On Saturday night, I went to my first Chilmark Potluck Jam. The Chilmark Community Center, where the potlucks are held, was — excuse the pun — jamming. In the entry room, there were long tables lined with food, including everything from green salads, pasta and pizza to pot pies, rice dishes, soup, and a variety of desserts. I added my dish to share, and headed into the main room with the stage to check it out.
Though quite large, the main room felt soothing and cozy — dimly lit, warm, and inviting. Twelve tables with white tablecloths, candles, and flowers were set up in the center of the room. Each table had about six to eight chairs, and behind the tables, additional chairs were set up in rows facing the stage. As it turned out, all of these chairs would be filled by around 7 pm, leaving standing room only.
Though I was privy to a bit of Potluck Jam history, I didn’t really know its full origins. I wound up talking to former Aquinnah lighthouse keeper Richard Skidmore, who shared an article he’d written, “Where Have All the Hippies Gone?” One of the things he addressed in the article is the old hippie vibe on the Vineyard in the ’60s and ’70s, and how music unified people, and still unifies Islanders today.
“The other new/old energy revolves around the Potluck Jams. Island acoustic musicians, most in their 20s and 30s, have come together over an idea that was hatched from a discussion in late 2007 between musicians Willy Mason and Alex Karalekas, who both live in West Tisbury. They agreed that an evening of free food and music was needed to bring folks together,” Skidmore wrote.
I found Alex Karalekas in the kitchen, and asked him about his brainchild. “This is the 64th event, and the 17th year,” Karalekas, a musician himself, said. As is often the case, it seems, when we come up with an idea with a specific goal in mind, we discover later on that said idea winds up having a much broader impact than we anticipated: “I started it to get my music out. It wasn’t for the people until it became that.”
I’d say Karalekas met and surpassed his original goal. He didn’t launch the Jam alone, however. He shares the credit with two other gifted musicians: “I started it with Willie Mason and Brad Tucker. I went to them, and they were wholeheartedly into it.”
It takes a village to grow an idea into such a consistently successful event, and Karalekas shared that aside from Mason and Tucker, he has many people to thank. “Maynard Silva, who was a fantastic blues player, was a huge supporter of us at the beginning,” he said. “He believed in me, and was the inspiration to keep me going.”
Former selectman Warren Doty, Marie Larsen, musician Ellen Biskis, who is now the town sponsor for the Jams, the late Geordie Gude, and the late Tom Osmers were also big advocates. “Tom would bring two bushels of oysters every potluck,” Karalekas said. ”He’d be in the kitchen telling stories, and teaching dozens of people how to shuck. We work with a few oyster companies now. Nic Turner of Honeysuckle Oyster Farm is a big contributor.”
Family members also contribute, like Karalekas’ dad, who brings oysters, and his mom, Jenny Allen, who takes great care to decorate the tables for the Jams, and friends like Courtney Fizgerald and Chesley Wiseman, Dan Waters, Steve Mack, and Graham Smith to name just a few.
The positive response from the community and Island musicians has been consistent from the start. “From the first one, it’s been steady,” Karalekas said, nodding toward the crowd. The Jams attract musicians of all genres, ages, and levels. And there has been no shortage of musicians hoping to perform. “I try to give everyone a chance,” Karalekas continued. “Everyone is welcome. This is my way of contributing to the community.”
The list of performers for Saturday night included Kate Taylor, George Davis and Rick O’Gorman, the Dock Street Band, Isaac Taylor, Tristan Israel, Willy Mason, Sarah Shaw Dawson, Phil Spillane, and many more.
Kate Taylor started her two-song set with an a cappella rendition of “Harriet Tubman (Come On Up).” You could hear a pin drop. Moving and powerful, she caught and held our attention. She introduced her nephew, Isaac Taylor, next, who played two originals, one of which he hadn’t played out yet. He mentioned this as he set up his cell phone so he could read the lyrics on a scroll. At one point he got lost, and the audience was fully on board.
“What’d I do?” he asked, laughing, as he scrolled through the lyrics, trying to find his spot. The audience cheered and laughed with him. It was a beautiful and powerful song, which I, and everyone in the room, is hoping to hear in full soon. The fact that Taylor felt comfortable sharing a piece in its fledgling stage spoke volumes about the mutual respect, love, and trust between the performers and the Island community.
Phil Spillane sang the blues, playing guitar and harmonica simultaneously. He played one song, “Washashore,” that he wrote about the ongoing conversation around how long you have to live here full-time to be considered an Islander. It was a big hit. “I want to be an Islander man, but a washashore is what I am.” The crowd roared.
In between musicians, Ben Williams got up and performed a number of dynamic poems. His lyrical and moving delivery was on point. His pieces were humorous, moving, immediate, and rolled out across the room like water.
Tristan Israel, who recently released his fourth album, “Snake Hollow,” played the guitar like no one I’ve seen. His fingers moved as fast as lightning — one hand leading the dance, while the other kept perfect time.
Sarah Shaw Dawson stepped up to the mic, opened her mouth, and you’d have been hard-pressed not to believe an angel (if there are such beings) was singing. Her voice is moving, sweet but filled with depth, and though absolutely originally hers, if you closed your eyes while she hit certain high notes, you’d wonder if Joni Mitchell was in the house.
I wish I could cover each artist in depth, and talk more about what fun the audience was having, but alas I’m limited. As luck would have it, though, there are three more opportunities to attend a Jam. The next Chilmark Potluck Jams are Saturdays, Dec. 28, Feb. 8, and March 29 at 6 pm. Grab a dish to share and get there!
