Re: [Harp-L] San Francisco blues jams?

[leslie <leslie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for responding to my post and for the suggestions. I will have to 
put your jam on out list of places to visit should we find ourselves in 
your area!
Sounds like Biscuits 'n Blues is definitely worth a visit to! Your blues 
jam sounds great, too... similar to the one we went to in Wilmington, 
NC. No house band.. just a signup board with 6 sets and you put your 
name next to your instrument of choice for the set you wanted. We ended 
up have 2 guitarists (my husband being one), drums, bass, 2 sax players 
and myself. We played our 3 songs and everyone loved it, especially us! 
The other guitar player even invited us to perform with his band that 
weekend at another gig in the city. We were on our honeymoon so we felt 
like we were definitely leading a charmed life! That's what I mean about 
meeting people... we often get invited to play again during our stay and 
we end up with new friends all over the country!  Sometimes it's easy to 
feel intimidated about getting up there on stage doing songs I've never 
done, especially since the quality of musicianship we run into is often 
top notch. I held back for a long time and warmed up at small jams in 
Maine with old (patient) friends. It's really cool to finally be able to 
play out around the country.. jitters and all. In Halifax there were 3 
other harp players in the house. I wanted to hear how they did first... 
all the musicians were so good. Tony and I just sat to the side enjoying 
the show. Finally a regular came over to our table to chat, asked if we 
were musicians (obvious by the equipment we had) and immediately 
introduced us to the person running the jam. So we were playing and that 
was that! I was the third harp player and just happened to be really 
*on* that night.. the crowd was hootin' and howlin' and dancing. I think 
I ranked second in the harp playing that night... good thing I didn't 
hear the last harp player before it was my turn.. he was phenomenal... 
diatonic and chromatic, incredible tone, note variations and licks I 
didn't know were possible. I would have been too nervous if I had to 
play after that guy. I highly recommend the blues jam at Bearly's Sunday 
night in Halifax!

Leslie

Bill Hines wrote:
> Leslie,
>
> Check out Biscuits 'n Blues when you are there, it's right downtown.
> They have a new upstairs area which I believe I heard hosts a blues jam.
> Maybe Greg Heumann or Robert Gaustad will chime in since they're san
> fran area folks. If not a jam they'll probably have a darn good show to
> go to, they always have top acts like Jason Ricci.
>
> I travel a lot as well and try to hit the jams. Some other jams to look
> for if you are in the area(s) are the one at Blues Station in Columbus
> Ohio, Warmdaddy's in Philly (new location), and the best one which I
> think is ours at the 40 & 8 Club in Harrisburg, PA. Now that one is at a
> real old-style crowded, smokey juke-joint type place in a field (you
> park in the grass or dirt) with cheap booze, an old porch where you can
> drink and great music and all kinds of "excitement" on any given
> Thursday! A great group of folks from many races and walks of life, no
> "house band", just put your name on the clipboard and wait your shot.
> Better for beginner/intermediate players early on because later in the
> night the pro-level hot shots get up there and torch the place!
> Sometimes they even bring up some "ringers" from the delta down south.
> On harp, you get everything from hacks like me to pros like Mike Easton
> and Daine Paul Russell when they are there. Sorry to gush, but I've been
> all over and to me this place is the epitome of a blues joint/jam, at
> least best you can get north of the mason dixon from what I've
> experienced. I just don't get the "vibe" in these newer, shiny neon
> polished bars with big parking lots and a freeway or shopping mall
> outside. A friend went to DC's last night (Sunday) and said it was good
> but I don't know where it was held.
>
> Bill Hines
> Hershey, PA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Leslie
> Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2007 9:42 AM
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] San Francisco blues jams?
>
>