Bluegrass boogie at the Silver Lake Mall

By DEVIN WEEKS

Staff Writer

COEUR d’ALENE — The jingle of a tambourine and the deep notes of a standup bass can be heard just after entering the Silver Lake Mall on a Friday night.

Walk a little closer to the center court and the sounds of happy banjos and smooth guitars become clearer. Voices begin to lift above the music, singing about trains that roll past houses, farms and fields and moons that shine blue over Kentucky.

"When you sing, that is a window into your soul," said musician Dan Howard of Post Falls. "That's the way I think of it when I hear someone sing. The human voice is the most beautiful instrument on Earth. When people sing, they’re putting their whole self into their song. At the mall, you get to hear these people sing, and you think, 'That’s absolutely beautiful.'"

Silver Lake's acoustic-friendly atmosphere is the perfect place for players of acoustic instruments to get together once a week and share their love of music with the community.

During the Friday Jamfests, people of all ages and musical appetites can mosey through and enjoy a free show as up to 30 local musicians with a penchant for performance jam with fiddles, harp guitars, mandolins, ukuleles and more.

"It's a way to relax after a whole week of stress," said Ray Writz of Coeur d'Alene, who regularly attends the sessions with his wife. "I like country and Western, bluegrass, gospel, a little Beach Boys, a good mix."

The Jamfests themselves are a good mix of people and styles; while bluegrass is popular among this group, the songs can be anything from contemporary country to old school blues, and many of them are original.

One Jamfest regular summed it up in a song he wrote just for the group:

"We all get together on Friday nights to share some great music and have a good time. Everybody’s got a song they like to do, we’ve got bluegrass, rock, jazz and country too at the Silver Lake boogie. We do the Silver Lake Mall boogie. It doesn’t matter if you play or sing, just come join in, once you’ve been here one time, you want to come back again — the Silver Lake Mall boogie."

This easygoing, family-friendly event started five years ago when organizer Ray Tapia wanted to create a jam session for local players of all skill levels. He discovered the community room in the mall and soon had to request the center court because the group so quickly expanded and outgrew the space.

“Musicians always look for a place to play. They’re always looking for a place to jam,” he said. "We don’t advertise. As we all know, word of mouth is the best. Some of these musicians have just heard about it and showed up."

Howard, a longtime guitar player and the owner of All Star Guitars in Post Falls, was one of the first musicians to get involved when the group formed. He said the musicians are supportive of one another and create a seamless flow when they're together.

"It’s organic. It's like a garden," he said. "If one person can't make it, another person slips right in and will play. The show just goes on."

The Jamfest jammers have built friendships through the years and go out for a meal after their sessions are done. Some have even gone on camping trips, instruments in tow.

“They’ll play to midnight, and at 8 in the morning, they’re starting up again," Tapia said, smiling ear to ear.

Silver Lake Mall general manager Grove Ayers said that engaging the local community through this musical group is right in line with the mall's purpose.

"Ray and his group do just that," he said. "These are local folks who love their music and want to share it. We want to share that, too. This music adds another way for us to connect to the community, to bring people together."

If people want to join, all they have to do is bring an instrument and bring a chair. If they just want to sing, Tapia welcomes them to chat with him ahead of the session, which usually goes from about 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Friday, so he can coordinate them with a musician to accompany their vocals.

People can join in once, come every once in a while or make it a Friday night tradition.

"The biggest word that I’ve gotten from a lot of people is ‘community,’” Tapia said. "They feel they’re a part of something. They’re enjoying their music and they’re a part of something. ‘Community’ has really been brought to the forefront for me."

The Jamfest is celebrating its 5-year anniversary during a special event Friday, Feb. 16 from 5 to 8:45 p.m. The community is welcome to enjoy the music, check out vendor booths and bring a potluck dish to share.