History | Rhythm Bones Central

Rhythm Bones History

Jonathan Danforth’s Virtual Bones Fest XXIV workshop titled ‘Bones through Space and Time’ presents a unique view of the history of rhythm bones. He shows how ideas, like rhythm bones, spread around the world and through time. Worth a little time to read – click HERE (starts about half way down the middle column).

This Page is not a comprehensive historical work, and is based primarily on articles from the Rhythm Bones Player newsletter.

Rhythm Bones Player

The Rhythm Bones Player Newsletter has been published four times a year since 2000 with one issue in 1999, and contains a wide variety of current and historical information. There are quarterly columns from the Executive Director and Editor, Letters to the Editor, Recording of the Quarter, Website of the Quarter, and a Calendar. The feature article begins on Page 1 and there are many smaller articles in each issue.

The newsletters are in PDF format, and that file is rather large which takes some time to download. Click to view the newsletters

Being in PDF format, you can search the newsletters using the Find command of the free Adobe Reader. This is a powerful feature over searching the paper versions. Note that the newsletter file loads into a new browser window so that you can switch back and forth to it without having to reload it.

Finally, this little newsletter is fully cataloged by and stored in the Library of Congress making this information available to current and future researchers.

Some of the Best Published Historical Articles

Sue Barber’s University of Michigan senior project paper titled The Bones, Ancient to Modern has been referenced by many people. Sue had access to Percy Danforth and his library. It has a small bibliography. 1975

McDowell’s article titled Bones and Man: Toward a History of Bones Playing, Traces rhythm bones playing to US from Europe and includes minstrelsy. Has a large bibliography. 1982. RBP,186 The article itself is online:

Beth Lenz’s Master Thesis titled ‘Bones in the United States’ documents that rhythm bones came to the US from Europe. Beth had access to Percy Danforth and his library. It has a large bibliography. 1989. Parts of it were printed in the RBP newsletter.

The Mescher Bones Tradition: Syncopations on the American Landscape. This PhD thesis by Dr. Mel Mercier is a study of the development, transmission and performance of the Mescher style of rhythm bones playing. This is the first PhD thesis on rhythm bones, but it covers a lot more. 2011. The link above is an abstract of the Thesis and there is a link there to the complete Thesis.

Rhythm Bones Status in 1999

1999 Internet Research

How to Make and Play Bones – a 1982 Article

Click To View a Portfolio of Rhythm Bones

This Portfolio has examples of many of the rhythm bones that are made for sale.

Names given to the Bones around the World

Country or Culture: Name

Anglo-Saxon: possibly cladersticca

Asturia (in Spain): tarranoelles

Australia: clapsticks

Basque: artxalus

Breton (Celts in France): gradjel, gragell

China: ban, pan

Chwana (in South Africa, Botswana): marapo, marupa

Denmark: Smældstikker

Egypt (ancient): mah (straight), awoy (curved), dwawt (angled)

English-speaking: bones, clappers, kicky-knackers, clackers, castanets, nackers

France, Quebec: os, cliquettes, claquettes

Galicia (in Spain): tarranuelles, tarrañolas, castaneta, trancañolas, tixoletas, trécolas

German: Brettchenklapper, Brettschen, Kleppern, Klepperle

Greece (ancient): krotala

Ireland, Scotland (where Gaelic is spoken): cnamhan, cnaimh

Japan: hyoshigi

Latvia: klapîtes

Netherlands: Kleppers
Playing them: Klepperen

Norway: Smellstikker

Okinawa: yotsudake

Persia (medieval): chihar pare

Poland: kości

Portugal: trancanholas

Roman Empire: crotala

Russia: lozhki

Spain: tejoletas, palillos, tarrañuelas, tarreñas, tejuelas, tejas, telletas, losetas, recholetas, pizarretas

Sweden: snatterpinnar

Switzerland: chlefeli

Thailand: kaep, kap

Turkey: çarpara, çalpara

Vietnam: cap ke

Zulu (South Africa): amatambo

China

Bones in modern China
Chinese folk percussion
Chinese Clappers Video by Mei Han
Bones played on Great Wall
Scott Miller on Kuai Ban
Kuai Ban Instruction
Kuai Ban Performance

Egypt

Rexroad find Egyptian Bones

Greece and Rome

Walter Maioli Article??

Europe

United States

Minstrelsy

Frank Brower, first player
Brief Summary of early minstrel players
Rap, Rap, Rap on your Minstrel Bones – Edward Meeker
Yirdy finds minstrel players
Thesis – No Country For End Men
Minstrel marrionette

Civil War, WWI/WWII War

Bones During Civil War
Pair of bones
Walt Watkins finds civil was bones bones
RB in civil war camp
Civil War comes to school

1900s

Adams workshop
Bones at Sea
More Bones at Sea

Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour

Story with Partial List of Performers
John Hall
Jack Frost
1966 Article Mentioning Bones

Media

Jack Gerson

George Gilmore
(George played for General Eisenhower)
Jerry Mescher

Rhythm Bones History

Rhythm Bones Player

Some of the Best Published Historical Articles

Rhythm Bones Status in 1999

Click To View a Portfolio of Rhythm Bones

Names given to the Bones around the World

China

Egypt

Greece and Rome

Europe

Germany/Switzerland

Netherland

England

Australia/New Zealand

Ireland

Italy

South Africa

Barbados

United States

Minstrelsy

Civil War, WWI/WWII War

1900s

Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour