By: David Schultz

The Fab Faux were halfway through “While My Guitar Gently Sleeps” when the man everyone hoped to see at the 7th Jammy Awards strode onto the stage at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Without fanfare, Trey Anastasio calmly picked up a guitar and joined in on The White Album classic that would occasionally appear in Phish’s setlists. By the time Anastasio made his presence known, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman had already appeared and the anticipation of a Phish reunion became palpable. Recipients of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Anastasio, Fishman, McConnell and Mike Gordon accepted the honor and shared the stage together for the first time since calling it quits at Coventry in 2004 but Anastasio’s heartfelt speech thanking Phish’s fans for letting them be at the center of something bigger than themselves would have to serve as the highlight of their appearance.

Anyone disappointed by the absence of a Phish reunion only had themselves to blame. Jammys organizers – Relix Magazine, jambands.com and Peter Shapiro – never promised nor hinted at a reunion. In fact, they kept their guarantees limited to the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The fact that people’s hopes were piqued to such intense levels only goes to show how high the expectations have come for the Jammy Awards. One part award show and nine parts superstar jam session, the Jammys have come to represent all that is worthwhile about live music.

Known for mixing and matching artists and performers who might not otherwise play together, the Jammys have always showcased various styles of music. This year’s Jammys didn’t feature as many of the random and offbeat pairings as in past years but instead featured lengthy digressions into jazz and old school rap. It also mixed classic rock nostalgia with a glimpse into the future; although the Jammys tend to do by relegating younger groups to high-profile backing bands instead of letting them flex their own creativity. At this year’s event, Rose Hill Drive backed Mountain’s Leslie West on muscular versions of “I’m Going Down” and “Mississippi Queen” and Tea Leaf Green unified a set featuring Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook, Cornmeal’s Allie Kral and Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd & The Monsters. Tea Leaf quickly ran through their 2006 Jammy winning song “Taught To Be Proud,” before segueing into a lengthy take on Big Head Todd’s “Sister Sweetly.” Mohr departed the stage, leaving an overly excited Tilbrook to lead the band through Squeeze classics “Pulling Mussels (From A Shell)” and “Tempted,” the latter getting a hand from Warren Haynes.

Every year, an unexpected artist leaves an indelible imprint on the Jammys with Travis Tritt, Huey Lewis and Peter Frampton turning in memorable performances. This year, the crown was worn by New York hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh. During Galactic’s set, which featured Booker T. and Sharon Jones tearing down “Born Under A Bad Sign” as well as an appearance by Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na, the venerable Fresh took over the show. In getting the crowd on their feet and waving their hands in the air, Fresh’s old school delivery moved briskly through some of his classic riffs and freestyled to the raucous approval of the crowd. Fresh proved that sometimes all you need is two turntables and a microphone . . . or in this case Galactic and a microphone. Displaying the timeless art of the human beat box, Fresh engaged in a duel with Stanton Moore, forcing the talented drummer to keep up with his improvised beats.

Hardcore jazz fans had much to love as Page McConnell led a band comprised of James Carter, Roy Haynes, Christian McBride and Nicholas Payton through a Phish tinged set that included his own “Cars Trucks Buses.” It wouldn’t be the only Phish influenced set of the show. The night’s most difficult performance fell upon the Head Count All Stars, who on this night were made up of Jon Gutwillig and Mark Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits, Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident, Jake Cinninger of Umphrey’s McGee and Joe Russo. Once the realization set in that Phish would not be playing, the mood in the room noticeably deflated. The All Stars quickly revived the crowd by pounding out the thumping beat of “Wilson,” which brought back a lusty chant of the title character’s name. Getting the most time, their forty-minute tribute to Phish including lengthy and faithful renditions of “Run Like An Antelope,” “Maze” and a jam on the theme to “2001.”

The oddest pairing of the night saw Keller Williams team up with comedian Chevy Chase. After offering a solo rendition of “Cadillac,” this year’s winner of Song of the Year, Chase walked guilelessly across the stage, engaging in a little subtle physical comedy before seating himself at the piano and accompanying Williams on “(You Make Me Fell Like A) Natural Woman,” “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Take The Money And Run.” Bringing to mind New York Yankee Bernie Williams’ appearance during the 2nd Jammys, Chase played it rather straight, showing why he’s still Chevy Chase and you’re not. Classic rock also ruled during the Fab Faux’s set with Jimmy Vivino, Will Lee and the rest running through “Come Together” with Joan Osborne and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey” with Anastasio.

Phish weren’t the only Vermonters to make a splash over the course of the evening. Co-hosting the event with the venerable Warren Haynes, the Jammy Awards was quite the rock star coming out party for Grace Potter. After opening the night with Haynes, Booker T, Will Lee and Joe Russo on a set that included a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust Woman” and Al Green’s “Take Me To The River,” the lovely frontwoman for Grace Potter & The Nocturnals brought a vivacious and feisty spirit to the proceedings. Later that night, Potter slithered onto the stage during Galactic’s set at the after-show party at B.B. King’s to provide lead vocals to a slow, burning cover of “Whole Lotta Love.” Shaking her hips to the sinuous beat, Potter brought brash and sexy Tina Turner style to the strutting Zeppelin classic. Galactic’s set also included an appearance by 8-year-old future guitar phenom Yuto Miyazawa. Set up with a miniaturized mike stand and playing a guitar almost as big as he was, the young Japanese grade-schooler wowed B.B. King’s by leading Galactic through Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” hearing a packed crowd chant his name in unison when he probably should have been dressed in a different kind of jammys and tucked into his bed.

Miyazawa’s performance and the response it provoked were typical of the philosophy fostered by the Jammy Awards. In putting the art of the live performance on display, the Jammys keep alive the communal vibe that make concerts of any kind worth continually attending. That spirit will definitely not die and it seems as if it will outlast the Jammy Awards. Despite its success, the 7th Jammy Awards may be the event’s curtain call. On jambands.com, a reference to the event calls it the “final installment of the Jammy Awards” and notes that “[t]he award ceremony’s spirit will continue on in another form.” If this is so, the Jammys, which is always one of the most fun shows of each New York concert season, will be sorely missed. If the Jammys are dead, long live the Jammys.

The winners from the 7th Jammy Awards

Song of the Year: Keller Williams, "Cadillac"

Studio Album of the Year: moe., The Conch

Live Performance of the Year: Gov't Mule and Guests, Bonnaroo

Live Album of the Year: Umphrey's McGee, Live at the Murat

Archival Release of the Year: The Grateful Dead, Three From The Vault

Tour of the Year: the Disco Biscuits/Umphrey's McGee, D.U.M.B

New Groove of the Year: Cornmeal

DVD of the Year: Disco Biscuits, Progressions

Download of the Year: Phish, “Headphones Jam”

Mimi Fishman Award: Rock the Earth

Grahmmy Jammy: Lee Crumpton, Homegrown Music Network

Lifetime Achievement Award: Phish

Labels: Jammy Awards