Re: [Harp-L] Buddy Guy Legends Monday Jam

[buzz krantz <buzzo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

 On 9/15/2010 3:19 PM, Bill Hines wrote:
>  I feel that I should follow up here since I am guilty of perpetuating 
> what may now be a false accusation about the jam at Buddy Guy's 
> Legends club in Chicago. Cliff notes in case you don't want to read 
> the long diatribe below: it was alllll good. Go forth, and do not be 
> afraid.
I don't jam at Buddy's much anymore. But I've always been treated with 
respect there. I'll have to check out the new place.
                  buzz..............................................


> I recently asked on this list about Chicago jams and noted that I 
> wouldn't go to Buddy Guy's Legends club jam because I've heard stories 
> of extreme favoritism to locals, head cutting, etc. My trip got cut 
> down to "one night only" as they say in show biz (even though I was 
> going there for a tech/geek event) so I figured I'd just pack my five 
> essential harps (A, Bb, C, D, G) and practice in my room some, maybe 
> catch an act in town if there was one Monday night, or go check out 
> this notorius jam.
>
> Didn't see much in the way of acts to catch that particular night, at 
> least right nearby as I didn't have a car. So I went to Legends which 
> was only a few blocks from the hotel. They moved to a new location 
> about three months ago. I wasn't going to bring the harps, but since I 
> only had a few I said "what the heck" and stuffed the soft case into 
> my belt, under my jacket. I could always say I went there and tried to 
> play, and got shot down, to add my story to the others. A short cab 
> ride later, I was pushing through the door with some dudes carrying 
> guitar cases. They asked for a $10 cover, but said if you are playing 
> this is waived. I saw the signup sheet and said (dishonestly maybe at 
> the time, as I still had no intention of playing, but by now I'm 
> thinking "hell they aren't going to call me up from what I hear about 
> this place, I might as well sign up") "I'm playing" and went to sign 
> up. The bouncer said "Where's your instrument?" and I said "Harp!" and 
> started to reach behind my jacket. He rolled his eyes and said 
> "Nevermind, go ahead".
>
> I did notice that out of the dozen or so players signed up already, 
> there was nobody playing harp on the list yet. It was pretty early 
> though, about 8:45pm and the jam starts at 9:30. Anyway, to the bar, 
> some beer and dinner, chatting up the local musicians (everyone has a 
> story.....) and folks in town on business or pleasure.  I asked the 
> bartender who the guy was that was running the jam, I needed to talk 
> to him. I was going to explain that I had come on a whim, so I only 
> had five harps rather than the full set a "real" musician would travel 
> with, and if that's not OK to take me off the list. Not that I was 
> going to play anyway, but just to be sure. I started having flashbacks 
> of the jam at Rum Boogie in Memphis, packed house, and the singer 
> calls a tune in B, with an E harp being the only one I didn't have on 
> stage with me (had one back in the room, but who's going to call a 
> tune in E? - lesson learned - I thought until now). The house band 
> starts, run by a guy named Jimmy Burns and the house band was pretty 
> damn good - Jimmy on vocals and guitar. Jimmy blew some harp on a 
> number at the end, pretty basic blues stuff into the vocal mic. Big 
> crowd by now, I noticed. Sound man in a proper sound boot, big stage 
> with stage lighting, the works. Lots of folks patiently leaning on 
> instruments, waiting.... (nobody leaning on a harp though)
>
> They played a set and then Jimmy said he was going to get this jam 
> going and they would be right back. I went back to my business at the 
> bar. Next thing I know he's up there with the signup list calling 
> folks up.  He called up a drummer, keyboardist, bassist, guitar, 
> guitar/vocalist.....and then me. First set. I was momentarily in 
> shock, and deciding whether to look around and say "Where is that 
> a-hole?" and then work my way out the door, or just go up. I hadn't 
> had a chance to explain I only had five harps (and little position 
> mastery outside of 2nd and a lame 1st/3rd - note to self, work on 
> that!). I also had no gear at all, not even the digitech I sometimes 
> pack along for situations like this. I had a few beers, not drunk but 
> enough to give me courage to do the right thing. I had gotten in free 
> after all, under the pretense of being a musician. Time to pay the 
> cost. I went up nonchalantly, like the badass I am (not). Chatted up 
> the guy settling down on keys, he was from out of town and as lost as 
> me as far as how it works. The rest of the band looked like hardened 
> regulars from the streets of Chicago, scowling hardened no-nonsense 
> pissed off mofos.
>
> Anyway, I was happy that the first song was called out in A, and 
> grabbed my D harp. Even happier when he called G for the second, and I 
> could use my trust C harp. Both were blues classics, I forget which 
> now, but ones that I knew well from our own (awesome) local jam in 
> Harrisburg PA. So I was comfortable, and it was a rush while playing 
> to think I was up there on Buddy Guy's stage in downtown Chicago, home 
> of electric blues, Muddy, Walters, etc. Now, I'm no Smokey Joe Leone 
> or anything, but the crowd seemed to appreciate what I was doing, or 
> was extraordinarily sympathetic (or drunk), I heard noises resembling 
> clapping, whistling and hooting. The sound was fantastic on stage. I 
> was worried about feedback, cupping the SM58 vocal mic, but heard none 
> so I assume the sound guy saw me grab it, noted "F'ing harp players" 
> and adjusted the EQ. I sure wished I had my Sonny Jr Cruncher though, 
> then I would have showed them!!
>
> I was in the zone after two songs, ready to go. What's next!! Gimme 
> something hot!! And then I heard the "Thank you's" and saw the rest of 
> the crew packing up. Whoops, two songs only here, as opposed to our 
> jam where you get four. Understandable given the numbers, but still a 
> bummer.
>
> So anyway, maybe the jam is different when Jimmy Burns is running it, 
> or maybe things have changed with the new location, or it was just a 
> lucky thing but I have nothing but good things to report about Buddy 
> Guy's Monday night jam at the Legends club in Chicago. Go for it!!
>
> Bill Hines