Karen Ponzio Photos
Bluegrass jammers.
The sky outside was dark and ominous, the clouds eventually bursting with rain. But inside Best Video in Hamden it felt like a clear and sunny summer day as the bimonthly bluegrass jam filled the performance space with the sweet sounds of multiple acoustic musicians there to share songs and more than a few laughs.
Chris Wuerth.
According to organizer and guitarist Chris Wuerth —who not only organizes this jam but also runs the Guitartown bluegrass concert series that books about eight to ten shows a year at Best Video — the jam is typically scheduled the first Sunday and third Monday of every month. With September’s first Sunday falling on Labor Day weekend he decided to move it to Wednesday. It was originally only once a month but “it was so much fun we had to have it twice a month” said Wuerth.
Originating at the former Outer Space over four years ago, the jam has been at Best Video for around three years now. The premise is fairly simple: The musicians sit in a circle and share songs, going around and either leading or singing or both, some choosing not to lead or sing at all but joining in nonetheless. “It’s very informal” said Wuerth. It is also not all bluegrass. “It’s evolved to an acoustic jam” said Wuerth. “We go with the flow: keep it friendly, invite all abilities, and try not to be anxiety producing.”
Clare Byrne, a singer songwriter from Guilford, agreed with Wuerth. “It’s friendly and fun” she said, “and people are drawn to it from far away because of the nature of the music” noting that they have had musicians travel from as far away as Fairfield and Danbury to join in. She learned about the jam via playing with the Elm City Ramblers and kept on coming back over the past year. “It gives me a great chance to work on what I want. As a songwriter I learn a lot. There are amazing songwriters here, so it’s an education and it’s fun.”
Larry Bartlett of Wallingford has been attending the jam around eight months now and agreed with the others about the friendliness and acceptance of the community. “I hadn’t gotten around to it before, but now I just like the people here. They’re some of the better players that I have seen.”
What began with the three musicians and the song In the Gravel Yard eventually turned into sixteen musicians performing another version of that song (three versions in total were played while I was there, each in different keys and forms) as well as a variety of tunes ranging from “TheTennessee Waltz” to “Big River” by Johnny Cash.
Exchanges were light and loving and often filled with laughter as each musician was welcomed in, joined when and where they were comfortable , and offered ongoing and vibrant encouragement and support to others with Wuerth gently guiding all of the proceedings. When Byrne chose the song “Takes One to Know One,” she did so by saying to Bartlett, “Let’s play our song.” “I didn’t know it was our song,” he responded. Byrne smiled and answered, “Because you can sing it with me.”
A variety of musicians with a variety of instruments made up the sixteen that eventually came through — including mandolins, banjos, a fiddle, and an autoharp— with some of the musicians trading out instruments at different times. One of the strongest senses of community was felt when multiple performers asked Wuerth where “Bob” was, so much so that one of them eventually made a phone call to inquire. Not long after a musician walked in with an upright bass much to the delight of the room. I had to ask: “Is this Bob?” Wuerth said it was indeed. “I heard there was a bluegrass emergency,” said Bob
Best Video’s own Hank Hoffman agreed that the event was a particularly joyous one. “It’s one of the first community events we welcomed into our space, and it fits in with our mission to promote community in concert with the arts,” he said. In fact, the group eventually asked Hoffman to sit in for a song. He declined for the moment, but told them that sometime soon he would take them up on their offer. “We wanna hear your voice,” Bartlett told him. I had no doubt after what I had already witnessed that all voices were welcomed in their circle.
For more information about the bluegrass jam as well as the Guitartown concert series please check the Best Video website and/or the Guitartown website.
