Re: [Harp-L] Re: jam etiquette

[michael harp <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Barbara brought up a good idea for those wanting to take the first step at
playing at a jam.  If its a regularly held jam that you attend, ask
permission to record the jam. Take the music home and practice from that
rather then a commercial cd recording. That way you will get a feel for the
guys/gals you will eventually perform with.  You will find the tunes are
rarely played the same way twice unless the jammers play together all the
time. 

The best advice I can give a blues or jazz jammer is to never lock yourself
into a preconceived notion how the song will be performed or a trainwreck
could occur. . Jams usually involve standards. Listen to as many different
interpretations of the standards as possible so you can remain flexible in
your ideas.

Also record yourself at the jams. I did that the first 2 years I hosted the
jam. I not only studied my fills and solos but critiqued how much play time
I was logging on a tune and whose fills or solos I may have been stepping
on.

Watch the local harp players that you respect. Pay attention to how they
interact with the other jammers on stage. Are the other players saying good
or bad things about them offstage.

mike