Looking for other RV Musicians for Campsite Jam Sessions

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Big Ron

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May 20, 2017
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Kansasville, Wisconsin
I am a retired Navy Lawyer who was once a New Orleans musician (tenor sax & flute) who gave up gigging, but still loves to play (jazz and blues preferably, but also classic rock).  It would be neat to run into other musicians while on the road in our RV and jam at a campground.  I just thought I would throw this out there in case there are other geezers like me who still love to make music and share stories about past musical adventures.  My old Selmer Mark VI still makes a big sound.
 
Some Escapees parks have regularly scheduled jam sessions.  The jam sessions at Sumter Oaks in Florida seemed more like concerts.  Most of the campground residents would attend for dinner and the jam session show.
 
I have no idea how "organized" CG jam sessions are other than at a Blurgrass Festival, they just seem to happen. The last one I saw was a few years ago at Lake Cachuma with a bunch of Canadians. Strange concoction of blues/ folk/ religious; maybe church hymns, but they all seemed to know the music. All low key and in the background. Kinda neet...
 
I'm a lifelong keyboard player who until just recently was regular "weekend warrior" - gigging semi regularly with 2 different bands in the metro Detroit area.  My combined gig workload (i.e., with both bands) was typically 2-3 nights per month.  Occasionally a little more - sometimes a little less.  Two years ago when we purchased our coach - we started our RVing adventures.  For the first year I was able to juggle things such that I was able to travel and gig with a little creative scheduling.  However, last September - we really kicked our traveling into high gear.  It just wasn't fair to my bandmates to force my bandmates live with my travel plans and/or constantly have to find a sub for me.  So I had to step away from my two bands - both of which I've worked with for more than 10 years.  I knew I'd miss it. 

While driving back from AZ last November - we stopped at Swee****er Music (Ft Wayne, IN) where I bought myself a new piano (Privia Px560).  It's a sub 30 lb board with on-board speakers and several nice features for "self entertainment" (such as on board drum patterns and multitrack recording capability).  It's a perfect "coach rig".  While playing it around the coach is nice - it's NOT the same thing as playing with others.

So ... while wintering in Florida this past winter - I made a point of seeking out opportunities to play.  I was pleasantly surprised at how many I was able to find.  I discovered that the quickest way to find out what opportunities might be available in a park - was to simply set up outside in the late afternoon and play.  Pretty much anybody/everybody who happened to walk by would wave and make a comment.  Within 30 minutes of starting to play - somebody stopped and said "oh, you should get together with the guys on site # _____.  They play all the time!"  I had an instant contact that turned a spot at the jam session for the 3 remaining Friday nights we were at the park. 

I also started looking for opportunities at the local bars.  I found that a quick stop at the nearest music store gets you the skinny on which venues have "open mics/jam sessions" on what nights.  I started hitting a few of those as well.  Being that keyboard players tend to be a little rarer than guitar players and/or drummers - it was pretty easy to get asked up for a song or two.  If the host felt you "cut it" on your introductory "2-3 song" sit in - it was common to be asked to stay up and play more AND get invited back to play the following week. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to find opportunities to play.  I did three weeks of RV park jam thing along with one session at a local bar the month we were in Largo.  After that - I focused on finding bars - and within a week of our arrival in the Apalachicola area - I was playing two nights a week!  ... plus a couple of informal get togethers with a guitar player/singer from the park the month we stay in that area.  There are definitely playing opportunities to be found for the traveling musician!  All you gotta do is put your ear to the ground - to seek them out. 

We head for Arizona this winter ... I'm already boning up on my country chops and am excited to see what I'm going to find on this trip!  8)



 

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