Hi, all, Sorry about not labelling this "njc" but quite a number of SF Bay jmdlers are Joni-onlies and wouldn't get this message otherwise...
It's been over a week since I last said anything about this -- sorry -- been busy on the home front -- but as it stands: We seem to be (regionally speaking) a group of two natures: Those just wishing to say hi, chat a little, and listen to music played by others; and those wishing to get together and jam and party at least somewhat hearty. My suggestion: Those wishing to chat a little and listen to new / breakthrough / struggling singer-songwriters do their stuff, should show up at the Bazaar Cafe in San Francisco at around 6 on Wednesday, Feburary 6th (or earlier if you want more time to eat and or chat -- it's hard to order food and impossible to talk once the music starts, unless you want to wait until late in the evening). The Bazaar Cafe is at 5927 California Street, in the Richmond District (just north of Golden Gate Park). At the very least, I, my partner Robert and Richard G. will be there. The Bazaar is a wonderful place, the kind of place Joni might have played in 35 years ago, with good, cheap food and a cozy atmosphere. The singers on that night will be the MC, a charming and gifted local singer-songwriter named Garrin Benfield, plus two others. I've been to this First Wednesday thing three times so far, and have yet to be disappointed. Now a substantial number of people can't do a weekday, and a substantial number of people want to be able to jam. Sometime in the near future, if all goes well, (please keep your fingers crossed -- we are), Robert and I are going to be moving into his mom's house -- it needs work, but it's a house, with lots of room and a piano (yay!!!) -- and when that happens, we will have a place of sufficient size that we can have jmdl get-togethers more or less at will, and jam into the night, at least until the police come. :-) In the meantime -- alas, we can't do a jam at the Bazaar on a Friday or Saturday night, because they always have professionals doing gigs on those nights (the Bazaar has a piano, too, so it's too bad). I'm going to inquire at the two local cafes in my neighborhood. Momi Toby's is a 20-second walk from my place, and a 2-minute walk for John G. (another jmdl member who I think mostly lurks -- hi, John), but I don't know whether it allows people to play and sing and stuff, especially on weekends. There's also, in my neighborhood, the Sidewalk Cafe, and I haven't scoped it out at all yet. I'll check out both places real soon, and report by, say, midweek. In the meantime, if there's anyone in the Bay Area who has, or knows of, a place big enough (and preferably piano-supplied, for me and Russ B. and presumably others) to accomodate us on a weekend night, PLEASE contact me, or write us all at the list (please DON'T do "njc", or some people won't get the news), and let us know. I'm sure we can work something out soon. Thanks for your patience, hugs to all, Walt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
