Last Jam at Crazy Fish

A large crowd turned out for what could have been the last Wednesday night jam at the Crazy Fish in Port Angeles. That's Johnny and Eric Whitman from the Lonely H joining Miles(number two son on drums) and me onstage for "Down on the Corner" and "I Shall Be Released," among other songs. Lots of their friends, many home from school for Christmas break, were present to cheer them on. Looks like they're playing tonight at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle. Certainly a highlight of the season for me since both Miles and Mick got up on stage with me to perform, and everyone else seemed to have a good time. Stephen sang expecially well on "Stormy Monday" and "Route 66." This isn't the first time patrons have been heard to comment about how there sure is a lot of musical talent in our neck of the woods. And, not all of them are guitar players! Whatever happens with the Crazy Fish, the music will continue in one venue or another for a long time to come. Speaking of which, the acoustic jam on Sundays at the Junction in Port Angeles continues to thrive. Maybe some of the at-risk tech-savvy youth out there will step up to make a web page for that venue. Would that ruin the "low-tech" atmosphere of the place?

Guitar Instruction Tip #18: So you want to be a rich rock and roll star? Well, listen now to what I say. Practice early in the morning(that means you have to get up!), play every gig offered to you, practice some more, and then strike oil or win the lottery.

Stephanie at the Junction!

Believe your eyes. That is Stephanie last Sunday at the Junction in Port Angeles, and we're performing "Stormy Monday," with Patrick(in the background on lead guitar) and Paul and Joe (off camera) on drums and harmonica respectively. Needless to say, the crowd was tuned in and awed by her voice. We also played along with Dave Secord and Luck of the Draw who also made one of their all too infrequent appearances. Rollin' Waters may play the Ajax in Port Hadlock soon--stay tuned.

The fate of the Crazy Fish in Port Angeles is uncertain, and consequently, so is the Wednesday night jazz/blues/folk/country jam. The owners are trying to sell the business or make some kind of arrangement so the club can stay open. There have been lots of fun nights there over the last four years, many of them on recent Wednesdays at the jam. Last Wednesday, thirteen year old Ashley brought her fiddle and wowed the crowd with solos on "Old Joe Clark" and "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." Maybe there'll be some good news next week about the future of the "Fish."

Guitar Instruction Tip 17: Keep your guitars--all of them. Never ever give your guitar to a girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other/ex-wife/ex-husband/whatever/. They will sell it and buy a better one every time.

The Unbearable Heaviness of Holidays

I want a dog, plain and simple. But, for now and because of the holiday season crunch, work schedules and the joy of responsibilities, singing about "Old Blue" and playing with the neighborhood canines will have to suffice.

It seems my current musical partners will insist on doing Christmas songs at the jams and upcoming party gigs. This is a new turn of events. In the past none of my partners made such outrageous and difficult musical demands. As a result last night, Rudy and Bill "forced" me to rehearse "The Little St. Nick, Jingle Bell Rock, and Jingle Bells." Actually, "The Little St. Nick" is a Beach Boys song, and therefore at least somewhat enjoyable to play and sing with the background parts and extra unusual chords. Thinking the worst might be over (at least until Friday's sing-along) I settled into the Math lesson this morning only to hear, wafting through the thin classroom wall, the sounds of neighbor teacher Warren leading the fifth graders in Xmas carols. So we paused and sang along since it would have been futile to resist. Ok, maybe it was a little bit enjoyable....

On Sunday we started a little later at the Junction, but the players turned out in good numbers once again and we played until nearly 12:30 AM. This was after our gig at the "Flotation Device" in Gig Harbor where we barely arrived on time having fought the snowstorm that ravaged the region over the weekend. Rudy, who recently moved here from Oakland, CA, was a little nervous about the white stuff, but we told him to consider it an adventure. Peer pressure sometimes works but we did see lots of vehicles in the ditch between Port Angeles and Bremerton.

Saturday, Mike and I played at the Ajax Cafe in Port Hadlock. What a treat! Music, good audience, funny hats on the diners and a halibut dinner, too.

Guitar Instruction Tip #16: Never change your guitar strings right before a performance. The strings will inevitably stretch and you will spend time either tuning or playing out of tune.