[Harp-L] re: Do Blues Jams turn the public off?

[W B <wbharptime2@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well run blues jams are a great thing!  You mentioned a couple of important
points that need to be addressed square one.  The person running the jam has
the responsibility of playing traffic cop first and musician second.  Rules
must be established and enforced by the traffic cop: if you want to get on
stage be ready and be tuned up,  Ideally there is a clipboard/sign-up sheet
that helps create "game plans" before hitting the stage.  The kiss of death
for an audience is the "whadda you wanna play",  the sound or lack of sound
during repeated tuning processes and "another slow blues in E"  The traffic
cop needs to keep ego's in check.  Open jams need to be just that, OPEN.
Pro's/gigging players should be happy with one tune (or less) to show their
"A game" and then try to be GOOD HUMAN BEINGS and use their talents to
encourage less experienced players to get up there and have some fun.  Maybe
offer to help back them up.  The number one killer of open blues jams that I
have experienced is EGO MANIACISM.  The blues is a conversation and
everybody on stage needs to be a part of it NO MATTER WHAT THEIR PLAYING
LEVEL.  The sign-up process needs to be fair so "blues apprentices" don't
get shoved aside until midnight after all the "big shots" shot their wads.
The traffic cops main job is to keep things moving and as entertaining as
possible for the audience.  This means "managing the expectations" of the
players as they sign up.  Ego's need to be checked and
inexperienced/potentially poor players need to know that stage time is all
about entertaining "musical conversation". If they can't cut the mustard in
a reasonable fashion they may only get only one song (or less!) and thats
it.  This is a public establishment with paying patrons. It's not about
cracking a whip and being a control freak it's about everybody in the room
sharing the musical journey.  Public jams are for players and
listeners.   ABOVE ALL: Traffic cop needs to be a "volume knob natzi" When
the volume is out of control, nobody has any fun except a chosen few.

WB