[Harp-L] Pro -Jam- amateur -discouraging -jam -session-

["Peter Wright" <peterw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

In alot of ways, I find Jason's post one of the most encouraging things I've
ever read on this list.  I've been playing three years, and I've practiced
EVERY day of the three years.  And I don't feel like I could go to jam, get
with a group of musicians I've never played with, and play or improvise to a
song I hadn't practiced, and sound good.  I just don't think I'm there.

I think the amount of time required to play the Blues on harp, and play it
well, is just grossly understated the majority of the time.

One day I'm going to play in a Blues jam, and when I do, I'll be making a
sound people WANT to listen to.

Thanks Jason.

Jr.




Message: 4
   Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 17:37:20 -0600
   From: "Wally Walters" <bigwally@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] from Jason Ricci

I personally support the Pro ?Jam- amateur -discouraging -jam ?session-
format, and here?s why:

           - First of all the Pros are usually not pro?s meaning they don?t
on average make their money or even the majority of their   income from
music?.they?re just guys who have been doing it a while and did there
homework a long time ago.

-          Second: I went to a jam like this when I was young and had been
playing like 3 years I was 18?I didn?t sit in I just watched. It was very
much a pro jam BBQ Bob was there often and he was the deal, and Per Hanson
snuck me in the back door so I could watch? I did my home work/jamming in my
living room with friends and there guitars etc?I didn?t know about Little
Walter or bullet mics. or anything I learned a lot just by watching and the
bar sold a lot of beer on these nights cause the Jam was successful with
great players all night thus this jam went on for a number of years not
weeks.
-
-          Thirdly:  Even though I didn?t play for a long time(at the jam)
(like two years) the players were very supportive and I learned way more by
listening and talking to these guys then I ever could have from sitting in.
They made me tapes and gave me tips and I would ask a lot of questions at
the shows like how do you tounge block, get that tone etc?.I went home and
tried these with my buddies.a lot of people probably got offended by these
attitudes and my opinion is that learning involves humbling yourself and I
don?t know if I have heard from any of those guys that got pissed and left
since?Two of the people(Kids) that didn?t get upset were myself and Nick
Curran and were doing ok these days probably because we always loved music
more than our egos
-          .
-          Forth: If those guys hadn?t of been so selective in choosing who
they let up to play, I probably would not have been able to define for
myself what a ?pro? looked like and sounded like?this gave me something to
strive for and try to live up to?it made me want to work harder to be better
and get closer to those Little Walter songs I was mimicking to win there
approval, the bi-product of this was: I became a more knoledgable player and
got better faster. The club was The Big Easy in Portland Maine remember that
Jam Bob? You were one of the kings of this Jam at least for me!
-
-          Fifth: I realize this sort of competitive environment is not for
everyone, but if were talking about turning an ?am? into a ?pro? this
environment is beyond essential because it breeds: humility, concentration,
perceverence and dedication. It weeds out those looking for a quick thrill-
I.E jamming in front of an audience, from those truly looking and trying to
improve themselves musically.
-          Thanks so much don?t hate me because I?m beautiful
-          Jason Ricci