The Jam ended its 7 year run at the Coffee Mill in Radford last night. The place was as packed as it's ever been, and then some. The pickers got in their last licks and a lot of familiar faces were there to be part of the Last Jam, but it wasn't really a bummer at all for me. The incredible turnout of listeners and players told me that we're just being shushed off and we'll roost somewhere else.
All signs are pointing to us ending up at Wade's for the time being. I've heard a lot about groups who want to take us in, and it's great to feel welcomed like that. I've been going to the Coffee Mill Jam for as long as I've been in Radford, and it's where I've met 99% of my friends in this town. The jam is a giant reason I like living here, and I'm going to work to preserve it. I'm not alone, though, so like I said, I'm not at all bummed. This is a chance to perfect the jam!
Ruth Babylon made a cool video of the last jam. It was good one, a mostly typical one. But it's not the last jam, it's just the last jam for the Coffee Mill.
Y'all stay tuned for updates on our next stop!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Side Door Tomorrow Night! Sat Feb 20th
Don't miss it y'all!
The Side Door Sessions ride again this Saturday night at the intersection of 3rd and Grove in Radford.
Music will feature our old friend Jackson Cunningham, performing with Martha Spencer - the Whitetop Mountaineers.
Also performing will be Ken Richardson, Indian Run, featuring fiddler Paul Herling, and our own Nancy Corey, and Laura Beth and the Clover Hollow Boys.
Doors open at 7:00 and the music starts at 7:30.
The Side Door Sessions ride again this Saturday night at the intersection of 3rd and Grove in Radford.
Music will feature our old friend Jackson Cunningham, performing with Martha Spencer - the Whitetop Mountaineers.
Also performing will be Ken Richardson, Indian Run, featuring fiddler Paul Herling, and our own Nancy Corey, and Laura Beth and the Clover Hollow Boys.
Doors open at 7:00 and the music starts at 7:30.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Jam Exodus
Apparently the Jam is being cast into the Wilderness. Ralph passes on the sad news:
Bummer. Where will we go next? Retiring from jammin' is unthinkable. Don't let our sweet love die!
Hi all,
As many of you learned last night, The Coffee Mill is closing next week. It appears that next Monday's jam will be the last there. I'll keep you posted on what the plan is -- an "executive committee" met post-jam at Sharkey's to discuss the situation, but after two rounds of beers we forgot what we were meeting about.
We have some options we'll explore for where to go next. We may just play somewhere briefly as a stop-gap until we find a new home. We might even take a couple of weeks off before settling in somewhere else. Another option is to simply retire the jam after 10 good years, but nobody seemed enthused with that idea. So, we'll keep looking as we thank The Coffee Mill for letting us be their guests for the past 7 years.
Any suggestions? Just e' me.
Anyway, to clarify, there WILL be a jam next week at The Coffee Mill. Hopefully by then we'll know what we're doing next.
RBjr.
Bummer. Where will we go next? Retiring from jammin' is unthinkable. Don't let our sweet love die!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Side Door February 20th -Whitetop Mountaineers
Mark your calendars!
Side Door XV is coming and we've got a great lineup featuring the Whitetop Mountaineers.
Also appearing will be Indian Run, Ken Richardson, and Laura Beth and the Clover Hollow Boys.
Do yourself a favor and don't miss it!
Who's up for Galax?
On a snowy day like today, think about the long hot nights and long scorched days pickin' at Galax.
I've got to start planning now if I want to make it.
I've got to start planning now if I want to make it.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Happy 10th Anniversary Fiddle and Banjo Jam!
Amazing! Tempus fugit, indeed. The jam just turned 10 and it was a typically excellent one. Somebody told Doug he could miss it, and that Joe could bail out on a blistering version of Roanoke, but it was still great. A fine cake was there. Our fine friends were there, miss Lucy was there and Ms. Ruth. Our long lost pal Wilson. The prodigal Susie Gaskins! I'm gettin' teary eyed just thinkin' about it.
Wayne told me the theme was to play the first song you could remember playing at the jam. I do not have a distinct memory of a first song so I tried a likely one - Bill Monroe's "On and On" in G. Later I decided that "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms" might have been more likely an Ralph agreed, though he doesn't know either. Wayne said he played "Little Georgia Rose" which is probably the first one I remember him playing.
I'm gettin' to feel like an old-timer. I came to the jam when I moved to Radford in June of ought-three and I've been comin' out Mondays ever since. I've said that it adds about $10,000 to what I think my house is worth, but it's probably more than that. Not every town has a solid regular jam like this where people can come out as beginners and become really good, just by sittin' in and playing. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you come to the jam week in and week out, you'll GET good. And you'll have a good time doin' it. Once you get a jam like this in your back yard, you'd have to be crazy to move away.
Back in 2003, I remember Tom Layton was there a lot. We used to see a lot more of Vernon Elkins. Susie was usually the bass player. I don't think I had a conversation with Wayne for the first year. I know the first couple times I made the jam I got lost on breaks, I lost the beat, I forgot words, but the jam was always super supportive. No matter how I butchered a break, they told me to take another one. Thanks!
So let me go back to my other point (if I may ramble...where was I????) Not only does every town NOT have a jam, very few towns do. And fewer still have a regular every-week jam, and fewer still have a friendly jam that encourages anybody and everybody to join in and be a part of it. It's very special, and we know that we owe the biggest debt to Ralph Berrier for being the anchor, and showing up week after week to keep the jam going as it was getting started, and over ten long (short!) years as musicians came and went and were replaced and came back.
Here's to Ralph and here's to the musicians, and here's to ten more years!
Wayne told me the theme was to play the first song you could remember playing at the jam. I do not have a distinct memory of a first song so I tried a likely one - Bill Monroe's "On and On" in G. Later I decided that "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms" might have been more likely an Ralph agreed, though he doesn't know either. Wayne said he played "Little Georgia Rose" which is probably the first one I remember him playing.
I'm gettin' to feel like an old-timer. I came to the jam when I moved to Radford in June of ought-three and I've been comin' out Mondays ever since. I've said that it adds about $10,000 to what I think my house is worth, but it's probably more than that. Not every town has a solid regular jam like this where people can come out as beginners and become really good, just by sittin' in and playing. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you come to the jam week in and week out, you'll GET good. And you'll have a good time doin' it. Once you get a jam like this in your back yard, you'd have to be crazy to move away.
Back in 2003, I remember Tom Layton was there a lot. We used to see a lot more of Vernon Elkins. Susie was usually the bass player. I don't think I had a conversation with Wayne for the first year. I know the first couple times I made the jam I got lost on breaks, I lost the beat, I forgot words, but the jam was always super supportive. No matter how I butchered a break, they told me to take another one. Thanks!
So let me go back to my other point (if I may ramble...where was I????) Not only does every town NOT have a jam, very few towns do. And fewer still have a regular every-week jam, and fewer still have a friendly jam that encourages anybody and everybody to join in and be a part of it. It's very special, and we know that we owe the biggest debt to Ralph Berrier for being the anchor, and showing up week after week to keep the jam going as it was getting started, and over ten long (short!) years as musicians came and went and were replaced and came back.
Here's to Ralph and here's to the musicians, and here's to ten more years!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Jam report 2/1
A fine group of musicianers and listeners warmed themselves by the fire of the jam Monday night. More than 15 music-makers plowed through songs like a VDOT truck through a snow-covered street. Well, better than that actually, considering my street. There were about 40 people in the place most of the night.
We dusted off old favorites "Big Scioti," "Cattle in the Cane" (which Chris led on fiddle! Last 2 weeks: bass, fiddle, no mandolin), "St. Anne's Reel" and many sing-alongable tunes, too.
Coming soon: 10 Years of the Radford Fiddle and Banjo Jam.
We dusted off old favorites "Big Scioti," "Cattle in the Cane" (which Chris led on fiddle! Last 2 weeks: bass, fiddle, no mandolin), "St. Anne's Reel" and many sing-alongable tunes, too.
Coming soon: 10 Years of the Radford Fiddle and Banjo Jam.
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