Re: RE: Jam Session Etiquette

["Jimbeau Harp" <jimbeauharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From: Ryan Hartt <rhartt1234@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>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.

Hey Ryan,

Our playing areas don't overlap much. You're mostly in CT while I'm mostly 
in NJ. But if you ever find yourself at one of my gigs, definitely let me 
know. I'll get you up in a heartbeat!

>Beware the good rap.

I've been on both sides of the "sitting in" issue.

Back in the 1970s, I used to ask to sit in with a lot of bands. Especially 
when I lived in Cape May, a resort town with a lot of clubs, I would 
sometimes sit in with 3 or 4 different bands a night at different clubs.

Bless their hearts, no one ever refused to let me play, and I prided myself 
on the fact that, after I played once, I always got invited back. The 
experience I gained helped me immensely when I starting playing in bands as 
a permanent member. I got a lot of self-confidence.

That being said, nowadays, running my own band, I've had very few good 
experiences letting unknown players sit in. I've had guitarists scratch my 
axe; I've had drummers whose playing sounded like pots and pans rolling down 
stairs; and harp players -- you name it, I've seen it. From playing in the 
wrong key, unable to control feedback,  blasting non-stop through vocals and 
other people's solos, jumping on stage uninvited, etc.

It's gotten to the point where I don't let people I don't know sit in. Like 
Ryan says, a lot of these people have a good rap, but they can't play. They 
talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.

I find that I get asked by people to sit-in most often when I'm having a 
good night -- a great crowd that's really responding to the band very 
positively. These sit-in players (usually drunk) see that and get excited 
and want to be part of the action.

That's precisely the time I don't want an unknown player sitting in. If 
we've got momentum going with the crowd, I want to build on it -- not stop 
it and bring up a player who's a potential trainwreck.

Gigs are just so hard to get nowadays, it doesn't make sense for me to 
jeopardize them with letting unknowns sit in.

If I know you and know your playing -- no problem. I'll ask you to sit in.

If I don't know you -- sorry man. Nothing personal but it ain't gonna 
happen.

Jimbeau

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