Topic: Anyone interested in a local weekly jam?

[NotRevGDavis]

Hey everyone,
I'm thinking about hosting a jam on Wednesday nights.
Anyone interested in meeting somewhere between 5 and 10 PM here in Sunnyvale, CA. (SF Peninsula/South Bay)?

Has anyone else ever done this?

Thanks,
Gary

[lebordo]

Shucks -- I thought you were gonna suggest everyone come to southwest Ohio every week :-(.  Afraid CA is a little far away for me to attend a weekly Jam.

[waxwing]

Hey NRGD,
Sorry I haven't responded sooner. I might be able to make it down from time to time. But not until mid June. Gre and I have finally found a new place, a house over in Oakland, and we're moving June 1. I'm not much of a jammer, but I like to get together and trade tunes and licks, or put down a groove for others to jam on.

Actually, I have some more ambitious plans to create more of a country blues community in SF with a monthly performance night at a cafe. I'll post about this idea in June also, after we get settled in.

All for now.
John C.

[Mike Billo]

    Yeah! Count me in. I live in San Francisco. I'd love to attend.

[Buzz]

This sounds like a cool idea to me. But...and there is always a "but" isn't there?...I am presently overcommitted. I operate 2 or 3 days a week. After a full day in the operating room on Wednesdays this May,   I drive from Walnut Creek or Martinez (depending on where the cases are scheduled) to Concord, for a Band class 7 - 10.Starting the 31st we switch to Tuesdays. Then our Band has rehearsals one day/nite a week. And then there are class -related gigs on Fri or Sat every week or 2. I think I will be just too damn tired to make the long drive from Berkeley, or even directly from work in Walnut Creek for a jam in the South Bay. Damn! I really like the sound of all of us local Weenies getting together.SO,  I will not commit to the jam for now, but wil stay tuned. If it seems I can swing it once in a while, I will do it. Good luck!
Buzz

[waxwing]

Once a week may be a little ambitious? Why don't we try once or twice a month, starting mid June. We could possibly use my new pad, in Oakland near the Fruitvale BART, as an alternate space. Anybody know any country blues style harp, fiddle or any other instrument players who might be interested? I've got washboards and jugs which I'd love to get some practice playing with others on, too
All for now.
John C..

[Mike Billo]

   Those are good ideas, John.

   Once a month sounds good and your place in Oakland sure sounds like it's the most centrally located.

    I know some fiddlers and harp players, but since it's  probably already going to be an all-guitarist jam, I'd be inclined to bring Mandolin and Harps, rather than Guitar.
   Also because you guys are probably all way better guitarists than I am    

Mike

[koaguitarman]

I might be able to swing once a month or so. I could bring wash tub bass, for the bottom end.
Keep us posted on where and when.....
Russ

[crawley]

Hey John, count me in. I'm over here in Albany. I'd love to get the chance to play with others. Just let me know when we can get together.
Crawley

[NotRevGDavis]

I'm interested.?

I don't know if I can make it to the East Bay in the evening as I'm trapped by the local commute from 3-7. The reason I was going to try it here is I have access to a lot of square footage, from middle school music rooms to auditoriums, all for no cost and it is reverse commute. Some of the teachers at one of our elementary schools have a Tuesday night electric blues jam in their multi-purpose room so I figured I would try an acoustic jam.

OT
John the offer still stands if you need help moving, I just need to know in advance or my wife will plan over you.

Thanks Gary

[waxwing]

Hey Gary, I sure didn't mean to usurp the idea. I was hopin' that you might get some south bay folks interested. I'd definitely make it down there if other folks could make it, too. The idea of trying to create a bay area country blues community has been on my mind for some time now, but, as most of you know, my life has been pretty disrupted. Once we get settled in (and thanks for the offer, Gary, I'll PM you) I will make it a priority. Having a monthly jam or song circle would be a good start. I'm really thinking of the bay area as anyone from about Santa Cruz to Petaluma/Santa Rosa (i.e. Thumbstyle-Dave Bro?), and maybe out to Livermore and Vallejo, so maybe we do need to move around. Anybody in the north bay, like not too far out in Marin, might want to host a jam, also? Maybe we could meet in Nicasio at the inn once in a while? Maybe not, that's a long drive for anyone, I guess. Anyway, just throwing out ideas here, and I do think it would be a good idea to move it around.

As I said earlier, I'm not a great jammer, and I don't want anyone to be intimidated because they can't hold an alternating bass and improvise licks off of chord forms up the neck.(I sure can't, yet, but a little pentatonic noodle I can handle) I think the idea that we each might bring a few songs to play for each other, maybe with one or two other instruments joining, so that we can get some feedback on our playing, etc, should be included, as well as deciding on some well known numbers that we can all join in on. And the more varied instruments the better. Too many guitars always makes me want to play washboard.-G-

Wow, Koa g'man, you really gonna haul a tub all the way up to the bay area from LA? Maybe we can find one around here for ya. I know Mike B knows a lot of jugband types in the area. I take it you're up here from time to time. Well, if you're giggin', let us know.

I was hopin' we'd hear from you Crawley, great. C'gulch, hopefully you can drag that cigar box mando to Oakland.-G- Mike B, whatever instrument you wanna play is alright by me, like a little lap dobro would be very cool, but harps and mando fer sure. And lebordo, or any Weenies who happen to be visiting the bay area, please let us know. Had a great time recently with wildcotten, who was in town from FL. Great player.

Who knows, maybe Cleoma will be jonesin' for some blues and will drop by. I saw Suzy and Eric and their? Thompson String Ticklers at Jupiter this weekend playin' some fine hillbilly music, with quite a few blues thrown in. Now that was a good time. Suzy told me she's really lookin' forward to PT already. (who isn't?!) I'll post about some other upcoming gigs with Suzy and Del and Eric soon.

As I said, I can't really get anything going 'til mid June or so, and of course, a little over a month later most of us will be heading north to PT, but lets keep the ball rolling. BTW anyone who wants to come to my Third Thursday (that'd be the 19th this mo) gig at the Bayview Boat Club, near the new ball park, please let me know. Things have been really jumpin' there lately.

Anybody else interested in the bay area Weenie Campbell Jam?

All for now.
John C.

[Mike Billo]

   I'd be *happy* to bring the lap Dobro. Absolutley!

   Also, I have a couple of washtub Basses I could bring to spare Russ the inconvenience of explaining to Airport personnel what this thing was, he was trying to bring onboard 
   One is a metal tub with a G string from an upright Bass, the other is a "Birdsley Bucket" type Washtub Bass with weed whacker chord as the string.

   Also, if you need help moving, I'd be happy to pitch in too. Right now my 20 yr. old son (who's huge and strong) is home from college and I could enlist his help.
  A recent experience with moving a friend has proven that one gigantic 20 year old is worth about a half dozen of us middle-aged guys when it comes to furniture moving. Send me an email with the particulars of when the move is taking place.

Best,
Mike

[Buzz]

Yo! Waxwing!
Thanks for the "call". Shore, would love to bring the mando and kazoo to a jam. Would shun a drive to Santa Cruz, but would be fine with a monthly ride to Fruitvale or Marin.Thursday nites are generally better for me, as Tues pm? is class, Wed I have to crash for clinic on Thurs, and Fri I am mostly off!

Still in a Band Class this summer semester at Diablo Valley College and will have some class-related gigs? we will learn about in a few weeks, but willlet you guys know, if tyou're interested in hearing these r and b groups. Will try to make it to 3rd Thurs next week if I am not too pooped. Maybe a 6 pm latte would do the job!

Say, when can you and Gre come by for grub?

Miller

[Rivers]

Hey NotRev, did this ever develop?

Mark