluegrass banjoists use the three-finger technique and play banjo rolls that are characteristic of Earl Scruggs's style. Old-time banjoists typically play without picks and use the clawhammer, drop-thumb, or frailing techniques that predate bluegrass. The old-time banjo typically does not feature the large resonator of the bluegrass banjo, as most old-time banjos feature an open back or perhaps a gourd body. Furthermore, few consider the tenor banjo an old-time instrument, and old-time banjoists rarely use the flat-pick technique that is characteristic of Irish banjo music. Jones-Bamman confined his research to the makers of these instruments, in part because bluegrass banjoists and other players tend to buy commercially made instruments from major manufacturers. Even though bluegrass is a more modern form of music, Jones-Bammon demonstrates that there is greater flexibility and innovation in the design and building of the old-time instruments.

Following an excellent overview of the history of the banjo, the author gives his readers a clear discussion of the place of the banjo within contemporary old-time musical communities. Jones-Bamman discusses how the instrument is present in string bands, where it often accompanies dancers, but he also explores the broad scope of musical genres within old-time music. The instrument is surprisingly versatile here, as many musicians too facilely confine banjo playing to only a handful of genres. Understanding the range of styles among old-time banjo players is central to Jones-Bamman's approach in the book. He convincingly demonstrates the need to explore the interchange between musicians and makers in the crafting of instruments. This exchange is evident among other instrumentalists, but old-time music often features more direct interchanges between the builders and the musicians.

Jones-Bamman is a musician himself, and he takes his readers through the highlights of a two-week class with Will Fielding at the Vermont Instruments School of Lutherie. Building a banjo is notably complex, and this chapter is essential for gaining an understanding of key elements of the process. The text is well illustrated with photographs and diagrams, and readers will delve into a deep understanding of the history of major innovations in the instruments' design. The chapter is an important one, and it is fitting that the book is dedicated to Fielding's memory.

The major chapters feature profiles of other banjo builders. Jones-Bamman interviewed over twenty individuals to show a range of techniques of building the instruments. There are intriguing ironies, and even paradoxes, in what he discovered. In the popular imagination, the banjo is commonly associated with white country musicians, but its origins are indisputably African. Furthermore, even though the banjo is often caricatured as rustic and even unsophisticated, it was marketed as an urbane and refined parlor instrument over 100 years ago. It also is intriguing that the term "old-time" now is less reflective of an earlier musical era but rather names aesthetic values and a musical ethos that thrives in contemporary musical scenes. A full chapter, titled "An Homage to the Past," explores nuances of these artistic and cultural dynamics in rich detail.

This chapter is followed by "An Apprentice to Ghosts." Once again, the author reveals the music's rich and diverse history by focusing on the instrument itself. The banjo makers in this section place a strong emphasis on historical reconstruction as they specialize in creating--and re-creating--gourd banjos. Jones-Bamman gives a thorough treatment of African and African American influences on these instruments. His writing is supported by both academic scholarship and the research of the banjo builders whom he profiles. The connections between the art of banjo making and the living history movement are especially relevant in this context. Civil War living history interpreters and rendezvous reenactors are major clients for these builders, and their instruments can be seen as "heritage arts." Some of the most engaging sections in the book are discussions with George Wunderlich, a highly sophisticated park interpreter who has made major contributions to living history programs. Neither he nor the author avoid the charged history of the banjo's place within minstrelsy. Wunderlich and Jones-Bammon provocatively explore, for example, the challenges of using living history to interpret blackface performances by white musicians.

The book offers models for researching the art of instrument makers. It shows the need for studying a wide range of crafters to learn about musical history. The myriad points where makers connect with musicians add to our understanding of both music and craft. The author's research and writing also expand ideas about the potential for a more serious engagement with living history, as the work of these historical interpreters has received short shrift in scholarship. Although there are major studies of experimental archaeology within the living history movement, there is a need for more research into the heritage arts movement by folklorists, ethnomusicologists, and specialists in material culture.

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[Review length: 1035 words • Review posted on March 8, 2018]