The Final Long Branch Acoustic Jam And The Reunion Of The Egads

Songs;

One Track Mind
Hole In The Head
Nowhere City/Turn On Your Love Light
Let's Work Together
The Last Time
Come Together
Fever

Belinda James-Lead Vocal on Come Together and Fever

Ain't No Sunshine
Moondance


With The Egads!

Belinda James-Lead Vocals
Rose Slaymaker-Backing Vocals
Tony Nickels-Mandolin
Tim Nemec-Guitar
R. Smith-Percussion

With

Steve Black Wolf
Tony Nickels
Adam Lee Dinschel
Elizabeth Dinschel
Sofia Chesney
Julie Gordon
Dave Bonham
Glen Gardner
Ryan Matthew Paul

Notes:  I played a couple of songs with Steve Black Wolf and Sofia Chesney with Adam playing guitar and his girlfriend/wife playing bass.  Sofia has a nice smoky, jazzy voice.

Tonight's jam I played the Fender Telecaster with new strings and the newness of the strings would make the guitar go out of tune in a hurry. The majority of the songs came from the Town's Edge Rock album since I'm doing the 35th anniversary of that album by playing songs off that album.  The songs themselves didn't dictate the mood that I was in.  This time out, Hole In The Head and Nowhere City got dusted off, and I included a bit of Turn On Your Love Light for shits and giggles.   Nothing wrong with adding some sort of variety to that song.  I could have used What I Like About You, Cherry Cherry and Middle Of The Road as well.   I gather the next two jams the songs from Town's Edge Rock will get more attention, since that album came out in June of 1983.  Plus I know the words as well.

With Rose and Tim in tow, we had a EGADS reunion at the tail end of the acoustic showcase. Belinda joined me in a version of Come Together and Fever, but I think she wanted to do the reggae version of What's Up but I failed to go over that song before heading out.  So it shall be done at a later date and I bet it will sound cool.  If Julie isn't around, I still have a great vocalist in Belinda to make these songs come alive.  It's the first time I've seen Tim since the February Whittier Jam.  Rose was at a Rumors jam last month but I think it was the first time I jammed with Tim since last year in Marion.  Since I didn't play For What Its Worth, Tim and Rose did. I'm fine with that.

Adam actually played more tonight than he did Wednesday and we jammed on a couple songs that Steve Black Wolf sang including the Last Kiss/This Magic Moment/Stand By Me Medley. His wife played bass (or was it his girlfriend?  either way...)

One of the more dedicated players of this year has to be Glen Gardner.  He has played at a lot of these jams and continues to amaze me with the songs that he plays. We have became good friends as time and the jams go on.

Sophia is a photographer and she did manage to corner me and take a few poses.  Hopefully she did burn the negatives.

After Moondance, it was all over.  In the end it was me, Rose, Tim, Ryan and Tony to close the whole thing down.  For one year, the Long Branch Motel gave Tony a year of Friday Nights to bring music to the bar, which used to be one of the best venues to play music but Kitty's (the bar it's called, just in the old days) don't book bands anymore.  In fact, they are going back to Karaoke, which will probably bring out more people I guess but in my observations, karaoke with real instruments is the only way that I will sing to any song.

While the Long Branch Jam ends, a new one will start up later in the month.  Tony has said he is moving the jam over to his pizza eatery Urban Pie and will have the jams on Saturday Night rather than Friday.  Which will probably free a few more Saturday Nights up but in the meantime it will take a back seat to the Whittier Jam or whatever Julie has planned for her projects or date night. When you're dating a musician you have to plan for their gigs and hope they do the same for you.  At the same time you have to blaze your own trail and keep rocking while they are working.  It's complicated to know where our future might be in music and in love and try to find a common ground.  If we grow old together and be in love forever that would be fine.  But I'm realistic to the fact that we may come to a fork in the road and decide if we're better off together or simply realize this is not in the cards and bow out gracefully.  I know Julie doesn't want that. Neither do I.   She is happy working in a band and if it came to that,  I wouldn't stand in her way if she dedicated her life back into playing music full time.   Six months later we're still together.   That's a good thing.

Finally, Enrique (Bugs) Gonzalez plays drums for Los Lobos and I got to meet him back in 2012 at a meet and greet.  The guy is absolute hoot to be around with and he used to play for Gloria Trevi before joining Los Lobos.  Today was his birthday and Vic Salazar gave him a nice tribute and I commented that Bugs is the best on drums.  Bugs was kind enough to say "thank you kind sir" in a reply.  Bugs really is a great guy.  And hopefully I'll see him when Los Lobos is back in town.

Saturday 6/2/18  Checker's Benefit/F B Company Monthly Jam

On the fourth day, I played percussion and sat in a few songs at Checkers.  The highlight was the reunion of the Acousta Kitties, Julie did share the stage with Lorie and Cathy and they did Sweet Home Chicago and Seven Bridges Road.   Julie sang with Dave on a few numbers, and Ryan on a couple more.  I finally got to meet Steve Black Wolf's son, and he looks like his dad.

Julie told me she's learning a new song called I Like Onions, since she's a big onion fan and I'm not.  Carl Meiners bought a jalapeno pizza and thanks to him I saved money for buying supper. Julie ended up going to see Flex with Ryan after watering her yard. Sometimes she drives me crazy the things she does, especially the Onion Song, but I still love her anyway.

Then off to F B Company, where I sat in on one song with a guy named Roger, who is a drummer by trade too.  He played a couple novelty song Peanuts and the other song called Corn, to which Maki Dervo played drums.  I sat in on drums on Roger's version of All Along The Watchtower.   And we talked for a little bit.  He also plays Cocktail drums with a guitar playing buddy.  I have to look their band up sometime soon.

Ron Lafleur was up there with Dakota, who's getting better on the vocals and of course Ron had to do his own version of All Along The Watchtower.  Of course the F B company approved.

I was not a fan of the electric drums that were provided. the cymbals didn't work, the high hat sound even worked less and the snare sound was all over the place.  Acoustic drums are much better.

Finally Karl Hudson has been back in town for almost two years and is thinking of moving back to Florida.  I think the music scene has left him behind although he did his best of having his own acoustic jam of last year at Gilligans.  Plus he's been having health issues of late.  I feel sorry for him not getting accepted back into the music scene and he's a great guy.  I enjoyed playing alongside him during jams.  But if his calling is back to Hurricane and Alligator Land, he should return there. I'll miss him.