[Harp-L] Further Jazz Jam Adventures



OK, so recently I posted about my first real jazz jam...been to a couple more since then, including yesterday, which was a disaster :-)
  I know about 25 jazz tunes, but they're mostly of the beginner/intermediate variety, you know, the usual "Take the A Train-Girl from Ipanema-Autumn Leaves-Killer Joe-Take Five" stuff...good tunes, I think, but pretty vanilla for experianced players I guess. [I don't read very well yet, and my knowledge of harmony is slight, to say the least]...so the guys are using a fake book and calling tunes I don't know, I mean I'm aware of the EXISTENCE of these tunes, but as far as being able to play the head or having any idea of the harmony of the tunes I'm completely in the dark :-(
  Anyway, the horn players would play the head, and everybody would play solos, and then they'd nod at me to play...whew!!! I might [or might not] get started out OK, but I'd soon be lost and playing the most awful BS you've ever heard...I'd try to find my place but when you really don't have any idea of what in the heck is going on you really have trouble, let me tell you...I mean, every now and then they'd let me call a tune, or we'd do a blues and I'd be OK, but for the most part I sounded like a beginning junior high jazz band student, if that good :-) 
  Several things are clear:
1] I gotta learn more tunes.
2] I gotta learn to sight read MUCH better
3] I gotta learn more about harmony
  Until I get better at the above three, I think from now on maybe I should just sit out on  tunes I don't know...I didn't bring much honor to our beloved instrument yesterday, that's for sure! 
WVa Bob
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