Bluegrass Jam Paddy Reilly's 1/28/07

The turnout was a little better than last time. There were a couple of banjo players, Dave the dobro guy, a guy came with an accordian towards the end. The usual fiddler players (one good one, one novice who just did fills), guitarists, mandolin players. No harmonica this time.

I am getting to know a couple of the regulars--Steve is a very nice guy who bought me a pint of guiness last week. A good, versatile mandolin player. Tony, a soft-spoken guitarist (also mandolin and bass and decent singer), looks a bit like Jerry Garcia, plays very well. Arthur, a guitarist / mandolin player. Tom, who knows a lot of great songs and sings and picks equally well. Then I met another Tom, a younger guy, who is an excellent picker and a good strong singer. He was giving out some old CDs he no longer needed, and gave me a 1995 recording of David Grier and Tony Trishka (as he puts it "the best guitar player on the planet playing with the best banjo player on the planet")

I only did one song: the old Jack Elliot / Woody Guthrie 3 chord version of "House of the Rising Sun". I thought it sounded great with backing instruments and solos, though I didn't know how to end it, and it just sort of died on the vine at the end.

Afterwards, Arthur showed me the A minor Animals version of the song (as if I wasn't already aware of this big hit version).

I'm happy to be getting to know some excellent musicians and nice people at this jam. On the other hand, the "cast of thousands" can be a little daunting (there must have been 20 people there tonight). I am looking forward to playing in the park this Spring.

Some other songs that we did:
I Know What it Means to be Lonesome
I'll Fly Away
Crazy Arms
Blue Eyes Cryig
Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms

If you are interested in this jam, it is every Sunday from 5-8 at Paddy Reilly's bar at 2nd Ave and 29th Street.