Album Notes

Gutbucket Jug Band's CD "Pussyfooting"

This band has been resurrected with former members Colin Stevens (mandolin, harmonica & vocals), Ron Davis (guitar), Brent Davey (banjo) and Tony Dunn (jug), from the 1960's group of the same name. Until the early 1970's, they were part of the folk coffee-lounge circuit and played at the Port Phillip Folk Festival, which later became the Australian National Folk Festival. The band also found a following amongst traditional jazz aficionados, and were well received at Australian Jazz Conventions. While the band dissolved in the early seventies as band members pursued careers and raised families, some continued playing together in a group called The Panton Hill Umbrella Club. It was during this period that they were joined by Tim Shaw (clarinets & saxophone). The group came together on an occasional basis, during the nineties, and finally got back together as a working group in 1998. A guest appearance has been made by Mick Fleming (banjo and mandolin), an ex Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band member (both Colin and Tony were, at one time, members of Australia's famous Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band).

The band has always enjoyed the challenge of playing music that would be considered, by most people, to be outside the realm of a jug band. As a result, this recording contains only two traditional jug band numbers You'd Better Leave Me Alone and Blues, Just Blues, That's All (with added words from the band) written by the jazz oriented Dixieland Jug Blowers in the early twenties. Coal Man Blues, Sloppy Drunk and Diggin' My Potatoes, from the thirties, get the jug band treatment as does the Theme from Black Orpheus.

The remainder, with the exception of the pop tune Mister Blue, are interpretations of jazz tunes, but played with the gusto of a jug band.