June 14 – Stingers Bar & Restaurant
June 15 – Overlea Hall (Overlea Catering)
This second reunion jam was just like last year, only different.
Last year the goal of the “’60s R&B Reunion Jam” was no more lofty than to find each other and play music together. This 2nd year, with many more musicians involved, bands were formed around original names and players to perform classic tunes. Amazingly enough, it had all the spirit of last year, with a bigger crowd and even better music.
Approximately 51 players and 249 of their guests payed $25 to be there for an afternoon of great fun and great music, with excellent catering (pizzas and subs, open bar) provided by Overlea Hall. With shirt and cap sales much lower then projected, the event produced a deficit of -$1,400. The deficit was funded by a generous contributor in exchange for the unsold merchandise. Those shirts and caps were then donated to Chi Sigma Sorority, Inc.—a Baltimore registered non-profit—to be distributed to local school music programs in White Oak Elementary-Baltimore County, Logan Elementary-Dundalk, and Glendale Elementary-Glen Burnie.
BANDS
The Freelancers
The Charmed Times Reunion Band
The Dynamics
The Mello Men
The Epics
The Majestics
PLAYERS
VOCALS
Dennis Picasso
Don Armstrong
Linda Gerard
Ray Morgan
Tom Engle
GUITAR
Erica Lehnhoff
Gene Orth
Jim Fisher
Kirby Storms
Marty Mettee
Ray Quigley
KEYBOARD
Gary Gilpen
Gene Bracken
Jamie Hess
John Gerard
Mike Foreman
Richard Lake
Rody Barthelmes
BASS
Bruce Baggan
Dick Lynas
Jimmy Hughes
Steve Sackett
DRUMS
Bill Whitelock
Bob Jones
Dave Gimbel
Dave Peterson
Jim Hafer
Paul Treffinger
MANAGEMENT
Al Crawford
SKULLDUGGERY
(Players Present, Not Playing)
Jule Prince Grepps
Nell Bellum
Paul Finerty
Ray DeMoss
HORNS
Dave Bongiavanii (alto)
Ed Anderson (alto)
Rich Jones (alto)
Bill Yakitis (tenor)
Buzz Sappington (tenor)
Fred Woerner (tenor)
Jimmy Loomis (tenor)
George Peacock (sax)
Ron Hughes (sax)
Dave Hipsley (bari)
Don Barto (trumpet)
Gary Hendrickson (trumpet)
Joe Conway (trumpet)
Paul Cridler (trumpet)
Randy Filmore (trumpet)
Rick Lederman (trumpet)
Ron Eaton (trumpet)
Charlie Phillips (trombone)
Don Lehnhoff (trombone)
John Armstrong (trombone)
Lynwood Summerall (trombone)
STINGERS PHOTOS – JUNE 14, 2002
People in these photos include: Jamie Hess, Randolph Fillmore, Bruce Baggan, Jim Fisher, Paul Cridler, Don Lehnhoff, Don Barto, Erica Lehnhoff, Buzz Sappington, Dave Peterson, Denny Picasso, Al Crawford, Rody Barthelmes, Gary Chalmers, Gary Hendrickson, Joe Vaccarino, Ray (Morgan) Heutner, Jim (Elvis) Boyer.
OVERLEA HALL PHOTOS – JUNE 15, 2002
Acknowledgements
It takes the generous efforts of many people to make an event like this happen. It is called a jam session because, like any jam session it is all about who shows up. If you’re there you are a part of it; if you’re not, you’re not–there are no empty chairs.
Gene Orth and The Epics – It was the energy of these guys that drove Jam2. Without them there might not have been one.
John Armstrong & John Gerard – John G. built the stage and provided the PA, drums and other equipment; John A. provided sound equipment and made sure everything worked and kept working. Everybody knows what a huge contribution this is.
The Charmed Times Reunion Band – While they came aboard later than the Epics, their spirit and professionalism was unmatched.
Joe Vaccarino – Our resident “Historian” of Baltimore Sounds (and an above average pool shooter). A true believer.
Dianne Sappington, Marsha Crawford and Ramona Peterson – They handled shirt sales and did whatever needed to be done… these guys were always there.
The Leaders – Each band coordinated their participation through a designated leader who made it happen for their group, both players and guests. The Leaders were:Marty Mettee-Charmed Times Reunion Band; Al Crawford & Dave Peterson-Dynamics; Randy Fillmore & Rick Prowell-Mello Men; Gene Orth-Epics; Mike Foreman-Majestics; Don Lehnhoff-Freelancers.
The Mello Men – Their “reunion within a reunion” and recognition of Charlie Freitag was a GREAT treat and a heartfelt musical blast.
The VOSA Committee – our defacto organizing committee whose members generously contribute their efforts with no compensation and no choice. This year’s committee members were Al Crawford, Don Barto, Don Lehnhoff, Mike Foreman, John Armstrong, John Gerard, Randy Fillmore. (Inactive members Duke Gore and Sam Towers were both unable to attend this year.)
Stingers Sports Bar & Restaurant – Owners Jim and Joan Boyer have supported us from the very beginning. This is our official unofficial home base.
Overlea Hall – They did a great job and we wrote them a thank you letter.
We call these musical get-togethers a Jam Session for a reason. In a jam session it doesn’t matter who is who, who knows who, who did what, who is doing what or who plans to do what. All that matters is who shows up. It’s not a performance and not a show. Everybody buys a ticket and comes to play. There are no rankings, no preferences and no priviliges. This is what makes it happen and gives it life. So as a final acknowledgement…
Here’s to everybody who showed up!
(You know who you are.)
