Paper Bag
#31
2008
The Program
Go to the
top of Bag
#31
Paper Bag
#31
2008
The Program
Go to the
top of Bag
#31
Paper Bag
#31
2008
The Program
Go to the
top of Bag
#31
Paper Bag
#31
2008
The Program
Go to the
top of
Bag #31
Paper Bag
#31
2008
The Program
Go to the
top of Bag
#31
Paper Bag
#31
2008
The Program
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The artwork for the 2008 Program was again created by Mark Coffey, the wonderful man who designs our bag shirts. The sheep is a nice touch.
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We intend to play rock 'n' roll for as long as we are physically able
…so far, so good.
Paper Bag #31! My we are perseverant little devils, are'nt we? I wonder what the average age of Polecat & the Downwind Dance Band featuring Tony Rome & His Cheese Calzones is? I am 56 years old and I know of only 6 baggers older than that. The musicians average more than 15 years in the Bag. The Executive Board (28 people) averages 25 years in the Bag. Figuring that most of us were probably in our late 20's when we started participating, that makes us pretty damn old. It is truly remarkable to me how we all come together each year and renew for each other the friendship and energy we had when we were in our 20's and were indestructible. Now I wonder what percentage of the band regularly sees a cardiologist. (Mike Cumming also sees a proctologist but that is for recreational purposes)
Theme: The Sleeping Bag: The Executive Board listened to hours of music and read through pages of suggestions before settling on the songlist. We hope you like it. Since we are getting old, we need more sleep. Not that we ever got much sleep in a sleeping Bag. During Paper Bag #1 my tent was 10 feet from the sound truck, next to the stage. I didn't really sleep in my sleeping bag so much as I just laid inert waiting for someone to come and get me to fix some aspect of the duct-tape-and-chewing-gum PA system Phrögk and I had pasted together. The Body Bag is again full this year: Boots Randolph, Buddy Miles, Dan Fogelberg, Bo Diddley and Ike Turner have qualified. Then, in what has become an annual spooky occurrence, two musicians whose work was already on the list, Danny Federici from the E Street Band and Mike Smith from the Dave Clark Five, passed on. We simply moved their song from wherever it was in the songlist right into the Body Bag. This has been happening recently. It is scary to think that one or two of the 40 or so bands we choose to perform will lose a member before we get to the show.
What you see at the Bag is me, my family & my friends doing what we do best. Playing rock music. That we have been able to sustain this, at this level, for so long is absolutely remarkable & is a testament to the level of respect we have for each other, and our dedication to music. Music is a true gift to life. It is my job to have fun, & I am a professional. Let loose tonight. Have fun. |
EdLowe
I like reading the newspaper. One of my favorite parts of the paper is the EdLowe story. (that is not a typo, EdLowe is one word) EdLowe stories are famous for irony or incredible circumstance. What I like best is his choice of words. They are not always long or unusual words, just perfect ones. I have had the honor of being the protagonist in several of his columns. He can explain me much better than I can. EdLowe has been coming to see the Jim Small Band for over 25 years. His description of the JSB as playing with “easy excellence and relaxed precision” makes me proud to be in the band. His description of the Bag is succinct, one sentence, 68 words:
"The Bag" amounts to this: 65 accomplished Long Island rock and rollers take the stage and expertly perform virtually unrehearsed music nonstop for six hours in front of roughly 1,400 wildly enthusiastic recidivist fans, who pay $20 each to cover the cost of renting the hall (Mulcahy's in Wantagh), providing beer and hamburgers for the musicians, videotaping the event and maintaining high-quality sound at killer decibel level.
Our friend Ed is under the weather. Your prayers, kind thoughts and good karma directed toward him is most appreciated. Should you wish to send Ed a message, send email to :EdLowe@jimsmallband.com |
Legends of Long Island Rock
The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to the idea that our musical heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. It has, in its wisdom, decided to recognize The Jim Small Band, The Stanton Anderson Band, and 5 other bands, with Long Island Sound Awards (LISA). It is great that the LIMHoF has chosen to recognize the soldiers in the trenches of LI rock history. Of the 5,000+ gigs under the JSB’s belt, maybe 50 of them were off this island. During the 70’s, we all wanted our bands to grow up to be Stanton Anderson. I am proud to have the opportunity to play with both these bands and invite you to join us for the Legends of Long Island Rock concert.
Sept 6, 2008 - showtime 4:30 - www.brookhavenamphitheater.com
Brookhaven Amphitheatre at Bald Hill - Kerry Kearney Band, Jim Small Band, Wes Houston, Stanton Anderson Band, Frank Carillo, Barnaby Bye, Orleans |
Peas & carrots, peas & carrots, peas & carrots …
Brian Mulhern was one of 4 guitarists to participate in Paper Bag #1 at The People’s Picnic in Whitehall, NY. During the late 70’s, Brian played in several bands in and around the Huntington area often teaming up with his brother Kevin as (what else?) the Mulhern Brothers. I mixed sound for them several times at Chelsea’s. Sally Scudder played keyboards and sang in many bands with numerous Bag members. Sally was great to have in the band. Perfect pitch, big smile, never conplained, always had fun. Every time the Jim Small Band plays, I look over to the other side of the stage and I can see her, boppin’ and tappin’ her bare feet. Adam Calaci played bass and sang in some of the most successful bands to ever play on Long Island. On stage, Adam was a solid presence. His bass playing was strong and yes, it was loud. Backstage, he was a very, very funny man. Bruce Rogers had perfect pitch and keyboard skills that brought that physical marvel to life. Standing in Canterbury Ales while Jim Pin was cranking away (I think Rob Barraco was playing a way-outside solo) Bruce was able to quote to me the chord changes to “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (which are very #7/ b11-ish) out of his head. He played the grand piano on stage at Paper Bag #2 and played the Tonight Show theme at the very end of the show. He also had the good fortune to be singing “Low Spark of High Heel Boys” at Bag #9 when Scotty K came onstage as the Energizer Bunny. Little Buster never played in the Bag but he was a tremendous influence on many of us who do. I was Busterized many times. Boy was he fun to watch and listen to. He was the real deal. Gene Gennusa played guitar in the Bag from 1980 through 1985. He photographed the Bag in ‘86 and ‘87, went on to become a well respected photographer in the music industry, and then returned to the Bag in 2004. Hundreds of his photos are on the Bagsite. In addition to playing guitar, Gene played pedal steel and banjo. I took banjo lessons from him in 1985. He not only played “Scruggs style,” which is the Beverly Hillbillies style, he also played Keith style,” developed by Bill Keith whereby one can play chromatically on a 5 string banjo. It is wickedly difficult. More importantly, Gene was a friend and a good guy.
We are musicians. We live a different life, in bars and diners and clubs and catering halls and come home as the sun comes up and put off joining the “real world “ as long as possible. It is a great life, rich and rewarding and so so so much fun. We look after each other and are loyal to each other. Sometime during the night tonight, remember someone missing from your life, smile and have some fun for them. We all can live on in the memory of our friends, family and colleagues. Take care of each other, be loyal to each other, and most of all, have fun. |
The Savannah Joe Kommnick “Are these donuts fresh?” Moment
Many of you in the Paper Bag community knew Joe Kommnick simply as “Savannah.” I had the privilege working with this gentle man in the clubs on the South Shore for over 10 years. Savannah Joe was a bright ray of happiness that cut through the smoky air and shined into your heart. He was always ready with a joke, your favorite libation, or an absurd movie quote . There was never anything harsh about Savannah Joe…none of the rough edges many of us who live the night life develop. I miss his company. In 1996 we inaugurated the tradition of performing a song each year that connects us with Joe, so that we may have a vehicle to help us remember this fine man. This year, In These Shoes? by the Kirsty McColl is dedicated to Savannah Joe. In keeping with Joe’s sense of humor, and to ease the melancholy of the moment, before we begin the song, We ask all of you to place an index finger, held horizontally, just below your nose and all together ask in a falsetto voice …“Are these donuts fresh?” |
THE BROWN PAPER BAG
is the only thing civilized man has produced that does not seem out of place in nature. Crumpled into a wad of wrinkles, like the fossilized brain of a dryad; looking weathered; seemingly slow and rough enough to be a product of natural evolution; its brownness the low key brown of potato skin and peanut shell, dirty but pure; its kinship to tree unobstructed by the cruel crush of industry; absorbing the elements like any other organic entity a No. 8 Kraft brown paper bag lay discarded in the hills of Huntington and it appears to live where it lay.
by Tom Robbins
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Thanks and a tip of the old Paper Bag hat to Naomi Margolin for discovering the origin of this quote |
Thi is the spot where I get to thank… Dick at Supreme Trophy in Huntington Station; Eko Video; S-K Sound; Lightcraft; Mark Coffey and the crew at Goldman Bros.; Minuteman Printing in East Northport; The Maker of the Melon Peggy Irwin; Dawn Barca - the sign girl; Lisa Layton for her wonderful work collecting and distributing food; the faculty and staff at all the Island Trees Schools; my brothers and sisters working at the front door missing the show; my three girls, Emma, Sara & Sue for making me the happy boy you see here tonight. As you can see, I live a charmed existence.
Mulcahy’s… is some great place to enjoy the Bag. From John Murray, right across to the bar backs, every one of the seemingly endless number of employees of this club is unfailingly helpful. These people understand the the Paper Bag at its purest essence. Mul’s is the Bag’s home for life, in no small part due to the support provided by these fine people. Please thank the Mulcahy’s staff when you see them. Patronize this fine establishment all year. Get home safely
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