Toast to a Jam
November 28th, 2005
Made it to the BBS Blues Jam at the Reef Sunday afternoon. Damn fine, damn fine-I tellya’.
Poet Sam of the Bitterbrush Blues Band and Byron (call me Brian) started us out with a solid set of traditional blues. Memphis bound Smokin’ Todd played stinging guitar and Todd sang a bit about some lost woman. 
As usual the girls stole the show. Next Exiter Nancy Mc Intosh seemed more at ease than I have ever seen her on stage. Later on newcomer Dale growled her need for a man and was definitely a favorite.
This is what a jam is all about, musicians of all types and styles combining to make something special and unique. Thanks to Jon Knox for making this happen.
The Reef is a great spot for a jam, good food and atmosphere. Success of this session should mean it will be a weekly event soon. The jam is taking December off but will fire up again in January.
- Posted in Uncategorized
November 28th, 2005 at 3:29 pm
Yes! By all means necessary….let’s start and support a QUALITY WEEKLY Jam at the Reef! And speaking from experience, find a “host band” that’s going to play even if nobody shows up to play bass(drums,guitar,etc) Worked GREAT for Fat John for YEARS, and also for the Stratos for YEARS as well. It’ the “secret” to holding a successful WEEKLY jam session that LASTS. I bet you can find a quality host band that would do the gig for TIPS. Seriously….bet me.
November 28th, 2005 at 10:46 pm
Host bands always take over and only let thier friends play. Hate those jams
November 30th, 2005 at 9:17 am
Gee…guess you never made it to a StratO’Loungers Jam at Jumpin’ Janet’s or J.T.Toads. Nor a session hosted by the 3 Slims. I seem to remember my host band members complaining that THEY weren’t getting to play….Beats those jams where they ask everyone who comes through the door “Do you play bass? Know anyone that plays Bass? Wanna Learn?” The KEY to picking a Host band, is to pick one that is GIGGING on aregular basis…then the jam will be EXTRA stage time for them.
November 30th, 2005 at 9:22 am
Oh yeah. I’ll put my time and BAND where my mouth is….FOR TIPS. For a month of weekly jams, or 4 months of monthly jams. I guarantee if you show up to play, YOU WILL get stage time. As for “Taking over” the Jam, that’s the whole point of “Hosting” a Jam…Keep it moving, keep it interesting, and KEEP THE QUALITY UP. Or you can pray for bass players this week….
December 1st, 2005 at 8:39 pm
sometimes free can be very expensive!
there is a reason that the janets jam and the toad jam are not going any more. The jam @ janets was one of the worst, of course there wasn�t a bass player. If you were not in the �over the hill� cadre of the organizers they gave you the brush off. all of the above mentioned jams quickly died a deserved death. hopefully the blues society will let this jam continue to thrive.
December 3rd, 2005 at 3:01 am
Paul Peterson run the bbs jam, why? We heard that no one showed up for his last big time promotion �Operation Entertainment. Apparently when the BBS Turkey Jam was over a just a few of the blues folks wandered over and DOUBLED the crowd (to 20!) at Operation Entertainment. When they left, the room was empty and more military personnel were downstairs in Old Chicago then at the ROSE Room. Sounds like a bigger group showed up at the BBS jam then for Paul’s deal. Mr. Peterson is very good at promoting himself by getting on TV and in the paper, not so good at making a music gig a success.
Boise Blues Society, or anyone else-why bother with Paul’s theatrics?
December 11th, 2005 at 4:22 pm
Theatrics? Promoting myself? Wow. To quote Russ Martin…”You just can’t buy this town a party”. As far as the TV and papers…ever TRY to get them to mention ANY event? I assure you, there is no talent involved. The media does what they see fit. Period. A free concert for the troops was obviously something THEY wanted to report on. And by the way, I bought the AD in the Weekly. Nuf said.
As for the turnout, well, everyone is great at making excuses about why an event didn’t have a bigger turnout. I won’t make any, because the folks that did show up, got an evening of great free entertainment. The musicians that played (and got paid, unlike most of these “deals”) were all pretty much enthusiastic about doing another one. The sponsors that footed the bill want to do TWO more next year, and if that’s a failure, I’ll take the blame.
On to the Jams….(oh, yeah, THAT’S what this BLOG was about, not the certain BBS members age-old beef with me) The Jumpin’ Janet’s Jams had a bass player for the first 58 weeks named Rich Aguirre. He missed the first one becuse his best friend had been killed that day in a wreck, so we drafted Byron Defenbach to play lead, and Ben Burdick played bass on the top 3 stings of his Strat that night.
After Rich left the group, Rico Wiseman and later Steve Wall were the WEEKLY bass players in the HOST band. You might try visiting a jam more than once before you form your opinions.
And, since I was in charge (the dreaded “organizers”), I KNOW for a FACT if someone that came to Jam made their presence known to me, they got time on stage. We hosted weekly BLUES jams (at JT Toads, Jumpin’Janets, Tom Grainey’s, and the Funny Bone)for a total of over 150 weeks. How many did you ACTULLY make it to…”Anonymous”? I made it to ‘em all.
As for hosting the BBS Jam, I regretfully withdraw the offer. My Bad.
They will do FINE without me, and I’ll do fine doing what I do best….”SHAMELESS self-promotion”. I have exactly ZERO problems with the BBS and believe Jim Teeter and the current board members will make it better daily.
So, since the 26 musicians that have recorded with me seem to appreciate my promotion abilities, so I stick to what I know.
By the way, do you only take cheap shots at 3am? Have another beer, and lighten up. I was JUST trying to help….anyone else (over 25 yrs.old) playing for tips that you know of?
Sorry for your opinion of a guy that probably loves music as much as you do, and does alot to “make shit happen” in a scene that gets stagnant fast…guess you get it, or you don’t.
Have to go, not enough “Theatrics” here….No wonder J.N. split.
December 11th, 2005 at 5:04 pm
Oh, Yeah. By the way, the JT Toad’s Jam was contracted for only 6 weeks. There was an acoustic Jam upstairs on the same night, and we found it split the crowd. Janet’s had Jam for almost 2 years on Mondays, and she had to quit live music altogether because of a Heavy-Metal Band getting 2 noise violations on New Years’s Eve.
Sure Glad you are an INFORMED blogger….what crap.
December 12th, 2005 at 7:48 pm
Thought it all over, and had a few email chats with Dave. Got some good advice.
Now, all I want to say is…”Can’t we all just get along?”
See you at the next jam. I’ll bring the bass player (just kidding…)
pp
December 12th, 2005 at 8:31 pm
Paul-you are the spice that makes the meal. Keep it up. David
December 16th, 2005 at 9:30 am
All is quiet on the Western front.
December 16th, 2005 at 4:08 pm
I couldn’t take it any longer…I just had to wiegh in. Paul…you go man. the problem is that this town, for all it’s good points, just does not support the arts. It’s too bad because there are some incredible talents around here…but someday it will, I just hope not too late to recogignize some of the real artists that we have among us now. Count yourself one of them…Oh yeah….”The Real Deal” would be happy to host the jam for a month…FOR FREE!!!!!!
Should even have Wayne back with me soon. Hosted many jams in San Francisco and never heard anyone complain like I have here. Oh Yeah….I can play the bass too.
BTW…the jam has been great so far, but yeah a host band that knows how to handle a jam would be great. I think it’s great that the blues society is working on getting this going, at such a great location.
December 16th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
If Todd is hosting, be prepared for a great jam. I’ll be there. Merry Christmas….
December 16th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
If Todd is hosting, be prepared for a great jam. I’ll be there. Merry Christmas….
December 16th, 2005 at 6:56 pm
Hi, Dave. Wow! I am observant or what? Tonight I finally realized that you could post comments. I had never paid attention to the little text at the bottom of each story you posted that indicated that people could post comments. Oh, boy! Well now that I know you are in such trouble! I’m so glad that people are pleased with the BBS jam sessions so far. Yes, we intend to keep getting better and better. And, oh yeah, thanks for the mention that the “girls stole the show” - love ya, dude! Nancy McIntosh, BBS Board Member
December 16th, 2005 at 8:12 pm
The BBS Jam is being well taken care of by the guy that made it happen. I heard some very distressing blues news today. I understand that Kat’s is going the way of the Blues Bouquet……closing soon. So I would like to support Dave in the let’s get along department, and suggest we make sure we are there at the Jan. JAM asking what we can do to help make it weekly. We seem to be losing venues right and left so it’s definitely time to stick together.
Jo Fryberger
BBS boardmember
January 9th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Just wanted to make sure that everyone knows that Kat’s in Nampa is NOT CLOSING. My band played there this past weekend and this coming weekend is Deja Blues. So, not to worry. Kat’s is alive and well! Cheers, Nancy