[Harp-L] begginner question about blues jams

[csbiro@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi,

this is my first post here: I usually try to find my answers on the web without bugging list members, but this time, my question is so basic that everybody thinks that everybody knows the answer, I guess.

I'm a beginner player, I started to play roughly a year ago, completely by myself. Some time ago I learnt about some local blues jams, so I went to one of them. My original (naive) idea about a jam was that it would be similar to a "jam along" CD: a band plays some backtrack and harp players improvise over it. Of course I learnt that this was completely incorrect. However I still don't quite know what a jam is really and how to prepare for one.

It looks like there is a house band, they play a set and then some other folks will go up the stage and play some songs. I think if I wanted to play (I don't, because I'm not good enough for that), I should ask the leader of the house band, as I can see that other guys talk to him. But once you get on stage, then what? How do you find out what to play with some strangers? Do you always play based on real, published songs, or sometimes you make a complete improvisation? It looks to me that they always play known songs (e.g. as they often have lyrics), but I don't know any of them. If I can recognize one song a night, I'm happy!

Maybe they play songs in which there is no harp and I know mostly harmonica based music. I saw a harp player only once. They played 5 songs, I didn't know any of them.

So from this, it looks to be a good idea to learn some common blues jam songs, but what are they? I think I know a lot of Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Paul Butterfield, Sonny Terry songs, and the most famous songs by other harp players, but it seems that this jam favors other songs.

You guys on the list are long-time jammers, if you find yourselves in a town on an evening and you find out about a blues jam, you just go there and you'll find your way. Unlike me, who is quite lost. Some time, I will want to be an active participant of a jam, I WANT TO DO MY HOMEWORK, but what is the assignment?

Maybe you can a compile a list of songs for me to buy and learn. I would greatly appreciate it, if that is the way. Or just tell me what to practice, what to do, to become ready for jam.

All advises are greatly appreciated.

Csaba