Jam sessions? Only in Gdańsk-Oliwa!

Although I have planned to pay a visit to this regular event already since I moved here, this was finally on Friday when I stepped out of home and opened the door to a welcoming wooden chamber of pub Paszcza Lwa in Gdańsk Oliwa.

Paszcza Lwa (read: pa-sh-tcha l-va, means "Lion's muzzle") at Kwietna 39 in Gdańsk is a tiny place not far away from the Catherdral in Oliwa district that is quite difficult to find without google maps. However, although the borough of Oliwa belongs to one of the most enchanting in the whole city, it is definitely deficit on pubs and clubs.

 

To cut the long story short - who lives in Oliwa, must know this pub - Paszcza Lwa. 
(And I certainly do).



Although my sense of music is just average, everyone agreed with me, that the first singer I saw cannot be called even good. In desperation, public started to help him out in singing. Meanwhile I decided to rather focus on some dead interior gadgets.

 

Cozy wooden interior, thatched roof (or better say ceiling) and skulls of some dead animals on the walls. First glimpse makes it feel like in the folk-style cottage in the Polish mountains 700 km down south. At the second one, your eyes will spot a huge painting in the desert colours above the counter - reggae style lion opens his muzzle; then you see young chilled bartenders who wears everything but not folk clothes. Certainly I was in the right place.

Although I came alone, I knew immediately who I was looking for - my brilliant flatmate whose voice made many of my evenings to be some private a capella recitals of her, just behind the wall.

Frankly speaking, I am huge fan of Alicja's voice and I think it is not exaggeration to say that she sings just as good or probably even better than (not some but) most of current Polish female pop singers. I love those winter evenings when we sit together in our house with friends, everyone takes out some of the instruments that I guess are hidden simply everywhere (acoustic and electric guitars, keybord, djembes, Australian rain stick, Dutch egg shaker, couple of local ocarinas from Kaszuby or Russia, or even a scarf for belly dance with those small noisy sequins that you play on by actual dancing). Those jam sessions with Alicja's singing are something what bring light and warmth to this dark winter nights... Hence, no wonder, I was looking forward to see her on stage ultimately!



Moderator of the event and guitarist, a very kind gentleman.

The formula of jam session is not as free as I knew it from different events I visited. People know each other there, atmosphere is really chilled and a bit like in one big family. If you want to sing or play, you go to the moderator and he sets you in the schedule for tonight. The moderator also tries to keep the positive approach, so that a band or crew plays 2-3 songs and not a concert and that no one offends anybody else so that everything goes smoothly there.

Although I hear every now and then compliments about my deep voice, I would never dare to sing somewhere else than under the shower. Therefore I did what I like the most. Sit down and  used that beautiful opportunity to make some more sketching exercises and draw something that I am absolutely terrible at - namely PEOPLE.

And PEOPLE were amazing. Bands serve usually as perfect models, because they do not move that much!
So, I sat at the wooden bench and warmed up with a sketch of that animal scull. Then the elderly perky gentlemen from the second sketch (right) approached me straight away, (sitting so close that I had to keep my face and joke about it), commenting on my sketchbook and obviously on the terrible voice of the current singer. Later on I saw him playing on drums whereas his companion (on the sketch, left) helped him out on his guitar. Both probably older than my dad - what I personally found fantastic! There is nothing better to see people who have passion life-long!



Second sketch that night. Well, I don't find it accurate or nice, but .. mhm.. he didn't move that much and served as a perfect model, admittedly. 

Impatiently have I waited for Alicja's band, as I knew she usually plays with the same crew.
One guitarists I knew from home, as sometimes they rehearsed in our house. Surprisingly enough,  I realised that I also know the drummer. From nowhere else than from instagram :)!

Without hesitation, I sat next to them, took two quick photos with my phone, and I started to sketch.
For sketching Alicja, I guess I am not good enough. I wish to have singer who sings and does not move her mouth at the same moment, but I do not believe it can be in anyway good! With Piotr, the guitarist, it was easier, but the sketch was just a terrible doodle and I didn't like it at all. I have a try to draw the other members of the band, but my irritation was only growing.

(Although the music eased that feelings of course! I loved their performance!)



Piotr has also his own band, called EjPiEj (youtube), where they do a bit different music. That night he was accompanying Alicja with their original compositions. 

Flashback from childhood was irresistible and miserable - I gave up drawing as a teenager, because people (with my mum in the first place) kept encouraging me to draw portraits and i have never, absolutely never, liked it.

A bit upset I gave up these depressing attempts, had a beer and nice chit-chat with some friends of Alicja. Nonetheless, I post those doodles here anyway - just for me later to remember, how uncomfortable was that feeling of dissatisfaction.
(a hidden perfectionist inside me is screaming now - do not watch)



*******

I couldn't sleep with that.

Imagine that something does not leave you alone. Imagine this uncomfortable feeling pinches you like too small jeans in the waist or a small nasty stone in your shoe. I felt that way. Unhappy about my sketches, although quite excited about all the people who I have met that evening.

On Saturday I went to buy some veggies (oh, that's so romantic) and realised that I cannot leave myself with this silly feeling any longer - let me have another go.

So I did.

When I started it was quite late. When finished, it turned out I was late for some appointments already (sorry), but here it is. A slightly better version of the scrawls above. I do not really feel oblige to violate anyones copyrights to original photographs, so comparison pictures you can find by clicking the links (youtube or instagram).

It's not perfect, however I take it as an exercise. I never liked portraits, but that's my second and third portrait since I started to sketch on last year's autumn.. Let it be it's a way towards improvement, ok ;-)?

Here Link to the song with that picture - Ejpiej "Alternatywa"



Another Piotr, the drummer. For those who want to join he's fan club on instagram here's the link



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If you feel in any way encouraged to join the regular jam sessions in Paszcza Lwa or even actively participate, I would recommend to follow them on Facebook (there are also more pictures from that night).

Facebook Profile (click)

As a subscriber, you outhgt get invitation to the regular event that are more or less on Fridays, every second week.




In the end, that lady presented a high-class soprano voice.
So impressive! Congratulations!