This past weekend, AFC held the last of its planned Summer Jams, with a Blues Jam led by the great Phil Wiggins and co-sponsored by the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. We plan to hold more of the jams in the near future, repeating some of the genres we’ve already featured (old-time, Irish, ballads, and blues), and perhaps adding more. Keep in touch by subscribing to our RSS feed, liking us on Facebook, and visiting our events page. We don’t record the jams, in order to be sure people of all skill levels are comfortable participating, but I thought I’d share a sense of what the Blues Jam was like with some “pics of the week.” All the photos can by enlarged and downloaded by clicking on them! We don’t know the names of all the attendees, so if you think someone ought to be identified, drop us a comment below!
Phil Wiggins, singer and harmonica virtuoso, NEA National Heritage Fellow, led the Jam with the help of Eleanor Ellis, guitarist and singer. At AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Willie Leebel represented the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Phil Wiggins was joined by Eleanor Ellis (guitar), Mark Puryear (resonator guitar), and Bob Rychlik (fujara). The fujara, a Slovakian overtone flute, fits into the blues with surprising ease–at least when Bob plays it! At AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Jael Patterson led a song at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Wayne Werner played several instruments with equal skill at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Pearl Bailes played great blues harp at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Mark Puryear sang and played metal body resonator guitar at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Joel Bailes and Ronna Cohen dancing at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Donna Herula takes a visual cue from Phil to get ready for her solo at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Herula, a Chicago blues artist, was in town to lead a workshop for the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Kerry Altman takes a visual cue from Phil to start his violin solo at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
A view from behind the leader at AFC’s Blues Jam in the VHP Information Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Participants from AFC’s Blues Jam followed it up with a visit to the Folklife Reading Room, where archivist Maya Lerman showed them some of AFC’s blues treasures. Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Groups of participants from AFC’s Blues Jam chatted in the Folklife Reading Room, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, September 29, 2018. In this photo, Wayne Werner chats with Donna Herula while Donna Fletcher talks to AFC archivist Maya Lerman. Photo by Stephen Winick.
Comments
Donna Fletcher says:
The singer’s name: Jael Patterson
Correct spelling for harmonica player: Pearl Bailes
Comments
The singer’s name: Jael Patterson
Correct spelling for harmonica player: Pearl Bailes
The dancers: Joel Bailes and Ronna Cohen