THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411020151
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
STARS DROPPING IN on local musicians for impromptu jam sessions usually happens only in big cities like New York or Los Angeles.
But this time the magical situation took place right here in Chesapeake at Winston's Cafe in the shopping center across the street from Greenbrier Mall.
Clarence Clemons, whose fierce saxophone work anchored Bruce Springsteen's fabled and now defunct backing E-Street Band, was back in his hometown to visit his parents, Thelma and Clarence A. Clemons, and to work on a gospel album for his uncle, the Rev. Milton Reid.
While in Chesapeake, Clemons visited his relatives, old friends and neighbors. And for several evenings he regularly dropped by Winston's Cafe to enjoy conversation with hometown friends and family and the establishment's food and atmosphere.
On the evening of Oct. 22, the cafe's featured live musical entertainment was Caffeine, a trio fronted by Great Bridge resident Mitch Foutz on guitar and vocals along with with Scott Minner on guitar/vocals and Greg ``Rasta'' Buenveje on percussion.
Foutz usually plays as a solo act at various Hampton Roads nightspots. The 1983 Great Bridge High School graduate was once a member of the Chesapeake-based group The Plaid and currently makes his living as a nightclub troubadour performing a mixture of original songs and cover tunes.
He said his new venture, Caffeine, allows him to perform covers by such well-known artists as U2, R.E.M., Sting, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles and the Police, to name a few. The group was busy offering its eclectic acoustic-rock for the enthusiastic Winston's crowd when Clemons showed up.
Foutz said the man called ``The Master of Disaster'' by Springsteen strolled into Winston's at about 12:30 a.m. to catch a late-night snack and enjoy the company of some friends.
What ensued, though, wasn't disaster, but a bit of serendipity for Foutz and his band.
``We had just played Talking Heads' `Psycho Killer,' and we started talking to him,'' Foutz said. ``He told us, `Man, you got me all wound up. I've got my stuff in the car. I'll go out and get it.' We just thought he was being friendly and would just either go home or come back and sit at his table.''
But Clemons made good on his offer.
He walked back into Winston's a couple of minutes later with saxophone case in hand, ready to blow with Caffeine.
``We played together for a good 45 minutes,'' Foutz said smiling. ``We played and he just jammed along with us on his sax. Oh, man, it sounded great.''
The spontaneous set included Jimi Hendrix's ``Little Wing,'' Lyle Lovett's ``She's No Lady, She's My Wife'' and the Beatles' ``I'm Down.''
Foutz said at first many people in Winston's didn't know if the extra Caffeine member was indeed the esteemed Mr. Clemons, solo perfomer and E-Street Band stalwart.
``The crowd went crazy,'' Foutz said. ``But a lot of people didn't know him until after we introduced him.''
Ironically, the connection between Foutz and Clemons goes beyond music.
``My dad and him used to play ball together,'' Foutz said. ``One of his aunts, Sarah Gilchrist, was my first-grade teacher at Butts Road Elementary School, and his mom, Thelma Clemons, was my science teacher at Great Bridge Junior High.''
After the jam session, Foutz said he and Clemons talked about family and old times. In addition, Foutz got a rare opportunity not many music fans ever experience.
``He's got a new solo album coming out in the spring,'' Foutz said. ``And, luckily, I got to hear it way before it comes out. It's nothing like I've ever heard from him before. It has a kind of Caribbean, calypso feel, a world-beat type of feel. I think it's going to be a terrific album. And he told me he was planning to join Ringo for another big All-Starr Band tour.'' MEMO: Mitch Foutz will be playing at Winston's Cafe, 1412 Greenbrier Parkway,
Friday and Saturday nights. Call the cafe at 420-1751 for more
information. To find out Foutz's complete performing schedule or for
booking information, call his concert hotline/digital pager at
521-1125.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Left to right, Clarence Clemons jams with Mitch Foutz and Scott
Minner at Winston's Cafe.
by CNB