The JamHouse

To those who don't know Yoni let me tell you a little about him. Yoni, guitarist, singer, and song writer came to the US to learn and advance his music by experiencing our culture and by collaborating with American musicians. As fate would have it Yoni made his way to Raleigh and answered an ad I had placed for a musician tenant to live in the original JamHouse. That's how I meet Yoni.

Yoni lived in The JamHouse for about six months. While here he was able to meet many local musicians and vocalists who came over to The JamHouse to play music with us. We had some great jams and a lot of fun. Yoni learned a lot, about music and other things too. But Yoni was a very sharing and caring person and also taught some of us a thing or two along the way.

Some of what Yoni taught me was about music. Mostly though, Yoni taught me about his culture, his music, and himself. Yoni is a very spiritual person and saw beauty and love in everything. He greatly respected nature and appreciated nature's greatness that surrounded him each and every day. While living here Yoni was able to experience freezing weather, snow, and ice storms. Yoni also saw life renewed as spring awakened all around him as he watched the flowers bloom and the grass turn green. Yoni loved it, was amazed by it, and was one with all he saw and experienced.

Yoni's hope and goal here in the US was to eventually make a recording of his original music during his stay. Through some of our JamHouse members and through other contacts I was able to eventually help Yoni to make a CD recording of his original songs. Just in time too. Yoni's visitor's visa was soon to expire and he was expected back in Israel very soon.

Yoni was extremely proud of his accomplishment and was very grateful for all the help he received and for all the friends he made while living here. Yoni had mixed feelings about returning to Israel so soon but he was also feeling a little homesick for family and friends back home. Just weeks before he left I made Yoni a gift of a Yamaha clarinet. During those last weeks Yoni was well on his way to learning to play. That's Yoni.

I found Yoni to be both a great person to play music with and a great person to talk with as well. He was curious about all things American and was a movie buff. We had a very nice entertainment/media room set up in The JamHouse, complete with a Sony 60 inch screen TV. We had all the components needed for watching movies and for for enjoying my collection of vinyl recordings from almost all genres of music and ranging from recordings from the 1920's to modern and current recording artists. Although Yoni was sometimes quiet, reflective, and serious, Yoni had a great sence of humor and was eager to laugh and to find the lighter side of things. He had fun. Yoni appreciated all of you who he got to know and he was very thankful for the friendship he found here. I remember Yoni Markus. And he has been missed.

Those early days in the JamHouse were a delight. We sometimes jammed with just a few, but most times we had a house full of musicians and vocalists. How did all of this happen? In November of 2007 I had placed an ad on our local Craigslist "Musicians" tab inviting interested musicians to join me at my "studio home" for jams, collaboration, and for socializing. This home was, and still is, a second home I own which I set up just for my entertainment and the playing of music.

This home was, and is, the hobby I took up after retiring from 42 years of hard work in various industries. I had promised myself that once retired I'd do something just for me. A private place for me to enjoy the toys I'd been collecting for years but hadn't been able to fully enjoy. A place to enjoy music and people who played music. Another hobby I enjoy is photography. The musicians and vocalists, the jams, the performances by our bands, the venues and the audiences, and the musician tenants who have lived in The JamHouse over the years have provided lots of interesting and fun material for me to document through photographs. My two hobbies work well together and I greatly enjoy both.

By November 2007 I had everything in place at The JamHouse. The whole house was now full of musicial instruments of all kinds set up in a studio area, and all around the house in fact. I had a seperate room for acoustic playing and as a media and entertinment room. I had another room set up with poker table and games. Another room, for storage of over flow items, also provided for one private bedroom area. It's here in this room and in this house that Yoni eventually made his home for six months. Of course we also had a complete kitchen, laundry room, and two full bathrooms too, all the comforts needed for a good life.

My collection of toys include several drum kits, one set up righty, one set up lefty. Yes, we have left handed drummers in our mix. I have many guitars, bass guitars, amps, horns of all kinds, a vintage Yamaha electric piano, Roland keys, a steel pedal guitar, a complete PA system, and other assorted stuff. It was easy to name my private home set up for my enjoyment, and for the playing of music. You guessed it. The JamHouse.

I was ready for the next step of my plan. I placed an on Craigslist Musicians tab in search of other like minded individuals wanting to jam and make new friends in music. As normal for our local musicians tab, some one immediately posted a negative response to my posting. This person proclaimed, "Who does this Tony guy think he is with his 'dream' of having musicians meet up together with him for jams. Somebody better help this guy quick". I still have a copy of this reply that I printed and filed. And just like 99% of all negative CL postings, this uncalled for and rude reply, was anonymous. I never found out who this person was or why he would want to down play, and make fun of, my efforts to meet others in playing music together and having some fun. Well dude, I did need help. And I got it. I began receiving replies immediately. Positive replies.

I know you may not believe this but the very first person to contact me turned out to be someone I knew from high school some 37 years prior and who I'd not seen nor talked to since then. We began our conversation with the normal introductions and soon we both were amazed when we realized who the other was. He, Ray Williams, was still living in our home town, Erwin, NC while I had moved away and eventually made a life here in Raleigh. It was so unusual and bizarre that we had hooked up again in such a way, right out of the blue, after all these years.

Well other phone calls came in quickly. I planned that first jam to be held on the anniversary of the death of one of my hero's, John Lennon. On that date, Saturday December 8th, 2007, we had our first jam. While trying to finish some last minute things to be ready who do you think was the first person to arrive? Yep! Ray Williams. With drum sticks in hand too. After our hello's and a few minutes of small talk I but Ray to work on last minute preparations. Thanks Ray. You saved the day. I hope he didn't break a drum stick.

And on that date too I first met Rod Bono, Neal Harrington, Dean "Dino" Pratt, and others. Yes, 23 folks showed up for that first jam. Mostly men, but a few women too. Boom! The JamHouse was born. We jammed and socialized together each weekend welcoming in new musicians and vocalists at each jam. We grew quickly and after 18 months we had out grown The JamHouse. So, I decided to take The JamHouse "On The Road" so to speak.

That's when I went out to some local Raleigh venues and secured jam dates for our music club to provide some entertainment for the venue. I promised the venues that we were many, and we'd come out in mass. We whole heartily supported one another in our efforts to play our music and to build our jam club. I told them that we, The JamHouse, was our own best audience and that we'd fill their venue and spend money on their food, beer, and drinks. We did. And, still do.

The JamHouse has been going strong ever since, having fun playing the music we love all around Raleigh. Our jams and shows have been held at many venues, some who are gone now. But the list includes Fat Daddy's, Reds Music Club, The Pickled Onion, BoneDaddy's Hideaway, MVP's, Tailgaters Sports Bar, Marcom's Lounge, High Park Bar and Grill, Sharon's Country Lounge, and most recently The Korner Pocket where I've been hosting our jams and shows twice a month for over a year now.

Our music club continues to jam and our member bands continue to perform. We still have fun, we still welcome new folks, we build bands, we support venues, we support charities, and most of all we support one another. That's why, early on, I chose as our JamHouse Club motto "Musicians Honoring Musicians." What better audience could a musician have than a room full of other musicians and vocalists. And you know what? It's true, and it works. The last four years has proven it.

You can see some of our club member's photos, names of some of our member bands, and names of some of the venues we have played on our JamHouse Collage. The collage changes from time to time as I add and subtract pics and names trying to give all our members, bands, and venues, a little recognition from time to time for what they do. Just a small token from me in honor of all of them. One particular photo that has been on the collage from the beginning, and will never be removed, is that of John Lennon. "Imagine" that.

I wish Yoni could have been here to see and experience the success The JamHouse, our members, and our member bands, have enjoyed for nearly four years now. Yes, this December 8th, 2011 will make four years now. What a wonderful experience. I've met many fantastic people and have lived a much fuller, richer, and happier life through The JamHouse and through the people I've met and have come to love. Not just for their talent, but for who they are.

And yes Yoni, you are part of this fantastic and magical thing that has changed my life for ever. I have been very lucky to have been so fulfilled. To you Yoni and to each and every one of you "JamHouse Members", bands, friends, and associates, both past and present, thank you.

Tony @ The JamHouse

P. S.
I wonder if the guy who wrote that negative reply to my CL post ever gave us a try. Heck, he may be one of our current, or past, club members. "Guy", if you read this and have not checked us out I invite you to do so. You'll have a great time and meet some wonderful folks and some great musicians and vocalists. I'm just saying.
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Now check out some pics of JamHouse member Yoni Markus. You may win yourself a prize too. The first few pics reflect Yoni's life back in Tel Aviv. I'm glad to say that Yoni is happy being back home and he's doing very well. Most of the pics are from some very fun and happy times while Yoni lived in and played music in The JamHouse. More pics will be added later so check back from time to time.
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Tony @ The JamHouse
Musicians Honoring Musicians
919-880-1381 anytime.
Web: http://www.jamhouserocks.com
Email: thejamhouse@nc.rr.com