[Harp-L] Blues jam--responsibility of leader to audience and performers

["Norman Vickers" <nvickers1@xxxxxxx>]

To:  Harp-l list
From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

I'm a lurker on this list but want to respond to the discussion about blues
jams.  My experience is primarily with jazz jams as a supporter/spectator
and occasional performer on chromatic harmonica.

Dave Fertig, I believe, is accurate in his assessment that the leader of the
session has great responsibility in involving the audience.

------------------------------

>Message: 4
>Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:32:02 -0700 (PDT)
F>rom: David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [Harp-L] Do Blues Jams turn the public off?

>>>( polite snip)  AND it's the host's job to make sure the audience
understands what's going on: we're bringing people together who've >mostly
never played together before, and some are complete amateurs so let's
support them!  etc etc ., and enlist the audience in the >enthusiasm of
support.   In my experience as a jam host,  good people appreciate the
effort and good pros appreciate it, too.  So, >nobody's surprised when a
player wrecks the train, or makes some big gaffes,and the other players can
work past it and show some >good music despite the occasional problems.


>-Dave "give the drummer some brushes" Fertig

Continuing, certainly both the participants and the audience need to be
considered.  When a jam becomes exclusively a 
"please the performers" event, the audience can quickly lose interest.  So,
both the leader and performers need to keep the audience and their
interests/desires in mind.

Thanks.

Norman Vickers
www.jazzpensacola.com