Re: [Harp-L] Blues jams

[David Brown <nonidesign@xxxxxxxxx>]

I disagree. All the regulars *should* be given preferential treatment*because
* they are regulars. They are the ones who keep the jam continuing because
they keep coming back. I've been in both the "preferred" group as well as
the new/outsider group. When I am the new guy I expect to have to wait
because the others have earned their spot. If I keep coming back, bringing
people with me, and all of us are buying drinks... I expect to get a better
spot on the list.

Where I do agree with you is that nobody should have to wait to get up on
the last set of the night, play 6 minutes, and then have to get off stage
because the set got time squeezed. It's happened to me, it sucks, and that's
life. Make a choice to try again or just say the hell with it.

On a side note, I've also used open stages as a way to get gigs by having my
whole band play 3 songs. I make sure whoever does the booking is there first
(sometimes they take the night off on the slow nights the place has open
stages). it has worked enough to mention it here.


On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 11:34 PM, Steve Power <stevepower@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> 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.
>
>
>