Photos from our Studio Show on 12.20.25

Sometimes I do think chaos is my middle name. I wonder, am I the source, the channel, the generator or receiver, or the conductor of the chaos? I am not thinking of major, catastrophic, chaos, no, more like little, tiny, moments of micro-chaos built into the smallest of actions & thoughts. I can be orderly & disciplined, I enjoy & cultivate my silences & quiet times, I love working in the calm before the storm times, setting up a theater space or a performance space, arranging the deck chairs, running the cables, placing the microphone stands in just the right place, setting the lights, conjuring up a mood & a positive, beautiful vibe. But then fill that space with a rambunctious crowd of human beings in close quarters, with friendly noise, and chatter, and  the power of electricty animating everything, drinks flowing, a soft buzzing in the air, anticipation & expectation floating above us, things happen. Unsourced feedback, a drop of sweat in the corner of an eye, an imprecise instrument, a cable fail, a weird noise from some unknown location, a tiny almost imperceptible tuning issue, being slightly sharp or flat, a surprising demand or comment from an innocent, a dropped guitar pick, a teetering,  a nearly tripping & falling, a hint of mortality, a surge of energy running through the cells of my body; funny, unconnected thoughts, words falling from my lips in surprising ways, my head suddenly swimming, uncommon feelings of being unmoored, uncomfortable. Conducting moments of chaos, trying to corral & tame things, but watching, listening, experiencing the awesome powerlessness alive in every tiny moment.- Jammer

Yes. It’s true. As of right now. This will be our last show of 2025. It will be at our own little humble rehearsal space. Details here:

12.20.25 – PM Woodwinds Studio Show – 826 Custer St. Evanston, IL – We decided the best way to end 2025 would be a little party/concert at our humble rehearsal studio, one door north of the shop at 826 Custer St. Evanston, IL We will have some of our favorite performers joining us.

4:00 p.m. – 4:35 p.m. – The Lightning Round of Cover Songs from: James & Carla, Chris Bock, Randy Farr, Pat McDonald.

4:45 p.m.- 5:45 p.m.
Solo Sets: Karen Singer, Daniel Connolly, Scott Judd

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
whitewolfsonicprincess (6 piece)
The Telepaths (acoustic quartet)

BYOB if so inclined. There is limited seating. Suggested donation $10 (or pay what you can). – Jammer

IMG_7705If you play music, in a band, like I do, (whitewolfsonicprincess & The Telepaths), you know. And/or if you love music and listen to music, intensely, religiously, you know. Music is a branch of magic. “The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism.” As Maria Popova’s great blog post tells us: “Music takes place in time, but repetition beguilingly makes it knowable in the way of something outside of time.”

I have marveled at how essential and all-consuming music has loomed in my life. From a very, very young age. Yes, indeed, music “enchants the brain.”

I have lately wondered if other musicians/bands love to play music, and to rehearse as much as we do. They must. I find the process almost like a form of worship. It can transform a mood, a feeling, a day, a week. It can, and it will, transform you as a being. It helps that we play with extraordinarily excellent musicians. It helps that everyone is committed to the work.

Yes, it’s also rewarding to play in front of people, an audience, but it turns out that it isn’t essential. The communication between the musicians, sitting in a room, working intensely together, establishing a secret, nonverbal relationship is an essentially rewarding phenomena.

Yes, and the repetition takes you “out of time.” Working in a room with others takes you “out of yourself.” It is a sacred thing. Even if you are just banging out wanky, garage rock, or if you are playing beautifully lyrical and rhythmic songs. Seems, that the content doesn’t really matter so much, although, it helps if you play with heart. The form of the ritual is most important. It’s a form of Magic. A conjuring. Enchanting. – Jammer

photo by Nancy Chambers