RE: [Harp-L] LRBC Pro AM Jam: Hash Brown chime in!



I've been running jams forever & I also have the honor of running the jams
at SPAH & Buckeye. For the most part I don't have many problems. I set the
rules down at the beginning & I guess I'm blessed because everyone pretty
much follows them. I try to make sure everyone gets to play even though many
times I & some of my friends don't get a turn. My only real problems have
been with people who drink to much & that is seldom. I have had hundreds of
harmonica players in my jams & they are the greatest bunch of people I've
ever worked with. Jams are about the people who come to play. Wherever the
jam I try to keep all of the musicians as happy as possibly.I may  have to
send up a bad player with some good ones. But the next time I see those guys
I try to send them up with pros. That way they keep comming back. If they
know you care & are trying to do a good job. They will respond in kind. If
you run a good jam the musicians & the audience will come & stay. The worst
jams Ive been to are the ones that are political where if you not known you
never get called on. I don't go back to those weather I play or not. There
are always ways to get everyone a turn. Hey! Come jam with us at Buckeye or
SPAH this year. I'll be lookin for ya
        buzz........................

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of HASHBB@xxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 8:06 PM
To: Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] LRBC Pro AM Jam: Hash Brown chime in!


In a message dated 18-Dec-04 08:20:00 AM Central Standard Time,
blittlehales@xxxxxxxxx writes:


> I think a good jam-meister has a lot of obligations to the musicians,
> but he has obligations to the non-playing audience as well- you don't
> want a grouping up there that will cause your audience to walk out.
> Of course, on a ship, you don't have this problem.
>
> I love running this jam. It's a study in psychology for certain. At
> its best, the jam can be an inspiration to others, and at its worst it
> can be a public humiliation. My job is to ALWAYS shoot for the former.
>
> Bret


Some great points, but my comments were toward the pro/am jam, not jams in
general. The truth is, you can very seldom tell how good someone can play
until
you have heard them or played with them, or they are given a good
endorsement
by someone you trust to know. I have been running three jams a week for
close
to 10 years now, been running jams since the late 70's. It is a study in
patience. I do not run a list, mainly because I stay on top of what I do and
I
already know most of the players. I do try and get everyone who wants to
play a
chance to play, pro or not, beginner or not. I have to tenure this with
entertainment value to the audience.
HB

>
>

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