[Harp-L] Old Boys' Network

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

I differentiate between bar jams and home-style jams, because the motive of the thing is different: Either to sell drinks to a happy dancing crowd or to just have fun amongst musicians and friends.  (of course both can happen at either, but a bar's gotta bring in drinkers and make money.)  

What kills me is when I get to a new (to me) bar jam early, like 8 pm, and I'm the first harp player to sign up, and still wait wait until after midnight (and 3 or 5 other harp players) to play, and then I'm stuck with a bunch of drunk guitar-heroes.  

Then the jam leader says, "Oh man, I'd have got you up sooner if I knew you could play!"  Not a pleasant thing to hear at 1 am when I've waited four or five hours to play and then have to climb through drunken train-wrecks to get on and off the stage. 

But when the jam-master is using the bar jam to have a private concert of friends, letting a parade of later-arriving pals hog the stage while earlier-arrivals wait, and saves all the unknowns until the crowd is too drunk to notice, the jerk should be (politely) outed and the jam left to the drunks and egotrippers.

Then, start your own jam!  It's how Elmtree Blues Society got started in the '80's.

-Dave Fertig


From: "46long Blake" <46long@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Bill's Blues Bar-Chicago,
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:40:35 -0400

 Good story, Jeff!

Has the "old boys network" at blues jams been discussed here much?  I had a
really bad experience with that in my hometown of Rochester, NY a couple
years ago when I went early to a jam, brought my dad, was the first harp
player on the list, and one of the first 10 players on the list, and I
didn't get called up until way late in the evening, long after my dad wanted
to leave.  Your situation turned out way better than mine did......

....now must go kill other harmonica player named
"Blake"..............grrrrrrrr..............

 - Cincinnati Blake