Topic: Jugfest '04

[waxwing]

Sorry about the short notice on this one, but anyone in the bay area or out into Nevada might be interested in a jug band festival this Saturday, October 9th, in Sutter Creek, CA. (about 2 1/2 - 3 hrs. from SF). Here's a link to the web page:

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Jugfest '04

I'm gonna try to be there with jugs and a washboards, and, hell, maybe a guitar or two. Hope to see a few fellow Weenies. Anyone think they might make it?
All for now.
John C.

[GhostRider]

Hey Barbque:

A little far for me. Hope that you have a good time.

Try to get them to play Kansas City Blues, Memphis Jug Band version. My favorite!

Alex

[frankie]

Did you go, John?? If so, how was it?

[waxwing]

Hey Frank,
Finally have some time to post (I'll get to that email, too). I did make it up to the beautiful little town of Sutter Creek (the Jewel of Gold Country, as it were), and, all in all, had a good time. I was somewhat dissappointed that most of the bands were more in a jazz vein and few had jugs, opting for stand up basses (which was OK because the primary promoter stated that he puts the fest on so that he can play jug with all the bands, which he pretty much did, even the ones that had a jug). One of the more interesting bands for me was the Tarantulas, which recent WCB member Mike Billo plays lap Dobro and various other instruments for, as they played a more traditional mix including some of their own material in the style. They also had the only washboard I remember. Mike did a great part on one song, opening with a mouth harp solo, playing one hand of bones while leading the vocal and then keeping the bones going while taking another harp break. Very cool. Another group I liked was called the Skittle Symphony, I think. A young man and woman, trading vocals with either two guitars or her guitar and his fiddle (and maybe mando on one number, I'm foggy on that) and a very elderly jug player who actually played trombone on one number. That was one time I kinda wished our host had put his jug down, this guy clearly had jug chops but it was hard to hear in the clash. They also did some recognizable prewar material, some Shiek's stuff and whatnot. Most of the other groups featured jazz guitarists playing single note leads doing more modern material and one otherwise hot group, from Santa Cruz, had an equally hot electric Chicago style (read: distortion) harp player that just clashed stylisticly for my ears. I took a break and went down by the little creek and played a few songs for the kids searching for tadpoles. Not much jamming was going on, altho' when Mike's band got there I played a couple songs with them while they warmed up. They dug jammin' to Canned Heat. After the last band in the park, about half past dusk, they started up a kinda organized jam on the stage of the cutest little theatre I've ever seen. Unfortunately for me it was all Old Timey folks, primarily a fiddler and a banjoist doing songs they both knew well with a few other folks filling with washboard and bass. Mostly local folks who played together often, except for the banjo. I guess I didn't have the nerve to take out the Style O and see if they wanted to play some old blues, so I got some coffee and fudge from the ice cream store (also cute as hell) and headed back to SF. Actually one of the interesting things was that the shortest drive out was across the Sacramento Delta on small roads along levees and then just into the foothills. Made me want to do some drivin' down south, maybe visit Lindy and a few Delta towns I been singin' about.
All for now.
John C.

[koaguitarman]

Hey John
Sounds like you had a fairly good time. I am in the Kahuna Cowboys Jug Band, and we couldn't make it to this years Fest.
You would have enjoyed KCJB, as we have the instruments you said were missing at the Fest.
Please check us out @:
http://kahunacowboys.com/
Maybe we can hook up someday, I am in the LA/Orange County area. The other two members of KCJB are in the San Diego area.
Russ

[uncle bud]

Please check us out @:
http://kahunacowboys.com/

Ya gotta love a tune called Eat That Mule...

[koaguitarman]

Please check us out @:
http://kahunacowboys.com/

Ya gotta love a tune called Eat That Mule...

Eat That Mule, Beddle-E-Dum, Eat That Mule Beddle-E-Dum........It is a sad tail (pun intended)!!!
Russ

[Mike Billo]

Hi John; Thanks for the kind words about my Dobro, Harp and Bones playing. As I told you, I learned the simultaneous harp and bones playing from a guy named JC Burris, who was Sonny Terry's nephew and a real unsung hero.
  I too, wish there had been a lot more jamming.
  I also agree that Sutter's Creek is an incredibly cute little town,  but man, talk about the middle of nowhere!
  There are plans for another Jugband festival in Santa Cruz (much nearer thte population centers of san Francisco and San Jose)in the Spring that will have the stated purpose of promoting jamming between Pre-War and Jugband musicians.

[frankie]

Thanks for the lowdown, John.  Sounds like it might be fun.  It seems like there was a lot of emphasis placed on stage/performance time - does that sound right?  Were people camping there at all, and if they were, was the campground part of the festival grounds?

Mike - the festival in Santa Cruz sounds interesting - just out of curiosity, how exactly do the organizers plan to promote "jamming between Pre-War and Jugband musicians"?