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MAINE 2025 SATURDAY AFTERNOON ISLAND PARTY JAMS

This year on Saturday we started a jam early around the cold ash pit by the clubhouse. You can’t imagine the ear to ear smile on the face of this old sound man, hearing the music you’re about to hear, through my headphones, doing the thing I most love to do, surrounded by my dear friends of as much as 30 years, and their children and children’s children, singing and playing this extraordinary music. We’re doing this, not in a studio, but in the middle of a party, so  anything can happen, but, every once in a while, everything works out perfect.

This music was recorded in August 2025, on an island in the middle of a big lake in Northwest Maine, where we’ve been gathering, thanks to the Loons, for decades. Many of these friends, musicians, and singers from Maine and from all over the country and abroad, hadn’t seen each other, much less played with each other, for at least a year. It’s all improvisation, Jams, not Performances, with no prior Rehearsals or Song Lists, so this is as real as it gets.

This album is arranged in the actual order in which the music was played, minus the many out-takes, but, when it’s all done, it seems I couldn’t have thought of a better order. The music is all acoustic Americana, though it ranges all over the place, from Bluegrass to Jazz to Folk to Country to Rock to Reggae, (and this album also includes Musical Comedy) but it really works as an organic album, and that’s big for people like me, who still appreciate albums.

Sounds best, like you’re right on that island in Maine partying with us, when played on a good stereo with two separated speakers, left and right, or on a headset, or, one of my favorites, on a car stereo, so that this stereo recording will actually sound three-dimensional. You can hear the location of each instrument and singer. More than ever before, I was able to immerse myself (and my stereo pair of mics) into the belly of the music, literally surrounded by the musicians, the instruments, voices, and harmonies, so that, if you listen in true stereo, I can take you right in there with me.

On some songs, there’s a little too much chatter, but when you’re actually at a campfire, and people are talking, laughing, and partying, you filter that out, and the only thing you hear is the music. Crank it up, and let your imagination take you there, and enjoy. It’ll surprise you.

Recorded, edited, and mastered by
Mike Berliner, aka Mikethemikeman


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