Over the years, our blues jams have developed a large, faithful following.
But a lot of people still don't know what they're missing. The jams have developed a good crowd of quality musicians
who come to jam and the music is top notch! Our jam venues are great places with good, friendly people. All have
excellent, reasonably priced food and there's never a cover. We have relatively early starts so you can get out, have
a nice dinner, hear some good music, and get home at a reasonable time on a weeknight.
For those of you who might not know what you're missing, scroll down and check out the
videos, pictures, and info below!
Hopefully we'll
see you out soon. It's not a secret anymore!
Scroll down for more
info!
Wolf's
been running open blues jams since 2004 and over those years has developed a system where things move quickly and smoothly,
and at the same time keeping the musicians and audience happy and coming back for more.
Open Blues Jam Format
The jam events are "open blues jams," not open mics. (No solo acts, duo acts, singer
songwriters, poets, comedy, etc.) Only Blues music performed in a band setting is permitted. Standard, simple
12 bar, 1-4-5 arrangements. The person singing gives the key, style (shuffle, rhumba, slow, swing, jump, etc.), and
provides necessary cues (i.e., stops and endings). Each soloing instrument plays a 24 bar solo during each song.
The host band provides the basic equipment needed
to hold the jam (bass amp, drums, PA, vocal mics, etc.). We try our best to have an extra guitar and harp amp for jammers
to use, but it's not guaranteed, so players are encouraged to bring their own amps to play it safe. Once you arrive,
you can decide whether you need/want to bring your own inside. However, harp players need to provide their own harp
mics and cord. Drummers need to bring their drumsticks.
The host band plays a warmup show set.
Using the signup sheet, Wolf makes up jam sets consisting of a combination
of host band members and local talent. Each jam set is usually 2-3 songs, depending on the number of musicians who have
signed up.
The jammers start signing up
as early as an hour before we start and sign up continues throughout the evening. Getting there and signing up early
means you're more likely to get up sooner and increases your possibility of more play time later in the evening. Jam
slots are limited, however, and there are times when the number of people who sign up is so great that people who sign up
later may not have the opportunity to perform. Wolf doesn't go straight down the list, but instead forms jam sets using the combination of players that will provide
both the best possible music for the audience and playing experience for each musician.
Special COVID Modifications
All State requirements apply (i.e., social distancing, masks, hand washing).
Singers must bring their own SM58 mic or SM58 foam mic
cover and disinfectant wipes.
Due
to social distancing and limited stage size, jam slots per set will be limited.
These modifications could be changed and others
could be added on site at the jam without notice, as needed.
General Information
Great
way to hear local blues talent, and you never know who's going to show up: sometimes out-of-towners and touring musicians.
Even prominent national acts have stopped
by to jam including Guitar Shorty, Bill Kirchen, Eugene Hideaway Bridges, Jimmy Carpenter, Memphis Gold, Bret Littlehales
(aka Big Boy Little), Bruce Ewan, Bobby Radcliff, Pierre Beauregard, Johnny Sansome, Johnny Vidacovich and Grammy Nominees
Tab Benoit and Steve Riley! Wolf likes to paraphrase Forest Gump, "a jam is like a box of chocolates, you never
know what you're going to get or WHO'S going to show up!" (See photos below!)
Of course it's also a great way to connect with other blues-lovers
and musicians. Great way to meet potential bandmates and potential fans too!
Great listening/dance music! (See sample videos below!)
Tips for the house band are encouraged and greatly appreciated! The house band usually provides
the equipment for the jammers. Most of the house band musicians drive a great distance and the tips really help them
out.
***Support
your local blues jams AND the establishments that host the jams; come hungry & thirsty to ensure the jams keep going.***
(See
below for links to articles about blues jams.)
Wolf's Current Jams
(for
more info about venues, see "VENUES" link to the left)
To keep posted about these jams, schedule changes, and info about other local blues jams, sign
up for "Wolf's Music Weekly Newsletter" which is emailed several times per month. (To sign up, click on the
the "Join" tab on the side menu bar and then click on the signup link.)
JVs
Restaurant, 6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA, (703) 241-9504
8-11:30 PM
*
* * * * * * * * * *
Wolf's
Every
1st Thursday Blues Show
& Sit-in Jam
New Deal Cafe, 113 Centerway,
Roosevelt Center, historic Old Greenbelt, MD 20770, (301) 474-5642
6:30-10 PM
* * * * * * * * * * *
Show Set
Wolf's Blues Shows & Sit-in Jams start the night
with the Host band playing an opening show set. The
host band features a weekly rotational lineup of some of DC's top blues frontmen:
Linwood Taylor--International touring artist (guitar & vocals),
Matt Kelley--Albert
King Award winner (guitar & vocals),
Mike
Westcott--4-time International Blues Challenge Finalist and multi-award winning guitarist (guitar & vocals),
and
Big
Boy Little (aka Bret Littlehales)--DC's own "biggest" blues harp legend (harp and vocals)
Backed up by:
Andy Hamburger (drums) and Wolf Crescenze (bass).
Occasionally, special guests will join the
band!
Sit-in Jam Sets
The sit-in
jam portion of the evening begins at the conclusion of the show set. Throughout the rest of the night, musicians who
have signed up will be invited to come up 1 or 2 at a time to sit in and jam with the band.
As
Wolf always says:
"The jam is like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you're going to get, but it's always good!"
So you don't want to miss it!!
Former
Open Blues Jams
MondaysOpen blues jam hosted by Wolf featuring
"Still Standing" with Andy hamburger and a rotational special guest such as Linwood Taylor, Matt Kelley, and Big
Boy Little each week at Lahinch Tavern, Potomac, MD (closed 6/1/22).
MondaysOpen blues jam hosted by Wolf featuring "Still
Standing" with Andy Hamburger and a rotational special guest such as Linwood Taylor, Big Boy Little,
Mike Westcott, Wave Milor, Matt Kelley, Fast Eddie, and Bill "The Wandering Greek" Pappas each week at JVs Restaurant,
6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 8:30 pm - 12:30 am, 703-241-9504, www.jvsrestaurant.com
Wednesdays
Open blues jam hosted by Wolf featuring "Still Standing" with Linwood Taylor, John Henry,
Fast Eddie, or Matt Kelley along with Andy Hamburger at Blair's Londontowne Pub, 726 Londontown Rd., Edgewater, MD, 7:30 -
11:30 pm, 410-956-9799, www.facebook.com/blairspubandgrill (now closed).
1st ThursdaysOpen
blues jam hosted by Wolf featuring "Still Standing" with Fast Eddie and John Henry along with Scott Rabino at The
New Deal Cafe, 113 Centerway, Roosevelt Center, Greenbelt, MD, 6:30 - 10 pm, 301-474-5642, www.newdealcafe.com
Pictures:
Eugene Hideaway Bridges, one of the headliners for the DC Blues Festival, jamming w/Big Boy Little!
Grammy Nominee Tab Benoit jamming with Wolf
Wolf & Robert Frahm at Wolf's Wednesday jam. Est. 2004.
Wolf's Monday blues jam at JVs Restaurant (pre-expansion)! Est. 2010.
