More than 25 performers, including The Chandler Blues Band, entertained a crowd of approximately 200 Saturday evening at the 17th Chilmark Potluck Jam at the Chilmark Community Center, according to Potluck Jam organizer Alex Karalekas.
“It went excellently,” he said earlier this week. “The crowd rotated through the evening as the focus changed from food to the solo performers, to the band. There were never less than 50 people and that was just before closing at 11 pm. We had some excellent music.”
The Island band Dukes County Love Affair (DCLA) was scheduled to play a full set but had to cancel due to the flu knocking out their guitarist, John Stanwood. “It was disappointing, but we had plenty of musicians to fill the gap,” Mr. Karalekas continued.
The free five-hour event was one of a series that Mr. Karalekas, an Island shingler, carpenter, fisherman, and guitarist-songwriter, has been organizing on a regular basis since 2008.
In the winter the jams give local musicians a forum for their songwriting and performing in a relaxed atmosphere. Mr. Karalekas said that winter is a time when Islanders have a little more time to work together on their music.
He is planning another event in late February, but the date has not been finalized.
