Written by Larry Holzman

The Gazebo Jam is an open song circle jam that takes place every Sunday at Lake Needwood, which is the northern terminus of the Rock Creek Park pathway.  It takes place every week from 2 until somewhere around 5.  As long as it’s not too cold, the Gazebo Jam goes on.  Since the Gazebo is under cover, rainy days can be fun too – but in the fall when it gets too cold we stop for the winter.

 

It all began a few summers ago, when Greg Dillon and I (Larry Holzman) decided to go up there on a Sunday afternoon and play some guitars.  For years I had thought that the Gazebo would be an awesome place to play and sing acoustic music.  The setting is beautiful overlooking the lake, and the Gazebo itself is a large stone floor over which hangs a giant wooden dome – and I pictured that it would be acoustically magical – like playing inside of a speaker or something.   So one sunny Sunday I got Greg to join me along with my longtime musical partner Bob Guthrie and we ventured up.   It was a lot of fun!

The following week we created a FB group called the Gazebo Jam and since then, every Sunday at 2pm the Gazebo jam rolls on.   It’s turned into such a wonderful organic thing.  You never know who’s going to turn up on any given day – the regulars from our MoCo SAW group of course (Greg Dillon, Greg Marsh, Dalton Potter, Michelle Murray, Tom Blood, Dr. Ross, Jeff Jones, Jeremy Schumann, Hardman & Jay, etc.) – but others from just the music scene around town – including some of the very best players and songwriters in town – but also more than a few folks who are just starting out at playing and/or singing.   It’s a beautiful, warm and inviting place to play music – and of course, since it’s just out there in the park, there are folks who just come to listen too – and folks stopping by on the way of their visit to the park.

Last year we had the First Annual Gazebo Jam picnic and it was a terrific success.  A date will be announced this year soon.  So – everyone is invited to come on out and enjoy the setting, the music and the vibe.

 

QUICK GAZEBO ETIQUETTE COMMENT:  If you visit the Gazebo Jam – take note that the Gazebo itself is pretty sensitive acoustically.  It really IS like sitting inside of a speaker – so we’ve tried to make it be the culture of the jam that talking (even quietly) is taken outside of the Gazebo so that it doesn’t interrupt the music.    

 

Hope to see you there!

Larry Holzman

To find out more about the Gazebo Jam, visit the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/285495918300005/