Rumors Jam 6/11/17-Play On!

Wess Side Jam at Rumors 6/11/17

Terry McDowell-Host

(All photos except where noted courtesy of Tami Soukup)

With:

The Bear-Guitar
Belinda James-Vocals
Tim Wiley-Guitar
Jeremiah Murphy-Bass
Ryan Matthew Paul-Keyboards and Harp
R.Smith-Drums

(Belinda James, The Bear, Jeremiah Murphy, Ryan Matthew Paul, R. Smith)

Songs;

It's Been A While
Blue Bayou
Fever
Stormy Monday

Bonus Songs:

With:

Peter Stark-Counter Vocals  on Stop Dragging My Heart Again
Cecie Stark-Lead Vocals
Tommy Bruner-Lead Guitar
The Bear-Guitar
Mark Awad-Bass

(Peter and Cecie Stark singing Stop Draggin My Heart Around)

Stop Draggin My Heart Around
Day Tripper

The Bear is Mike Clair

Another surprising jam to which it went so well, somebody offered up a hundred dollars to extend the jam another hour.  Mighty nice of those persons who pony up the dollars to do that.   A lot of folk did show up.  Even Julie popped up to do a couple songs later on.

Once again I paired up with Tim Wiley, but the star of the segment was Belinda James tearing into It's Been A While and of course Fever, with full drums, to which at some point I broke a drum stick.  Actually I broke two today, one during a vigorous tear through I Don't Need No Doctor at home and then on Fever of all songs.  Perhaps the heat in the car had something to do with the sticks becoming more brittle but in no certain terms should I break one during a mellow song.  Terry was using the 16 inch A crash that got cracked after many performances and after striking it, I was shocked to see the crack got bigger!  In the future I may donate the one cymbal I got here that has a slight chip on it, and simply let Terry have it, since I have been pounding on his drums for over a year now.  But power drummers will tend to put dents and cracks into their cymbals, when your emotions take over, chances are when you strike something it's going to hurt.  I know I put a nice bruise on my knuckle after a rim shot nailed my left knuckle (Damn that hurts!).

I didn't talk much to Tim, we did fist pump another when I first popped in, but I hardly noticed him after that.  I got lost in the zone.  Belinda popped in Rumors and left Mark at home. After our set, Tim did move on elsewhere but the past couple times of jamming with him on stage was kinda fun. For the most part though, Belinda did the songs that she was good at, and all four songs she has done at both acoustic and electric jams.  She's a very good vocalist, especially when she gets into the final part of Stormy Monday.

Of note, was Ryan Matthew Paul joining the fun and I think was a part of the hosts the way he handled himself on the songs.  Julie Gordon's appearance did bring him out more in the open, I didn't jam with her since she showed up at the tail end of Stormy Monday, but she did get the crowd cheering with her Sweet Home Chicago and These Boots Were Made for Walking. Ryan also helped Belinda on the songs that I did too.  Mike Lint played drums and Sweet Home Chicago was almost Blues Brothers length.  Later on, Peter and Cecie Stark came up, and Peter has been having some sort of breathing problems and he says he's doing better.

(Mike "The Bear" Clair and his wife Renee  singing Landslide: Laura Oliver Green Photo Credit)

The big surprise was that somebody in the audience was having such a good time with the jam, that they offered up 100 dollars for it to continue another hour.  It was the first jam that extended to 8 PM, which kinda made me had a change in plans of going to Marion to the Summer Of Love Festival.  However, Terry asked me to help Cecie and Peter and play drums on  Stop Dragging My Heart Around.  I did that song a couple times before, once with Cecie and Mike Lint last year and then with Julie And The Mad Dogs last year but somehow I managed to get all the breaks down somewhat and got a thumbs up from Peter in the process.  I was quite flattered and honored that they ask me to do that song with them.  And then I concluded my jam with Day Tripper.  Afterwards Mike Clair's wife came up to do Landslide with him then Terry took over the rest of the way with them doing I'm Not The Only One and Dreams (which usually Cecie sings it).  Then the Pink Floyd wrap up of Time and Comfortably Numb before Message In A Bottle finally ended the show before 8.

Afterwards, I did managed to pop down to the Summer Of Love Festival and hung with Brook Hoover's set before seeing Craig Erickson close his show with a Jimi Hendrix version of Star Springled Banner before Billy Lee and Bryce Janey close the whole thing with their blues rock, Dan Johnson and Tom Giblin helping out.

A lot of things happened these past 48 hours between recording new songs and doing the acoustic jam and sitting in with Four Day Creep on Dreams I'll Never See Again plus an extra six songs at Rumors.