RE: [Harp-L] begginner question about blues jams

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

There's some good info and a list of standards at this site by David
Barrett: http://www.harmonicasessions.com/apr04/standards.html. Also, check
www.ultimatejamtracks.com, they have two good cd's of blues standards and a
third that is just for harp. There's more info on sites like angelfire, etc.
Just google for harp +jam or something like that. You're getting great info
here so far I see (as usual!).

Bill Hines

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of csbiro@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 1:47 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] begginner question about blues jams

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
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