This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

This week's freebie is a track that really captures the informal nature of Wednesday nights around here.

For a warmup, we kick off a tune we don't play very often. In fact, you can hear Charlie Bowen and Dave Peyton discussing chords during Doug Chaffin's solo on the mandolin.

You can also hear us greeting Joe Dobbs as he arrives. Joe quickly unpacks his fiddle and takes his solo while still standing in the doorway behind Charlie. It was some of Joe's prettiest playing of the night! Click here to hear the tune.

Finally, remember that the tunes from the jam sessions make up our weekly Flood podcasts. You can subscribe for free and get the music automatically delivered to your computer each Thursday. For details on that, click here.

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

This week's freebie is a memorial to friends no longer with us.

In the room where we rehearse each week is a bookcase where we've begun to display photos of some of the dear friends who have passed away over the years.

Looking into their smiling faces as we play is a real joy, especially in those relatively rare quiet moments -- like this beautiful impromptu duet by Doug Chaffin and Joe Dobbs on a haunting rendition of a Irish melody, "Star of the County Down."

On this Memorial Day weekend, it's comforting to thinking about how old friends live on in our memories. Click here to hear the tune.

Finally, remember that the tunes from the jam sessions make up our weekly Flood podcasts. You can subscribe for free and get the music automatically delivered to your computer each Thursday. For details on that, click here.

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

This week's freebie features a surprise from an old friend.

We invited former Floodster Chuck Romine to sit in with us at a gig this week, knowing his ever-lively tenor banjo would really please the crowd.

But at the rehearsal the night before the job, Chuck showed up not with his banjo, but with a new prize: a sweet Martin tenor guitar he had just bought. You can hear him with it on two solos on this take of a David Peyton classic, a tune he learned from Aunt Jenny Wilson called, "Georgie Buck." Click here to hear the tune.

Incidentally, "Georgie Buck" also is featured on our new CD, "Cleanup and Recovery." Click here to read about the new disc.

Finally, remember that the tunes from the jam sessions make up our weekly Flood podcasts. You can subscribe for free and get the music automatically delivered to your computer each Thursday. For details on that, click here.

This Week's Freebie from the 1937 Flood

This week's freebie catches up as we're warming up for the evening.

We're always looking for tunes that help the band warm up for an evening's practice or performance. The ideal warmup number has an easy rhythm, some lyrics for the singers to stretch out on and opportunities for everyone to take a solo or two.

"Trouble in Mind," a classic eight-bar blues written by jazz pianist Richard M. Jones back in the 1920s, fits the bill perfectly. Click here to hear the tune.

Finally, remember that the tunes from the jam sessions make up our weekly Flood podcasts. You can subscribe for free and get the music automatically delivered to your computer each Thursday. For details on that, click here.

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

In this week's freebie we capture a moment of spasmodic spontaneity, Flood style.

In "A Shot in the Dark," Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau says, "Everything I do is carefully planned, madam." Well, we in The Flood can't really say that. Some of the best times at our weekly rehearsals just grow out of the moment.

Here's a case in point from last night's get-together. Joe Dobbs was joking with our good friend Rose Riter. You can hear her lovely infectious laugh at the beginning of the track. Meanwhile, Doug Chaffin starts nodding with the Gershwin tune, "Lady Be Good." Right away, Randy Hamilton and Charlie Bowen join in.

Quickly then, visiting Floodster Emeritus Chuck Romine jumps in with his tenor banjo. That catches the attention of Dave Peyton who hops on board and by the time the chorus comes around again, Joe picks up his fiddle, ready to lay down a strong statement of the melody, and we are off the the races. Click here to hear the result.

Finally, remember that the tunes from the jam sessions make up our weekly Flood podcasts. You can subscribe for free and get the music automatically delivered to your computer each Thursday. For details on that, click here.

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

In this week's freebie we continue revisiting and revamping the tunes of our earlier years.

On a CD more than a decade ago, The Flood recorded "Bye Bye Blues," but that was before Michelle Walker was a regular member of the band.

Our original instrumental version was fine as far as it went, but now, as you'll hear, the Chick Singer's big, bright vocal puts new mileage on the great old 1930s jazz standard. Click here to hear the tune.

Finally, remember that the tunes from the jam sessions make up our weekly Flood podcasts.

You can subscribe for free and get the music automatically delivered to your computer each Thursday. For details on that, click here.

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

In this week's freebie we celebrate the birthday of a dear friend.

We were so pleased that Norman Davis came to spend his 86th birthday evening with us last night. Of course, we're lucky because Norman -- a renaissance man if ever there was one, with stories that could fill a night all by themselves -- shares most Wednesdays with us.

Now, as we've mentioned before, The Flood doesn't play the traditional "Happy Birthday" song. Instead, we celebrate nativities with Tampa Red's jug band classic, "You Can't Get That Stuff No More," led by our chief birthday elf, David Peyton. Here's the version Brother Dave brought to the table at last night's get-together.

Oh, and be sure to continue listening after the last chord is played, because you'll want to catch Norman's editorial comment! Happy birthday, old friend! Click here to hear the tune.

Finally, remember that the tunes from the jam sessions make up our weekly Flood podcasts. You can subscribe for free and get the music automatically delivered to your computer each Thursday. For details on that, click here.