Underground Jam by Jay Sankey

In 2005, Jay Sankey requested that magicians send him audition videos of their original material. After reviewing some 200 tapes and DVDs, Sankey selected Joe Diamond, Eric Leclerc and Jeff Stone, who join him to perform and teach on this DVD. Over the course of a couple of days in Toronto, the quartet recorded some 20 effects.

This DVD offers a good mix of effects and among the 20, you’re bound to find one that you can use. Unfortunately, since the magicians are performing for each other, you can’t see how these effects may play to an audience of lay people. You just have to use your imagination, but there are some great effects. While all of the performers are accomplished entertainers, Sankey is the dynamo who brings lots of humor to the gathering.

The card effects tend to blend a bit with lots of good transpositions, color changes, torn and restores, productions and sandwich effects. I like Sankey’s “Uniquely” where a marked coin and the torn corner of a playing card change places inside an envelope. This one has strong commercial possibilities as it uses a borrowed quarter and ends clean.

In “Solo,” Sankey presents a very basic card trick that’s nicely dressed and presented, but is still a basic sleight-of-hand card trick. A selected card is lost in the deck and the magician fails to find it. In the end, the wrong card that the magician is holding turns out to be the right card. This one is great for lay people, but not the kind of material that magicians are looking for on a DVD. And it’s far below what one would expect to learn from Sankey.

Stone’s “Dream Vacation” is a strong coin transposition effect where an initialed coin vanishes and reappears in a just-examined film canister. Stone also presents a decent key and key ring effect. While the trick itself is good, its his innovative handling of a common magic prop that is most intriguing, and is a concept that may be applied to other effects.

Leclerc’s “Shy Guys” is an amazing and visual "Twisting the Aces" routine that is reminiscent of that fantastic and memorable routine that Guy Hollingsworth performed on the “World’s Greatest Magic” television special back in the mid-90s. This version is visual as spectators see the backs of cards just before a card turns over in front of the eyes. This one does require a simple gimmick and will take lots of work. But it’s worth it.

Leclerc offers “Final Cap in Bottle,” an effect where the cap from a bottle of water penetrates the bottom of the bottle to end up inside. It’s a great effect and Leclerc offers two methods: one for impromptu situations and another that requires more preparation but is even more convincing. Another Leclerc effect that is rather offbeat is “Razor Burn,” his razor into a matchbook transformation. Because of its angle problems, it’s not practical for walkaround and most real world situations, but it’s got an intriguing method.

I particularly like Leclerc’s “I.L.U.S. System” that starts as a typical card routine but upgrades into something that takes into account the many things that magicians hear from spectators during walkaround. This routine is based on a brilliant idea that all restaurant workers will be able to use. I know that I plan to try it out as my experience with spectators is right inline with that of Leclerc’s. In “Straight From the Heart,” Leclerc offers a visual rising card from jacket pocket that may appeal to many.

I liked a mentalism effect with lots of built-in humor that was provided by Diamond. His “Visa” routine is a good packet effect that predicts the limit on his credit card. Diamond, in his “Great Scott,” offers a good card under watch routine.

However, during his explanation, Diamond refers to his audience as “stupid lay people.” I hope that this isn’t his real attitude towards spectators who he should be entertaining and not looking down on. In magic, our spectators should never be considered “stupid.”

The effects require a strong foundation in sleight-of-hand and the explanations are generally good. In all, Underground Jam delivers on its intent, delivering a jam session among four magicians who present and explain a variety of close-up routines. With 20 effects for $25, there’s bound to be something here that you will like.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $25

Dealers can purchase from Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.