[Harp-L] Blues jams

[clayton goldstein <clay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I owe my participation in music to the opportunity Blues jams provide. Baltimore keyboardist David Zee ran a jam in Fells Point's Full Moon Saloon and I treated my three songs there as my gig for a year. When he was leaving I took over the jam, learned 30 "generic" jam oriented songs and with the help of Pros I knew, was educated, not just about playing Harmonica but playing in a band. That is an education many young musicians are missing. 

I still love jams, and feel pros have a responsibility to play with the "respectful" weekend warriors and beginners. It's a great social get together. If one gets to play on stage and who they play with should be irrelevant, icing on the cake. Sure the leader should try to accommodate but some jammers take the stage time too personally or seriously. If you want to control the songs or players, get a real gig and do a show somewhere. This is a Jam, lighten up! Enjoy the good, bad and the "interesting."

The finest jam I've ever been to around the country happens every Saturday Afternoon, 2-6, at Kansas City's BB's Lawnside Bar-B-Q, a great blues venue to begin with. The jam is run by KC's least appreciated jewel, Mama Ray who blows the roof off a place in her own right. This is a music jam, not just a Blues jam and the audience always has as much or more fun than the musicians and the musicians have a blast. http://bbslawnsidebbq.com/mama-ray-kicks-out-the-jams-for-25-years/   If you go, tell her I miss the hell out of her and KC.

Clay

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Clayton Goldstein
(417)894-4434