February 6, 2014

By: Bud Pearce

Photos By: Phil & Linda Myers

All aboard for the Snow Train 2014! Several East Bay strummers boarded the train early Tuesday morning, February 4, bound for Reno, Nevada. The train made several stops along its journey from Oakland to Reno. Most passengers boarded in Martinez, but players also boarded in Emeryville and Sacramento, including Dick Martin, who rode a train from Oregon to Sacramento to join Jack Convery as a banjo “headliner”.

Fetze Pijlman playing tenor banjo

The event took on an international flair this year with the addition of Mr. Fetze Pijlman from Hilversum, Holland. Mr. Piljman, who organizes the Holland Jazz Banjo Festival (www.Jazzbanjo.nl), enjoyed playing traditional jazz on his tenor banjo while seeing the sights the High Sierra Mountains offer in the winter. There were some preliminary discussions about some American banjo players journeying to Holland to participate in the Holland Jazz Banjo Festival in the future. Jack was very excited about that possibility, which reminded us of our trip to the Czech Republic in 2005. Don’t be surprised if some East Bay strummers are performing in Europe in 2015!

As is customary, we played many traditional jazz tunes while riding the train to Reno. Kit Nelson sang using the sound system provided by Jack, and many of those riding in the car sang along using song books provided by Jack. We were also accompanied by a keyboard player, who managed to set up his keyboard between the seats and allowed just enough room for people to pass by in the aisle. The conductor, trying to avoid being a killjoy, held back his admonishments and looked the other way during his strolls through the train car. We arrived on schedule in Reno. After checking into our rooms, we were on our own to eat, gamble, or see a show. Some even jammed a little in their rooms!

The next day, everyone gathered in the Hobby Horse Room to practice some tunes that we were going to play that night in the Sapphire Lounge in Harrah’s. During the practice session, every player was given the opportunity to select a song to be played on stage. It was a huge thrill to play with talented people outside the EBBC.

Jack, Kit, Bud, Dick, and Ana on stage

Our appearance on the stage at the Sapphire Lounge was fun, even though a little cramped. The audience, comprised mostly of folks from our train car ride up to Reno, enthusiastically sang and danced to the music we created in the lounge. Frankly, the crowds in the casino were extremely sparse, so we could have easily attracted more people into the lounge, had business been better in Reno. While on stage, we were all informed that the train would arrive late the next morning. We were all advised to dial Amtrak directly to avoid missing its arrival. Some thought it was actually good news, since it meant we could sleep late the next day, and Harrah’s was willing to extend us all a late checkout.

Jack Convery leads practice session

The next morning, Jack awoke each of us with a phone call that informed us of a bus that would leave in lieu of the 8:30 departure of the train. Apparently, the train was going to be close to five hours late due to a problem with a freight train blocking the tracks. Most people opted for the bus, which took us to Sacramento. From there, we were able to catch a train back to the Bay Area, stopping at all stops covered on the original trip to Reno. All is well that ends well! The train from Sacramento arrived at the East Bay stops before our original train schedule dictated we were to arrive.