Rockin' Jake blues band at John's Alley bar in Moscow, Idaho

Last night instead of winding down after 9 p.m., I put on a sweater and walked the four blocks to John's Alley bar to hear the Rockin' Jake blues band from New Orleans. The band wouldn't play till 10 p.m., so I walked another block to the One World Cafe coffeehouse and had a hot chocolate while I listened to 8 or 9 assorted musicians jam celtic music.

Near to 10 I walked back to John's Alley, paid the $3 cover charge, bought a $1.50 glass of the cheapest beer (Pabst) on tap, and lucked upon a chair and my own little table straight in front of the bandstand and not 20 feet away. The band was just as good as any Chicago blues band I've heard, live or recorded -- that is, Jake and his band of guitar player, bass player, and drummer, with Jake a blues harmonica virtuoso and occasionally singing a few lines, were world class. They brought to mind recordings by such as Junior Wells and Paul Butterfield.

John's Alley is a spacious place. About me young and young at heart folks were enjoying drinks and conversation, playing pool, playing ping-pong, and, between me and the band, dancing. Thankfully, there is no smoking in Moscow, Idaho bars, so the festive scene was quite pleasant. Regretfully I got too sleepy to stay longer than the first set.