One of the best things about the holidays is the return of old friends and right before Christmas, we had a chance to join some of our buddies with Richard Houser’s new group The Jim Jams at Exit 7 in Bristol, VA.
Greg Smith is organizing this impromptu index of local musicians who’s performances are always an unexpected array of various talent. You never who might show up for something like this and it’s a good idea. Greg used to play guitar with me in Clear and Reagan Boggs and it’s exciting to see him stepping out in front and working with his friends on this new project and we have video!
This particular weekend, ‘Houser and Company’ as they refer to themselves, performed at the new venue ‘Cabaret’ located inside the Holiday Inn at Exit 7. In addition to their random band, Richard and Greg were also debuting ‘The Jim Jams.” This project is a new band made up of several performers who used to work with ‘Blue Rapture.’
The Cabaret used to be ‘Chops’ and I think there has been a couple of other names too, but Kenny from the Damascus Old Mill is now working this venue and trying to upgrade some of the original music on this stage and we wish him well. Located at ‘Exit 7’ many people describe this part of Bristol as a “city within itself” and with Tinseltown, plenty of restaurants, shopping centers and other destinations, this is truly one of the most progressive commercial zones in the Tri-Cities.
Richard and Greg begin their acoustic set of music with original music they have been writing. It’s not long before they begin introducing guests in the background and tonight Kevin Jackson was on fiddle. He performs with lots of other bluegrass players and he sat in the group with Amy Dotson who is a young vocalist that is easy on the eyes and has a nice strong albeit sophomore voice, but has lots of promise as a new siren with this band.
Richard Houser is a gritty bluesman who is reminiscent of Van Morrison, Joe Cocker and an old school blues sensibility that has served him well with his former bands including the successful Blue Rapture.
‘The Jim Jams’ is a mixture of some of those Blue Rapture players including Sam Burke on bass and Ron Baisden on keys, harmonica, sax and “anything else that surrounds him.” They are joined by Jackson and Alan Gamble and together they have a new jam band sounds that will carry them into the new year.
We were working with our new cameras and shot a few moments of their show on Saturday, December 22nd. Here are songs that include an old classic from Johnny Cash called ‘Get Rhythm,’ a version of The Band’s ‘Shape I’m In,’ a medley with Dotson with ‘Fever’ and Van Morrison’s ‘Moon Dance’ and there’s even an original number by Houser called ‘Cliche.’
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Richard Houser – voice and guitar
Greg Smith – guitar
Ron Baisden – keys, accordian, harp, flute
Sam Burke – bass
Alan Gamble – drums
Amy Dotson – voice
Kevin Jackson – fiddle
GET RHYTHM – Old Johnny Cash Song
CLICHE’ – An Original Song By Richard Houser
FEVER/MOON DANCE – Cover of classic songs
SHAPE I’M IN – A cover from The Band