MAINE EARLY ISLAND PARTY JAMS 2025

Many of us arrive before the weekend of the Island Party, and so the music begins well before the major events take place. Most of these extraordinary Early Jams were located on and around Captain Dave’s porch, and the rest, at the big fire pit by the Clubhouse.

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 hadn’t seen each other, much less played with each other, for at least a year. It’s all improvised, a Jam, not a Performance, 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, 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 really 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




08 Kinky Reggae

09 Leave The Trombone Alone

MAINE EVENT 2025 FRIDAY ISLAND PARTY JAMS

This year, the Friday jams we were fortunate to capture started at the fire pit by the Clubhouse in the daylight before dinner, then went well into the night around a raging campfire.

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, 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’


05 Juanita

07 Dance Baby Dance (Flamenco Style)

03 Irish Washerwoman

01 St Anne's Reel

06 Nita Juanita

08 Take This Hammer

02 Drunken Sailor

04 Julia Delaney's Reel

MAINE 2025 ISLAND PARTY  SATURDAY NIGHT  SILENT STAGE THEATER SHOW

Every year on Saturday night of the Island Party, Captain Dave sponsors, inspires, and organizes an event on a stage he and volunteers built in a natural amphitheater behind his log cabin with benches for the audience and a proscenium stage (classical stage with a curtain). Unlike our other musical events, this one is a performance, not a jam, but with very little, if any rehearsal, due to time constraints. The acts include music, puppet shows (most puppet shows not included here), and and story readings. The energy, initiative, and talent of the participants and volunteers, who put this all together in hours, led by Dave and “Co-Executive Producer”, Channing, are staggering.

I am recording the sound, not at the lip of the stage, to give the clearest audio, but well into the center of the audience, so as not to be in the way of others, but also to give the listener the audio experience of what it’s like to be actually sitting in that very audience, with the occasional baby squeals, coughs, dog barks, and comments, that you just filter out, in any audience. Also my position enables me to include the audience sing alongs, that make many of these tracks so special. 

This is all recorded in stereo with two microphones, similar to what you’ve got on your head, two ears, so it 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. If you listen in true stereo, I can take you right into the audience there with me.

Perhaps this album hearkens back to the days of radio, comedy LP records, and Firesign Theatre, and I know that’s way too old fashioned, but you can also see it as a unique experience in this modern world of endless video. 

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 on Soundcloud

02 I Think I'm An Alright Guy

Mikethemikeman

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