[Harp-L] San Fran and San Diego Jams



I've been away a lot and remiss to post on my recent experiences while traveling to San Diego and San Francisco.

San Fran is as always a great musical scene. The last time (also recent) I was there I stopped by The Saloon to hear Michael Peloquin play with a band there, and it was a fantastically good show and scene with Michael blowing sax and harp as well as singing. As most folks here know, the cat is a top notch professional musician. I introduced myself on break (I had met him before at Spah STL and some of Jason Ricci's events). The Saloon is a small dive in the eclectic North Beach area on Columbus Street where the infamous Beats such as Kerouac, Cassady, Ginsberg, Ferlinghetti, etc hung out. The Beat Museum is there, as well as Vesuvios, Kerouac Alley and a number of other landmarks. Lots of strip joints, and some of them have hellacious bands too, playing even during daylight hours to draw patrons. Michael took time to show me his prototype Harrison b-Radical harp and we talked about his pending move to Indiana to join the company (somehow I don't picture him anywhere but a place like SF but we'll see...). The harp of course sounded great (MP could make a cracker barrel one sound great as well i bet) and looked very very cool.

This trip I stopped by the Saloon again and saw another band with a harp player. It was real late and I think they were higher than I was amazingly (this wasn't my first stop that night) so I just hung back and took it in. It was pretty raw stuff but in form with the atmosphere and everyone was having a great time. I didn't ask but I got the sense I could have sat in easily if I had, it was a very laid back atmosphere. Of course SF has many other options such as Biscuits 'n Blues, I usually just google and find the local blues society's web page and calendar for ideas when traveling but I'm lucky if I can get one night out on a trip.

In San Diego, I journeyed out to the Mission Beach area and a big Irish bar called The Harp coincidentally (Harp as in Irish connotations, not harmonica...). I got in touch with Dan "12 Gauge" Gage from the list while I was there. While waiting for Dan to arrive I watched the house band set up and put my name on the signup list. This jam is different from ours in that their signup sheet has blocks of sets with the instruments listed and you sign your name into the block you want to play. Set 1 was open for harp but I always want to watch at least one set first to check out how things are run, the musicality, etc. Set 2 and 3 were taken so I put my name in Set 4 and went off to Hodad's for a burger. Dan arrived soon after and we chatted at the bar. The first thing he told me was that there probably wouldn't be a set 4. Wha?? Our jam in Harrisburg PA usually has anywhere from 7-10 sets, from 8pm until 1am or so and this Harp jam started even earlier. This is something that I dislike very much about house band led jams, they always get up there and play waaay too long before any jammers can get up, and even then it's piecemeal. The band was good, I forget the name but led by a guy named Chet. Dan told me not to piss Chet off, as he does not suffer fools gladly.

Chet sang and played some harp, but I could soon see why I was unlikely to get up. This jam is Chet's jam and he pretty much adds folks in and comes in and out himself as he pleases, along with his band-mates. There was no predefined definition of a "set" as far as how many songs or how much time players get. It was very loosely run and seemed to cater to the in-crowd and locals/regulars. I hung out with Dan and listened to a lot of good music. Dan got called up since Chet knew him and his set was great, some very good harp and singing. Dan told me he had been taking voice lessons and how important that was. Dan did get up for a later set and said he would call me up for one, but I could soon see that it wasn't to be as Chet came back after the first song and I think Dan's time was done so I headed out.

There were a lot of harp players there, so a good scene in SD for harp and blues, and some younger folks too which is always good to see. I recommend stopping in if you're in the area, but keep an open mind and don't get upset or surprised if you don't get up to play. I've been to a lot of places around the world and many many jams and I can still say unequivocally and objectively that out of the ones I've been to, the world titleholder for the best blues jam in the world (for all parties concerned from novice to professional musician and patrons that is) is right in little old Harrisburg, PA at the 40 et 8 juke every Thursday night. Come out and see us sometime!

Bill





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