Category Archives: JB and Me

JB at ‘The Mad Russian’

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On a quiet evening in 1984, The Mad Russian invited us to play at his place. His place was a 18 hole golf course, and a beautiful supper club. He had the finest chefs, preparing wonderful food that basically outclassed the clientele. His supper crowd had gone home, there were a few people at the bar (dining room help that no longer was on duty I think). He knew these nights were slow, but he, The Mad Russian, liked our music, so we played. He closed the club in the late 80’s due to the economic downturn, but the club is now re-opened under new ownership, and is classified as an ‘Event Center’.

On this evening, Chuck and Debi Corkins (Loveland),  showed up with their VHS Sony and started filming sometime after the first set.

The piano player and the base player had only been with us one other night. JB and I didn’t have a base player so we took them on. They were from Bozeman, Montana, out on their great adventure, sleeping in their van, and needed gas and food money.

Elvis Presley Montage

Kansas City-Ron Drobeck

In Heaven There Is No Beer

Ghost Riders

Runaway-Ron Drobeck

Hot Apple Pie-JB original music

Long Tall Texan

American Trilogy

Juke Box Saturday Night

You Were Always On My Mind

Mack the Knife (Ron)

Amarillo by Mornin’

My Way

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The Friendly Bartender/Save the Milwaukee-JB (Music)

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I wrote ‘Save the Milwaukee’ while tending my cash register during the noon rush at my restaurant! LOL

Jerry added a verse when we needed to meet the time criteria.

JB wrote ‘The Friendly Bartender’ while bartending. I think he had just about used up all of his ‘friendly’ that day!

The Friendly Bartender (I’m Bill, the guy at the bar)

Save the Milwaukee                                        77

Jerry Berens Live at the Town House 1984 music

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I have had the only tape of JB and Soda that I own, remastered. It sat in a drawer with batteries and magnetic things, odd keys, pieces and bits of life.

Remember, this was done live on a Wednesday night, with a stereo reel to reel, and two microphones hanging from the ceiling over the dance floor. There was no board, and no one manning the tape recorder. You can hear JB turn away from his microphone to look at the Db meter.  There is also some fade from the years that have gone by.

Play it through some decent speakers so the ‘bottoms’ come out.

I’m trying to locate more music and some film, so if you have some to share, I’ll try to get it on this site.

And Now

Once upon a time in a small prairie town, there were three minstrels……

Falling In Love With You  jerry

Almost Like a Song jerry berens, me hitting the highs

Statler Bros. Trilogy jerry, doug, me

Come With Me doug, me hitting the highs

You Gave Me a Mountain jerry

You Mean All the World to Me me

My Way jerry

Blue Suede Shoes jerry

The Last Farewell jerry

Cab Driver (my little daughter, Jaime, over-recorded in one spot)

The Rose me trying to sing it in the original key

Love the One You’re With doug

Every Now and Then jerry

Runaway me

American Trilogy jerry, doug, me

Goodbye Everybody!