Aron Magner, keyboardist for the Disco Biscuits, sat in with Umphrey’s McGee last night at the TLA in Philadelphia. Magner joined the band for ‘Jimmy Stewart’ during the group’s second set. Astute Jambands.com readers (or setlist philes) may note that the band seems to play ‘Jimmy Stewart’ most every night, sometimes twice a night (and it is often here when the band invites guests to the stage). What is this ‘Jimmy Stewart’ song anyhow?

Indeed, rather than a song, ‘Jimmy Stewart’ is the name that the group has given to one of its improvisational segments. As member Brandon Bayliss, explained to Jeff Waful this past April, ‘what we try to do is write into each set list ‘Jimmy Stewart’ [during the] first set and second set. It’s a ten-minute allotment for whatever happens. If it’s really good, it can be longer. If it’s really bad, it will be cut short. Usually one of them is kind of structured where we’ll write out chords or an idea, like say A section is jungle drumbeats and then the B section will go into piano and bass/drums breakdown. Then guitar will come up with a head and the C section would be whatever, some kind of metal thing. So each night is different and we don’t really rehearse it. It’s just sort of a chord chart that you read as you’re going along with it. So we do one of those each night and then we do one that’s just completely wide open.’

‘Jimmy Stewart’ recurrence is likely this evening when the band performs at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA.