I Go to Cleveland for a Jug Band Movie and Spend the Night in a Hotel
March 10, 2008
Saturday, I went up to Cleveland to introduce Chasin' Gus' Ghost - a new documentary by Todd Kwait about the past, present and future of jug band music - at the Cleveland International Film Festival. Todd and his wife, Carol, are extremely nice people and the film is very good. It combines a lot of vintage footage of bands like the Lovin' Spoonful and the Jim Kweskin Jug Band with contemporary interviews with John Sebastian, Jim Kweskin, Geoff and Maria Muldaur, Bob Weir, the late Fritz Richmond and others. There is background of the history of the jug bands from Memphis and Louisville, especially Gus Cannon and Sleepy John Estes. They also visited jug band festivals in the U.S. and, oddly (though maybe not) Japan.
Here's the trailer:
I left my house early because we had a lot of snow and, as the day progressed, a lot of snow turned into a certified blizzard. So I introduced the film, handed out Folk Alley stickers and spent the night at a hotel. All in a day's work.
Click through for a video that includes pics of the snow and a cheerleading competition (some of the girls were staying in my hotel).
Wow, I can't believe that you braved that storm to get to the movie. I wanted to go, but after driving to and from University Circle that day there was no way I was going back out. I'm impressed with your dedication!
It's worth noting that Todd Kwait was inspired to make this movie, in part, by the Cabin Fever festival that was put on by WKSU (Folk Alley's sister station) in Kent a few years back. John Sebastian was there, and the late Fritz Richmond was a member of the band that evening. And it all got recorded, so there's a CD of it kicking around the WKSU library somewhere!
Posted by: Jimmie Wilson at March 14, 2008 10:40 PM
Hey,
Glad you liked my mini-documentary. That is me in the bar with the beer talking about being stuck. The little girl is mine who was competing and won her division. What a wild time in Cleveland.
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff Natalie at March 22, 2008 3:35 PM
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I Go to Cleveland for a Jug Band Movie and Spend the Night in a Hotel
