CMT Blog: Spirit of the Suwannee

Now I know why Florida oranges taste so good -- as the sun warms my face and a fresh breeze washes over me, I'm a pretty happy musician. We (The Greencards) have just finished two days at a great festival in Live Oak called Spirit of the Suwannee, but known unofficially as Springfest. Aside from doing our show, we got to make jam -- not the kind you put in a jar, but rather the kind of jam you get when musicians sit down and play tunes as the sun goes down. The first summer jam of the year!

Special mention should go to Peter Rowan who has reunited with his "Free Mexican Airforce" from his early days. They were fantastic because they revealed a new/old side to Peter Rowan that many of his younger fans were unaware of, myself included. Gone is the bluegrass presentation, and instead Peter plays an electric Gibson alongside a Telecaster, bass and drums. By the end of the night the crowd were howlin' at the moon and demanding an encore - a very special performance.

During the last act of the evening (Donna The Buffalo), I took my fiddle backstage and found a small group of three mandolin players quietly playing tunes. I took out the old fiddle and we started jamming, playing tunes we all knew and having a great time although I only knew one of the guys in the circle. Such is the nature of the jam - it's as much about making friends as making music. It breaks down barriers quickly and before I knew it we were all hugging as we said our goodbyes -- so I went and found another jam.

This time The Infamous Stringdusters were the culprits, and guitarist Andy Falco led the charge through an encyclopaedia of old bluegrass tunes. The jam was eventually halted by a "jam-buster" -- a relatively unknown tune, often jazz or specifically be-bop related, that causes the musicians such distress they will put down their instruments afterwards and thus ending the jam. This time it was a bizarre version of "No Place Like Home," for which Andy Falco must bear full responsibility. In accordance with the definition, we scuttled away with our tails between our legs. Still, it was good jam while it lasted!