2008 Summer NAMM: Gibson Guitar's All-Star Jam Band

by Rick Landers.

Billy Morrison performs at Gibson Guitar's 2008 Summer NAMM Gibson Summer Jam. Photo by Rick Landers.

Gibson brought out the gunners of rock 'n' roll and a few jazz players to keep things from turning into a total twister. Guns 'n' Roses' Gibson-wielding axe man, Slash, was on hand Friday night along with Larry Carlton and Texas blues master Johnny Winter. The word on Saturday was that they all "kicked ass," and, although I couldn't make that event, those who did got to hear some major rock.

Saturday night offered up another Gibson bash. I left NAMM to push some content and photos, took an hour nap, wolfed down dinner, loaded up the Garmin with Gibson's address and got there in time to check out Whiskey Falls, the 5 Star Carni Band and Gibson's ad hoc All-Star Jam Band.

My first stop was to find Billy Morrison (The Cult, Camp Freddy, Circus Diablo) who's a Modern Guitars columnist, and who was going to offer up a show-stopping performance later on with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band. Billy found his band mate, Billy Duffy (The Cult; Death Cult, Circus Diablo), who kindly obliged me with a chance to get a few photos on the Gibson tour bus.

Gibson knows how to put on a rock ‘n’ roll party, where the crowd was fueled by country-rock group Whiskey Falls. WF was loaded for bear with tight four-part harmonies and some grizzly Les Paul riffs. Backstage, Nick Sterling could be seen checking out the show - he'd performed earlier.

Next up was the 5 Star Carni band featuring Kenny Olsen on a Les Paul and a Reverse Headstock Firebird. The group jammed it deep with some hard-edge rock and funk-laden rock vocals by Donny McCrary. The session included an entry by Gibson artist Johnny A. and a surprise visit by the legendary Billy Cox who used to roam rock corridors with Jimi Hendrix. 5 Star Carni is definitely a band to check out.

The thermal explosion came when the Gibson All-Star Jam Band jumped on stage and nailed some of the best rock 'n' roll I've ever heard. We're talking punk rock royalty here with some exceptional musicians who can be associated with the Cult, Camp Freddy, Alice in Chains, Slunt, McQueen, Velvet Revolver, Jane's Addiction, Guns 'n' Roses, Fuel and Circus Diablo.

Ex-Cult member Billy Morrison was all over the place cranking out major riffs with Billy Duffy on stage-left holding his ground and keeping things rollin'. Holding the center was drum-meister Matt Sorum, while Jerry Cantrell Chris Chaney, Brett Scallions, Leah Dours and Abby Gennet punched out enough raw gutted rock adrenaline to pump the crowd to a frenzy.

The All-Star group strung out a series of turbocharged classics including, "20th Century Boy," "Pretty Vacant," "Whole Lotta Love," Ziggy Stardust," Cat Scratch Fever," "Jailbreak," and punk originator Iggy Pop's "I Wanna Be Your Dog." This group of rockers juiced them with enough drive to clobber though a brick wall.

More 2008 Summer NAMM Show Coverage
Summer NAMM 2008 Final Wrap Up and More Photo Galleries
Photo Gallery Five: 2008 Summer NAMM
Photo Gallery Four: 2008 Summer NAMM
Summer NAMM 2008: More from the Floor and Photo Galleries
Photo Gallery One: 2008 Summer NAMM
Photo Gallery Two: 2008 Summer NAMM
Photo Gallery Three: 2008 Summer NAMM
2008 Summer NAMM Show: Fender, Martin and Taylor
Summer NAMM 2008, Thursday June 19 Show Prequel

Photo Gallery

Whiskey Falls performs at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Whiskey Falls performs at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Damon Johnson of Whiskey Falls performs at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Donny McCrary and John Wolf of 5 Star Carni perform at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

John Wolf of 5 Star Carni performs at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Billy Cox sits in with 5 Star Carni at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Kenny Olsen performs with 5 Star Carni at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Johnny A. (right) sits in with 5 Star Carni at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Chris Chaney and Matt Sorum perform with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Brett Scallions performs with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Jerry Cantrell performs with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Abby Gennet (Slunt) and Billy Morrison perform with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Billy Morrison and Jerry Cantrell perform with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Leah Dours (McQueen) and Jerry Cantrell perform with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Leah Dours (McQueen) performs with the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008, during the 2008 Summer NAMM Show. Photo by Rick Landers.

Billy Duffy and Billy Morrison in the Gibson Tour Bus at the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008. Photo by Rick Landers.

Billy Morrison in the Gibson Tour Bus at the Gibson All-Star Jam Band at the Gibson Guitar Summer Jam on Saturday, June 21, 2008. Photo by Rick Landers.

More 2008 Summer NAMM Show Coverage
Summer NAMM 2008 Final Wrap Up and More Photo Galleries
Photo Gallery Five: 2008 Summer NAMM
Photo Gallery Four: 2008 Summer NAMM
Summer NAMM 2008: More from the Floor and Photo Galleries
Photo Gallery One: 2008 Summer NAMM
Photo Gallery Two: 2008 Summer NAMM
Photo Gallery Three: 2008 Summer NAMM
2008 Summer NAMM Show: Fender, Martin and Taylor
Summer NAMM 2008, Thursday June 19 Show Prequel