Warren Haynes Xmas Jam Updates

Jam By Day, Comedy Jam, Film Screenings and more...

By Fred Mills

Following up on our announcement of the 21^st Annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam that takes place this Saturday, Dec. 12, in Asheville NC, some updates.

First of all, the Pre-Jam jam will take place the previous evening at Asheville's Orange Peel and it will be broadcast live by our good friends at WNCW-FM - you can tune in over the web at www.wncw.org starting around 6 pm EST. The Pre-Jam features many of the artists who appear at the Jam proper, but often it's the uncertainty of who actually arrives in town by Friday that helps make the Pre-Jam such a great musical wild card.

As things stand now, the performers list has been expanded somewhat recently, and there are always rumors of late adds to the lineup too (we've heard one particularly enticing rumor of a certain legendary guitarist who may turn up, but nothing confirmed as of yet). You can get full details at the official Xmas Jam website, but among those locked in to play are Counting Crows, Ani DiFranco, Gov't Mule,moe. and George Porter Jr., Eric Krasno, Nigel Hall & Adam Deitch with a "Very Special Performance"from William Bell of Stax Records fame.

Special guests slated to appear are Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Jeff Austin, Mike Barnes, DJ Logic, Jackie Greene, Col. Bruce Hampton, Jimmy Herring and Kevn Kinney.

"The Jam and collaboration possibilities are endless this year. Diversity and eclecticism is what helps make such a long show work," Haynes told WNCW. Anybody who's ever attended a Christmas Jam know that the former two terms remain operative - and that "long show" is, technically, an action verb.

This year Haynes has also put together an official "Xmas Jam Band" that will feature  Fred Eltringham, Audley Freed, Ron Holloway, Robert Kearns and Collective Soul's Ed Roland. In a recent interview with WNCW-FM, Haynes noted that they'd been tossing around the idea for a few years about having such an ensemble on hand to back up some of the artists who arrive solo in order to make the stage transitions smoother. In the past, for example, you'd typically have members of Gov't Mule plus a few other players pitching in for the likes of Steve Earle, Joan Osborne or Peter Frampton. So the Xmas Jam Band will now be a formal segment of the show.

As usual, the Jam is to benefit the local chapter of Habitat For Humanity, and this year they've come up with an official beer of the Jam - the Asheville Brewing Company created a special "Christmas Jam Ale" and profits from the sale of that will also go to Habitat.

Another recent tradition of the Jam has been the "Jam By Day" events going on around Asheville on Friday and Saturday. These are all individually ticketed so consult the Xmas Jam site for more info - you can make it an entire musical weekend, in other words. Here are the basic details:

Stella Blue
31 Patton Street
Fri December 11th
1:00pm - Sol Driven Train
2:00pm - Caleb Claude & The Bayonets
3:00pm - Moon Taxi
4:00pm - DJ Logic vs. Thunderdrums
Sat December 12th
1:00pm - Bloodkin
2:00pm - Cornmeal
3:00pm - Jennie Arnau
4:00pm - Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr., Adam Deitch & Nigel Hall

The Emerald Lounge
112 North Lexington Ave
Fri December 11th
1:00pm - Velvet Truckstop
2:00pm - Sons of Bill
3:00pm - Livingston Leo
4:00pm - The David Fiuczynski Group
Sat December 12th
1:00pm - Dangermuffin
2:00pm - Backyard Tire Fire
3:00pm - Col. Bruce Hampton & The Quark Alliance
4:00pm - The Jamie McLean Band

Jack of The Wood
95 Patton Street

A Very Special All-Star Acoustic Jam Hosted By Kevn Kinney
Featuring Performances By Anders Edison (Ed Anderson From Back Yard Tire Fire), Jennie Arnau, Back Row Baptists, Connor Christian & Southern Gothic, Col. Bruce Hampton, Ray Sisk, Aaron Lee Tasjan & Many More guests & surprises. These performers will be backed by a band featuring Rob Heath, Mark Stepro & Aaron Lee Tasjan.


THE COMEDY JAM
Funny Business Comedy Club
56 Patton Street


CHRISTMAS JAM BY DAY ART SHOW
The Satellite Gallery
55 Broadway Street
Open Friday & Saturday Noon-7pm (An Opening Reception Friday From 4-6pm)
The gallery will feature photos from Jay Blakesberg, Danny Clinch, Allison Murphy, Dino Perrucci & The Incredible Xmas Jam Portrait Photography of Stewart O'Shields. Art & Posters will be featured from Gary Houston, Steve Johannsen, Eugene Serebrennikov, Jeff Troldahl, Jeff Wood, & Many More.


CHRISTMAS JAM BY DAY FILM SCREENINGS
The Fine Arts Theatre
39 Biltmore Avenue
Friday December 11th
1:00 pm - REM: Live @ The Olympia | An REM Concert Film
4:00 pm - Icons Among Us: Jazz In The Present Tense
7:00 pm - Stark Raving Black | An Unreleased Lewis Black Concert Film
Saturday December 12th
1:00 pm - Please Call Home (Allman Brothers) - w/ a Q&A w/ Kirk West
4:30 pm - Captured