Parking Lot Harmony ~ THE OCOEE PARKING LOT BLUEGRASS JAM

HOT LICKS IN THE OCOEE PARKING LOT! 720p-HD
See http://www.derekdeakins.com/
   • Bluegrass Harmony ~ THE OCOEE PARKING...  
The days are growing longer, and it was still daylight when I arrived at the jam. Music echoed across the parking lot, families with playing children and couples with ice-cream cones from the Twistee-Treat mingled around the group of pickers. And, as time passed the sky darkened to purple,the sodium-vapor parking lot lamp came alive, and the jam continued into the cool Central Florida night.

The Ocoee Parking Lot Bluegrass Jam is a well-established, open jam and has welcomed pickers of all skill levels for over twenty years behind the Pizza Hut at 10870 West Colonial Drive, Ocoee, Florida 34761. The area is about 10 miles West of Orlando. People of all ages and backgrounds enjoy the Jams. It's very much a place for families, young couples, retirees, children, pets, and tourists who make it one of their stops because they have seen the videos in England, New Hampshire, or wherever. Weather permitting, the Jams start every Friday evening at 6:30.

Every Jam has its unique characteristics, its own "personality." Jams function based on a rotation to offer each picker in the circle the opportunity to decide and perform the next song with the backing of the total group. Sometimes it's helpful, especially when there is a large group or if the group starts to cluster into sub-groups, for one person to act as facilitator. For many years this jam has been fortunate to have several core members who keep the music flowing and assure everyone an opportunity to participate. They are experienced pickers and very fine musicians. You'll see them here: Jack Lewis (banjo, vocals), Gerald Creed (guitar, vocals), and Johnny Adams (mandolin, guitar, vocals). They, along with other expert pickers: Gary Hunt (flat-pick guitar, vocals), Bill Phillips (guitar, high-lonesome tenor), Barbara Johnson (acoustic bass), Doug Buchheister (mandolin, vocals), Jerry Jernigan (guitar, vocals), Russell White (guitar, vocals), Derek Deakins, (fiddle, vocals), and Chris Johnson (fiddle), add great depth and quality to the musicianship.

While there is some outstanding talent among the musicians you see here, this is still an "open" jam, meaning everyone is welcome to seriously participate. It is a great place for mentoring and learning. Pickers often stick around after the jam to exchange ideas and teach each other.

THE SONGS
Please let me know the counter number, and I will research any song title for you. I have never been proficient enough to keep track of songs decided on the fly and concentrate on video at the same time.

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