A musical team from several thousand miles away has Linden's entertainment scene buzzing.
Yogoman and Bongo Jac first appeared at last spring's Wildflower Trails Festival in Linden, Texas. Then, this past Friday night, they were DJs for Linden VFW Post's Friday night dance.
They'll be doing the same this Friday night and again on the 26th when their featured music will be Jamaican ska and reggae. Will the Post 6968 vets be out of their seats and on the dance floor for this?
The two performers are Jacqueline and Jordan Rain. Jacqueline is a Linden-Kildare High School graduate who married Jordan in Seattle. For 20 years, Jordan has led a powerful band in the Northwest called Yogoman Burning Band.
And he's also been a professional DJ of vinyl music since 1999.
The band has won some awards and Jordan has written, arranged and produced five albums.
Their band music is nonstop and disco-like, but it's also Jamaican, reggae, ska and many other styles.
One reviewer said, "The band brings musical sunshine to the rainy Pacific Northwest by way of Yogoman's original mix of Jamaican and New Orleans dance music."
"If you're not having a good time to their music, you have to ask yourself, 'Do I know how to have a good time?'" said another reviewer.
Their DJ music is a heady mixture of many styles, too. The pair's claim for distinction is that they bend and twist 33-rpm and 45-rpm vinyl records on stage for the analog musical sound. They dance together there, too, along with the crowd.
"We enjoy our music and dance way of life. It's not fake," the two say.
Jordan has a clear philosophy about music.
"Our music is our way of life. It's about stop trying to be cool and just have fun. Don't be pretentious."
Mix it up, too, he said.
"It's important for our music to be exposed to all ages. Bring the kids. Make it like a festival."
Jordan, Jacqueline and their son Buck got to know Linden when passing through on their way to New Orleans. Jordan would make these trips to energize himself with music.
"I wanted our band to come and bring our music to New Orleans, but it's such a long distance. So our family would pass thorough Linden and stop and see relatives. I noticed Linden was such a nice quiet and peaceful area with lots of fresh air."
He also noticed and was intrigued by Linden's being "Music City, Texas."
Then on one trip, he was asked to play in the Linden Wildflower Trails Festival and also did other appearances. The pair decided, "Maybe we can make a go of it here and return to Washington when the Yogoman Burning Band is requested to play again.
"We have plenty of connections up there. The question is can we make it here," Jordan said.
The Rains' information for providing music and sound can be found online at yogoman.com.
This Friday night's adventure at the Linden VFW is slated for 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a $5 charge. Everyone is welcome. It's soul and funk this week, Jamaican next. The address is 1300 Club Lake Road.
Perhaps Lindenites and others will get a chance to welcome and keep Yogoman and Bongo Jac. If so, maybe everyone will buy into their music philosophy, too.
"What I like to do is break down the walls of inhibitions through music and dance," Jordan says. "My calling is to do it with spirit or soul. Be genuine. I'm not just passing by. I love to do it and hope to inspire people in some way."