Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Jazz Jams at SPAH 2009 - and not just jazz

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

SmoJoe writes: "Elizabeth was suggesting ADDING something for the less
accomplished
players who want to try, and have a proclivity towards  jazz, but the
combo situation is a wee too intimidating. Let's face  it, Randy's
jazz club DOES attract some pretty heavy hitters. I  believe that the
Wizard (Winslow) is correct. The people who feel that  they are not
'quite' up to the jazz club's hype, should endeavor to  get involved
in as many impromptu jams as possible. Even maybe start  their OWN.
ANY impromptu jam will attract onlookers."

...thanks, Smokey... it's sort of a combination of what you've  said and
Winslow's response. I love Randy, but the reality is that he  IS a 'pro'...and
when he and those other top people get behind the mics in  the great jazz
jam setting at the bar with the combo and all the  bar patrons as
audience....it sure is intimidating for those of us who've  never even attempted to
play in such a setting. I'm in no way dissing the  great players...they worked
very hard to get where they are, and I  understand how much fun it must be
to be up there playing alongside their peers.  I wasn't really talking about
an impromptu jam either, though.

What I keep thinking about is another kind of set up - similar to and
perhaps also involving a combo (or single pianist or guitarist?)...I'm not
greedy; maybe even Randy's idea of Band-in-a-Box - except my concern  with BIAB
is what songs would we be playing to? Many of us don't know a lot of  the
older standards played at the regular Jazz jams (at least the  last several
I've attended), and I suspect BIAB could be a  similar issue. I'd like to play
MY music, not what someone else chooses for  me.

If those who are 'strictly amateur' among us were to get our feet wet
without having to deal with the intimidation of the major bar/nightclub setting
and having a couple of people such as yourself and Randy or any others of
the  better players attend too (or run it) to lend their expertise (you, Phil
 Caltabellotta, Charles Spranklin have always been especially kind  and
encouraging towards me in particular) to guide us and critique the playing,  it
would give someone like me a huge step forward to understanding just how it
 all works...never having experienced a real jam.

I suppose I'm talking about a combination of first a jam - and then a  Q&A
or seminar afterwards, but very loose and relaxed and not set up as a
'classroom' but more working with us within the jam perhaps even right at  the
mics?  Real, practical, hands-on instruction?

Playing among friends is always so much less intimidating as well..and I
count more than a few great players among my friends, even though you  are
all dozens of rungs further up the ladder than I'll ever achieve.

My participation in the Jazz jams so far has been as videographer. I
wouldn't have missed any of them for the world..they've been wonderful and
amazing.  (I thoroughly enjoy the impromptu playing in the hallways as  well,
whatever the genre)...But the 'official' jams (the ones you and I are  both
talking about - the last couple of years where they really took off) are
pretty much dominated by the pros who play at the top of their game, with no
room (or very much patience) for those of us further down the ladder, and then
the rest of us way at the bottom just beginning our climb.

I certainly don't have the answer but am hopefully suggesting perhaps
finding space for something where beginners like me at Jazz don't intrude on or
spoil the Pros' fun while getting a measure of a similar kind of
experience. There really are a huge number of jazz or smooth jazz/R&B  oriented
players of both chromatic and diatonic who attend SPAH, with  seemingly more
showing up every year.  We're not 'Blues'...we're not 'Trad  jazz', so where do
we fit in and how do we get better?

 I'm thinking more of carving out some time at SPAH for this. Perhaps  if
someone floats the idea, see if there is any interest (other than from me
<G>?)

Thanks to you and Winslow for your input.....you're both on the right
track.

Elizabeth

P.S.  Just read the disagreement with your take on the 'lameness' of a
couple of jazz set ups...and can't agree more with your take on it since I
attended that 'jazz jam' with you with much anticipation when it ended up  with
perhaps 5 people on stage and 6 in the audience - and the room all the  way
down the end of a corridor tucked behind the bar! It took about 15 minutes'
 walk to find it.  Now that was 'lame'! Everyone at the time was upset and
quite vocal in their disappointment.  I remember in particular that  you
were quite embarrassed since you'd been touting the jazz jam as  something I
would find exhilarating (I'd previously attended blues  jams instead). The
only exhilarating part of that particular jam was  hearing Chris Michalek
achieve on a diatonic what it took everyone else to play  on a chromatic. Now
that was cool.

This was the year before Randy took it over and brought the  jam out into
the bar 'nightclub' setting.

The next year we had HUGE attendance at the bar with hotel  guests (even
those not part of SPAH) stopping by to listen in. It was  actually too dark
for most of the players to register on my camera - but the  combo worked and
the music was great, albeit way above my head. The speed these  people play
at can be mind-boggling.

Jazz HAS grown in leaps and bounds at SPAH and again (as usual) you're
right again about perhaps catering a bit more to the people who make up the
backbone of SPAH - those of us who always have to fly in no matter where a
SPAH  is located given our home locations; who never will play 'a slot'
onstage; who  pay our dues to give the stars their chance to get up onstage and
spend our  money to buy the products sold there and the CD's to support the
artists.

I see Warren Bee being a hugely effective addition to the SPAH roster
because he's all about this kind of encouragement, equality and helping make
everyone's SPAH adventure be the best possible.  SPAH for me isn't  about
showing off...I learn something new each year, have a wonderful and  different
experience each time, and perhaps what it's finally about is  accepting that
I really am a musician and relaxing enough to enjoy the  wonderful
camaraderie I find with people I haven't seen from the previous year.  I've made so
many friends from all walks of life I would never have known  otherwise.

So I don't mind at all that I help finance all the rest. But I do expect to
 be treated with a modicum of respect by the elected officers (as I have
been  from day one) and not ignored in favour of the top players (as you've
just  pointed out). At every Filisko teach-in every player is treated as well
as any  other...whether at Buckeye or SPAH, so if they're not part of the
roster I  sure miss them. If SPAH was indeed 'meant for the superior player'
and  Buckeye 'for the beginner'...then just whose money was going to pay to
put  on SPAH? - and clearly nobody told Jack Ely that 'Buckeye was for
beginners'.

  Anyone expecting to run a convention has to remember  first and foremost
just who is the bread and butter of their membership  and just whose dues
bring the stars to the convention. To my  mind, the people of this Diamond Age
of SPAH we're still in have certainly  more than proven they know how it
works over some who insist  there was a 'golden' age. Perhaps it's elitism
mixed with pride  which truly goeth (or went) before a  fall?

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