Stu Hamm & Alex Skolnick

[(jps)]

We saw The Stu Hamm Band this evening at Night Town (and going back tomorrow for some more, a last minute, unscheduled show that include Adam Holzman!).

[(Kiddwad57)]

Hey Jeff, thanks once again for a cool post. Great playing, high octane garage jam! No threat to Kanye or Taylor Swift's careers.

[(jps)]

Tonight we saw Stu and Alex backing Jane Getter, along with the great Adam Holzman, and John Mader. Killer prog/fusion music.

[(Kiddwad57)]

I just checked out Jane Getter on yt: Inversion Layer, a live clip from 2013 at the Baked Potato. Some fine playing there. The show you attended must have been a blast.

[(jps)]

They didm indeed, play Inversion Layer! All her music was heavy jazz rock fusion with lots of odd time meters, great stuff! Alex and Jane did a lot of double harmony leads and wonderful interplay between them, and with Stu and Adam, also. They folks could really cook up a storm. I was introduced to John Mader by Stu, himself. They are all down to earth cats who are out there just making great music, and for not much money, either.

[(Kiddwad57)]

Once in a while Jazz/Fusion/Prog (whatever) has it's day in the sun but musicians are going to carry on rain or shine. Instrumental music, especially the type based on improvisation, is often overlooked by the public. Remember those house parties where an exciting jam session is happening in the basement but everyone is upstairs dancing to the stereo?

[(jps)]

Remember those house parties where an exciting jam session is happening in the basement but everyone is upstairs dancing to the stereo?

BTDT many times! Shortly after I started playing bass I met a keyboardist who between him, and his music friends, changed my whole outlook on music. We jammed all the time, I got my initial "lessons" in odd time signatures from them and was turned onto some incredible bands and music. All was good, those who wanted to be involved with that scene were there, those who did not, stayed upstairs listening to the stereo.

[(Kiddwad57)]

I came up through rock and blues. A blues guitar playing buddy of mine became interested in Chet Atkins and then jazz and got me interested as well, (those are the house parties I was referring to). That led to Wes Montgomery and the Modern Jazz Quartet which led to the string bass which led to classical performance degrees. This is a transition that has spanned decades. Most of my gigs these days are on the string bass, or doubling. And although the gigs I play are truly fun and exciting for me, they are also economically driven. So in the end, in my heart I'm an over-educated blues rockin' tribal stomper who needs to log out and practice for my gig tonight!

[(jps)]

Here is a video of the band we saw at Night Town (minus Corey Glover).