Cincinnati musician Sammy Gorman dead in July in his Melbourne home. A well known saxophonist, bassist, guitarist and vocalist, Gorman will be remembered Sunday at the all-day Sam Jam at Captain Katanna's in Melbourne.
"We are gathering to remember the great times we had with Sammy and the joy and music he brought to all of us for decades," says Sammy's friend and fellow musician Kenny Michaels. "We will share stories, food, drinks and of course great music. This year's jam is all about getting together playing great music and having fun the way Sammy would have wanted it."
I spoke with Kenny Michaels about the Sam Jam, the bands performing and his memories of the late Sam Gorman. So let’s Shake, Rattle & Know: the Sam Jam.
SRK: Whose idea was the Sam Jam?
Michaels: Actually it was my idea. Sammy and I worked together for 15 years, and I wanted to do something special for him. Our first one was last year on Aug. 17, shortly after his passing. A lot of what Sam did was based on just jamming and helping people on the way up. That's what Sam was all about. He deserves this. He gave so much joy to others and this is the right thing to do; to remember him this way.
SRK: Who are some of the bands performing as a part of the Sam Jam?
Michaels: We have a lot of great bands performing and a lot of great musicians and vocalists that will be popping in to jam on stage. Among the bands and scheduled performers are Jon Parrot, the Oldmen Brothers, the Eclectic Band, my band (Kenny Michaels Band) and K.C. Connections with Kenny Cohen and Josh Miller.
I really want to point out that Josh Miller is known the world over, so it's a great way to round out the show. I also want to give a special mention to the Eclectic Band. They are a jazz band that played with Sammy for a very long time and have a very personal tie to Sam. They were an instrumental part of Sammy's life.
SRK: Sam came from a very diverse musical family. Who else in his family are in the music business today?
Michaels: It seems like his whole family is into music on some level. His brother, Joe, is a playwright and songwriter in Cincinnati. His younger sister, Dixie Karas, is a vocalist that performs all over the U.S. Sam's older sister, Priscilla Oehlschlaeger, is a singer and costume designer. The family has gone through tremendous hardships the last two years, losing four family members in that short span. But they keep performing and doing what they do best-music.
SRK: How did you go about choosing Captain Katanna's as the venue for this show?
Michaels: Sam played there for 14 years. The owners really wanted to do something special for Sammy, and this is it. Sammy loves that place, it was like a second home to him. Strange but true story about that place. Last year on Memorial Day, we were jamming with some friends, and across the water we saw an awful storm moving in and someone shouted "Don't worry, Sammy will put an end to that.” Within minutes, the storm broke and the clouds cleared. It was eerie, but I believe Sammy had that type of special connection to Katanna's. His presence is always there.
SRK: The event will also help Brevard Music Aid. Can you tell me a little about that organization?
Michaels: It is a financial assistance program designed to help Brevard musicians. It was started by Heike Clarke of Brevard Live Magazine. They help musicians and their families that have (fallen) on hard times. We will be accepting donations at the event and making the donation in the name of Sam Gorman following the show.
SRK: What is perhaps your fondest memory of Sam Gorman?
Michaels: That's really tough, because there are so many. Every Monday, I think of Sammy and how I would look across the stage and see Sammy's goofy grin smiling back at me. You know, there isn't a person around that won't have a ton of great memories of Sammy, he was just that kind of guy.
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