Re: [Harp-L] San Fran and San Diego Jams

["J D Hoskins" <jameshoskinz@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

That was Probably Chet (Cannon) and the Commitee, I beleive they've been 
voted best blues band in San Deigo a couple of years running JD



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2010 9:57 AM
Subject: [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