Back up and Push (Jason Carter)

Jason Carter’s version of this tune is the one I heard first, and I still think it is one of the most exciting ones out there (and maybe the fastest as well!). This transcription of his first time through the melody will make a nice challenge for advanced students with all its double stops and breakneck speed.

I did a little research on this and discovered the melody has gone under many names but actually goes back to a 19th century violinist named Jens Bodewalt Lampe. According to the Mark O’Connor fiddle method, he wrote it immediately after hearing Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer for the first time…so it was his answer to the new Ragtime sound of his time. This original version was titled Creole Belle and became quite popular and was played with some different variations and lyrics as it circulated around. It was recorded by Mississippi John Hurt as Creole Belle and as Rubber Dolly by both Ella Fitzgerald and Woody Guthrie.

You can hear the basic outline of the melody is similar to the Skillet Lickers and somewhat similar to Mississippi John Hurt’s first section.

Here is the music for Jason Carter’s version:

If you’d like to start somewhat simpler, here it is with double stops (but still using all the same rhythms as above).