Zoo Bar Thurs. 12-18-08 Big Boy Little Band

Zoo Bar
3000 Connecticut Ave.
Washington, DC
8:30-12:30

Every Thursday, I play in the house band at the Zoo Bar's Thursday Blues jam. This jam has been going on every week for 15-odd years. The Big Boy Little Band has been running it for the last 5 or so and when their guitar player Rusty Bogart moved to FL earlier this year, I was lucky enough to be asked to join the band (a gig I've wanted since I moved to town 7 years ago). If someone cool is in town, this is where they stop by.

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At a blues jam, the house band plays the first set, typically for an hour. Then, any musician that wants to come down and play signs up. The back-line (drums and amps) stays up, so all a musician has to bring is their instrument, though guitar or harp (read: harmonica) players sometimes haul in their amps. The leader (in this case, Bret) then puts together sets that he thinks will sound good. The objective is usually to get the guys that showed up to play as much time up as possible, though the house band musicians fill in where needed. For example, on Thursday, NO bass players showed up and Wolf played all night. What makes one jam better than another is the quality of the house musicians, the quality of the jammers, and how well the house arranges sets (read: politiks).
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The Zoo Bar jam is the best around and has been for years.

Thursday night was very subdued. Ian Walters (keys) & $lim Money (drums), two of the best young cats in town, showed up. We ended the night with a really good "It's My Life, Baby" with Ian on keys. That's becoming my fav BBL song.

My week was brightened when Virginia showed up. Even if you hate music, you should come down to meet Virginia.

Next: Tomorrow @ Bertha's w/ Glenn