The magic of Christmas was in the air last week at Sam Hare's blues jam at Alley Cat in Denmark St, London. People looking forward to making the best of the season's holidays normally help create a festive, if laid back, atmosphere. After this troubled year though, those feelings were even more amplified. I took part in two sets, it must be Christmas, and as luck would have it a professional photographer and director Alex Kryszkiewicz happened to be in shooting some footage.
Here's a song I did with Artie and Jake Zaitz guitars, Jamie Lawrence bass and Ed Green on drums. It's wonderful to capture moments like these so well for prosperity. The diffrence a professional eye makes to a film is obvious here. The footage looks cool but the music isn't too shabby either. I've known Jake for over 15 years from the Weavers Jam days but had never heard his son Artie play until a couple of weeks ago despite attending similar jams for years and many people remarking how good he is. He didn't disapoint when I did. Fast forward seven days and I get to play some tunes with him, life's funny sometimes.
His farther is a fine player and so is his son. Artie puts a massive slice of tasteful jazz into his blues and for me strikes the perfect balance between making a solo look effortless but at the sametime not emotionally flat. Oh he plays drums and bass too, one to watch for the future. I hope 2012 brings all you jammers out there great moments like this!
Merry Christmas
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