Festival season ’09 is in full swing and it feels great!! I kicked it off with Some Kind of Jam 4, presented by JibberJazz Productions in Kempton, Pennsylvania. Allow me to preface this with a little anecdote. While at the grocery store, picking up supplies for the weekend, the gentleman in line at the check-out counter ahead of me was waiting to purchase five (five) cans of Axe body spray. This guy was clearly ready to party. I took it as a sign that this was going to be a weekend for getting down! And boy did that prophecy come to fruition! Attendees of the festival were greeted by the first summer-like weekend of the year, a diverse repertoire of music, fire shows, activities for the kiddies, yoga, hooping, bonfires, late-night music, great vendors, a dog-friendly environment, flush toilets and much much more.
Kempton Community Center is a beautiful 50+ acre campground located in the green, rolling hills of Pennsylvania, not far from the Appalachian Trail and only about 6 miles from the highway, which makes this little treasure very quick and easy to access. The park features two stages (one indoor banquet hall and one outdoor pavilion) which are both protected from whatever Mother Nature had to throw at us. Luckily, it was well into the 80’s during the days, so instead of providing shelter from the storm, the cover supplied plenty of cool shade. “We are extremely pleased with how well Some Kind Of Jam 4 turned out!” stated Todd Troutman of JibberJazz Productions, “with near-perfect weather, respectful attendees, and an incredible assortment of live music, it is no surprise that attendance was higher than projected and everyone on the grounds had a blast that weekend. Not only do we take great pride in the variety of musical styles presented at our festivals, but we also love introducing listeners to lesser-known artists that, we believe, bring something special to the table. Our festival-goers are always able to enjoy a hassle-free environment that is also safe and family friendly. Somehow, were able to do all of this while keeping things running rather smoothly with a very affordable ticket price.”
The music lineup was top-notch. Every band was so talented and so different from one another. The wide variety of bands sure kept things interesting and it was such a treat to check out some bands for the first time that instantly converted me into a big fan. There was a great blending of highly talented local/regional bands like Dakini, Wandering Root, Splintered Sunlight, Cabinet, Post Junction, Jimkata, The Big Dirty and Turtle Soup (each bringing their own unique flavor of rock, jazz and the deep, ugly funk) with bands from outside of the area, like Chicago Afrobeat Project and The Breakfast (which blows the brains out the back of my skull every time I see them). I found myself at one point in the midst of a great dilemma, trying to decide if I should stay inside the hall and get down to some hip-hop from The Hustle or dance like a wild woman to the sounds of New Orleans with The Hoppin’ John Orchestra (which began their set with a parade around the pavilion). Tough call! There was percussion, there were saxophones, and banjos and upright basses. There was even at one point a glockenspiel, I believe. Whatever tickles your fancy, SKOJ had what you were looking for.
JibberJazz Productions is currently working on their next project, Meeting of the Minds II, taking place September 11-13, in Wind Gap, PA. The festival will feature 15 bands, solo-artists, family activities, fire performances, a beautiful backdrop for camping and everything we have come to know and appreciate from their events. Presale tickets are just $30, which can be purchased from their website Anything event by JibberJazz puts on comes highly recommended -- sure to be a blast! Many thanks to the staff and crew for their hard work and tremendous effort to give us a booty-shakin’ great time!
Here are just a few of my favorite photos from the event. The rest can be found on my photo website
By Jess Reis
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