This is the fifth in a multi-part series of the various jam and open mic nights held at pubs and bars around the valley.
Sunday nights, the place to rock out is the Canmore Hotel.
Murf Martin, who plays with local rock legends Chronic and Harddrive, has been leading the jam for about 280 Sundays.
“The jam has kept Harddrive alive,” said Martin, at the start of the Dec. 16 jam. “I’ve played with a lot of people in town, everybody, pretty much. Charles Bailey, Lori Reid, the Squirrels.”
Martin has a long history with the region’s jam and open mic nights, he explained.
“Before this I was hosting the Rose & Crown jam in Banff, that happened on Sundays,” he said. “That was about five years, and before that it was at the Drake when I first moved to town. So there’s been a lot of jams.
“This was actually already underway when I came in – some guys running it moved back east and I stepped in,” he said. “We’ve been going 280 Sundays, so it’s been a good roll.”
What sets the Canmore Hotel jam apart is the loud rock sound and good sonic quality.
“We have a big PA and there’s drums and guitar amps – we like to crank it up here – and hopefully a little more louder jam, but we welcome acoustic players as well,” he said. “It’s pretty solid every week.”
As for who shows up at the jam, there are a lot of regulars, as well as new people every week, he said.
“We have all different guitar players and drummers – we definitely have some regulars,” said Martin. “Josh (Hill) has been coming for years and it’s interesting seeing how his songs have been improving and so has his confidence.
“It’s kinda different when acoustic players are very used to quiet surroundings, and then when they get into a PA situation, it’s maybe a little scary and intimidating, but once they get used to it they like it.”
Hill was there on Dec. 16.
“It’s the heart and soul of Canmore, man,” said Hill. “It’s one of the few nights a week where we get to go play music, and there’s no bull----, there’s no ego really, you just come out to play music.
“I play rock ‘n’ roll in a band, but then I also write my own songs, more acoustic. The thing I love about the Ho is it’s great for the sound and it’s really fun. I’ve been coming here since I was too young to come here; I love this jam.”
Having a dedicated soundman is an important factor in the jam’s success, stressed Martin.
“It’s great to have a soundman – there’s a lot of different things going on – having him is real handy, he can do that while we’re trying to organize people,” he said. “We mix it up. We find that if someone needs more support, we won’t put three amateurs up there without some good anchors.
“It’s really important to do that, put them up with a drummer who matches their attitude, and that sort of thing.”
Among the night’s jammers was guitarist Mike Carroll.
“We jam, we rock out,” he said. “The joy of playing keeps bringing me back, I get to play with a full-on rock outfit, in a big loud bar.”
Carroll’s been regularly coming to the jam for four years.
“I’m a family guy, I work for a living, I get to come here on Sundays and let it all out,” he explained. “This is my Sunday night church with these guys.”
On a personal level, getting to play every week on a bar stage is a very fulfilling experience, stressed Martin.
“It’s rewarding, it’s fun. A lot of times we play cover gigs and have to play a certain amount of songs that are staples, but here we get to do whatever we want,” he said. “Rare stuff, and it’s just fun and challenging.
“You never know what can happen. It’s up and down, hit and miss, sometimes we get so many we can’t get them all on. I’ve been playing music ever since I got out here and it’s a good vehicle to keep you abreast and keep your song catalogue full.
“We try to challenge ourselves every week, and we’re also working towards originals, and it’s a good place to test-run that kind of stuff.”
He also noted the jam can lead to certain surprises.
“Sometimes we have surprise guests show up, which is kinda cool, like Matt Mayes came through once and did a surprise set and packed the room,” said Martin. “Touring bands can play and work out deals with the house where they can get some rooms and beers and some exposure, and that’s pretty cool, and this place is known from coast to coast for that kind of hospitality.”
The jam at the Canmore Hotel gets going at about 10 p.m. every Sunday night.
