Bob's right about the big ears thing. The same big ears that a pro (or advanced amature) uses to really dig what's going on, can make the same player squirm like the a worm if it ain't ON. It's really easy to blame the pro for being a primadonna, but you really have to give him a break. He's there for fun, just like everyone else. Trouble with the harp is that anyone that can breath thinks they can play it, and the tin ears can't tell the difference if it's good or bad. My hat's off to the guys with the patience or whatever it takes to run a jam.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bret Littlehales" <blittlehales@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2005 5:46 PM
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] San Francisco/Amateurs and pros
Bill Hines wrote:
"I think many of these jams have become showcases where the "pros" from various bands show up and jam with each other, rather than a place where "hacks" can learn chops and how to perform in a group setting. It's discouraging for the ones trying to learn, because they get the dirty looks and other negative issues (like the "pros" don't want to play with any "hacks" in the jam lineup). Let's keep the genre alive and support, encourage. None of you guys were born with this knowledge, share it with those who want to learn, be careful not to put them down in subtle ways. Think about who took the time to help you, in a long ago and far away galaxy..."
Bill, my feeling is that if "the pros" come to the jam, then it's instructional for the weekend guys to hear and learn from them. I try and put pros and amateurs together, but it can be tough, especially if the amateur is an unknown to me. And yes, while it's true that the pros do not usually want to sit in with the amateurs, a bigger problem is amateurs not wanting to play with other amateurs, because everybody wants to play with pros.
I bend over backwards to make sure that everyone who signs up at my jam gets to play, but sometimes, if a pro shows up, I'll have to limit someone else's time so I can give the pro a decent showcase. I have a non-jamming audience to think about, too, and sometimes they need a shot of really good music after listening to the same three chords over and over played by guys (and women) who don't leave their basements much.
Here in DC we have some great musicians, and personally, if I have to cut someone's time so that Charlie Sayles or Doug Jay or Pierre Beauregard get more playing time, then I'm gonna do it. In the long run, if the amateurs are serious, they'll thank me.
Having said this, there are jams here in the DC area that cater almost exclusively to the amateur blues musician. I know of at least three. (Write me offline for more info if you're interested.)
By the way, there's a huge gap between "amateurs" and "hacks". I know several pros who are complete hacks and many more amateurs who play like pros.
Bret
Hi,
Having also hosted a jam myself at one time, Bret has an excellent point here, and this is something most jammers will clearly have a difficult time understanding this. No pro wants to be around anything that can needlessly embarass them in any way, even if those around them didn't mean to do so. A lesser player among a bandstand of really good players can make the lesser player sound a lot better, but NEVER the other way around. This is definitely a post here hitting the nail on the head. There are some jammers that really have no clue about how to properly conduct themselves in situations like these and are the same people always whining about being disrespected and the whole nine yards that goes with it, and this is another part of the battle in learning how to be a musician, especially a being a pro, and if you go see a pro who was at a jam you attended and you learn to conduct yourself properly along with LISTENING properly (and for a pro musician, it's with BIGGER EARS, meaning you listen to EVERYTHING in great DETAIL of what's going on around you 24/7/365, and that's completely opposite of how the average music fan listens to music, which too often is maybe the vocals, the solos, and screw everything else), you may even be asked to sit in on their gig (but that ain't guaranteed by no means). I know some of my comments may have been taken out of context and may be bringing up some players personal insecurities, but that was not the intent at all, and so the jammers do need to learn that chops ain't the only thing that makes a pro what they are.
Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com MP3's: http://music.mp3lizard.com/barbequebob/
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