Jabberwock

THEJABBERWOCK

Latest Update: August 12, 2009

To keep this page a manageable size the history of the Jabberwock and the page of Jabberwock Art

now have their own separate pages.

Photograph from the Campbell Coe Collection

The Jabberwock, 2901 Telegraph Avenue (at Russell Street), Berkeley, CA

The information on this page has been researched and compiled by Ross Hannan and Corry Arnold

with a great deal of assistance and support from Tom Weller, Earl Crabb, Jef Jaisun, the late Bill "Jolly Blue" Ehlert, David Bennett Cohen, ED Denson, Colin Hill, Jesse Cahn, Evelyn Miller Kerr, Hank Bradley, Denise Kaufman, Paul Arnoldi, Gary M Smith, Phil Greenberg, the late Mark Spoelstra, Joe McDonald, Barry Melton, Bill Miles, Anthony Harland. Thanks are also due to Cactus Pete Anderson who contributed significantly to the research.

A List of Jabberwock Shows

	Date	Jabberwock, 2901 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, CA	Some Interesting Notes
Sunday	16 June 1963	Flamenco: David Jones, Fred Mojia, David Rubio	Researcher Bill Miles found this listing for a “Dinner Special” (cost: $1.70) in the San Francisco Chronicle. David Rubio (1934-2000) was a London born musician who travelled to Spain where he refined his flamenco guitar style. He would later be recognised as the maker of a range of high quality stringed instruments including guitars, lutes, harpsichords, violins, violas and cellos. Federico Mejia started to play guitar at 9 yrs old, after feeling too shy to dance, and performed regularly at the Spaghetti Factory in San Francisco and at the Northern and Southern Renaissance Fairs. Meija continues to tutor in Santa Cruz to this day.
	1964	Bukka White
	1964	Ian and Sylvia
Thursday	30 January 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio
Saturday	01 February 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio
Thursday	06 February 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio
Saturday	08 February 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio
Thursday	13 February 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio
Saturday	15 February 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio
Thursday	20 February 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio
	1965	Frankie Lee Sims	ED Denson noted that Frankie Lee Sims did one of his last, and sad, public performances at the Jabberwock.
Saturday	22 February 1964	Dick Oxtot Trio	Bob Dylan dropped by before his concert at the Berkeley Community Theater.
Sunday	04 April 1965	Trevor Koehler's Quartet [3pm to 7pm]
Sunday	11 April 1965	Trevor Koehler's Quartet [3pm to 7pm]
Sunday	18 April 1965	Trevor Koehler's Quartet [3pm to 7pm]
Friday	23 April 1965	The Freedom Singers	Rochester scholar Bill Miles has uncovered a number of Jabberwock dates from 1965 in the listings of the San Francisco Chronicle – one of which was for a performance on April 23 by the Freedom Singers. The Freedom Singers were originally formed in 1962 to raise money for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and their songs and music played an important role in the Civil Rights movement. One of the group's key founders was Cordell Hull Reagon, known for his many nonviolence training workshops and anti-segregation efforts in the Albany, Georgia area. Other founding members included Bernice Johnson (who later married Reagon), Charles Neblett and Rutha Harris. They traveled widely and won new fans at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival. By the time they played the Jabberwock, the line-up was an all male affair with Chuck Neblett, Emory Harris and Nashville native, Matthew Jones.
Sunday	25 April 1965	Trevor Koehler's Quartet [3pm to 7pm]
Thursday	29 April 1965	Son House	Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. (1902-1988) was the ninth of seventeen brothers born in Riverton, Mississippi. After killing a man, allegedly in self-defense, he was sentenced to 15 years at Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, After serving less than two years in 1928 and 1929, House began a sporadic recording career with Paramount in 1930 and later, in the early 40s, with Alan Lomax for the Archive of Folk Culture, a collection of recordings for the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress. Son House made some powerful blues records in the late 1930s and then “disappeared”. His rediscovery by folk and blues collectors Nick Perls, Dick Waterman and Phil Spiro in June 1964 in Rochester, New York, where he was working for the New York Central Railroad, led to tours throughout the US and Europe. It also led to a second recording career, this time with CBS records. House, with his musical skills intact, was a galvanizing event on the folk scene.
Friday	30 April 1965	Son House
Saturday	01 May 1965	Son House
Sunday	02 May 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)	"Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon" with The Four Diemnsions - a local jazz combo who were to be the Sunday afternoon house band for the next six months.
Thursday	06 May 1965	Alice Stuart	Alice Stuart was a child of the folk music revival and Hootenanny era of the 1960s. Born in the Pacific Northwest, Alice Stuart was initially a coffeehouse and folk club singer, beginning at Seattle’s Pamir House (or P House) before moving down the coast to Los Angeles in 1963. She was invited, by Barry Olivier, to appear at the 1964 Berkeley Folk Festival and made quite an impression on those attending. Also in 1964 she released her debut album All The Good Times on Chris Strachwitz’s Arhoolie label. By early 1966, Alice had been, albeit briefly, a member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention and was credited on their first album, Freak Out. Later in the 60s Alice formed her first all electric band, Snake with Bob Jones from the We Five. After many years touring, Alice still plays regular live shows with her blues band Formally.
Friday	07 May 1965	Alice Stuart
Saturday	08 May 1965	Alice Stuart
Sunday	09 May 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Thursday	13 May 1965	Charles O'Hegarty	Whilst mis-advertised as Charles O. Hagarty, O'Hegarty was a singer of the traditional songs of the sailors including shanties, songs of bravery and sentimental ballads by seafarers who had left their loved ones at home.
Friday	14 May 1965	Charles O'Hegarty
Saturday	15 May 1965	Charles O'Hegarty
Sunday	16 May 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Thursday	20 May 1965	Jean Redpath	Jean Redpath was born in Edinburgh and a singer of Scottish ballads. She arrived in the United States in 1961 and within a few months found herself in Greenwich Village playing with Ramblin' Jack Elliot and a young Bobby Dylan. An appearance in a hootenanny at Gerde's Folk City brought the offer of a booking, won a rave review in the New York Times, and ensured that Jean had very much arrived on the American folk scene. Jean Redpath has performed much of the work of Scottish poet Robert Burns set to music.
Friday	21 May 1965	Jean Redpath
Saturday	22 May 1965	Jean Redpath
Sunday	23 May 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	30 May 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	06 June 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	13 June 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	20 June 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Friday	25 June 1965	Pine Valley Boys
Saturday	26 June 1965	Pine Valley Boys
Sunday	27 June 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	04 July 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	11 July 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Wednesday	14 July 1965	Robbie Basho	Born in 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland, Robbie Basho was bought up as Daniel R. Robinson Jr., a name inherited from his adoptive parents. After discovering the Japanese haiku poet Matsuo Basho he changed his name into Robbie Basho, the musician. He adopted an unusual raga influenced style of playing 12 string guitar. Robbie Basho lived in Mrs. Sherrill's apartment building adjacent to the club along with Bruce Barthol, Barry Melton and Paul Armstrong (all members of Country Joe and the Fish) before leaving the apartment building to be replaced by Joe McDonald. He played 12 string solo guitar very much in the John Fahey style. Basho, who died in 1986, retained copies of numerous live and private recordings of his music; perhaps one day they will be given the undoubted attention they deserve.
Thursday	15 July 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	16 July 1965	Terry Garwaithe	Terry Garthwaite was a local folk musician. She would later “go electric” with a band called Gourmet’s Delight, who evolved into the Joy of Cooking which were at one time managed and promoted by Bill Ehlert. She remains an active artist to this day (www.terrygarthwaite.com). Terry also played thee JAbebrwock with here brother, Tim, as The Garthwaites.
Sunday	18 July 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	25 July 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	01 August 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	08 August 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	15 August 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	22 August 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	29 August 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Sunday	05 September 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Monday	06 September 1965	Closed
Sunday	12 September 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Monday	13 September 1965	Closed
Wednesday	15 September 1965	Paul Armstrong
Thursday	16 September 1965	Paul Armstrong
Friday	17 September 1965	The Wry Catchers
Saturday	18 September 1965	The Wry Catchers
Sunday	19 September 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Monday	20 September 1965	Closed
Tuesday	21 September 1965	Alan Higgins
Wednesday	22 September 1965	Chris Selsor
Thursday	23 September 1965	Chris Selsor
Friday	24 September 1965	David and Tina Meltzer	Since the 1950s David Meltzer has been a renowned Beat poet, writer and orator. He had previously performed improvisational jazz duets on acoustic guitar with Jim Gurley who would go on to play with Big Brother and the Holding Company. After releasing two albums under the name of Serpent Power for Vanguard Records, Vic Briggs who had been the lead guitarist with The Animals persuaded the Meltzers to sign with Capitol Records for the release of Green Morning. and liked Poet Song tremendously but thought he could produce a better album. He asked us to make a demo-tape for him to pitch to his bosses at Capitol. Later, with Joe Edmiston on gutbucket bass, Lonnie Feiner (bass), Greg Lasser (banjo, rhythm guitar, harmony vocals), Tina Meltzer (vocals, rhythm guitar) and David on vocals, guitar, mouth harp, The Snopes County Camp Followers and, in true Joe Bussard style, Billy Buckett and the Teleportts would get together. It appears that they much preferred rehearsing to playing actual shows and by all accounts any attempt to record these two elusive groups "were cut short due to hysterical giggling". Forthunately a few recordings do exist - including a wonderful rendition of "He Was A Friend of Mine" http://meltzerville.com/snopes_county_camp_followers.htm.
Saturday	25 September 1965	David and Tina Meltzer
Sunday	26 September 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Monday	27 September 1965	Alan Higgins
Tuesday	28 September 1965	Alan Higgins
Wednesday	29 September 1965	Larry Hanks	Larry Hanks is a singer, guitarist, and trumpist (Jew’s harp) who sings a wide variety of traditional American styles, including old time country and cowboy songs, ballads and blues. Hanks was also a member of The Instant Action Jug Band that would later evelove in to Country Joe and the Fish. He apparently recorded an album of old-timey songs for Takoma Records, but the producer put echo on the recording. Hanks took the master tape and refused to return it, considering the recording inauthentic. Trump is the old Scottish name for a Jew's Harp.
Thursday	30 September 1965	Larry Hanks
Friday	01 October 1965	The Times Square Two	Peter Elbling and Michel Choquette formed The Times Square Two in Vancouver in 1964, moved to California in 1965, then to New York in 1966. The act broke up early in 1970. Peter has been living in Los Angeles since then, where he has worked in improvisational theatre and as a television actor. He has also made a name for himself as a writer. Michel stayed in New York for a few years, where he became one of the original contributing editors of National Lampoon. Since then he has worked on various film, theatre and publishing projects. Since 1984 he has been teaching screenwriting and comedy writing at McGill University and Concordia University in Montreal. In the act, Peter's name was Mycroft Partner, and Michel's was Andrew I (as in "my partner and I). To quote from an interview Peter Elbling did with Phantompalooza in 2005: I used to do a lot of mime. I had done a lot of physical comedy – I had been part of a comedy team called the Times Square Two which started in Canada, and consisted of myself and a French Canadian guy called Michel Choquette. I’d left England and come to Canada in 1964, and was hitch-hiking my way and trying to be a folk singer, and I hitch-hiked to Calgary, and became the resident singer at this place called The Depression. [laughter]. It was the first job I ever had! And about a month into the gig, this young woman came in with long blonde hair and asked if she could sing. She opened her mouth and we all fell backwards because, she sounded like Joan Baez. We asked her name and she said “Joni Anderson”—who later became Joni Mitchell. So we were the two opening acts. A little while later this guy called Michel Choquette came in and it turned out we both shared a love of Twenties music, and we sang a song together called “Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate”. From there we met up in Vancouver and became a comedy act called The Times Square Two. We went down to L.A., got better and better, went back East around ’66 and that’s when we started to hit it. We played on the Johnny Carson show, and the Merv Griffin Show, and Kraft Music Hall, the Smothers Brothers, we toured the states doing concerts and all that sort of stuff. We did a lot of choreography in the act – our stuff was very physical. We split up in 1970 and I joined The Committee, and I did a lot of physical comedy with them, it was a lot like Second City.
Saturday	02 October 1965	The Times Square Two
Sunday	03 October 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Monday	04 October 1965	Closed
Tuesday	05 October 1965	Dave Cohen	This is the first appearance of New York City native David Bennett Cohen at the Jabberwock. David has performed multiple genres of music from folk and blues to that for which he is perhaps best known, the innovative organ sounds of Country Joe and the Fish. David continues to teach and perform many forms of piano and guitar music and has released a number of albums and videos. Extensive touring in 2005 with the Country Joe Band and the resultant CD release demonstrated that David has lost none of his original verve.
Wednesday	06 October 1965	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	07 October 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	08 October 1965	The Step Sisters
Saturday	09 October 1965	The Step Sisters
Sunday	10 October 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Monday	11 October 1965	Joe McDonald, Peter Krug, Paul Gilbert, Betty Reid, Carl Shrager, Bill Steele (MC)	A "Topical Song Workshop and Concert" performed as a benefit for DMB Publications - Rag Baby and Et Tu. Whilst Joe McDonald had already been given the handle “Country Joe” by ED Denson, he was still playing regular acoustic sets under his own name. Rag Baby is Country Joe’s own magazine and record label that still run today; albeit the magazine now in electronic form has remained work in progress for the past few years. Rag Baby Records continues to release albums by both Joe and a few others. Et Tu was a short-lived magazine that Joe whilst edited in Los Angeles. The first issue came out in August 1964 before McDonald headed to the Bay Area to become a beatnik. Advertised in Issue 2 of Rag Baby as a "songwriters' contest".
Tuesday	12 October 1965	Dave Cohen
Wednesday	13 October 1965	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier plus a guest appearance by Ale Ekstrom playing "Deep Water" on his concertina	Ale Ekstrom is a long-time Sausalito "water" resident and concertina player. Many years later Ekstrom could still be found in the open spaces of Sausalito playing traditional maritime music with Julia Gilden. On April 2, 1966, The Firehouse (a venue open only for a short time) in San Francisco presented The Wildflower supported by Ale Extrom and His Conceptina. Given the undoubted humour of the Firehouse's poster artist, I am sure this is a deliberate misspelling.
Thursday	14 October 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	15 October 1965	Possibly Peter Krug	Bay Area singer/songwriter Peter Krug appears on the flip side of the first Rag Baby EP playing "Fire in the City" later recorded by the Grateful Dead as a backing band for Jon Hendricks) and "Johnny's Gone To War". Krug also appeared occasionally at the Jabberwock hoots.
Saturday	16 October 1965	Possibly Peter Krug
Sunday	17 October 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)
Monday	18 October 1965	Closed
Friday	22 October 1965	The Wry Catchers, Ale Ekstrom	Not to be confused with the similarly named Texas garage band, The Wry Catchers included a capella singer and author Hav Gefter (1931-2006).
Saturday	23 October 1965	The Wry Catchers, Ale Ekstrom
Sunday	24 October 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot (evening)	The Four Dimensions were a local jazz combo.
Monday	25 October 1965	Closed
Tuesday	26 October 1965	Cy Koch	Cy Koch is listed as an interpretaive guitarist.
Wednesday	27 October 1965	Singers Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	28 October 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	29 October 1965	Joe McDonald, ED Denson, Pat Sullivan, Pete Winslow (Poet)
Saturday	30 October 1965	Country Joe McDonald, Pat Sullivan, Pete Winslow (Poet)
Sunday	31 October 1965	The Four Dimensions (afternoon); Hoot with Paul Armstrong (evening)
Monday	01 November 1965	Closed
Tuesday	02 November 1965	Cy Koch
Wednesday	03 November 1965	Singers Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	04 November 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	05 November 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor, Pete Winslow	Pete Winslow was a satirical poet.
Saturday	06 November 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor, Pete Winslow
Sunday	07 November 1965	Hoot with Paul Armstrong	Kitty Mohle reports in "Rag Baby" that The Jabberwock Hoots on Sunday nights with Paul Armstrong are as disconnected as ever. However, some very good people have started appearing there, like Phil Greenberg (folk and beautiful flamenco), Danny Paik (blues and ?), and a new voice from San Diego, Karen Williams (soft songs and spirituals). The best part of the evening starts after the formal Hoot is over and there is a sort of folk Free-for-All which is, to say the least, rather strange, but very enjoyable.
Monday	08 November 1965	Closed
Wednesday	10 November 1965	Singers Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	11 November 1965	Robbie Basho
Sunday	14 November 1965	Hoot with Paul Armstrong
Monday	15 November 1965	Closed
Wednesday	17 November 1965	Singers Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	18 November 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	19 November 1965	Don Crawford	Don Crawford was a folk singer who would go on to pen the score for “C’mon, Let’s Live a Little”.
Saturday	20 November 1965	Don Crawford
Sunday	21 November 1965	Hoot with Paul Armstrong
Monday	22 November 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor
Tuesday	23 November 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor
Wednesday	24 November 1965	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier	Barry Olivier was a guitar teacher, was the founder of the Berkeley Folk Festival in 1958. He still plays the Bay Area with his wife Alice.
Thursday	25 November 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	26 November 1965	John Fahey with ED Denson on harmonica.	John Fahey had grown up in Maryland, where he had become an accomplished guitarist in bluegrass and other folk styles. After cutting some 78s for Joe Bussard’s Fonotone Records label under the name of Blind Thomas, Fahey evolved his own unique and groundbreaking approach to the acoustic guitar, and he founded Takoma Records to release his own music, and that of his alter ego Blind Joe Death, privately. Fahey went from UC Berkeley to UCLA (where he was in a jug band that evolved into Canned Heat—Fahey refused to “go electric” so Henry Vestine was drafted) for graduate study in ethnomusicology. By 1966 Fahey had returned to Berkeley, where he was a regular at The Jabberwock and other folk venues. Although paying little attention to electric music, Fahey’s unique compositional style and phenomenal guitar technique was a significant influence on many Berkeley musicians, particularly Country Joe McDonald. Takoma principal ED Denson played harmonica along with Fahey for this night’s performance which was recorded by Takoma Records. Sadly, the recording was never released and the original tapes no longer exist. For more on Fahey, see www.johnfahey.com.
Saturday	27 November 1965	John Fahey	It is reported of John Fahey: In 1963 and 1964, while a graduate student in folklore and mythology at the University of California at Los Angeles, he tracked down the missing blues singers Bukka White and Skip James, and in doing so played a major part in the acoustic blues revival of the time.
Sunday	28 November 1965	Hoot with Paul Armstrong
Monday	29 November 1965	Closed
Tuesday	30 November 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor
Wednesday	01 December 1965	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	02 December 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	03 December 1965	Ken Spiker	Ken Spiker was a flamenco guitarist. Flamenco music was an important component of the 50s and 60s folk revival. Since it turned out not to be the basis for rock bands, Flamenco has drifted out of the mainstream, but at this time it was still a significant part of the folk scene.
Saturday	04 December 1965	Ken Spiker
Sunday	05 December 1965	Joe McDonald and others	Advertised as a Folk Benefit with "over 10 artists".
Monday	06 December 1965	Closed
Tuesday	07 December 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor
Wednesday	08 December 1965	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	09 December 1965	Robbie Basho	Basho was advertised as playing "delta blues, creole dances, raga textured music".
Friday	10 December 1965	Mike Cooney	The Barb ad says "banjo contest winner". Mike Cooney had won the banjo contest at the 1963 Monterey Folk Festival. The judges (Rodney and Doug Dillard and Billy Ray Lathum) found Cooney’s frailing (traditional) style to be more worthy than the high speed three-finger (Bill Keith style) bluegrass picking of the intensely competitive Jerry Garcia (appearing in The Wildwood Boys along with Ken Frankel and David Nelson). "I wish I could say Jerry won," says Rodney Dillard, "but he didn't. He felt for sure he was gonna have it because he played this real fancy bluegrass style — not the greatest in the world, bless him. We gave it to a guy who was a little more creative, actually a folk singer who frailed the banjo, named Mike Cooney. And none of the bluegrass people could understand why we did it. All the bluegrass nazis were really mad." Kathy and Carol regularly opened for Cooney.
Saturday	11 December 1965	Mike Cooney
Sunday	12 December 1965	Hoot
Monday	13 December 1965	Closed
Tuesday	14 December 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor
Wednesday	15 December 1965	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	16 December 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	17 December 1965	The Enigmas, Blind Ebbets Field	"Blind Ebbets Field" was actually Barry Melton, guitarist with Country Joe and the Fish. Melton took the name from the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers – who played at Ebbetts Field before they moved to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. A number of the musicians occasionally adopted alternate personas, Jorma Kaukonen taking "Blind Thomas Jefferson Airplane" (or “Blind Lemon Jefferson Airplane), Steve Mann was "Little Son Goldfarb" and guitarist Tom Hobson, who recorded the wonderful Quah with Kaukonen, took the name "Blind Outrage". At this time, Barry and Bruce Barthol were living next door to the Jabberwock and regularly foraging for food after customers had eaten.
Saturday	18 December 1965	The Enigmas, Blind Ebbets Field	The Enigmas were a vocal trio led by multi-instrumentalist Dick Oxtot. Oxtot was a mainstay of the Berkeley jazz and blues scene of the 1960s. Between 1963 and 1965, the Dick Oxtot Jazz Band made several recordings with Janis Joplin whilst she was visiting San Francisco. Oxtot was shot dead at the age of 83 in 2001.
Sunday	19 December 1965	Hoot
Monday	20 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Tuesday	21 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Wednesday	22 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Thursday	23 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Friday	24 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Saturday	25 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Sunday	26 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Monday	27 December 1965	Closed for Christmas Vacation
Tuesday	28 December 1965	Larry Hanks, Chris Selsor
Wednesday	29 December 1965	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier	Barry Olivier wrote the following ditty for Morris "Moe" Moskowitz (1921-1997), founder of The Paperback Bookshop on Shattuck Avenue in 1959, moving to Telegraph Avenue in 1963 and being renamed Moe’s Books: Moe Who has the best trade in town? Who keeps the street from falling down? (after each verse): Moe-Moe-Moe-Moe Moe-Moe-Moe-Moe Who is the wisest bookstore sage? Who gives more for books in trade? Who is a friend who cares a lot? Name a man who shares what he's got. Who laughs at himself with all his heart? Who speaks for the helpless person's part? What's the best bookstore in the West? Who keeps his place like a well-loved nest?
Thursday	30 December 1965	Robbie Basho
Friday	31 December 1965	ED Denson plus others	The Jabberwock's New Year Parties - avant-garde drama with ED Denson and the finest Berkeley folk artists.
Saturday	01 January 1966	ED Denson plus others	The Jabberwock's New Year Parties - avant-garde drama with ED Denson and the finest Berkeley folk artists.
Sunday	02 January 1966	Hoot with Happenings
Monday	03 January 1966	Closed
Tuesday	04 January 1966	Joe McDonald
Wednesday	05 January 1966	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	06 January 1966	Robbie Basho
Friday	07 January 1966	John Fahey
Saturday	08 January 1966	John Fahey, Country Joe and the Fish (as the McDonald/Melton duo augmented by others to create the Instant Action Jug Band), Paul Krassner	Articles in the Berkeley Barb refer to this event as the "Krazy Krassner Kaukus" where, on his return from Washington, Krassner delivers a State of the Union message for 1966 and introduce the Preseident's new cabinet members: Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Ronnie Davis and the Instant Jug Band. Paul Krassner is a “satirist,” rather in the style of Mort Sahl. Sahl would improvise commentary on events of the day, often using the same day’s newspaper (wild stuff for the 1950s), and presumably Krassner was a 60s version of Sahl. Krassner would go on to be a founder of the Yippies. The oblique reference to “The Instant Jug Band” is the only explicit reference to the Instant Action Jug Band that we have been able to uncover in 1966. However, by January 1966 this would have been an early version of Country Joe and the Fish performing with McDonald, Melton, Barthol, Armstrong and perhaps one or two others. By this point McDonald had replaced Basho in the adjacent apartment house and it appears that this may be a reference to a performance by the band, rather than the duo, Country Joe and the Fish in a reasonably stable form, albeit still colloquially the Instant Action Jug Band.
Sunday	09 January 1966	ED Denson (MC), "Crazy" Melton, Hanks McGrew, Robbie Basho, "Preacher" Paul Armstrong, Joe McDonald and others	Folk Central Benefit
Monday	10 January 1966	Joe McDonald with Kelly Sistus, Moe Hirsch and other poets, actors and musicians [VDC Benefit]	Although the first Country Joe and The Fish EP had been recorded and released, Country Joe McDonald was still better known as a local folksinger under his own name at this time.
Tuesday	11 January 1966	Joe McDonald
Wednesday	12 January 1966	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	13 January 1966	Robbie Basho
Friday	14 January 1966	Rosalie Sorrels
Saturday	15 January 1966	Rosalie Sorrels
Sunday	16 January 1966	Hoot with Happenings
Monday	17 January 1966	Joe McDonald with poets, actors and musicians [VDC Benefit]
Tuesday	18 January 1966	Sweets Mill Mountain Boys, Joe McDonald	Sweets Mill Mountain Boys were Kenny Hall, Ron Hughey, Pete Everwine, and Frank Hicks.
Wednesday	19 January 1966	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	20 January 1966	Robbie Basho
Friday	21 January 1966	David Lindley	David Lindley (misspelled Lindly on the January calendar as David Lindly) was the guitarist/violinist/banjoist/anything-with-strings-ist who went to form Kaleidoscope with Solomon Feldthouse. He became well known in the 70s accompanying Jackson Browne. For the current adventures of the unique Mr. Dave, investigate www.davidlindley.com. Advertised as playing "harp-guitar, bowed banjo and fingerpicked fiddle".
Saturday	22 January 1966	David Lindley
Sunday	23 January 1966	Hoot with Happenings
Monday	24 January 1966	Joe McDonald with poets, actors and musicians [VDC Benefit]
Tuesday	25 January 1966	Joe McDonald	Advertised as "Author of the Vietnam Rag"
Wednesday	26 January 1966	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	27 January 1966	Robbie Basho	Delta Blues and Creole Dances
Friday	28 January 1966	David and Tina Meltzer	David Meltzer was a poet and writer who was part of the younger generation of Beats, which made him a few years older than the hippies. He was also a singer and songwriter with his wife Tina, and they would form the group Serpent Power, which released two albums on Vanguard.
Saturday	29 January 1966	David and Tina Meltzer	"Bluegrass and Folk-Rock"
Sunday	30 January 1966	Hoot with Happenings	Advertised as "The all time finest Hoot"
Monday	31 January 1966	"Congress of Wonders" by Open Theater, "Conversations from Jail" by Steve Weissman, Robbie Basho, Mike Rossman and Jerry Abrams, Joe McDonald [VDC Benefit]	Mike Rossman was a member of the Free Speech Movement Steering Committee who carried the "Free Speech" banner with fellow Steering Committee member Ron Anastasi at the November 20, 1965 Peace March. Mario Savio walked beside Rossman. Jerry Abrams was to become an independent film maker, most notably producing the 1967 seven minute short “Be-In” which captured the spirit and essence of the San Francisco Human Be-In of January 14, 1967, but was strangely set to the music of Blue Cheer. Later films included Eyetoon, Lotus Wing and Mainstream. Within a year Abrams would form his psychedelic light show “Headlights” and be performing around Berkeley before moving over the bridge to the San Francisco Ballrooms.
Wednesday	02 February 1966	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier
Thursday	03 February 1966	Robbie Basho
Friday	04 February 1966	Lee Underwood, The Congress of Wonders (reading the Works of John Lennon and Allen Ginsberg)	Esoteric Urban Blues.
Saturday	05 February 1966	Lee Underwood, The Congress of Wonders (reading the Works of John Lennon and Allen Ginsberg)	The Congress of Wonders had been "imported at great expense from College Avenue".
Sunday	06 February 1966	Hoot
Monday	07 February 1966	Escalators, Poetry readings by Mathew Zion, Thanasis Maskaleris, David Cole [VDC Benefit]
Tuesday	08 February 1966	Country Joe and The Fish
Wednesday	09 February 1966	Barry Olivier and the Singers Circle
Thursday	10 February 1966	Robbie Basho
Friday	11 February 1966	Dan Crary	Dan Crary is a flatpicking guitarist. Crary was at this time a Theology Student at the Golden Gate Seminary in San Francisco. He was already an accomplished steel-string guitarist, but since he was born in Kansas, he was largely self-taught. Ultimately, he went to another seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and in the South he joined a bluegrass group called The Bluegrass Alliance. In 1970, Crary released what is considered to be the first bluegrass album featuring guitar as the lead instrument, the excellent Bluegrass Guitar on American Heritage Records (ultimately re-released on Sugar Hill and well worth getting). Further distinguishing himself from the bohemian dropout world of folk music, Crary got his PhD and became a tenured Professor of Communications at Cal State Fullerton outside of Los Angeles. He'd fit in his professional music career on weekends and during the summer. In subsequent years, acknowledgement of Crary’s talent grew well beyond bluegrass circles, and he released many fine albums. He recently retired from his academic career (after 30-something years) but fortunately has continued music full time. He also played with Byron Berline & Sundance.
Saturday	12 February 1966	Dan Crary	The poster introduces this "superlative country musician from Oklahoma City" with a quotation from the Nashville Panjandumonium: "finest country guitar pickin' we've heard in a long time".
Sunday	13 February 1966	Hoot
Monday	14 February 1966	Country Joe and the Fish [VDC Benefit]	"VDC" refers to the Vietnam Day Committee, an anti-war organization.
Tuesday	15 February 1966	Country Joe and the Fish	This may well have been just Joe McDonald and Barry Melton appearing as an acoustic duo.
Wednesday	16 February 1966	Barry Olivier and the Folk
Thursday	17 February 1966	Robbie Basho
Friday	18 February 1966	Sweets Mill Mountain Boys	The flyer says "Old Time Country Band from Fresno".
Saturday	19 February 1966	Sweets Mill Mountain Boys
Sunday	20 February 1966	Hoot: Frank Powell, Sandy Rothman, Jerry Foster, Phil Greenberg, Ken Spiker and (probably) Barry Melton	A Campbell Coe photo has Rothman and Foster playing as a duo. The photo is dated February 20, 1966. There is also a photo of Frank Powell (an African-American playing solo guitar) that appears to be taken the same night.
Monday	21 February 1966	Matthew Zion, Thanasis Maskaleris and Loewin Sohn (all poetry readings), "Conversations from Jail" by Steve Weissman, Dan Paik, John Shine [VDC Benefit]
Tuesday	22 February 1966	Country Joe and the Fish
Wednesday	23 February 1966	The Singers' Circle with Barry Olivier	Bill Ehlert and Bill Tolman busted for possession of pot. They we arraigned and bail was reduced from $3300 to $1100. Their lawyer wqas Peter Franck.
Thursday	24 February 1966	Robbie Basho, Reverend Gary Davis	According to Phil Greenberg, the Reverend played an informal set at The Jabberwock at about 1:00 am the night before the Little Theater show.
Friday	25 February 1966	Wry Catchers, Ale Ekstrum, Country Joe and the Fish, Paul Armstrong, Dan Paik. Unscheduled, Rev Gary Davis plays (drunk) at the Jabberwock	Benefit to raise the $1100 bail for Bill Ehlert and Bill Tolman who were busted for possession of pot on February 23 and were being held at Santa Rita County Prison. Unscheduled, Reverend Gary Davis plays (drunk on Seagram's 7 with peppermint candy) at the Jabberwock. The Reverend Gary Davis had played earlier in the evening at the Little Theater, Berkeley (Florence Schwimly Little Theatre) in a show presented by "Brillig" - a front group for the Jabberwock. Whilst visiting Berkeley, the Reverend stayed with members of Country Joe and the Fish in Mrs Sherrill's adjacent apartment building on Russell Street. Barry Melton recalls the visit of the good Reverend. "In the early days of Country Joe and the Fish, me and most of other guys in the band lived next door to "The Jabberwock," a folk music nightclub in Berkeley. The club was owned by a big, friendly guy named Bill "Jolly Blue" Ehlert. The Jabberwock was only a postage-stamp sized place, so when Jolly Blue got an offer to do a Reverend Gary Davis show, he decided to promote it in the Berkeley Community Theatre. We were all in awe of "Rev" and it was decided that while he was in Berkeley, he would stay in our house. I remember he stayed there several days, as we sat about the kitchen playing music hour by hour. I think he'd played the "Ash Grove" down in L.A. and had dead time between playing there and playing in Berkeley--this was in late 1966 or early 1967. And, by the way, Easy Ed's quote from Jerry Garcia expressing the belief that Rev had nothing to do with San Francisco psychedelia is stone wrong. The Rev DID participate in the psychedelic aspect of the San Francisco scene, at least to a limited degree while staying at our house. Because I was the band's lead guitar player and--I believe--the guy in the band most in awe of Rev, I surrendered my room and bed for Rev to stay in. Things were fine for the first few days he was there: We'd wait for him to get up in the morning, cook him breakfast, take him on whatever errands he had to do, etc., and sit around, smoke, and play music all day and into the night. It was easy to forget that Rev was blind as we sat around the kitchen table, listening to his songs and stories hour after hour. Then the night of the big concert came and, as was the long-standing musical custom, the Rev was paid in cash at the conclusion of the gig. He brought me with him to collect the money and made me read off the denomination of each bill was it was counted into his hand, and I remember him stashing the larger portion of his money into the sound hole of his Gibson J-200, while leaving some travelling money rolled up in his pockets. Well, the next morning I woke up and remember having to go into my room to get some clothes or something out of my chest of drawers. I was very quiet, as I could hear Rev snoring and didn't want to wake him. Well, I got whatever it was and I was headed toward the door when I heard in a commanding voice,"Don't move or you're dead!". I turned around to see Rev with a .38 revolver in his hand pointed in my general direction, but sort of moving around so as to cover a wider target area. I remember screaming something to the effect of, "No--don't shoot." Rev replied, "One wrong move and you're dead." Well, then I started talking a mile a minute..."Rev, it's me, it's Barry, don't shoot Rev...I was only getting something from my chest of drawers..." Finally, Rev said, "Is that you, Barry?" The incident was soon over, and I had escaped with me life. I guess, from his perspective, it must have been kind of weird to be alone, blind, on the road 3,000 miles from home and rooming with a bunch of lunatic young musicians many years his junior. But to this day, the picture of Reverend Gary Davis that sticks in my mind the most is early in the morning, half-awake and blind as a bat, with a .38 in his hand pointed in my general direction. It was one of the most frightening moments of my life. I'll never forget it."
Saturday	26 February 1966	Wry Catchers, Ale Ekstrum, Country Joe and the Fish, Paul Armstrong, Dan Paik	Benefit, replacing the scheduled Hoot, to raise the $1100 bail for Bill Ehlert and Bill Tolman who were busted for possession of pot on February 23 and were being held at Santa Rita County Prison.
Sunday	27 February 1966	Country Joe and the Fish, Paul Armstrong, Dan Paik and Others	Benefit to raise the $1100 bail for Bill Ehlert and Bill Tolman who were busted for possession of pot on February 23 and were being held at Santa Rita County Prison.
Monday	28 February 1966	Poetry Readings, Folk Music [VDC Benefit]
Tuesday	01 March 1966	Dan Paik	Advertised as Dan Paik sings "Inchon River Delta Blues".
Wednesday	02 March 1966	Dan Paik	Paik, an ex UCB student, would later go on to manage the Jabberwock for a short time.
Thursday	03 March 1966	The Congress of Wonders reading from the works of Shakespeare, Lord Buckley, John Lennon, Allen Ginsberg
Friday	04 March 1966	Country Joe and the Fish, Robbie Basho	The poster says “A Magnificent Double Bill.” Country Joe and The Fish are listed as “Rag Baby Recording Artists” and Basho as “hot new Takoma recording artist". Future Country Joe and The Fish manager ED Denson was the principal of both labels.
Saturday	05 March 1966	Country Joe and the Fish, Robbie Basho, Larry Hanks
Sunday	06 March 1966	Hoot with Larry Hanks and Jerusalem Slim, Paul Armstrong	Paul Armstrong would record with Country Joe and The Fish in their initial electric incarnation that appeared on their self-released 1966 EP. Armstrong lived, with other members of Country Joe and the Fish, in Mrs Sherrill's appartment house behind the Jabberwock.
Monday	07 March 1966	Closed
Tuesday	08 March 1966	Párra Ó Síocháin	Párra Ó Síocháin was a lutist and singer of traditional Irish songs.
Wednesday	09 March 1966	Párra Ó Síocháin
Thursday	10 March 1966	Congress of Wonders reading from the great poets of the ages	Congress of Wonders were a comedy/satire trio from Berkeley, initially from the UC Berkeley drama department and later part of Berkeley’s Open Theater on College Avenue, a prime spot for what were called “Happenings” (now ‘Performance Art’). The group performed at the Avalon and other rock venues. Ultimately a duo, Karl Truckload (Howard Kerr) and Winslow Thrill (Richard Rollins) created two Congress of Wonders albums on Fantasy, Revolting and Sophomoric. Earl Pillow (actually Wesley Hind) was the original third member. Reg E Williams has some photos of the Congress of Wonders at his web site.
Friday	11 March 1966	John Fahey	ED Denson noted of this weekend that Fahey played before overflowing crowds at the 'Wock and the problems that had plagued earlier performances, like poor sound systems and drunkeness were overcome this time; and John seems to be feeling more at ease on stage. He only spoke 5 words, and played well.
Saturday	12 March 1966	John Fahey
Sunday	13 March 1966	Hoot, Lee Underwood	Lee Underwood was a folk guitarist who went on to play with Tim Buckley.
Monday	14 March 1966	Closed
Tuesday	15 March 1966	Blind Ebbets Field (Barry Melton)	A solo appearance from "the world's formost Husdon River Delta Blues singer".
Wednesday	16 March 1966	Ron Chinn - flamenco	Ron Chinn was a flamenco guitarist and notably, appeared with Los Flemencos de la Bodegas, who were regulars at the 40 Cedar Alley Coffeehouse in San Francisco.
Thursday	17 March 1966	Ron Chinn - flamenco
Friday	18 March 1966	Skip James [see ED Denson story in Barb of March 25]	Skip James, a legendary bluesman from the 30s and 40s, had recently been rediscovered by John Fahey. His song “I’m So Glad” was made famous by Cream a few years later, and they opened their 2005 Albert Hall reunion playing it. From ED Denson's column (The Folk Scene) in the March 25, 1966 issue of the Berkeley Barb: Skip's first evening at the Jabberwock last weekend was grim. He awoke Friday morning with no sensation in his left hand, and while he could still move it he was unable to feel which strings his fingers were on, as we discovered in the afternoon while taping an interview for KPFA. For several painful hours he struggled in the studio with the guitar the Newport Folk Festival gave him, tuning and retuning, restringing and trying to believe the instrument was failing him. When he returned to the house he played constantly until 8 p.m. when a hurried consultation with Jabberwock owner Bill Ehlert resulted in the decision that he should go on anyway. As the evening progressed he began to regain feeling in his hand and his playing improved, but he still made many mistakes, despite his efforts to cover up by playing simple things, and his fine singing. To make matters worse he Ehlert left the club, as he often does, during the second set and no one turned on the mike for the first two numbers of the third. Ehlert was still gone when Skip came off, tense and worn by the ordeal, and no one knew if or when he would get paid.
Saturday	19 March 1966	Skip James, Pete Van Hook	ED Denson's review continues in the March 25, 1966 issue of the Berkeley Barb: Saturday evening found his hand much improved, and he was altho venture into much of pyrotechnics which are his speciality. He was still making several mistakes a song, but he was much happier and the room was lit by occasional flashes as the guitarists in the audience realized what was almost happening. At the end of the second set he announced that Pete Van Hook ... was going to do a guest set.
Sunday	20 March 1966	Hoot with Paul Armstrong	Paul Armstrong was a member of the Instant Action Jug Band and was the bass player for Country Joe and the Fish through July 1966.
Monday	21 March 1966	Closed
Tuesday	22 March 1966	Blind Ebbets Field (Barry Melton)
Wednesday	23 March 1966	Robbie Basho	The "Takoma Recording Great"
Thursday	24 March 1966	Robbie Basho
Friday	25 March 1966	Jean Redpath	Scots Ballad Sinder and Elektra Recording Artist.
Saturday	26 March 1966	Jean Redpath
Sunday	27 March 1966	Hoot with John Fahey	Benefit for Jabberwock Legal Defense Fund
Monday	28 March 1966	John Fahey	Benefit for Jabberwock Legal Defense Fund
Tuesday	29 March 1966	John Shine	John Shine was a very good guitar player/singer who played for a while with Alice Stuart. It is reported that he gave up playing.
Wednesday	30 March 1966	John Shine
Thursday	31 March 1966	William Halperin, James Gibson	Poetry (Haleperin) and Jazz (Gibson) accompanyment.
Friday	01 April 1966	Sweets Mill Mountain Boys	"The Triumphant Return of the Sweets Mill Mountain Boys" from Fresno, CA.
Saturday	02 April 1966	Sweets Mill Mountain Boys
Sunday	03 April 1966	Hoot with Jerusalem Slim MC	"Jerusalem Slim" is almost certainly a Nom Du Folk for Larry Hanks.
Tuesday	05 April 1966	Larry Hanks sings "Woody Guthrie Songs and Ballads"	Advertised as Hanks singing "Woody Guthrie Songs and Ballads".
Wednesday	06 April 1966	Larry Hanks sings "Woody Guthrie Songs and Ballads"
Thursday	07 April 1966	Closed
Friday	08 April 1966	David and Tina Meltzer, Dan Paik, Greg Lasser	David Meltzer was primarily a Beat Poet, but he also played folk music. He would end leading the group Serpent Power, who released a rock album in 1967 on Vanguard. He subsequently dropped his music career and focused on writing, and he has since published many works. Dan Paik was a sometime member of The Instant Action Jug Band, andplayed "folk-blues" as a solo artist. Greg Lasser was a pedal steel guitar and banjo player who latterly worked on the maintenance and repair of the instruments. This show advertised "with the magnificent banjo of Greg Lasser (played by himself)".
Saturday	09 April 1966	David and Tina Meltzer, Dan Paik, Greg Lasser