Arrr...

Well, we jammed the Pirate Ship restaurant tonight. Anne and I ate dinner there (they had 3 vegetarian dishes on the menu!) and then I joined the jam session. I'd worn my "sound level" shirt and it was a big hit, but I was actually hoping that Cory K. and Jake would be there. I knew he'd get a really big kick out of it, but they didn't show up. :( We can only hope she was in the Delivery Room and that Hannah Kay has arrived safe and sound!
None-the-less, the jam ran from 5 to just after 8 and we had a blast. Tim and Steve got it started with a couple of rock songs before I traded places with Steve and we did some blues numbers.
Then a guy named Lenny solo'd some old Folk music, complaining all the while. He complained about the guitar he'd borrowed (his broke a string), the temperature (it was slightly chilly) and that his song book was in the car. I thought it was all an act and finally told him to go get his songbook, which he did.
When he left a lady took the "stage" playing the keyboard and did a pop song. When Lenny returned he complained about that! Then while he was doing another song he couldn't hit the chords (neck was too skinny) and kept forgetting where he was in the song. It was hilarious. But, apparently it wasn't an act.
Once he'd finished he sat down to eat at the table that Anne was at. All the while, moanin' and groanin' about the food, the beer (which he got for free), etc. On the way home Anne was telling me about it and said that she didn't care for the guy. I guess she'd heard enough on stage and didn't need an ear full at the dinner table. Oh! I forgot to mention that Lenny is a Contrabass. Imagine that with a little whine in it. Hahaha...
In the mean time, we'd been joined by Steve and the keyboardist and were doing Route 66, Little Red Rooster and some Pop songs. When things paused a bit, Lenny wanted us to back him while he sang a couple more songs. That, I think, was the highlight of his evening and he promised to be back next week. Hmmm... probably shouldn't have played so well that time. ;)
Here's hoping to see you out on the town,
Don

Got another invite

June 19:

Hello, all,
At the Wednesday night jam there was a musician that leads a jam session in a pirate ship. That's right, a pirate ship. If you've spent any time around the old Greenbrae Shopping Center in Sparks, you've probably notice (or even gone into) a restaurant shaped like a pirate ship. When first built it was a Long John Silver's type of food joint; fried fish, hush-puppies, etc.. When they closed it re-opened with Oriental food and the motif was a "Junk" boat, as you may have seen on waterways in the East.
It's changed hands a couple of times over the years, but now its theme is full-on pirate and on Sundays they have live music. This music is, of course, provided for free by the musicians participating in a (not really) impromptu jam session. Well, Steve asked me to please come by and sit in with them. "We really NEED a bass player over there!", he said.
Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to play out once more this week. Especially since Larry (Dave's Garage) has a split finger and can't play tonight. But, what I'm really looking forward to is the smoke-free jam space! So many venues are in bars and if they're the least bit popular the place just gets so hazy. I always have to shower when I come home from the Sidelines jams... blech!


PS
If you love live music, now is the time to see it. With the economy in the ruts there are LOTS of musicians out of work and willing to play at "open mics" and public jams. Check your local paper or, if you have one, the non-mainstream paper which should have plenty of entries these days.


Do a little something each week to support local artists,

People keep askin'

June 15:

Hello, all,
It's great to hear from you all and to know how you are doing these days. As for us, we're doing great. It's been raining here (yes, in Nevada!) and we nearly hit the record of 12 days straight, only missing it by one day. As a result, it's been a bit cooler than usual and Anne is enjoying it. I am, on the other hand, still saying "Bring the heat!"
Anne is loving her summer vacation, which just started last week. Reading a book, taking a nap and going to lunch with her friends are high priority right now. Lady has been overjoyed with this (as you can imagine).
We went up to the lake the week before last and saw Buddy Guy at Harrah's. Oh boy, what a show! Next month he'll be 74 and he still tears it up! He did a bunch of his old hits and some new ones. I especially love his "Skin Deep" song from the album of the same name. Anne thinks it's right up there with Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" and asked me to put it on a CD for her to play at school.
Her principle is SUCH a bigot that he's created an atmosphere of acceptable bias toward Latinos. Some of the things she tells me are just unbelievable. Imagine coming into a school and seeing a posting on the bulletin board where some teachers are saying that they want students to come to class speaking English!
Fortunately, Anne spotted it and took it down before any parents saw it. I tell you, when she came home that night she was fit to be tied! Even more unbelievable is that this guy thinks he can become an administrator without working an "at risk" school. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth I'm told.
Funny thing, though. He's stopped talking about the PhD he was working on. The bonehead had used some of Anne's work as his own and when Anne found out she started finding other ways to present her work! Hahaha...
As for me, I had been playing with the Freebird open jam on Monday nights at Sparks Music and Friday nights with Dave's Garage. But in January, Larry (lead guitarist for Dave's Garage) got a job and is only in town about twice a month. Then the music store decided to shut down the Monday night jam session.
I told the other music students that this was actually a good thing. Like momma bird kicking it's babies out of the nest to make them fly on their own. Well, I started working Craig's List and met up with "Bluesman" who wanted to see me play. So I met him at Sidelines sports bar on open jam night. We ended up on stage together, did three songs and the organiser asked us to do another!
Afterwards, we talked about what he preferred to play (old "black Blues") and he invited me to the jams he holds at his house and another he called the "secret jam" which is by invitation only! I came home and told Anne that I'd passed the audition!!! Pretty good for only taking lessons for four years, eh?

I passed the audition

June 9:

Yes, kids, it's true... After playing at Sidelines tonight one of the musicians that I've been coresponding with from Craig's List has asked me to join his private jam sessions!
So, things are starting to look up. I hope that you're finding ways to make music, also! Let me know if you need any help with the "low end."

Swan song

May 13th:

For those of you that don't know what a "swan song" is, it's the last thing you hear from something that's dying. In this case the reference is to Freebird. Mike has decided to stop hosting the Monday night jams sessions!

I have spoken to him about it and pointed out that we're just now, finally getting professional musicians coming by to sit in. After all, the whole idea was to keep Sparks Music in people's minds. Whether that's for instruments, lessons or any number of things that musicians need (including someplace to jam). Making music at a music store is a natural extension of what they're all about. After all, they love music and the people that make it!

Although these things are all good reasons to stay open late, none of them balance out that 1) it costs them money to do this, 2) it's not generating any additional income for the store, and 3) both he and Bill are just about dead tired by the end of the day. Also, he has many responsibilities at home that need his attention (just as every parent/spouse knows). We all understand that family has got to come first or nothing else matters.

So, for my part, I'm going to see what else develops. I've gotten to know other musicians as a result of my association with Sparks Music these few years and it may be time for me to "test my wings." Perhaps there's a Blues band out there that needs someone to pedal on the root notes for them. Hey, I suck less than I used to. Right?

I will still be around the store and encourage all of you to continue to stop by for your musical necessities and, by all means, keep telling your family and friends about Sparks Music. Remember: if they don't make it, we all lose out!

Who knows... an impromptu jam session could spontaneously errupt at any time!

See you around,