Re: Open mic nights/Open jams

[Mike Curtis <wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> I was wondering if someone could tell me a little bit about open jams.  
> I'm moving to England in a few weeks and have always wanted to try this 
> out.  Is there an acceptable skill level you need to be at in order to 
> hop in on most of these?  I havn't had the opportunity to try it out 
> here, as there aren't any bluesy clubs here that do this.
> 
> I've been playing harp for a couple of years, acoustically.  I jam with 
> friends and stuff, but am not satisfied with my tone, and feel I repeat a 
> lot of the same licks often.
> 
> I really feed off an audience however.  Do some clubs take more to 
> average players than others?  Maybe I just need encouragement.

If it's a "pro jam", they expect (or should I say, "hope" :-) you to be
reasonably decent.  If it's a "jam", that's any level.  But don't let this
scare you off.  I've heard some absolutely horrible musicians (harp,
guitar, keyboard, sax, vocal, etc.) at jam sessions, even "pro
invitational"  (which is what they usually end up calling it when the band
tires of people who don't know a key from a lock. 

I was at one jam, and this real "heavy metal" looking guy came up.  He had
leather, spikes, the whole ball of wax.  Worst guitarist I've ever heard. 
Played one note with one finger, and may have even hit one or two notes in
key.  And with all the leather and stuff, he just stood there (yawn...)  
Afterward, he tried to blame it on the guitar he had borrowed being "out
of tune".  the same one another guitarist had used a couple of tunes
before. 

Moral of the story: just do it.

Hint: While not absolutely necessary, you might want to bring a bunch of
harps.  Most players play only in 2nd position.  If this is what you do,
you'll probably want to bring A, C, and D, which will cover E, G, and A 
in cross harp.  Most blues players favor these keys.  Let the band know 
what keys you can play in.  Some understand cross harp, but you're better 
off "translating" for them, e.g. if you have your "A" harp, tell them you 
need to play in E major.

Also, thanks to Stevie Ray Vaughn, many guitarists are tuning a half step 
low.  I haven't found this to be prevalent at jam sessions in this area, 
but you may find it where you are.

A side note: does it annoy the rest of you like it does me when people ask
to borrow your harp to jam?  It's always the same old line - "I don't have
any diseases".  I am tempted to reply, "Is that so?  What about the severe
mental illness you must have to even suggest something so gross!"  Do any
of you have snappy responses for these IMHO rude requests (and sometimes
demands)??? 

I now carry a "loaner".  I sometimes try cheap harps.  While some are 
quite good (Huangs, for example), others sound like a cross between 
cardboard and fingernails on the blackboard.  I've picked my worst reject 
with a plastic body and designated it the "loaner".  I keep it in a 
plastic case, in a plastic bag, and refuse to touch it with my hands.  I 
figure that anyone who asks to borrow a harp deserves it.  Of course, I 
always tell them it's my loaner, and they might want to hose it out 
first, but so far, no one has.

I know what I clean out of my harps, and it's disgusting enough without
wondering if it's mine or someone elses. 

Excuse me while I get an air sickness bag.

-- mike curtis
wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx