This is a blog about music, photography, history, and culture.
These are photographs from my collection that tell a story about lost time and forgotten music.

Mike Brubaker
{ Click on the image to expand the photo }

Fun with the Double Bass

28 April 2017



Music is fun.
But it is rare
to see musicians
photographed while

having a good time too
.

This quintet of unknown musicians,
a violin, cello, kettle drum. double bass,
and female conductress,
pose merrily in an alleyway
that might be in Europe
or some place else.
Who knows?
But they surely knew
how to make music entertaining.






The double bass or contrabass
is an ungainly instrument
but is actually strong enough
to let a small child
climb onto it.



This bass player is dressed
in a summer weight jacket
with white trousers and shoes.
A boy in a sailor suit
about age three
clings to the neck of the bass.
They are somewhere on a beach.
 The postcard has names
and a cryptic message
written on the back.




Efren Duran and & son
Frankie Duran.
Efren died in Central America

___________________________

Today Aug ___ 1975  I
Louise Brunette rec'd a letter
+ picture from my nephew,
oin which he's shown holding
his 1st grandson. Born ____














Because of its size
a double bass is easily kicked around
and endures far rougher treatment
than its smaller brethren
the violin, viola, and cello ever get.
.
This man's bass has clearly suffered
some pretty hard knocks. 
He is dressed in a suit but without tie.
His long grey hair and sun-burned complexion
suggest he is used to working outdoors.
He stands in front of a strange building,
almost a shack or trailer,
which has a sign on the wall
made of large stenciled letters.
The word VIOLIN is clear
but the rest is a puzzle.


Yet we know he is having fun
because if you look closely
he has toothpick between his lips.








This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
where everyday is Wash Day.

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2017/04/sepia-saturday-365-29th-april-2017.html





6 comments:

tony said...

Blimey Mike !Bravo! You Sure Found Some Fascinating Faces This Week!!!!

Bob Scotney said...

And some wooden structures in the backgrounds. Fascinating collection of instruments.

Unknown said...

When I saw the laundry hanging in the background behind those nutty musicians, I burst out laughing! Great shot, Mike; perfect follow of the theme!

Barbara Rogers said...

I love the double bass, and have known a bass player from a symphony orchestra, who quit because of all the stress...and started doing music therapy.

Jofeath said...

Washing, tenements, wooden fences and shadows, plus musicians - what more could anyone need? Perfect for the prompt this week.

ScotSue said...

You are right, Mike, we see so few musicians looking as if they are enjoying themselves - perhaps that is part of the appeal of Andre Rieu concerts which are so popular today. You hxave given us again such lovely strong portraits - and plenty of wood, lines and angles to match the prompt.

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