Webster Street Jam a Showcase for Hometown Talent

Lorrie Murray, the booking agent for the upcoming 10th Annual Webster Street Jam, purposely set out to recruit more local acts for this year's popular street festival.  

Her word-of-mouth pitch to the close-knit island music community seems to have paid off.   

Sixteen of the 21 acts booked to perform at the Sept. 10 and 11 event are from Alameda and Murray predicts all of them will wow street fair crowds.

“You could almost call it 'Alameda’s Got Talent' this year,” she said.

Murray began listening to prospective performers’ audition tracks in May. She said she was floored by the amount of local talent — she had far more bands apply than could be squeezed into the fair's two-day schedule.

Gregg Cevallos is a member of Spill the Wine, which will perform on the first afternoon of the Jam. He too was surprised by the local music scene when he moved to the Island after living in San Francisco. “There are an amazing number of serious musicians here,” he said. 

Spill the Wine is a self-described “dad band” — most of its seven members are fathers with day jobs, although there's a woman vocalist, Kelly Gray McIntyre. The band plays a mixture of funk, soul and dance music.

“We have only been together a year and a half, but have spent hundreds of hours practicing,” Cevallos said. “We’re all pretty enthused that our kids can see us perform at this family-friendly venue.”

This year's Jam is expected to attract the usual 20,000 to 30,000 attendees. There will be two stages, one at Central Avenue and the other at Lincoln. Wine, food and art will be for sale. A kids' area will be set up both days.

The West Alameda Business Association, WABA, has hired Murray for the past four years to produce music for the Jam and . She is an experienced performer, producer, promoter and stage manager who used to book acts for the Stork Club in downtown Oakland. 

Now, when she is not gearing up for WABA events, she runs a T-shirt printing business and is the former PTA president at her children's elementary school. 

Murray said this year’s line-up includes a diverse cross section of musical styles. “We try to really mix it up,” she said. “If people don’t like what they hear at any given moment, they know an act more to their taste will soon take the stage.” It's a little bit Woodstock, hip urban club scene and Branson, MO, rolled into one. 

The event is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.

Here is the stage schedule:

Saturday, Sept. 10

Webster & Central Avenue Stage

10:30-11:30 a.m., CR Saikley, accoustic guitar soloist

Noon-1 p.m., West of High, rock

1:30-2:30 p.m., Old Stock, classic rock

3-4 p.m., Spill the Wine, funk, soul, dance

4:30-5:30 p.m., Steve's Garage, classic rock

Webster and Lincoln Avenue Stage

10:45-11:45 a.m., Alameda Poets, poetry

12:15-2:45 p.m., Cowboy Jared Jam Band, kid favorite 

1:45-2:15 p.m., Sam Johnson, pop singer and songwriter

2:20-2:50 p.m., Cougar Cadet Corps, drumming

3:15-4:30 p.m., Tres Hombres/Dren McDonald, a ZZ Top cover band

5:30-7 p.m., Who Too, a The Who tribute band

Sunday, Sept 11

Lincoln Stage

10:30-11:30 a.m., Bobby A (Bobby Archuleta), mix oldies, R&B

Noon-1 p.m., Spirits in the Basement, hip hop, jam band

1:30-2:30 p.m., Foggy Gulch, American bluegrass

3-4 p.m., Daniel Popsicle, jazz ensemble

4:30-5:30 p.m., Night of the Living Blues, R&B, oldies, funk

Central Avenue Stage

11 a.m.-noon, Laciak, mix of Latin, jazz, rock

12:30-1:30 p.m., Earl J. Rivard, singer, songwriter, troubadour

2-3 p.m., Loretta Lynch, country-power ballads

3:30-4:30 p.m., Laurent Fourgo & Combo, '50s and '60s rock

4:45 p.m.-6 p.m., The Retromaniax, '80s hits