Last year's event drew 29 musicians to jam for free at Jackson Square. The guys, McDonald and Catino of Batavia and Murray, a native of Corfu now living in Pennsylvania, also shared some photos and e-mails of friends during the 2006 get-together.
They wanted to spread the wealth of memories and contacts to a wider audience.
And Ramble .com was born. Initially, it offered information on the upcoming event, a mission statement, some 2006 photos and past news coverage.
Murray wanted to compile a neat list of e-mails, so he sent out a message requesting information. Although he asked for name, address and phone number, he couldn't help but notice that most everyone also added a line or two of comments.
Those were too valuable to discard, he said, so he figured out a way to create a bulletin board for musicians to communicate.
He calls it a tool to cure the "amnesia of adolescence."
"A lot of people left the area. You sort of lose touch with what's going on back here. It has reminded people where they're from, who their friends were and the music and the fun times they shared with each other," Murray said during a phone interview from his Pennsylvania home. "I saw something from the LaPorte brothers. I had forgotten I knew those guys; we went to elementary school together. It's bringing back those memories that had gone to sleep. We've taken it beyond our wildest dreams."
The Ramble Web site is "100 percent volunteer and non-profit," he said, which is important to all the organizers. Given a zero-based dollar investment, it has reaped scores of return.
It has easily snowballed, Murray said. Not only has it attracted former Batavians and other locals who've moved away, but also home-grown musicians who have sent in memorabilia.
There are about 30 of the shots dating back to the 1960s. They capture a variety of youths -- long-haired, cool dudes as well as neatly coiffed, suit and tie garbed performers -- who all had a common passion: Music.
"Since the addition of the bulletin board to the Ramble Web site, people have been checking it daily to read the latest messages as well as to post their own contact information, where they live now, what they've been up to, memories of the Batavia music scene and their plans about attending this year's Ramble ," Murray said. "To date, we've collected nearly 200 e-mail addresses of current and former Batavia area residents and notified them of the Ramble Web site. People as far away as Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas have posted on the bulletin board and many are planning to return to Batavia for this year's Ramble ."
Some e-mailers have ended up taking their conversation "off the board" to send e-mails directly to and from each other or do some instant messaging, Murray said. What at first glance could be perceived as "just names" on the bulletin board has evolved, the 52-year-old said. Many of them are now friends.
Although Murray, a 1973 Pembroke High School graduate, is no longer in Western New York, he keeps tabs with the Ramble posse, which includes McDonald, Bill Pitcher, and brothers Babe and Jim Catino.
Murray created the first Ramble site on some free Web space at McDonald's Roadrunner account. That quickly filled up, so the software designer then created a Ramble II site on Babe's free Web space. As of Thursday, he needed another five megabytes, so he tapped into Attica resident Tim "Watty" Watson's free space. It means three separate Web sites pulled into one gigantic pot of information at ramble .com, Murray said.
Several other Rochester Roadrunner users have since lined up to offer their space for Ramble use, he said.
It has all led to a community volunteer effort to connect musicians and bring them home for at least a day, Babe said. So far, musicians have committed to travel from California, Texas, South Carolina, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania to participate. Last year's participant list has at least doubled to some 50 or 60 musicians.
"This is all still evolving," he said. "We've gotten almost 20,000 hits on the Web site. When I see the numbers, it's just amazing. This was our playground. We don't want this just to last our lifetime, but for the kids' future lifetimes."
Many online visitors have shared stories of growing up here. Some have even taunted with mysteries, Babe's brother, Jim, said.
"A couple of people are saying 'do you remember when we used to do this?' These mystery guests won't say who they are," he said. "It's a nightmare if we're not organized. We're trying to mix and match performers."
That mixing and matching is, at least right now, a good problem to have, the posse agreed. That means interest is high and no one will have to worry about unfilled performance time. It will also mean a tight schedule, plenty of forewarning to be tuned and ready to go, borrowing of equipment to reduce on -stage prep time and juggling musicians to fit them in where possible.
The participant response has been so overwhelming, organizers have now closed the event to any more. There were 29 musicians last year and that number has at least doubled this time around, Murray said.
GO ART! Program Director Patty Hawley said that artists, jugglers, mimes and sidewalk artists are invited to participate. She has also secured former Batavian Stephen Huff of Rochester to recite some poetry. The participation for this event is something akin to a smaller community, she said.
"It really speaks to the people involved ... it speaks to the dignity of these people willing to pitch in," Hawley said. "You don't find that in a big city."
The event may be streamed on local radio, McDonald said. He's looking forward to what's fast becoming the Batavia summer homecoming.
"How fun it would be if we could start a day of peace, music and rekindle friendships for all past and present hometowners who have enjoyed themselves and danced at functions where hometown musicians played," he said. "Get them all together in the community again ... let the music and conversations flow all while being able to ramblin' round their beautiful hometown."
They call themselves the Ramble posse because the more formal title of committee "did not seem to fit us." Despite their fun name, the group got serious in their endeavors. They partnered up with Business Improvement District officials, GO ART!'s Patty Hawley and Linda Blanchet, Genesee Community College's Audio Visual Arts Department, led by instructor Pam Swarts and assisted by her students, local radio stations and hopefully soon Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
Ramble efforts have "flown like an eagle," he said.
"With over 20,000 hits in a few short months we feel this had been a huge success and the best way to get out information," McDonald said. "We needed the Web site to share ideas, spread the word and round up Ramblers for this year's and future Rambles . Last year a family member set up a celebration table for a fellow musician for all Ramblers to remember him. This year we are planning more of the same for parted musicians."