Years ago, I had an idea, which I never acted upon. I noticed that people like to sing along with the radio. It’s a very natural thing to do, and it’s a very positive thing to do. It’s a great release of expression. Stuck in traffic, on a warm summer day, you’ll hear dozens of people singing along to their radios – unless you’re drowning them out with your own singing.
My idea was this: why not set up a situation where a live band could provide competent backing and give these people a chance to express themselves in a nurturing setting? Since the band would have to be extremely versatile to pull this off, my first notion was it would be blues band. Everyone thinks they can shout the blues right? Like I said, I never acted upon it, and in the meantime, karaoke bars proliferated everywhere, which rendered my idea moot.
Sort of.
People don’t just sing – they play instruments themselves. And often, folks who enjoy playing don’t have the inclination, the time, or the courage to play with other folks. I just know these people, when playing by themselves in their parlors somewhere, envision having a live musical backing, maybe even with some harmony singers. They’ll sing their song, and take their lead solo, and when they’re done, the room (in their mind) erupts in spontaneous applause.
I had an epiphany – a lot of these folks are playing bluegrass. Some join jams. Some do not. But since bluegrass is a folk music, with a large number of commonly played songs, a band could be assembled that could offer these folks a chance to play out that fantasy of playing with quality accompaniment, in front of people and have it go really well.
This is a twist on a classic “open mic” event. For about 4 years running now, I have been hosting a monthly bluegrass open mic/jam in Martinez. Early on, those who came expecting a pure “jam” were disappointed, but over the years, it has become a destination event for pickers and singers with a wide variety of skill levels and styles. Like any format that takes on all comers, the resulting sounds from the stage may vary a bit, but having a good backup band seems to smooth that out a great deal. Surprisingly, and fair number of accomplished pickers are enjoying wringing out some new songs or showing old favorites.
And some take full advantage of the opportunity presented to cram 15 minutes of really high quality entertainment into their spot and as a result, the audiences typically have a large number of folks who just come to listen. Each month, there are some favorite regulars, surprise stars and some timid experimenters. But it’s all fun!
