Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin

I Don’t Know The Muffin Man  
(Jody Stecher/Vegetiboy Music BMI)  

3+3+2=8.  When a musical phrase suggesting such a division occurs, old-time fiddling, ragtime, and bluegrass music typically place the accents as if the 8-beat phrase was 2 fours. In the music  of Eastern Europe—and further east —the accents in such a phrase are typically on the first beat of each subdivision.  I thought I’d try to compose a tune that sounded North American which contained a phrase that had this second kind of accenting. One of the other phrases reminded me of the nursery rhyme “Do You Know The Muffin Man?”.  Jay, my cousin-brother, suggested I call it “I Don’t Know The Muffin Man”.  Once I had stopped laughing I agreed. I love Tony Trischka’s driving banjo playing on this recording.  

Chad Manning: fiddle  
Jody Stecher: mandolin  
Kate Brislin: guitar  
Tony Trischka : banjo  
Ethan Jodziewicz: bass