Java Jam Ft. The Outsiders
The monthly Java Jam is this Friday, August 23, 6-9 pm, Milam Street Coffee, Wharton. Special guests are The Outsiders Band. Bring a covered dish with a little extra to share and $15 per person cover charge (kids free) to enjoy Wharton’s most unique dining/live music venue. Come early and stake out your spot but please share tables as there is usually a full house. OK to bring your own wine. See www.milamstcoffee.com for directions and more venue information.
The Outsiders is a band
that is made up of 5 members, performing songs from Blackberry Smoke, Willie
Nelson, Dwight Yoakum, Shooter Jennings to the Eagles, B.B. King, Tom Petty and
others.
Band members are
Rick Work, guitar; Jenifer Work, keyboards; Tony Spenneberg, guitar; Elena
Silva, bass; and Ron Sanders, drums.
Rick and Jenifer
Work of Van Vleck have been involved with music much of their lives. Recently
they have performed in the area as "AKA The Hatters" band. They
now play in "The Outsiders" band at local clubs and for private
events.
Jenifer’s musical journey began with marching band in high school. Rick’s journey began with the garage band movement of the late ’60s. “Today we enjoy rock, country and blues,” he said.
Spenneberg, from Sweeny,
comes from a musical family. His Filipino mother taught herself how to
play classical piano and his father was a country musician. Three older brothers and two
sisters have all played an instrument.
Tony plays guitar, piano,
bass, drums, mandolin, harmonica and kazoo (lol). Tony has played with
various area bands over the years, including Detour, Stevie D and Triple Play,
After Hours, and Steel Country.
At a very early age, Silva, from
Wharton, started playing piano. After a few years of piano lessons, she decided
that she wanted to learn how to play the guitar. After having a few guitar
lessons, her family quickly realized that she had a special talent that needed
to be shared with others. Around the age of 13, Silva had the desire to learn
how to play bass. Her grandfather asked his friend C.J. Kearney, a well-known
bassist to help teach his granddaughter. When Silva was still in high school,
she was asked to play rhythm guitar for the Java Jam band. Silva is now a
Junior Mass Communication major at East Texas Baptist University, where she is
active with various university bands and ensembles.
Sanders started playing drums at age 9, mentored by two professional jazz drummers in his hometown of Philadelphia. He played original music — mostly, however, in garages and basements — all through his school years. After moving to Texas, he played with Sam Cunningham from Bay City and a band called No Limit, among other musical groups. He has been the drummer of the Java Jam Band since inception.
Many thanks to our local sponsor
for this month, Kapeesh Marketing. Check out their services at www.kapeeshllc.com
and/or Facebook.
