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Photo by Karen Singer

Yes. whitewolfsonicprincess played a set at Jarvis Square Pottery on Saturday night. It was a maginificent experience in a gorgeous music room. Paul Bick has created, and cultivated, a beautiful, soulful, scene that always inspires. The Lovely Carla Hayden told me the best question of the night was: “Are you guys really Pagans?!” Can’t speak for the rest the band, but as for Carla I, the answer is “Yep.” We lean to the light, worship Nature, swim in the “interconnectedness of all things.” We are determined to sacrifice nothing, except bad vibes. – Jammer

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Yesterday afternoon, a gorgeous, late summer day in Chicago, everything clicked. You can’t expect it, or plan for it, or want it too much; best to just meet the day with eyes, heart & head wide open. We were lucky to be on the main stage at the corner of Belden & Oakley, playing a set at The 38th annual Bucktwon Arts Fest. It was the perfect place to be, at just the perfect time. Blue sky, blazing sun, puffy white clouds, enormous, leafy-green, sweetly-looming trees providing a bit of shade. A professional stage setup, a bold, enveloping sound coming from a massive array of old-school speakers. The sound-tech, a no nonsense, total pro, expertly dialed us in. There was a rollicking, happy, partying crowd, a gathering of the beautiful people. An amazing cross-section of humanity. The six of us played our set with conviction & fire. It was all very satisfying & gratifying. What to say? The best feeling in world. – Jammer

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Daniel Connelly – Photo by Carla

Story time. The Lovely Carla Hayden and I were sitting on a bench, sipping cool drinks, talking about everything under the sun, admiring the sky, the looming trees, the to-ing & fro-ing of folks on the lakefront. Suddenly, seemingly from out of the sky, there appears Daniel Connolly, looking like the Jesus of Folk; cool, calm, floating into our vision like an apparition. He is just walking around with his guitar, strumming and singing when he feels it. He has his mahogony Gibson acoustic with him, of course, he is the ultimate troubador, and he asks us if we want to hear a song. He plays, he sings, everything comes to a complete standstill. Gorgeous, beautiful, inspiring, sort of sad too. It’s like the most incredible moment. His voice, soft, and hushed, puts us in a trance. He was singing this astonishingly gorgeous song called “Low Season.” Is this the most beautiful song we have ever heard? We are silent, captivated. Did that really happen?! Yes. It did. – Jammer

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WWSP on the Street – photo by Karen O’Brien

I decided to re-watch “I’m Not There” (2007), an experimental biograhpical film about Bob Dylan. It was Chris, my bandmate in the Telepaths, who reminded me that Todd Haynes’ film was a freaking masterpiece. So post-gig, in a heap of brokenness, I sat on a plush couch, clicker in hand, and streamed it.

And little Black Woody hanging with Hobos & Kate Blanchett playing the r&r outlaw Dylan of the “Judas” years really does take the cake. Box cars and press conferences. The press conferences were probably more dangerous & funny; hostile journalists trying to put the rebellious, mercury-mouthed r&r wunderkind in a hole.

A deadly business for any working artist. I thought to myself, “Dylan, interviewing Dylan,” that would be fun.

In that spirit, not that I am comparing myself to Dylan, the idea of interviewing myself popped into my fevered-head. Recently someone asked me: “What’s with all the black in the middle of summer?”

Ha. Funny you should ask. Let’s get Jammer to do a little Q&A with Jammer!

Q: Is it to conjure an aura of r&r decadence?

A: Ha. r&r decadence or sweat maintenance? On stage, spontaneous combustion is a certainty. All that black is necessary camouflage.

Q: The bandana? Hippie cool?

A: Sheesh. Keeps the sweat from my eyes. And, of course, every day is a bad hair day. “Put a bird on it!”

Q: The shades?

A: Oh, come on, man. Eyes are mirrors of the soul. Don’t you know anything!? – Jammer