Hidden Track

DJ and HT staff member Wade “Wyllys” Wilby penned an open letter to the promoters, production team, artists and fans of Jam Cruise.

I sit now at this computer reveling in the joy that was Jam Cruise. It takes a village to throw this kind of experience, and to all those involved from the top (Cloud 9) to the bottom (MSC Poesia Crew) my hat is off to you. Though words of any kind can never do this adventure justice, I must try to make this keyboard sing its praises, for the adventure, while based in music, is more indicative of a deeply emotional human experience we are all loosing day by day as technology pushes us further away from each other.

[Sunrise on Jam Cruise 9 by JRapp]

In the beginning of social networking, I was enthralled by the idea of reconnecting with people whom I had lost touch with for one reason or another, I was also horrified for the very same reason. As the medium began to grow from MySpace to Facebook it spread like wildfire from PC to PC, phone to phone, and into every home. Networking had never been easier and the pros seemed to well outweigh the cons. The information superhighway was now a road back to people you had considered lost forever.

Now it seems we are all so dependant on these networks almost to the point of addiction. For some, it’s a healthy distraction at work, a convienient time waster that can get you through the day with a few laughs and some new songs to add to your playlists. At first glance, it seems like a harmless internet fad that even your parents are starting to take part in. This Jam Cruise, I suddently realized exactly what kind of damage these social networks were actually doing to human interaction and communication.

All kinds of folks take part in Jam Cruise, which is what makes it so magical. Fans of all ages, people of all different professions and backgrounds and cultures get together to collectively let their hair down in a way that is impossible from the shore. There is a complete disconnect from your phone and computer and when you let those technological chains loose from your heart, you really get to see the true beauty of the people and world around you. READ ON for more of Wade’s open letter about Jam Cruise…

The announcements continue to roll in this week as today Mountain Jam – the premier rock festival for mud, bikers, funnel cakes and ninjas – announced its preliminary batch of artists for the seventh annual installment at Hunter Mountain, scheduled for June 2-5. Mountain Jam 7 brings out one of its biggest hired guns to […]

Technically speaking, Akron/Family are a jamband: they look like hippies, cite early Grateful Dead as an influence and like to play long, spacey, psychedelic jams. That said, we bet the band members would probably prefer to be lumped in with the likes of Woods, Megafaun and Real Estate than Umphrey’s McGee, the Disco Biscuits and STS9. […]

Previously, I recapped the start of the penultimate day of music on Jam Cruise 9 and now I’ll finish the job. We left off with coverage of the “prime time” shows, which leads us to the late night action.

Up in the disco, a number of Moog instruments including keyboards, a guitar and a theremin were set up by the Bob Moog Foundation for cruisers to play with. While I’m a novice bassist with no experience on the keys, it was quite a thrill to make some noise on these expensive devices – especially the theremin. Over at the main stage, The New Mastersounds threw down a nasty set of soul-infused funk that was versatile from song to song, unlike the straight-shot New Orleans funk, which can be found around every corner on Jam Cruise.

Brock Butler – Do It Again

The New Mastersounds’ set was filled to the brim with sit-ins, so much so that the side stage area was the easiest place to find most musicians at that time. Zach Deputy, Jennifer Hartswick (on vocals and trumpet), Robert Walter, Roosevelt Collier, Skerik and James Brown horn section members Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis were among those who led their talents to the Leeds-based band’s ferocious set. Down in the Zebra Bar, “Vote to the Boat” winners Papadosio mixed modern electronica with elements of jam and rock to create an untz-tastic blend of music that had more soul than most of the jamtronica I’ve heard in the past. I only caught a song, but was impressed enought to want to take in a whole show.

• Previous Jam Cruise Journals: All Aboard, Knee Deep In It, Letter to 16-Year-Old ScottyB, Nourished Soul, Day Four – Part 1, My Jam Cruise Debut, Jam Cruise 9 Videos

While The New Mastersounds’ Pool Deck set had the most guest spots, Colorado’s Big Gigantic nearly challenged as the duo welcomed Brock Butler, Adam Deitch, Eric Krasno and Joel Cummins at various points throughout the two-hour set in the Zebra Bar. Brock had never heard the band before, but rose to the occasion laying down subtle, washed out textures. Krasno went in the other direction and shredded his way to glory. Sax wiz Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken filled the room with a group of fans who didn’t stop moving throughout the band’s performance thanks to an interesting blend of live music and DJ featuring Lalli’s otherworldly playing.

READ ON for more on Day Four of Jam Cruise 9…

Prince has added another NYC show to his schedule – February 7th at Madison Square Garden. No word yet on who will open that show, but it was announced today that Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have been tapped to open The Purple One’s January 18th sold out performance at the same venue. Tickets for […]

On New Year’s Eve Fareed Haque played his final gig with Garaj Mahal. As a founding member of the group, Fareed was front man and lead guitarist alike, a jazz master at his funky finest. In the collectivist spirit of the band, they all wrote material and every night’s set list was a round robin […]

The latest installment of the Grateful Dead’s Road Trips series has been announced and features all of the band’s April 1st, 1988 show as well as much of the previous night’s performance, both from the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, NJ. 1988 has been largely ignored in previous archival releases and the choice of […]

After four full-length albums and a number of EPs released on venerable indie label Sub Pop, Sam Beam, otherwise known by his stage moniker Iron & Wine, made the jump over to the majors for his new album. On January 25, Beam will release his major label debut Kiss Each Other Clean. Last week, he […]

Legendary nutjob Gary Busey was nominated for an Academy Award for his incredible portayal of the late, great Buddy Holly in the the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story [TVLand – Monday, 9PM]. The movie chronicles Holly’s life from young upstart until his untimely death in February 1959. Monday, January 10 [All times EST] U2: At the […]

Thanks to our pal JRapp, we can premiere a number of fantastic clips from throughout Jam Cruise 9, which finished yesterday upon the MSC Poesia’s return to Fort Lauderdale. We start with Living Colour front man Corey Glover, who was on the boat with Galactic, singing Glamour Boys with ALO…

ALO w/ Corey Glover – Glamour Boys

Next, we’ve got a short clip of a George Porter Jr.-led version of Sneakin’ Sally from the Jam Room which featured Pete Levin, Ian Neville, Raymond Weber and Tony Hall on bass…

Jam Room – Sneakin’ Sally

READ ON for more videos from Jam Cruise 9 including Bobby w/ GSW, Brock’s LCD Soundsystem cover, Lotus on the Pool Deck, JHa joined by Butler and Berg on Dawes’ When My Time Comes and much more…