Let's Have a Party!

Yes, now all can be revealed about Ramblin Jug Stompers secret tribute at the Why Can't I Be You extravaganza. The big bash on Sunday, Oct. 29 was a kind of musical Halloween costume party, except that the costumes were musical, not visual. A whole bunch of bands and solo acts from the Albany area gathered together to play musical selections by other Albany bands and solo performers. Get it? Anyway, RJS were out in full force to pay homage to one of Albany's most enduring (and often overlooked) musical icons - David Allan.
David was a longtime writer for Metroland magazine and currently a disc jockey on WABY, aka Moon Radio (1160 AM) (http://www.saratogamoon.com), where he holds down the weekday 2-6 p.m. slot. Wild Bill first met David when WB was a wee lad playing in the Henry Graiver Jug Band, and the band performed live on David's WRGB-TV show, "Pick a Show." Coincidentally, Mr. Eck once won a prize when he phoned in to "Pick a Show." (What was that prize, Mr. Eck? I forget.)
All of which is neither here nor there, in the long run because back in the early '70s, David was also a singer and songwriter who recorded such albums as "David Allan," "Town and Country," "Until We Meet Again" and "Songs You Wrote Requesting," as well as "The Best of "Pick a Show'."
But RJS selected one of David's more recent songs - "Let's Have a Party, Albany" - which he wrote and recorded in 1986 for the City of Albany's tricentennial celebration. The original recording featured David, the PYX-106 morning radio team of Mason and Sheehan and Blotto Recording artists, the Sharks. There was also an all-star chorus featuring such prominent Albanians as Jim Coyne, Fats Jefferson, Uncle Vito, Cranberry the Clown, the Guardian Angels, the Albany Patroons cheerleaders and, yes, even Sergeant Blotto, among many others. Recorded at Saints and Sinners Sound Studio at the College of St. Rose, it was released as a 45 RPM single with all proceeds going to the local charity, Hope House.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, it just so happens that Mike Kelley of the Sharks sang most of the lead vocals on that original recording, and he now plays keyboards with Blotto, in addition to several other bands. In fact, Uncle Mike Kelley has played several gigs with RJS, too.
Now back to Tess' Lark Tavern - So Wild Bill belted out a rousing rendition of "Let's Have a Party, Albany" with fine musical accompaniment from the rest of RJS. (Mr. Eck even played kazoo in public for the first time.) The standing-room-only crowd of musicians hipsters and adult-beverage consumers readily got into the swing of things, singing along with the Stompers on the hook-filled chorus. The whole mini-marathon night of music was a blast, and many Guinnesses were consumed. In fact, the response was so overwhelmingly positive that RJS are going to keep "Let's Have a Party, Albany" in our regular (or irregular, as the case may be) repertoire.
If you missed it (or just want to re-live those glorious memories), log onto http://www.thehiddencity.com and check out the myriad photos of Why Can't I Be You by the always fantastic Bryan Thomas. Thanks to Bryan, as well as hosts John Brodeur and MotherJudge (who can be seen in several of the RJS photos auditioning for a spot in the band), all of the musicians who performed and all of the folks who came out to support the Albany music scene.