Warren Haynes 16th Annual Christmas Jam (2004)

Civic Center, Asheville, North Carolina USA, December 18, 2004. Introducing Warren Haynes to a sold-out Civic Center crowd, Asheville, N.C.'s mayor, Charles Worley, had run out of tributes. Two years ago at the annual Haynes Christmas Jam he presented Asheville's best-known native son since Thomas Wolfe with the keys to the city, while the 2003 concert brought an official proclamation of "Warren Haynes Day." Short of erecting a likeness of Haynes alongside statues of Civil War heroes-a veritable guns 'n' guitars brigade-about all the mayor could do was offer Haynes a heartfelt thank-you for returning year after year to put on this mega-band blowout, whose proceeds benefit Asheville's Habitat For Humanity chapter (to date, more than $250,000 has been raised by the concert). The massive roar that echoed off the arena walls suggested that the audience shared Worley's sentiments. On that note, the festivities commenced, with Haynes performing luminous acoustic versions of Van Morrison's "Ballerina" and his own "Beautifully Broken." From modest home-grown origins the Haynes Jam has evolved into a mini-Bonnaroo that draws fans from all corners of the country. That night they were privy to sets from Galactic, Jorma Kaukonen, Little Feat, Edwin McCain, Living Colour, the Neville Brothers and Haynes' Gov't Mule. Not to mention a slew of guest spots and a midshow acoustic segment highlighted by a pairing of harp legend Charlie Musselwhite and guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart. Indeed, the unexpected onstage collaborations that unfolded have become the Jam's enduring calling card. By the time exhausted punters staggered out nine hours later at 4 a.m., some jaw-dropping moments had gone down, from Blues Traveler's John Popper blowing harmonica during the Nevilles' reworking of the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" to Haynes and Popper joining Living Colour for a free-form tour de force of Hendrix's "Crosstown Traffic," to Haynes, Ivan Neville and jazz saxophonist Ron Holloway-all native Southerners-putting some extra Dixie in Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken." The true spirit of the Jam is perhaps best personified by the ad hoc supergroup fronted by guitarist Kaukonen. Along with mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff, Derek Trucks Band percussionist Yonrico Scott, Mule drummer Matt Abts and Widespread Panic bassist Dave School, Kaukonen slammed out electric blues to rival his Hot Tuna heyday. When Musselwhite and Haynes came out for "Baby What You Want Me to Do" the ensemble blew the whole roof off the sucka. Backstage during the concert Haynes frequently popped in to play the genial host to musicians, guests and members of the extended Haynes family clan. (Early in the evening he introduced from the stage his dad and the father of late Gov't Mule bassist Allen Woody.) Matt Abts wandered around grinning like a kid who'd received an early visit from Santa Claus, Col. Bruce Hampton had his hands rubbed by a comely, young licensed masseuse, and John Popper pointedly offered Harp his take on Haynes' collaborative prowess: "It's like he can walk into any musical situation, open up his briefcase, and say, 'Let's get to work.'" No shit. A few minutes later I observed Haynes being cornered by Living Colour's Corey Glover and Vernon Reid; within 30 seconds they had worked out chord changes for the Hendrix number. It wouldn't have been a Jam without a pre-Jam jam, so, the previous evening at Asheville's Orange Peel club, before an invite-only audience of about 700 people, Haynes and Co. played scaled-back sets broadcast live over local radio station WNCW-FM. Highlights included a mostly-instrumental set of hard funk from the Nevilles and acoustic blues by Kaukonen. With impromptu team-ups also the rule-the five-hour show ended with the Mule, Ivan Neville, Kevn Kinney and Dave Schools tackling the Neil Young warhorse "Rockin' in the Free World"-those of us in attendance at this intimate event were literally pinching ourselves at our good fortune. Verily, a weekend in the western Carolina mountains to remember.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124024331/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part01.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124024565/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part02.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 3):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124024896/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part03.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 4):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124025071/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part04.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 5):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124025130/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part05.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 6):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124025285/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part06.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 7):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124025263/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part07.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 8):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124025317/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part08.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 9):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124025347/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part09.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 10):

http://rapidshare.com/files/124015334/2004_-_Warren_Haynes_16th_Annual_Christmas_Jam__2004-12-18.part10.rar.html