Jerry Clemons Rock'n at Kenwood Tap

JAM.  That is all that needs to be said.  Jerry Clemons put on a great show with his son Cat Clemons, and members of the Steepwater Band - Jeff Massey, Joe Winters, Tod Bowers, and Eric Saylors, along with guests Ed Brann on congas and Billy Ozello on bass.  These names mean a lot to music, our past, our future . . . so if you do not recognize them, start memorizing . . .

The very cool part of tonight was being able to listen to and watch Jerry's son.  In my opinion Cat Clemons is our NW Indiana upcoming rock star.  He knows how to rock it out, work with the other artists, and has a style of his own that is quite signature.  So, let me start you off with a couple photos of Cat Clemons.

Jeff Massey

Ed Brann

Jerry Clemons

Bad photo (next)?  I think not.  When I can freeze frame everyone but Cat Clemons, that means he's getting bad ass down on guitar . . . he blew me away with style and class . . .

In my other blog post of the Steepwater Band at Chicago House of Blues, I mentioned that I wanted to be like each of them, because of the energy they bring to the music.  In this next photo, I picked up on Joe Winters having the time of this life . . . at least how I felt at my end.

In photography, lighting can make or break a photo op.  In my photography I choose to not use flash photography.  This next photo is of Ed Brann on congas.  This is one photograph that seems to put me on the boarder line of did I need more light, or is the effect with this light the best I could have shot?  You can decide . . .

Another great event of the evening was watching Eric Saylors JAM.  He took the lead, slapped it against the walls, in our faces, and the artists playing with him gave him all the respect one could ask for by paying attention to and working with his lead.  I am not a musician.  However I love music. I feel the electricity in the air that connects these guys, and it brightens when I see something good about to take place.  My trigger finger then takes over.  Perhaps not the best photo, but the one that means the most to me.

Eric Saylors

And I am not just singling Eric out on this.  Each of the artists here gave me something, that I am giving back in my photography.  Sometimes I was just awe struck this evening, forgetting I had a camera in my hand and that I was suppose to press the button and take the photo.

Joe Winters

This part of the set was cool to watch.  Artistry at it's best.  Jerry wanted to play a blues song that Steepwater did not know.  So Jerry worked it through with the boys, several times, each absorbing all Jerry was saying.  I could picture the band thinking "this is insane", and is probably as raw and exposed as I have ever seen a band.  Yet they hammered through it to bring us one of the best JAMs of the evening.

Todd Bowers

Billy Ozello was invited to play bass . . .

One excellent evening.  I need to thank my close friend (unofficially adopted sister) Renee Wicinski, and new friend Pete Calacci for helping me make my photography happen.

So, the one question for all of you is, did you really notice the advertisement signs glowing in the back?  I knew they were there.  Jeff even mentioned it to me.  Yes, I would rather they not been there.  However, when photographing this evening I did not take notice, almost like I was using it to highlight the focus on who I was photographing, and not to take away.  Did I succeed, or do I need to pay more attention?  Your feedback helps!!!  One thing I do want to change, next time, is to pay attention to mirrors.  I found myself in the photo as a reflection in the mirror, which to me took away from my personal enjoyment of the photo.

As always, support our local artists, of all forms.  Including me :)

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