The Whittier And Rumors Jam-Where Have You Gone B T Hooper?

The Whittier Jam  Solo Set-list 2/10/17

Let's Work Together
Ever So Much
Games People Play
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
If I Were A Carpenter



Rumor's Popcorn Jam Band:

Playing drums with

Courtney Trimble-Vocals (Bobby McGee)
Karl Hudson-Guitar and Vocals (Mary Jane's Last Dance, Rocky Mountain Way)
Ryan Roling-Guitar
Layne Goldsberry-Bass
Terry McDowell-Drummer Host

Songs:
Bobby McGee
Mary Jane's Last Dance
Rocky Mountain Way 

(Kim Madison managed to get my good side in this picture: L to R: Courtney, Layne, Karl, and Ryan who is standing in front of me)

For about a decade I have been debating about going to downtown Whittier at the Community Center to check out the Acoustic Jam that is hosted every second Saturday of the month, the first Saturday of the month they do it at Waubeek. I was going go to Davenport to find 45s but Belinda Christensen James said I promised to show up there.  So I had to go.

Next to Checkers, the vibe at the Community Center in Whittier was the most friendly bunch of musicians and jammers that I have ever met.  Mike Fredericks, Belinda and Mark Randolph I know quite well from previous jam sessions   And Whittier is much closer to my home than Rumors, I should also check out the Stone City Acoustic Jam as well.  I might find that to be more fun than the Cooters jams, but perhaps I went on a bad night when I did check out Cooters. 

David Lam hosts the Whittier jam and the guy really did a great job setting things up.  It was a circle with about 10 microphones and a small PA system.  Usually we go around in a big circle taking turns to sing songs.  With Belinda and Mark being my security blanket, I felt at home and could the songs.  Keep it simple and do the songs that I knew the words to.   Since Ever So Much is in D,C,G chords and repeated over, the folks did catch on and one even threw a steel guitar slide in for good measure.  Since Steve Black Wolf was dealing with chemotherapy issues from his cancer treatment, I then sang Knockin On Heaven's Door.  It's fun to have people sing along with it, I don't feel alone and against the world.   I tend to think that if you're in a welcomed environment, it's easier to sing the songs, rather go into a unknown crowd and not knowing.  That's the way I usually operate, if I don't know anybody, I tend to stay in the background, however if I know a crowd and place then I usually come into my own and take it from there.  That's why it took me a good couple months to get used to playing drums.  Playing guitar and singing took longer, but once I started doing the acoustic jam at Checkers and got better at it, I found out I can hold my own singing and playing guitar.  And I think I"m more proud of that.  The Whittier Jam started at 7 thereabouts but by the time I finished up If I Were a Carpenter, it was 10:45 and most of the folks headed home.  But I had a good chat with David afterwards, as well as Mark and Belinda.  Belinda said that she didn't know what's going to happen since her place of employment is closing their doors in March and we may not see much of her or Mark for that matter.  Hope it's not true, Belinda and Mark have been instrumental in getting me to play guitar a lot more often.  They're good people.

So on Sunday, I worked up a version of Rock N Me on guitar and hoped to play that in front of a full band but played drums instead, backing Courtney on Bobby McGee and Karl and company on the other two songs.  I am not a fan of Mary Jane's Last Dance, it's one of those songs I turn the dial to something else but faked it enough to get through it and suggested Rocky Mountain Way just the fact that I knew that one and so did they.  I love jamming with Layne, he's a very much in charge bass player and all I had to do was follow him on the lead guitar breaks.  I also like playing alongside Karl Hudson, although I think he's more into the 80s song I rather not play. Which was why Trevor played Wanted Dead Or Alive instead of me.   

Herman, bought up a 22 inch Sabian Carmine Appice Vintage Rock Ride, to which I don't think Terry cared much for, he replaced that once he reclaimed the drummer's throne.    Granted, I'm not a big Sabian fan, I didn't care for the Neil Peart Paragons Series, and the B8 Cymbals are one step above a garbage can lid but the ride cymbal had a nice wash and ride sound and you could crash it at times.  But as for myself, since getting back to Zildjians, I endorse the Dark K Crashes, but who knows.  I might dust off the Paistes for future jams and band projects.  We talked about his cymbals but somehow the subject came about knowing Kathy who works at Pearson and how I come to know her. Basically I told him, Kathy is a good supporter and somebody I can chat with during idle moments, nothing more.  I'm not at jams to find a woman or a one nighter, I'm 56 years old and after jamming I want to go relax, have a meal somewhere and go home and put in a DVD or a CD or just trying to learn a new song on guitar.  I know there's a bit of history between those two and it's their life, I'm not going to pry in Herman's love life or who he goes out with.  And I just as soon leave our conversations to drumming and music.  He's free to try my drums out anytime at any jam however.

But after that, I ended up at Lucky's on 16th for a return bowl of Mac N Cheese but somehow instead of mushrooms, I mentioned onions.  And then promptly lost 6 dollars trying to get my car washed and the fucking door wouldn't open so I couldn't get my car washed. Another reminder that outside of music, my regular life is a fucking joke.

In conclusion, I had a facebook friend (or thought I did) B T Hooper, who would post bad jokes and observations  and I gotta good laugh and other times I'd tease him to a bad joke by saying BOO HISS, but put up a laughing icon somewhere.   It was all in fun. Whereever you may be B T, I still love you.