By KRISTA GROMALSKI

MILFORD - B.B. King said, "Everyday I got the blues." At the Waterwheel Cafe, they got the blues on Thursdays.

Every Thursday beginning at 8:30 p.m. the cafe features a "Blues Jam" session where musicians and vocalists from near or far are invited to get up and play their living hearts out. The evening is hosted by the cool and contagious Teddy Young whose guitar playing always gets the crowd on the dance floor.

The eclectic entourage of saxophone wailers, guitar players and rhythm aficionados kept a constant stew of old blues tunes and funky jams steaming on stage while the wheel works spun in the backdrop.

House drummer Mark Mack pumped out his percussion with a happy passion all night long, relinquishing his seat only to allow a few guests to slide into the scene.

Young surrendered the spotlight several times to allow artists like veteran blues man Slim Allen into the groove. Allen sent out several B.B. King hits including "Been Downhearted" and "How Blue Can You Get" before another combo of musicians took the stage to perform Jerry Garcia's "That's What Love Will Make You Do."

Meanwhile, the audience never knew who might be next onto the stage. The intimate setting in the cafe added to the energy created by the "open mic" aspect of the evening. Even Darren the bartender, who mixes a magical apple cosmopolitan, broke out from behind the blender to belt out a sax solo. "It's hard to leave when this place gets going," said "Blues Jam" diehard Philip Jorse, who provided constant commentary to the action.

Back on stage a shady dude with a baby face and soulful voice, simply known as Zack, poured himself into a tune called "Hoochey Koochey Man" and a guitar speedster named Fast Eddy rocked for a while.

The evening rose to a fever pitch when the entire group of musicians got together on a perfect performance of "Mustang Sally." Young finished with an intense rendition of Hendrix's "Stone Free."

The walls of the cafe lent to the arty feel, featuring a fun series of aquatic and iguana acrylics by Diana Ladwig that had no problem fitting in with the crowd or the music. The Waterwheel rotates its art regularly and hosts a Friday opening reception for each new exhibit.

The venue also features a "Jazz Jam" on Sundays and "Poetry and Folk Music" on Wednesdays. The Friday and Saturday schedules include a range of bands.

For more information or to obtain a schedule call 570/296-2383 or visit www.water-wheelcafe.com.

To hear some blues from the jam at the Waterwheel Cafe, click here.