Re: [Harp-L] Blues jams

["david robbins" <drobbins5658@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

When avg folk see run of the mill blues jams, (usually by accident) they 
really do think that this is as good as the blues gets. And subsequently 
will not pay money to go out and see top shelf blues. You can argue this all 
you want, but it normally is the honest truth. There are always gonna be a 
few rare exceptions to this.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Power" <stevepower@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 12:34 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Blues jams


> Some good points have been made regarding how hosts/traffic cops can 
> affect the quality of blues jams and thus how they are viewed by the 
> general bar going public.  One thing that hasn't been mentioned is 
> preferential treatment towards players that aren't necessarily pros or 
> names but just happen to know somebody and be in the club.  Too often 
> players outside the clique are left waiting while others are called up out 
> of turn, not on the list at all, called up multiple times, or allowed to 
> exceed the song limit imposed on everyone else. If you're Charlie 
> Musslewhite or Buddy Guy, fair enough. Joe the Plumber is another story.
>
> On the odd occasion when the subject of jams has come up most of the pros 
> and semi-pros I have talked to have the same opinion, they don't bother 
> because it usually sucks, the exception being special events.  If you put 
> off the quality players then the overall presentation is going to be 
> substandard and both those who know the blues and those that are new to it 
> are going to be believe that local blues is a hackneyed and boring form, 
> they're not going to support unknown local acts, and blues will stagnate.