Re: [Harp-L] jam terms

["Ben J. Nathanson <bjnath@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>" <bjnath@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dan Axt wrote:
> A while ago, 7 or 8 years maybe, someone wrote an
> excellent e-mail on terms to use at a jam such as
> describing types of rhythm, tempos, bass patterns, etc.


This may be the post you're thinking of:


From: "STACHNIK,GEORGE (HP-Cupertino,ex3)" <george_stachnik@xxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 16:36:14 -0700
Subject: RE: Blues Forms at the Local Jam

Richard W. Rinn said "I'd like to be able to describe most blues songs, 
and know the most common variations. Even if performing idiosyncratic 
arrangements isn't a good idea at jams, I'd still like to be able to 
suss them out in my own head."

This thread could be interesting. When I started going to jams a couple 
of years ago, I was bewildered by the terminology thrown out by the 
leaders of the jam sessions. The leader, (typically a guitarist) would 
turn to the bassist and yell, "gimme a slow chicago shuffle in Bb, from 
the four, with a kind of an Albert Collins feel - here we go - 1, 2, 3, 
4...." and the whole band would fall right in as if they'd rehearsed it. 
I'd stand there with a silly look on my face trying to figure out what 
everybody else was doing. Usually, by the second chorus, I was getting 
close, but it was apparent that there was a lot of information in the 
leader's call that I just wasn't getting. Here's what I learned...

For example, guitarists tend to focus on the rhythm. So you'll often 
hear them call for "a shuffle" or "a rhumba" or most commonly, "slow 
blues" followed by the key of the song. They'll also typically add a 
comment such as "from the 4". This is a reference to what chord to start 
with. (Blues songs are usually built on a "1-4-5" progression, and the 
introduction can start with the "1" chord, or with the "4" or even the "5".

Now assuming that you have no idea what a shuffle sounds like, let me 
try to suggest an example. (And ghod knows I'm about to be disagreed 
with by members of the harp-l community. Keep in mind that there's a lot 
of arbitrariness in these labels, and what I call "a shuffle" somebody 
else might call "jump blues" or a "boogie woogie".)

A shuffle - Little Walter's Much discussed "Juke" is a good example of 
your basic shuffle rhythm.

Slow blues - Lots of Muddy Waters examples - my own favorites include 
"19 years old" or "Long Distance Call".  Another variation on slow blues 
might be "I'd Rather Go Blind" (the way KoKo Taylor does it).

Fast Blues - "Got My Mojo Working" is probably the quintessential example

Boogie Woogie - Listen to "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" on BB King's recent 
album of Louis Jordan Covers. Boogie Woogie should not be confused with 
straight "Boogie" however, which is a John Lee Hooker thing.

Boogie - John Lee Hooker's "Dimples", or ZZ Top's "La Grange"  Also, 
much George Thorogood (House Rent Boogie)

Jump Blues - Caldonia from the same BB King album. Or almost anything by 
Louis Jordan, ("Ain't nobody Here But Us Chickens", "Beware Brother 
Beware") Or Jump Jive and Wail....

Funky Blues - Albert Collins, "Head Rag" or "Ice Man" comes to mind.

Swing Blues - You Got To Rock or any of a number of other tunes by 
Little Charlie and the Nightcats

Mambo - La Cucuracha - by Big Walter

And then there are a few musical forms that are so closely identified 
with a particular artist, that the leader will simply call out "Play a 
Muddy Waters Blues" (which may mean a slow blues like "19 Years Old" but 
in my experience Muddy's name is more closely associated with the 
start/stop rhythm heardin "Hoochie Coochie Man" or "Mannish Boy", or 
even in George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone".

Some other examples:

Bo Diddley - Many of Bo's song use the same beat; one example is Willie 
and the Hand Jive.

Elmore James - Popularized a particular guitar style, often played on 
songs like Dust My Broom. Hound Dog Taylor plays this one a lot.

Howlin Wolf - I've heard his name used to indicate a riff-based 
single-chord song like Wang Dang Doodle.

Last night, I was at a Jam at JJ's Blues club, when Chris Brown (the 
leader on Monday nights) called for a "flat tire". Had me until he 
started playing. The guitar rhythm was reminiscent of a flat tire, 
(whap, whap, whap) always played between the beats. (Count 1,2,3,4 and 
insert a "whap" between each beat.) That was a new one on me.

Anybody got any other ideas for basic forms?