Keith at NAMM JAMM -- 25Jan2013

The lady who used to do PR for Toshiba, back 25 years or so ago, now runs a guitar slide company with her husband. They have an annual party at their house on the occasion of the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) trade show in Anaheim, and upon learning that I play guitar, she invited me. I don't know how to "jam", but, in keeping with my new "go anyway" policy, I went.

They live in a historic 1911 house, with a (new) 3-car garage that's entirely a music room with her husband's keyboards and her drum set. Their friends brought over lots more amps, guitars, basses, mics, etc. It was a loud electric 12-bar blues jam all night long, and quite good. Not my thing, of course, so I listened some, but didn't bother to join in.

But after a while, a second jam formed in the living room of the house, with all the acoustic guitar guys. We all kind of settled in, tuned up, and then, "Now what?"

One of the experienced guys finally said "Who's a singer?" and I raised my hand, expecting to be one of many, but I was the only one. Whoops. One of the other guys suggested "I've Just Seen a Face", which I know, but I told them that I couldn't do it in the original key. The better players in the circle were able to fake it in my key (with help by watching my hands), and the beginners followed along as best they could.

I had snuck my "street rig" amp into position, for just such an occasion, so I decided that if I was gonna be The Singer, I'd better "suit up", and did. While I was getting my mic, harmony box, and music book at the ready, a guy started in with "The Weight", but nobody knew the words. I got everything up and running just in time to start in on the first verse, but it was in the original key, *way* higher than I do (or *can* do) it. I screeched it out anyway, 'cuz *somebody* had to...

After that, I suggested "Hotel California", but in *my* key. We went through the first verse while I shouted out the chords, and then we went on through it.

From there, I tried to find the most straightforward songs in my book, since nobody seemed to have another plan in mind. I don't know if this is how these things are supposed to work, but everybody seemed to be enjoying it.

After a while, a lady came in who was a singer for a local country band, and she wanted to sing some stuff. We did "You've Got a Friend", and "Long, Long Time". After she left, some of the other guys (I guess we had 7 guys playing) got up to take a break, and one of the guys started a 12-bar blues jam, and the host showed up to play some slide on his dobro and sing some classic blues lyrics. I carried the chords while the other guys "soloed".

And then one of the guys started doing his original songs, and I watched his hands and tried to contribute some fingerpicked filigree onto his 12-string strumming. Sounded OK, maybe.

Anyway, it was fun -- both the "doing my songs" part, and the "try to keep up" part. I must have been enjoying myself, 'cuz I didn't get home 'til 2am. I reckon I'll be back next year, maybe a little more prepared.