Victoria Jammin'

Starting the day off in the early afternoon. Nuff said, McKinley Wolf section had me up late last night jamming at Ed and Mildred's house. We had a great time, enhanced by many different drinks. But we're good today. In fact we're at the Victoria Blues Society Sunday jam, and Deb Rymer's excellent band is playing. I've heard some of Deb's recordings before, but I am knocked over by her live show and her great band. That's Deb above, counting the band in...

These folks also host the following jam, backing people up, doing sound, making it all happen seemlessly. Everybody gets to play, and all levels of talent and enthusiasm are respected. A really nice community of players. I honestly enjoy every act that hits the stage. Sometimes the back up band have to work a little harder than others, but that's not the point. Everybody has a ball doing their thing, and when that happens the listening is usually good as well. Deb is really good at keeping all this together.

And it's a classy room they've got for the jam. If you are in Victoria, BC, you might enjoy spending Sunday afternoon here. Not too loud, great sound, good food, good drinks, very friendly company. I meet pretty much everybody who came out to the jam over the course of the afternoon.

Later Deb gets me up to play a set and I get Ed's band, McKinley Wolf– I hope I've got that right!– to back me up. We have a great time. It's a little wooly sometimes, but really fun. I haven't done these songs with a band in ages, so it feels good. Thanks everybody!! We'll do this again!! I feel like I've got a lot of friends in Victoria now, so I think next season's shows in this district will probably be in quality venues– or at least have quality folks coming out to them!

After dinner Ed and I head over to the Victoria Folk Society's open stage. This is an organization which has been around for at least 25 years, and it has a nice, wooden hall to present shows in. I'd guess that there are about a hundred people out tonight. Very kindly, someone steps down off "the list" to let this out-of-towner play a couple of tunes. No mics here. Very traditional. Cool. Great to sing in a big room that sounds this good. Ed and I were going to leave after sampling the featured act, but instead we end up staying for the whole set. Jeff Warner is performing. He does an old time thing, on a variety of instruments and we are captivated. His jaw harp playing really grabs me. Ed is amazed at the percussion work Jeff does with his little puppet- dancing man. I don't get to talk with Jeff, and he probably doesn't know that we were both on Flying Fish Records, once upon a time!

Back at the house Ed and I have a scotch to finish the day. Thanks, Ed. This was a really, really fun day for me. Full of music, and not a dull moment!