By TODD FOLLANSBEE

Saturday night’s musicale at the Pit Stop in Oak Bluffs was unrehearsed, hilarious, disorganized, rambunctious and filled with all the bumbling and magical moments we could have hoped for. The abundance of talented musicians might have been showcased by individual performances done within their comfort zones, but then we would have missed the remarkable Katie Mayhew doing Presley’s Hound Dog and Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues, backed up by her mom, Deborah, and the flawless Liz Bradley. The evening started with the Weiland family warming up the stage, jumping from instrument to instrument, foreshadowing what was to come.

The understated Island treasure Mark Mazer, who knows more songs than Napster, led the talented players and audience through a number of old and new classics. High points in the evening might have been the reluctant but humorous Pete Huntington, supported by his talented daughter Shaelah’s rendition of his original commentary on Island life named Mouse Farts — don’t ask about the wordless audience participation refrain which was barely possible to hear amid the laughter.

musicians guitar drum
Pit Stop is musical respite for one and all. — Sarah Mayhew

You could make the case that the impromptu teacher-student violin duet, a rollicking jig with Caroline Mayhew and the incomparable Nancy Jephcote, deserved top honors. Others might say that the soulful duo of Tristan Israel and Paul Thurlow stole the show with their assortment of old blues tunes, but since they insisted that everyone join in on every song, you’d have to give credit to the often-out-of-tune-but-enthusiastic audience that ranged in age from eight to 85.

The response to sweet Sue Bowman’s selections might give her the nod, but then another particularly entertaining moment came when the modest and multitalented Lucy Mayhew was coerced into a song and asked the audience if everyone knew Bob Dylan’s Tears of Rage. Based upon their large and positive response, she launched into a touching version only to discover that knowing a song didn’t mean knowing the lyrics as the audience listened quietly to her heartfelt tribute. Pete advised her next time to ask if they knew the lyrics instead of just the tune.

Peter Huntington guitar
Pete Huntington going deep into lives of mice. — Sarah Mayhew

For me the high point in this three-hour extravaganza was delivered by the ever-entertaining Tom Hodgson, who brought the house down with his version of I Am My Own Grandpa, followed by Ukulele Lady, knowing that no West Tisbury style musicale would have been complete without them. It would be missing the point though to look only for the virtuoso performances because the evening could best be measured by the smiles, mixed with a tear or two that graced everyone’s face. Saturday night’s tribute to the Island’s tradition of old-time musicales proved that not only are we surrounded by a wealth of creative musical talent, but that we do know how to have just plain fun, and it doesn’t get any better than that. The Pit Stop could not have been a better venue with its relaxed, comfortable and casual space, and the generosity and enthusiastic support of Don Muckerheide, Nina Violet and Willy Mason deserves the support of the year-round population.