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Jam Pak Blues 'N' Grass Neighborhood Band

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In 1994, Anni Beach serving as a substitute teacher in Chandler, Arizona, took her mandolin and new-found passion for bluegrass music to every classroom in which she taught. Following a day of teaching at Galveston Elementary a block from her home, two little boys knocked on her door asking if she would play and sing some more with them. She wanted to do something good for her bread and butter, immigrant- filled neighborhood and with the support of her husband Vincent, Jam Pak was born the very next week with six little kids in the front yard. It quickly grew to numbers up to thirty children each week. They made their own instruments, learned to sing lots of bluegrass and old-time songs and took their happy show to nursing homes, the Chandler library, and eventually attracted the attention of the Arizona bluegrass community. After four years of playing canjos and harmonicas and singing their hearts out, donations of bluegrass instruments began arriving. Coaches came, and soon after the name expanded to Jam Pak Blues 'N' Grass Neighborhood Band. The band was invited to their first bluegrass festival in 1998 and became a hit. The band has evolved over the years into a music community. Enfolded in the love of music, community, food, travel, and love itself, this unique band of all ages, races, and walks of life makes bluegrass music. In the home of Anni Beach (Vincent, the Father of Jam Pak, passed away in 2010) they teach each other, gather twice a week, practice, dance, entertain, and at the center maintain the singular goal to make themselves and others happy with their music.

Members

Anni Beach

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