Blues society to meet at Hardys Bay

The Central Coast Blues Society will hold its next meeting at Hardys Bay Club on Sunday, April 10.

At the Central Coast Blues Society Sunday jams, musicians who would otherwise be fronting or playing in their own bands get up on stage with players from other bands, or individual performers.

They put on a show created entirely in the moment: no rehearsals, no headliners, no personalities and no reputations at risk.

Regular audience member, Chrissie Staples, said, "Sometimes they're amazing.

"You get to hear brilliant performances from people you'd never normally see playing together.

"Other times it can be a bit hit and miss, but you're seldom disappointed because you never know who's going to show up next."

At the February jam, Andy McLean of Chicken Train, Paul Wilson of the Quiet Boys, Warren Henry of Hotel Satisfaction, Glen Ewing of Mirrabooka, Andrew Webster of the Two Buck Blues Band, and Sue Robinson of 50 Shades of Blue all played in the one line up.

Then 20 minutes later there was another group on stage: Chris Martin-Murphy of the Sydney Blues Collective, Greg Luland of Blueland Healers, Ray Falzon of Junkyard Cats, and others.

They were together for one unique event, maybe never to play together again.

The jams include acoustic as well as electric performances, original as well as traditional songs.

Society president Mr Paul Wilson said that the purpose of the club was to bring together musicians of varying experience and expertise with a musical form they all understood and could exploit.

"There are a dozen descriptions of what the blues is, but essentially it's a musical language that most players can relate to," Wilson said.

"So musicians can sit in on a song without ever having played (or even heard) it before, and share in the creation of something new."

The Central Coast Blues Society has recently moved its monthly meets to the Hardys Bay Club.

These take place on a Sunday afternoon once a month.

When the weather is appropriate, it happens outdoors.

On wet days or cooler days, it happens on the stage inside the club.

Amplifiers, drums and PA are provided.

There is no charge, and all musicians, dancers and onlookers are welcome.

Email, 29 Mar 2016

Paul Wilson, Central Coast Blues Society