With each passing year more videos surface on YouTube after Jam Cruise and for the recently completed Jam Cruise 10 there are hundreds on clips available for your viewing pleasure on the video portal. Now, while the quality of this footage is fantastic, it’s no substitute for the pro-shot, complete sets that iClips captured. iClips was everywhere on the boat and should start rolling out streams featuring nearly all of the scheduled performances from Jam Cruise 10 soon.
But back to the clips available on YouTube – many of the best ones were filmed by Adam Firtel of CHeeSeHeaDPRoDuCTioNS. He has uploaded 70 videos from a variety of acts thus far. We asked Adam about his process, “My goal with these videos is to give folks a taste as to what Jam Cruise is all about through the music. I try to concentrate my efforts on the best one or two or three songs that the band puts out there through the course of their set(s). If I don’t like a song, or feel it’s flat or the audience is not responding positively I merely turn the camera off and delete what I have recorded, so as to alleviate any space issues that may arise later on on my memory chips. I call it ‘editing on the fly’.”
After sorting through Adam’s videos, we picked 10 that you need to see with another list to follow next week…
1. Ryan Montbleau w/ Galactic – 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
On the first full day of Jam Cruise 10, guest artist Ryan Montbleau came out towards the end of Galactic’s set to sing the Paul Simon classic 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. For me, I was especially pumped to hear Galactic drummer Stanton Moore’s approach to Steve Gadd’s legendary drum part that truly makes this song.
2. The New Deal – Encore: The Final Jam
I’ll admit it, I’ve never been the biggest New Deal fan but as a jam historian I felt I needed to see their final set. Boy am I glad I did as they were on fire throughout the whole performance culminating in this way-past-curfew encore jam that sent the trio on their way.
’80s cover band Omega Moos, featuring Ryan Stasik and Brendan Bayliss of Umphrey’s McGee along with the New Deal’s Darren Shearer and Jamie Shields, threw down a fantastic set on Day Three that included this cover of Whip It by Devo. Phish LD Chris Kuroda went behind the light board for only one tune during Omega Moos’s set and this was it.
4. Orgone – I’ve Got A Whole Lotta Reason
Orgone impressed so many people on the boat that they won the coveted “sleeper set” award during the ceremony on the last day. Check out this video to see why the LA-based funk band came away from JC10 with hundreds of new fans.
5. Perpetual Groove w/ Jim Wuest (Heavy Pets) and Gary Paulo – TTFPJ
One of the very best moments of one of the very best Jam Cruise 10 sets featured PGroove laying into their original TTFPJ accompanied by sax star Gary Paulo and keyboardist Jim Wuest.
6. 7 Walkers with Steve Kimock – Wharf Rat
In an interview with Benjy Eisen of Rolling Stone, Bill Kreutzmann talked about how much he enjoyed playing with Papa Mali in 7 Walkers and you can see why from Mali’s delivery of Garcia’s urgent vocals in Wharf Rat.
7. Sly Stone Tribute – Dance To The Music
Members of Lettuce and Dumpstaphunk teamed up for an incredible set of Sly Stone covers on January 10th that included this riveting version of Dance To The Music.
8. Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers – Across The River
Bruce Hornsby finally made his first Jam Cruise appearance on JC10 and he embraced the spirit of the event by welcoming guests to join him at various points during his two full-band sets. Steve Kimock sat in for half of his first Pool Deck set and all of Hornsby’s second Pool Deck set including this memorable version of Across The River.
9. George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners – Sailin’ Shoes > Sneakin’ Sally
The first set of the first full day of Jam Cruise 10 belonged to George Porter Jr. and his Runnin’ Pardners ensemble. By all accounts the highlight was the group’s take on Little Feat’s Sailin’ Shoes that went into a cover of Allen Toussaint’s Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley and this video shows why. George recorded both tunes with the rest of his Meters band mates and Robert Palmer for Palmer’s Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley LP. He recently told Offbeat Magazine that he doesn’t look back fondly on those sessions and explained his issues in the interview.
10. Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe w/ Anders Osborne and Stanton Moore – Moonlight Mile
I’ve been waiting to see KDTU & Anders’ take on the immortal Sticky Fingers LP by the Rolling Stones since their first gig was announced and I finally got my chance on Day Four on Jam Cruise 10. It was worth the wait. Karl brought up at least one all-star guest for each song and what in my opinion was the best set of the trip culminated with this version of Moonlight Mile featuring Stanton Moore.
Be sure to check out CHeeSeHeaDPRoDuCTioNS on Facebook for plenty more where these came from. We’ll post more of their videos, and other clips which have made it to YouTube, next week.
