If anyone had told me that I would be sitting at a club on a Saturday night, rocking out to a rendition of John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads” or Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, I would have said that they were completely nuts.  I mean, I absolutely have a great respect for all music, but John Denver?  Anyone who knows me knows that that’s just not me!  That being said, there I was.

 Yes, I had heard the hype from friends, fellow musician friends and co-workers, basically anyone humanly known to mankind had told me about this band, Simple Jim,  and have tried to get me to go check them out.  It’s not that I didn’t want to, but for whatever the reason, it just wasn’t in the stars at that moment in time.  So a few weeks ago, I tracked them down, and said, well, let’s do it.

Simple Jim is comprised of Gerald Goode on lead vocals and keyboards, Chris Coppola on bass, Mike Formato on drums, Jon Goode on lead guitar and Bill Komninos on rhythm guitar.  This multi-talented group of guys grew up together, originating from the Bridgeport area.  Their musical influences are all over the place, stemming from dance music to Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and 80’s hair bands.  Simple Jim was formed during their college years and has been together for a record 11 years (almost unheard of these days).  

I got to Ziggy’s in Fairfield during the middle of their first set to find a bar which was three deep, a crowded dance floor and nowhere to sit!  Simple Jim’s set list is mix of  popular cover tunes - the good old stuff with the new stuff and a few originals sprinkled in here and there.   There were some nice little covers of “One” (U2) and “Drops of Jupiter” (Train).    

  By the second set, things were about to get a little edgy.  Gerald Goode is of small stature, but don’t let that fool you. Goode is a hot polished professional who belts it out with boundless energy.  He commands the stage.  The band as a whole is tight and doesn’t leave any stone unturned.  What’s refreshing is the camaraderie you feel amongst them.   Simple Jim went non-stop from beginning to end, with covers ranging from John Mellancamp’s, “Authority”; and “Ants Marching” (DMB).  Of note was their punked out version of  George Michael’s “Faith” and, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, which I have fondly renamed Sweet Caroline 2006! It didn’t stop there with St. Lunatic (GD); Roadhouse Blues and 500 Miles, just to name a few.  Hearing these songs, especially the old stuff, was like going to visit an old friend who was all grown up.   Simple Jim’s powerhouse performance included unexpected surprises like “Play that Funky Music White Boy” (Wild Cherry), “I Will Survive” (Gloria Gaynor) and “Low Places” by Garth Brooks.  Imagine that.  Simple Jim has a loyal following and it’s impressive to observe the relationship they have forged with their fans and you can clearly see why.    From my observation, there wasn’t a person at Ziggy’s who wasn’t having a great time.  Singing, dancing, drinking games on the dance floor, you name it, it was going on.      Simple Jim is one of the ultimate good time bands out there and I have to say, one of my new favorites.  If you have not had the chance to go and see this band, run like hell to their next gig! You will not be disappointed. 

You can catch Simple Jim next at The Black Bear Saloon in Norwalk on March 25.  For more information, please visit, www.simplejim.com.