Karen Ponzio Photos
Bluegrass Jamming
The back room at Next Door was jam-packed with bluegrass music lovers as the Humphrey Street restaurant featured its latest installment of the Bluegrass Jam, held on the fourth Thursday of every month and hosted by the New Haven-based band Five ‘n Change. According to band members Ken McEwen and David Sasso, the jam has been growing steadily since it began back in the spring of 2022.
McEwen and Sasso.
‘It’s unbelievable,” said McEwen, who was enjoying a couple of Next Door’s pizzas with Sasso before the show while noting that they have had musicians travel from towns all over Connecticut, such as Guilford, Litchfield, and Farmington, to join in.
“Initially it brought in people we knew,” added Sasso. “And then through word of mouth people started showing up who we had no idea were into bluegrass.”
The two had the idea for a jam for a long time, and had been looking for a spot where people could have dinner while listening to music, maybe even catching the attention of those who may not had heard bluegrass before. The crowd has slowly been building month by month.
“Last month we had at least 35 people,” said McEwen.
The set-up is kept simple with a single mic and speaker — a common bluegrass stage setup, according to Sasso — that allows a balance, with musicians being able to move around. The show is scheduled to run from 6:30 p.m. to around 8:30 or 9 p.m. “but it depends on the vibe,” and they sometimes go longer.
Five ‘n Change comprises the core band for the evening with McEwen on guitar and vocals, Sasso on mandolin and vocals, Peter Kaufman on banjo, Bob Boettger on bass, and Ryan Mooney on guitar and dobro. Other musicians come in and out, and they have already had repeat performers as well as many non-performers who keep coming back to watch and enjoy the music.
“Bluegrass is a great community building kind of music,” said Sasso with a smile.
The community built up immediately on this evening, as musicians came in carrying their instruments and greeting each other as the core band set up. By the time the music started there were nine musicians together surrounding McEwen and Sasso, who began with “She Left Me Standing on the Mountain,” harmonizing together and then stepping back to allow banjo, dobro, and mandolin solos to happen. The briskly building crowd erupted in applause afterward, right before McEwen welcomed them.
“We’re not a band but it sounds like it,” he said with a laugh. “Thank you for coming out. It’s going to be a great night of music.”
The evening proceeded along with performers alternating as vocalists and lead performers as well as soloists, with McEwen and Sasso often walking away or sitting off to the side to let others have their turn, greeting audience members and moving about the standing-room-only crowd. In between songs, the musicians consulted with one another on what to play and in which key. Sasso at one point called it “organized chaos” with a laugh, and received laughs from the audience as well.
“Some of us are in a band,” said Sasso. “Some have joined along. Some songs we know. Some we learn as we go.”
One thing was for certain: everyone playing was having a blast, as were the audience members who clapped and sang and moved along throughout the night while upwards of 13 musicians were on stage at once, giving it their all and loving every minute of it. Many standards were played, such as “Tennessee Waltz,” “Yes, Baby, Yes” (which found audience members responding back “no, baby, no”), and “Katy Daley,” which was sung by fiddle player Oriana Mack from Woodbridge. It was her second time at the jam, which she found out about through her mother, though she said she knew the band from bluegrass circles. She added that she would “absolutely” be back for more.
And this reporter would be remiss if she did not add that she, as well as most of the audience members, partook of Next Door’s pizza. The New Haven Plain was the perfect choice, a small that I could eat half of during the show and half of when I got home to write (ok, I shared that with my husband). Many others were having dessert and ordering more rounds as the music continued.
I love my job.
Eighteen songs in, Sasso once again thanked everyone for coming and added “we’re going to keep playing until they kick us out.” The packed room cheered. They weren’t going anywhere either.
Sasso came back over to check in and express his delight, noting how there were five “totally new performers” this evening and how the crowd was “the biggest one we’ve had.” He was just about to tell me something else, but the music grabbed a hold.
“I love this song,” he said with a smile, and made his way back to the stage.
The Bluegrass Jam happens every fourth Thursday at Next Door, starting at 6:30 p.m. Please see the Five ‘n Change Facebook page or the Next Door Facebook page for more information.
