Apr 16 2007
Jim Wall, well-known Cleveland drummer who performs with Michael Bay and The Bad Boys of Blues and with Walkin' Cane, is touring with the Arizona production of Love, Janis. Told through personal letters and interviews, it's the hit musical based on the life of Janis Joplin. I caught up with Jim via telephone while he was packing for the second leg of the tour in Phoenix. The show just wrapped-up in Tucson.
How were you chosen as a drummer for the Arizona production?
"Ben Nieves and other Cleveland musicians did the performance when it was in Cleveland. Through that he worked with Big Brother and the Holding Company. Sam Andrew was a guitarist with Big Brother and the only one Janis took with her when she left the band. He is the musical director of this production. Big Brother needed a drummer for a gig in Buffalo. I met with Sam for ten minutes and then played the gig. Later they offered me this."
How long is the tour?
"It's going until the 20th of May in Phoenix, but it might be expanded until the 27th. Pretty much every show we've done in Tucson was sold-out. I got here on March 12th and my first performance was around March 17."
What's the best part of performing in this?
"The best part...it's really nice to play outside of bars. I like playing in bars and people should be able to hear music anywhere they want, but it's really rewarding to have 650 to 700 people standing up and screaming at the end of a performance (of the show). That's a really great part."
What's more challenging to you personally - playing with the Bad Boys of Blues and other Cleveland bands or doing this gig?
"I think doing this show is more challenging because so much depends on doing it right. The audience paid $50 to be in those seats and they're all focused on you. My thing is I try to please the members of the band and make sure I do it right. Don't want to embarrass anyone (laughs)."
What's the worst part of playing a show like this?
"The worst part for me is that you have to hit it right on. When you're playing a regular gig you play song after song. With this you have to nail stuff with long breaks in between. We play the same 17 songs with this. It's mostly in chronological order (of Janis' career). But there's a lot of freedom in this. Randal Myler, the playwright, has also written one of these plays about Hank Williams and one on the blues in general. He's a really popular playwright and having a great deal of success."
"The show's based on letters Janis wrote home to her parents and family. In fact, we just had dinner at (her brother) Michael Joplin's house. He and his sister Laura are very supportive of the show. He has a room filled to the brim with Janis' stuff. Everything from letters, reel to reel tapes, eight tracks, never released stuff, and catalogued memorabilia. It was fantastic."
Would you do this again?
"I'd do it again, probably. Think it would depend on what was going on at home. I'd appreciate just being offered it again. No drummer has been hired back. No musician other than the lead guitar, bass player and the people playing the role of Janis have. There's a speaking Janis. She's played by Marisa Ryan who has been in a lot of other things. Two people do the singing part, alternating performances. They have amazing voices."
When do you return to Ohio?
"I'll be back at the end of May. Plan on getting back into the swing of things right away when I come back."
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When he's not touring, Jim Wall can be seen every Wednesday night at the Parkview Nite Club and Thursdays at Savannah Bar and Grille with Michael Bay and The Bad Boys of Blues.
Walkin' Cane also has a new CD coming out in summer/fall of 2007, titled "Murder of a Blues Singer." The CD features the Walkin' Cane Band, Colin Dussault, Eroc Sosinski & the Prayer Warriors. There are eight originals and a version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" and Johnson/Lockwood's "Ramblin' On My Mind."
