Jim Brewer

Back in the early 80's, I used to trek uptown with my college pals to hear Jim Brewer play at the No Exit Cafe. It was a little folkclub coffeehouse that drew some really fine performers out of the Chicago 'hoods. The musicians played for tips. Sitting in the No Exit, I felt like I was listening to music that was real, and important, participating in something that reminded us that we were humans, and that our stories mattered.

The name "No Exit" came from Sartre's one-act existentialist play. I think existentialism basically says, "this is it, savor the moment (or not)".

I wrote an earnest poem about the place for one of my English classes:

Apple Cider
Spearmint Tea
Sorry, we don't have any.
Mocha?
No
Coffee?
No
Exit

Here's a bit of one of Jim's songs, Long Ways From Home.

One of those college pals, Slick, gave me a copy of a JB recording, but it's all one track, 43 minutes long. oops!

Come back baby
Can't we talk it over,
Lord, one more time . . .