Here in Nashville we started off the New Year the best way we know how: with a pickin’ party! More than just your average New Year’s Day party, it was a Mike Bub Day party, to celebrate the intrepid bass player and all he does for the bluegrass community around here. Lester Armistead hosted it at his house in his old country store—not a working store, but stuffed with antiques and memorabilia from country and bluegrass music history.
I arrived when the party was already in full swing. (I heard Steve Martin on Fresh Air on the drive over, talking about his biography that came out last year, which has quite a lot in it about banjo playing.) When I walked into the store I found most of the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band a pickin’ and a singin’. Leroy Troy was there with his wife and young son Cash, who is just over a year old and was walking around the store being just as adorable as he could be. Mike Compton’s son Eli, who must be about ten, was trailing behind him imitating his baby walk to good effect.
Eventually the jam included Mike Compton and Shawn Camp, Jason Carter and Matt Combs on fiddles, Dick Bowden from Connecticut (in town for the party) on banjo, and the feted Mike Bub on bass. The jam evolved, as jam sessions do, and I played banjo for a while when Dick took over the bass. Among the banjo challenges thrown my way was “Lonesome Moonlight Waltz,” a Monroe tune which I had played a couple times in December at the Bill Monroe Appreciation Night at the Station Inn. As is frequently the case, my break last night was better than either of the times I played it on stage at the Station! Also “Tall Timber,” a really fast Monroe tune that I hacked my way through. It’s not a hard tune, but to play that fast on an unfamiliar banjo (it was Leroy’s banjo) when you’re as out of practice as I am is not easy. I hit maybe 2/3 of the notes! When Leroy had to leave he took his banjo with him, and I switched to bass and played for quite a long time.
When I left to drive home I reflected on how lucky I am to know such wonderful people and great musicians and to be able to get together and enjoy each other’s company and make great music together. I hope that such an auspicious beginning to the year is a sign of more to come in 2009.