Myron and the Jam Fam
Sarah’s on Park
Bloomfield
Aug. 11, 2026
It’s rare for my job as a political reporter to overlap with my work as an arts and culture writer, but it happened on Primary Night in Bloomfield. I was covering the State Senate 2nd District race by waiting with Senator Doug McCrory’s campaign at Sarah’s on Park, a quite good Italian restaurant.
When I entered, I was greeted by the sound of blue notes being twisted and saxophone being soothed. Myron and the Jam Fam were entertaining the growing crowd – a birthday on one side, the McCrory campaign on the other. I didn’t know Sarah’s had music. I made a mental note so I could return for a visit.
Then the mayor of Bloomfield grabbed the microphone, and I knew I had to start recording.
Myron and the Jam Fam regularly consists of Myron Yousman on lead guitar and vocals, Bob Nolte on drums and Bob Laramie on bass. The group performs every Tuesday at Sarah’s. In addition to the aforementioned mayor, the band was joined by Sezinando Manna on the saxophone. They played a variety of songs, from blues classics to rock hits from the 60s and everything else in between you can play on a guitar. I enjoyed their impromptu jam session in the second half of their set.
As talented as the band is (when I asked Myron how long he and the band had been together, he laughed and said, “Don’t ask”), the word I would use to describe them best is fun. Playing proficiently is one thing. It’s another to see performers seized by joy while they create music.
Myron and his band were exactly what the evening called for. Waiting for election results is tense, even if you have nothing to do with the campaign. The band was there, dancing around the stage and shouting directions to each other, working together to make the music even better. It was cool to see the musicians blend their style together in real time.
The other release valve for the evening was a birthday party happening simultaneously nearby. The birthday girl wished to remain anonymous, but none other than the honorable Anthony C. Harrington, the aforementioned mayor of Bloomfield, got on stage to wish her a happy birthday. He sang Happy Birthday to her in a surprisingly clear, warm baritone. In fact, I stopped singing along and marveled at his voice.
Then he proceeded to blow the roof off the place with a rendition of Lou Rawls' The Shadow of Your Smile. I mean ... wow. The five musicians fit together like a puzzle piece. The election night spell broke for a few moments as the mayor put us under his own, and everyone broke away from watching results roll in to applaud the performance.
Politics can get nasty at times. Last night was a reminder to me at least that these are real people with families that fret over elections with them, hobbies like singing, and loved ones they celebrate on special occasions. Myron and the Jam Fam provided not only great music, but also the platform for politicians to be people.
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Jamil goes to listen to Mexican folk music.
