Australian jazz musicians – Bunny Hodgins
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Australian Jazz Musicians such as Don Burrows, John Sangster, Graeme Bell, George Golla and Bob Barnard are well known to most Australian Jazz fans real enthusiasts may also be aware of other important players like Bruce Clarke, Rick Farbach and Charlie Lees.
However there’s another another strata of players who are remain largely unknown, these highly talented musicians where often equal to or more advanced than their overseas counterparts but circumstances did not draw widespread media attention to their achievements.
Today, we’ll take a look at one of those unsung Australian Jazz Musicians – Bunny Hodgins.
Jazz has always had a capacity for creating characters like no other.
The sense of humor possessed by jazz musicians, particularly Australians, is something special.
And what better place to start than with a real jazz character and quite possibly one of the greatest jazz players you haven’t heard of … Bunny Hodgins.
John Frederick (Bunny) Hodgins was born in Bundaberg in 1909 both his parents were school teachers. His father, Frederick Hodgins came from Ireland, his mother was born in Bundaberg.
Always interested in music, Bunny taught himself the banjo in the early 1930’s, and this lead him into work with 4QG and 4BH (Brisbane).
Bunny Hodgins — 24th June 1972
The musician
Bunny played with Billo Smith and his band for several years. Billo Smith came to Brisbane in 1925 from the Sydney Cavalier and he held the best jobs in Brisbane until 1957, first at the Trocadero and after the war at the Cloudland Ballroom. As many as 2,000 dancers could pack the dance floor of the Brisbane Trocadero.
The Cloudland Dance hall originally called “Luna Park” was constructed by E.H Eslick in 1939-40 officially opened it’s doors on the 2nd August 1940 was a famous Brisbane entertainment venue located in Bowen Hills.
Give Me The Simple Life – Transcription For Bb Trumpet By Bunny Hodgins
Bunny also joined Macks Vaudeville Company and toured with them as one of the six piece pit orchestra.
Among his career highlights he lists playing alongside some of the true maestros from the big band era; such as South African banjoist Nat Gould, English banjoist Reg Viles and the English trumpeter Bill Ryder senior
A particular favorite career highlight was playing under musical doyen Jim Davidson, who conducted the ABC Dance Band before World War II.
About that Banjo
Anyone who had the opportunity to hear Hodgins play would no doubt agree that he could “make that banjo talk”; indeed watching Bunny play was an exhilarating experience … his Banjo was truly part of him.
Was it a magic banjo?
I have personally heard other players (competent players) play his banjo and I can tell you for certain that without Hodgins strumming it … the Banjo had the impact of cotton wool bullets.
But magic did happen when Bunny played his Banjo, so for those Banjo enthusiasts out there here’s some information about that Banjo.
Bunny played a modified English Windsor Banjo – Premier 2 model built in the 1930’s … originally a five string banjo with the fifth string removed.
Hodgin’s Banjo featured a monarch resonator back was a conversion kit offered by Windsor which may have been added later or at the time of purchase.
The Windsor Premier 2 banjo was built with quality woods and finished to a high standard.
The tuners were the original friction tuners.
Windsor Banjo – Premier Model 2
His banjo was strung with Black Diamond Plectrum Banjo strings and tuned to the standard “G” tuning: D, G, B, D (low to high)
String gauges as follows:
1st ( D) – plain steel loop end .013
2nd (B) – plain steel loop end .013
3rd (G) – plain steel loop end .015
4th (D) – nickel plated wound string loop end .024
Black Diamond Plectrum Banjo Strings
Notice how the string gauge for the first string is the same as the second.
Bunny never used a stock standard set of banjo strings rather he created a custom set by using a second string as a first.
Since the plectrum style of banjo that he played featured the melody played almost entirely on the first string, having that extra thickness and string tension helped him project the melody over the other instruments in the band.
The banjo bridge was made by Grover. He preferred a medium size tortoise shell style pick.
The Teacher
The apprentice and the Maestro – back when a dollar was a dollar
There’s a well known saying in the music business that “those who cannot play – teach” and it’s my sad duty to report that in many instances I’ve found that to be true.
On the other hand there are those very skilful players who lack either the patience or communication skills to pass on their knowledge to others.
There is however a third (and extremely rare) type of person … one that can play and has the ability to pass on those skills!
It’s in this last category that Bunny belongs.
It has been my good fortune to have had Bunny as my first guitar teacher … of course you never stop learning, discovering and exploring in music and each person must ultimately be responsilbe for their own achievements.
Here’s just three lessons I learned from Bunny:
- Music is FUN
- The three P’s – practice, patience & perserverence
- You can’t teach anyone – unless THEY want to learn
Greg Brennan ( journalist and former student of Bunny) said it well in his article on Hodgins for Sundowner Magazine (April 1979) and I quote: “Bunny Hodgins never went to any conservatorium, and he can’t write any letters after his name. He’s been a working musician, a good one and a knowledgeable one – an increasingly rare breed these days.”
Incidently, Greg Brennan was the guy who put me in contact with master guitarist Don Andrews whom I studied with.
But wait, there’s more …
Bunny Hodgins – October 1988
If there’s one constant re-occuring theme running throughout his life it’s one of community service.
Rarely did a concert, CWA morning tea or charity event take place without Hodgin’s name appearing on the program …
But there’s more to this story …
We all know the old saying “behind every great man is a great woman”.
Well did you know behind every Banjo playing wizard there is a very caring, loving, generous woman?” There certainly was in Bunny’s life.
Bunny’s wife Betty
For well over 20 years Betty was a volunteer at the Jessie Withham Memorial Respite Centre.
Betty’s sweet nature, beautiful singing voice and nursing skills made her the obivious choice for the role of organising the music mornings and outings for the respite centre’s clients.
To the great delight of the audience attending these music morings the couple regularly performed a wide selection of musical numbers from the 1930’s through to the 60’s featuring Betty on vocals accompanieid by her husband on banjo.
