Since 2010, Hat City Kitchen has been a mainstay of food and music, serving as a communal gathering hub in the Valley Arts District of the City of Orange. Over the years, the space has attracted a faithful local and regional following. While the venue temporarily closed its doors in July, Hat City is about to relaunch under an impressive duo of new owners.
Al Gold was asked to bring his band in to back Blues jammers that might come by on Sunday Afternoons by Larry West in the winter of 2010, (the original manager of HCK and Leslie’s West’s brother and member of the Vagrants from NYC). Al based his jam on the one that he used to attend in Chicago run by Homesick James Williamson (also a Sunday Afternoon jam rather than a weekday evening). Now in their 12th year together as the Blues Jam Afternoons House Band at Hat City Kitchen, you can catch this group on Sunday Afternoons, backing all manner of aspiring to touring professional Blues artists that pass through the doors.
This has been the same house band for all these years, something Al’s particularly proud of. That and the fact that the musicians are a very supportive group, hosting both professionals and beginners alike. The end result is that the listeners get quality music with each group of jammers, rather than a directionless free for all that can occur at some jams
Since COVID, fear and an unwillingness to be inside has brought this venerable jam to where it has now become a once a month session, with the hopes that as the COVID thing gets figured out, more will come out. Next Blues Jam Afternoons will take place on October 10th from 3PM. Come on out and meet new musicians, play some blues and most importantly, support this great jam!