Meet the New Jam

Where was the noise?

I darkened the door of Jardine's last Saturday afternoon fully prepared to soak in some free jazz.

What I heard wasn't at all what I had expected.

I reckoned that the young band assembled by Jeff Harshbarger would produce a sound more akin to John Coltrane's Ascension than to Mel Torme's Swingin' On the Moon. I was wrong.

It's a good thing, too. Many longtime participants of the previous jam session led by the impeccable Tommy Ruskin were on hand. They require a backing band fluent in standards. Harshbarger and his crew were ready for them.

According to the calendar at Jardine's site, the session continues every Saturday with the exception of Valentine's Day.

I look forward to returning. Next time I'll have "My Funny Valentine" and not "Pursuance" on my mind.

(Original and entirely inadequate image by Plastic Sax.)