By Quentin Yarolem
It’s Tuesday night, and the main room of the Trumpet Blossom Café is beginning to develop a crowd.
Some people have ordered drinks and appear to be there for the food, but some — just standing or sitting, seemingly uninterested in the menus set in front of them — seem to be there for something else.
In walks a group of five people carrying leather cases of various sizes and shapes. Looks and nods are exchanged among the man behind the bar and the members of the group, as they assume their places at their usual table.
They open their cases and pull out instruments of all shapes and sizes, but most appear to be of the stringed variety — ranging from the fiddle to the guitar. There is even a banjo in the mix.
There’s a moment of near-silence as those in the ensemble look around at one another, instruments held at the ready position. Suddenly, a note rings out; it seems someone has also brought an accordion. Soon, the notes coalesce around a unifying meter, and — with the rhythm in place — the ensemble comes together.
The customers who were waiting for the entertainment begin to clap. The customers who were there for the food — possibly unaware of the evening’s performance — look up; soon, their expressions shift from surprised and confused to joyous — some even giddy — in a matter of seconds.
This is the scene at the Trumpet Blossom Café, 310 E. Prentiss St., every Tuesday just after 8:30 p.m.
The Old Time Music Jam has been a regular occurrence at the Trumpet Blossom since December 2015, but it has taken place in Iowa City for much longer, having started at the Mill more than 30 years ago. The jam has met nearly every week during that time, with the only exceptions being holidays and other venue conflicts.
“That first night was packed, and I asked when they wanted to repeat the jam,” said Dennis Roseman, one of the founding members. “It was unanimous: every week — and that is exactly what we have done.”
The atmosphere at the jam is relaxed and fun. There’s a sense of spontaneity among the musicians that makes the event seem just like a bunch of friends hanging out. Some of the members have played with each other for 33-plus years, while others are making their first appearance.
“How does this work? How do we choose who picks the songs?” a new member asks.
“It’s like an Iowa four-way stop. Everybody stops, looks at each other, and waits for someone else to go,” chuckles one of the veteran members.
“If you’re there it feels like you’re just hanging out in a friend’s living room enjoying the atmosphere and the often familiar tunes,” said Katy Meyer, the owner of the Trumpet Blossom.
The tradition of playing old-style music is fleeting these days. There are few places or groups that celebrate the style and culture of the music, even though its influences can be seen widely across the current musical landscape. While the longevity of the jam certainly has helped to preserve the culture, its members are quick to assert that preservation is not their mission.
“We don’t think of what we do as ‘preserving the music’ but rather ‘enjoying the music’ and exploring the nuances by playing with others,” Roseman said. “To us, ‘music’ is not written music or recorded music — though each of us have some books and usually many recordings — the real music is simply what we play every week. It changes over time, and that is a good thing — we want to maintain the spirit … not just carefully repeat some sequence of notes or a style.”
This philosophy is evident when watching the jam’s longtime members play together. The event seems to be about more than the music, it seems to be about the experience of playing itself.
“[Music] is like a fire in a fireplace,” Roseman said. “While it is going, it is always changing and gives out light and warmth to those making the fire and to all nearby … we’re simply having a lot of fun playing the old tunes, as people have done ever since that person, thousands of years ago, got interested in beating a certain hollow log with a stick.”