Sitting in with a band.......was Jam Session Etiquette

[PL500@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 5/17/04 10:37:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
rhartt1234@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
I have a pretty liberal sit in policy with my band. If
musicians come out to see us then why not come up to
play. Sometimes they are good, sometimes it's one tune
and goodbye. At a gig a couple of months ago both my
drummer and I were bamboozled by two dudes with an
excellent rap. The harp player I was talking to was
telling me he had wanted to come check us out for a
long time but he was always gigging. He was on the
road with this guy and played in the east coast back
up band for this guy. I was impressed by his resume. I
asked him to sit in and he was thrilled but man did he
suck! My drummer was talking to a guy he kind of new
and I overheard bits and pieces "conservatoy this"
"blues guy that" So we got him up and he sucked too. 

I have never asked anyone if I could sit in. Even when
I desparately wanted to I layed it cool. I would just
introduce myself and my rap, dropping the right names,
always being well dressed etc. usually got them to ask
me to sit in. But these two bozos have thrown my
entire belief system upside down. 

Beware the good rap.
Ryan
Indeed, 

I found that having others sitting in with my band is a no-no. I have had 
people come up and ask to sit in for a set or a couple of songs. Our answer is 
either no or we have them come up the last two songs of the night. 9 times out 
of 10 the musicians suck....not because they can't play, but they cannot really 
adapt to what our band does (our band is an acoustic trio with just harp, 
guitar, and a singer). Alot musicians cannot deal with the absence of a drummer 
or bass player and subsequently get lost when they try to adapt their style to 
a situation like that. Guitar players are typically the worst because they 
tend to believe somehow that playing clean and simple is easy. 

I have found out that usually a person's reputation will precede them; people 
who talk themselves up are usually not that good and anytime I hear such talk 
of " I played with so and so" or " I am the best" I usually start asking 
detailed questions about theory and whether or not they can play the melody to 
Sweet Home Chicago. Typically they cannnot, and I tell them to learn the melody 
to Sweet Home Chicago and then come back and I will let them sit-in.

I don't like people sitting-in unless I know that they will be good, solid 
musicians who care about the music. I do not find them often, but when I do it's 
always a pleasure. 

Andrew