The Second Annual Jammys took place at Roseland Ballroom in New York City.
The show featured more than five hours of non-stop music and presentations.
‘The idea for the Jammys was to create a night of music where we didn’t know
what was going to happen,’ says Jammys executive producer Peter Shapiro. ‘We
wanted to bring artists who not only hadn’t played together, but hadn’t met
and now, after experiencing what went down, it’s a pretty overwhelming
feeling.’
In addition to the many planned collaborations, the night also had its fair
share of spontaneity. Col. Bruce Hampton, Yonder Mountain String Band’s Jeff
Austin (mandolin) and Robert Randolph (pedal steel) joined the Derek Trucks
Band for a version of ‘Turn On Your Lovelight.’ Paul Shaffer sat in with Les
Claypool’s Frog brigade featuring Junior Brown for The Beatles’ ‘Taxman’ and
King Crimson’s ‘Thela Hun Ginjeet.’ DJ Logic and guitarist Stanley Jordan
performed with The Disco Biscuits featuring John Popper for Jane’s
Addiction’s ‘Three Days’ and Led Zeppelin’s ‘Bring it on Home.’ The show
concluded with a two-stage dueling jam on The Meters’ classic ‘Cissy Strut,’
which followed the presentation of the lifetime achievement award to George
Porter Jr. The song featured the Derek Trucks Band with special guests
Porter (bass, the Meters), Popper (vocals, harmonica, Blues Traveler) and
Jordan (guitar).
‘On every level, this show personified improvisation,’ says executive
producer Dean Budnick. ‘It made manifest everything we’ve been trying to
accomplish at Jambands.com and Relix. But above all else the music ripped.’