So I was invited to this jam last night...

[djero44]

A friend of mine who plays keys invited me up to his house for a jam session last night, I haven't seen him for months since the band we were in together broke up, so I went up to visit and make some music. I didn't have any expectations-- it was a jam session.

Somehow this ended up as a reunion night for a local band that hasn't been playing together for six or eight months since they disbanded. The whole band showed up, plus me. I definitely felt like the odd man out, but I also have a relationship with the drummer who i'm working in a different project with, so I had played with two of the five musicians before.

These guys are are really good folks and players, all fifteen to thirty years older than me, and everyone was hanging around, partying a bit. The bass player from the band sat down at the second piano and we hacked our way through a blues jam, i'm still feeling uncomfortable, so I start playing percussion instead of bass and invite him to play. Things picked up then, understandably, these guys played together for almost ten years. A song or two in they asked me to plug in my bass and we went at it with two basses, something i've never done before, as well as sitting in with a full band, which is something else i've never done before. The first couple songs went well, I followed along kind of sketching little rhythmic phrases in the upper octave of my five string. We took a break and gave it another go, and things started to really take off! The rest of the night was really awesome and I had a great time.

I was first to leave, and before I left the drummer asked me to sit in on the drums with this band before I left. I have spent the last six months pushing my drumming very hard, and have got myself up to a respectable place, but i've never sit in with a band in this kind of situation. Not only did I pull it off, but I had a couple of the musicians really complimenting my drumming, which really made my night (week). You know, sometimes getting positive encouragement from other musicians, especially those you really respect, can be a very good thing. I try to remember that and give a good amount of sincere compliments. The whole experience made me feel very strong in what I am doing and also like my intensive wood shedding is really paying off!

Thanks for listening to my ramble, I just thought i'd share my experience.

[andrew]

Friends having fun together playing music and hanging out, sounds like a really positive night.

[jjk2007]

Originally Posted by andrew

Friends having fun together playing music and hanging out, sounds like a really positive night.

+1

[pacojas]

cool story! keep us posted on your journey.

[Muzoid]

There is a certain connection good friends/musicians attain...

Seriously it's one of life's greatest gifts to a musician.

[djero44]

Music has been my passion and muse since I was thirteen years old and started playing the guitar (21 yrs ago). It's only been in the past three or four years that i've been connecting with many other musicians though, excepting a few along the way and a really cool trio I was in in high school.

To be honest it was becoming a bass player that changed my musical life. Not just playing along with my songs for recordings (which I did for years); really falling in love with the bass and taking it on as a study, especially learning how to be a supportive musician. I went from being an introspective, stylistically oblique singer-songwriter to a performing bassist and now drummer, and i'm fairly in demand in the local music scene, although i'm picky about gigs. I am in two original bands that are very important to me, so I can only sub a little.

Being part of the rhythm section has made me more of a team player and taken my musical gifts and made them more accessible. My life is filled with music up to my ears and it really feels like things are going to keep getting better. I am very thankful.

OK i'm going to go practice now and get off TB!!

Thanks so much for the positive words, y'all.

[Russell L]

Good luck to ya pal, and thanks for the positive-feeling story. Playing bass changed my life, too, after playing guitar for 35 years (I began guitar at age 13, too). In 1988 I became a full-time bass player and have gigged ever since. 23 years later now I am playing bass in three bands.

[djero44]

That's awesome, Russell. I bet there are some others here who share the same story too. I know there are those who share my excitement at getting out there and making good music. Music is what allows me to connect with people, which isn't an innate trait of mine, and it truly is amazing.

Muziod, you put it well, that capacity is one of life's greatest gifts.

[Plays_For_Dog]

Awesome. I love those random jams that go sooo well. You grew as a musician from that experience and that is worth a congratulatory beer.