Mountain Jam

Prompt #39 by The Allman Brothers Band

Alright gang, this is the format going forward:

The prompts run Tuesday to Monday at midnight. Nothing changes there, I’m only changing how it’s all sent out.

The newsletter will be published on Tuesday mornings. And the Headliner Submission will be sent out to subscribers on Tuesday as well. The newsletter and prompt will be available to readers and writers all week long, then will be sent to subscribers after the deadline expires(12:01am EST on Tuesday).

How would you like to pick our prompt? Find out how to join our revolving list of Headliners here.

That’s right! From now on you’ll get a surprise Headliner’s Submission delivered right into you inbox each week, effectively announcing that week’s song prompt! And when you do receive the newsletter, it’ll be loaded with stories!

Stories from the Jukebox is a writing group and a community publication. It’s all about sharing your stories, inspired by song. Visual and Musical artists are invited to submit as well.

Week #38 Feature🏆

The Week #38 Feature goes to Bill Ferguson 🇨🇦, for his short story submission titled, The Blue Clematis. Bill really hit the theme head on.

It’s a great story! That Damien is a real piece of work. But will Suzie come to her senses?

He punctured Suzie’s heart with his knife and walked away like it meant nothing and he had better things to do. The door closed and the bell rang.

Suzie blinked. “He rarely gives me flowers. They come from somewhere but not from my flower shop.”

“What does a blue flower mean?”

“Love and deep trust.” She looked a bit confused…

The Blue Clematis

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Here’s this week’s prompt, Mountain Jam, by The Allman Brothers Band!

“Mountain Jam” is a classic extended instrumental jam by the Allman Brothers Band. It’s one of their most iconic live pieces — famous for its improvisational nature and Southern rock/jam band energy.

Performed throughout the group's career, “Mountain Jam” was first released in 1972 on the album Eat a Peach, as recorded at the Fillmore East concert hall in March 1971 — the same sessions that produced their prior live double album, At Fillmore East.

When the song debuted at Macon’s Central City Park on May 4, 1969, it was just twelve minutes long. But in less than a year, the song had morphed into an over thirty minute jam that included multiple movements and solos from all six members.

“Mountain Jam” is a masterwork of momentary composition. The six musicians created an entirely new song from Donovan’s simple song, a fully improvised jam with multiple movements and solos from each band member, including a drum duet between Trucks and Jaimoe. Berry Oakley transitions the drum/bass jam to a thundering cadence of notes, Duane, Dickey, and Gregg join back in, the next five minutes are some of the finest musical communication the Allman Brothers Band ever recorded. They are so in sync, the result sounds less like improvisation and and more like a classical music ensemble. Listening almost feels like eavesdropping on an intense conversation; the music sounds that intimate.

“Mountain Jam” is how the Allmans closed their three-night run at Fillmore East in March 1971. Duane’s outro solo included the Carter Family standard “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” as the song wound down. -Long Live the ABB(Dr. Bob Beatty)

Hey Bob, I can’t seem to find a live video recording of the ABB playing Mountain Jam. Do you know of one?

Bob replied, More Mountain Jam you say? You’ve opened Pandora’s Box 🍄!

Love Valley June 1970, the only video we have. Audio synced to silent film footage.

Mountain Jam begins just after the 10min mark.

Calling all Poets, Fiction, or Non-Fiction writers that love music — Share your prose of 1500 words or less, using the prompt, Mountain Jam.

Remember:

• Each Tuesday I’ll publish a newsletter with that week’s song prompt — along with a featured writer’s submission from the previous week.

• Anyone is then free to run with it! Just add the link to your story or prose in the comments of this newsletter.

• Subscribers to Stories from the Jukebox, also have a chance to be featured in the following week’s newsletter. And I’ll do my best to give feedback and restack each submission.

There’s always rules:

1. All forms of prose are welcome, just keep it under 1500 words.

2. Submissions must be published by midnight on Monday.

3. Submissions must include a tag/link to this week’s Song Prompt Newsletter embedded within the post.

While anyone is welcome to add their post in the comments at any time — all rules must be followed for a post to be eligible to be featured or shared.

How would you like to pick our prompt? Find out how to join our revolving list of Headliners here.

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Our prompt this week was chosen by Dr. Bob Beatty Long Live the ABB.

Bob is a historian and his latest book, Play All Night! Duane Allman and the Journey to Fillmore East, chronicles Duane Allman’s founding of the band and its landmark album, At Fillmore East.

Here’s our Headliner, The Mighty Mountain Jam, by Long Live the ABB!

I was DEEP into the Allman Brothers Band before I encountered “Mountain Jam.” The cuts I had encountered on A Decade of Hits 1969-1979 were groundbreaking enough for me.

I obsessed over “Dreams.” The song’s ethos of carrying on in the face of insurmountable mountains, has been a guiding force in my life.

The Mighty Mountain Jam

Are you looking for a chill writing group? Join us around the Jukebox!

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Do you know a reader or writer that’d be perfect for this prompt? Share it with them!

Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Oh and if you’re an email reader, just hit reply — I want to hear from you too!

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Here’s last week’s prompt. Submissions are always welcome to any previous prompts!