As you may recall from my interview with James Clay Garrison, he’s a top notch pro guitarist who lives in Downtown Long Beach. Cevin Clark, owner of Harvelle’s, had an opening at the popular Promenade hot spot, and called Garrison last week, asking that he put together a monthly jam session with some of his buddies, starting tonight.
Well, Garrison has reached out to his vast collection of music buddies.
“American Idol‘s Musical Director, Matt Rohde, will probably be in on keys. He tours with the likes of Christina Aguilera. On Drums, my son and recent grad of Berklee College of Music, Cory Spurgin. He was recently dubbed the ‘Pocket Monster’ by P-Funk drummer, Barry Chenault. A crowd favorite is violinist Jesse Olema, who’s fuzzed out pizzicato solos are a bit of a challenge for me to top, or equal. Either Mick Linden, or Eric Baines of Keiko Matsui’s touring Band will be on the Bass half of the rhythm section.
“Since it will be my first jam at Harvelle’s, combined with extremely short notice, I’m not sure if the regular group of sit-ins who frequented my jam residency at Saint Rocke will make it down here. That is why I am hoping the word gets out to locals and they bring their axes. I have had everyone from John Popper to Jimmy Z. From Todd Sucherman to Gregg Bissonette and some popular regional sit-ins as well. I do it because I love to play music with them an that is my reward.”
So, if you want to play with, or just listen to, some seriously heavy hitters having fun, dust of your axe, bring $5 (cheap!), and show up any time after 8PM. The music will start at 9:30PM.
Harvelle’s is located at 201 E. Broadway, underneath Congregation.
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