The death of jamming

[CosmicRay]

Well, being in a jamband, I have to say it tests your improv skills. We cover a lot, a lot of Grateful Dead material that just lends itself to a flowing jam from one song into the next.
Some Allman Bros tunes also have some intense jams, case in point - Mountain Jam, Whipping Post, Elizabeth Reed.
All structured jams that we take to different places on any given night.

 

[IamGroot]

Sorry if I re-read your post. No offense intended. Some people here on different threads were discussing playing jazz and an alternative to blues jams as a way to stretch. Yeah, I've seen the "no real books aloud" attitude. I make it a point to learn as many standards as I can, but I think it's silly not to allow them.

No problem! Before i worked jazz, I was in jazz performance class plus a once a week open book jam. The pro jazz jam session was scary. Upright only. I remember the BL halted a song cuz the trumpet player played a wrong note in the head. Scary.

 

[jamro217]

We call it jazz.

 

[IamGroot]

I guess my thing is I’m afraid to jam because I feel that lack the technical and theoretical fitness to do myself or the music justice. I’ve been trying to learn how to improvise or solo recently because it keeps coming up as something my musician friends want me to do when I do play out with them, but I’m finding it to be difficult.

So I’m trying to learning more songs to build up my mental catalogue of music, shapes and phrases. Hat way I can reach into the. And know the way to play a phrase if my head decides to invent one.

It’s not that I don’t want to or that I lack the creativity, I just lack the technique and skill right now. But I’m working on it.

Dont give up! Spend more time practicing

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I've been invited to jam several times by local band members & there's no way I'll take that invitation.
The only way I can play with others is from songs I practiced already at home alone.

I've tried playing off chords charts & frankly I wasn't asked back again, LOL!

 

[lz4005]

IMHO, Experienced players are more likely to "sit in" with a good group than jam at an open mic. I have sat in with many groups in my life. I think I have done the open mic thing once or twice, and it involved a few players from my band.

That's true as well.

There's also differences in how these things work from city to city.

Here, there are open mics and open jams. At open mics individuals come in with two or three prepared songs and do them solo. Occasionally a duo or trio comes in together. No drums. There's a host who does a short set and then MCs the rest of the night.

At open jams there's a house band that does a few warmup songs, then people start subbing out for folks in the house band. Singer always calls the tune and the key. It's possible, but rare for people to call a different rhythm than a familiar recorded version.

I've been in house bands for "jam nights" that had nominal genre themes, ie rock or jazz, but they always ended up defaulting back to blues and classic rock with blues-based changes because that's what the people who show up to sit in know how to play.

Occasionally someone will try to start a jam night with higher ambitions, jazz standards or true on-the-fly improvisation, but they never draw enough participants to last long.

I'm sure it's different in other places.

 

[Medicine Man]

I love to jam, but it takes musicians who are willing to listen and follow, and cooperate to make something bigger. People who have talent are often unwilling to be part of a group think process instead of a star, and people humble enough to play to someone else's ideas may not have the chops. To all the people who think jamming is just aimless wanking, you clearly have never been in the right jam situation. Nothing takes more practice than improv.

 

[HertzWhenIPlay]

I’ve always enjoyed playing improvised jams.

 

[IamGroot]

I played Creams' Crossroads twice in jams

The first time, the guitarist played the guitar note for note and I did the same for the bass. A pleasant surprise.

The second time, the guitarist did his thing and I channeled Jack Bruce to match what he was doing. When we finished, he said " you got kinda crazy there on the bass." Another leg humper.

 

[Benko]

About 2 years ago I joined 2 guys (a guitarist and a drummer) who only played Phish's songs in a Jam mode.

I was (and still) a beginner hobbyist with very little music theory knowledge, but I wanted a project and they were friends of friends.

Can't say I'm a fan of Phish (I basically only listen to the material we play) but it's been so much fun and such a learning to play with those two who are REALLY good, it gives a beginner like me a great platform to go back to the theory, prepare for each session (track list is the same but the jam are ALWAYS very different), I record our rehearsal, listen to it, see where I did good, things I want to keep etc etc..

I also really enjoy the hang, the talks are fun too, we all got a busy life (families and work) and it works very well to meet once a couple of month to have our 3 hours sessions. Lately I could also introduce a keyboard player, really want to take the project for a gig now! (I'm the weak link )

What works really well for me is that I have another project that is just original songs, written by the band leader, so it's a good balance with a Jam project if you get tired of 20mns long noodling.

 

[Altitude]

Personally, I don't enjoy jamming at all. I noodle enough on my own. I don't need a group of other people doing it at the same time.

To me, jamming and noodling are opposite. Noodling is playing whatever enters your head, regardless of context. Jamming is listening to what's happening around you and improvising a way to complement what you hear.

Of course nobody is required to like jam music - but a guy who gets on a jam stage and noodles is 100% doing it wrong.

 

[prooftheory]

I had a band once that never rehearsed, rarely talked to one another, gigged regularly and even made money. It lasted for about 4 years and then it seemed we ran out of things to say to each other (musically) and it ended. Total improv all the time either on stage or in the studio. Never played the same thing twice. Sounded like this:

http://www.reverbnation.com/p3usa


The most fun I ever had in a band.

This was good stuff! It sounds like it was fun.

 

[Altitude]

That said, there are very well-known guys in the Denver-Boulder area who are jam players and think they are the shizzle.

I've endured a couple of their sets - they are good players, but by 15 minutes in my brain was begging for a IV chord.

 

[IamGroot]

I love it when somebody calls a song I have to figure out on the run. I got through Green Eyed Lady. Roundabout about ate me.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

Depends on the jam and the players. If it’s people who know their way around their instrument and are courteous enough to not take 80 measures of solos per song then it can be fun. If its anything like the handful of jams I’ve attended before swearing them off entirely then it’s a gratingly bad rendition of any number of SRV tunes with guitarists who get lost in their own solos.

 

[Slevage]

There’s a difference between learning how to play songs on your instrument and learning your instrument.

 

[lz4005]

If its anything like the handful of jams I’ve attended before swearing them off entirely then it’s a gratingly bad rendition of any number of SRV tunes with guitarists who get lost in their own solos.

Try calling Lenny or Riviera Paradise when one of those guys is on stage. They come up with excuses why-not to play them really fast.

 

[prooftheory]

Has anyone ever hosted a jam? How did you get started at it? Where did you host it?

 

[Nephilymbass]

I live in Fayetteville NC there’s never really been much of a scene here for live improvised music but Jam bands were huge in NC college towns for many years. I think the older crowd is tired of it and these days college kids are very much into EDM. Lot of the venues that hosted jam bands are trying to move away from in now.

I love being in an original band that writes a lot of material just jamming and that’s not against what I call “twisting a cover song” from time to time. Here’s an example of us playing Zombie by the cranberries in a different key than the original with a totally different bridge and ending

We always tend to play at least one cover at our gigs. The zombie cover is our most popular but we’ve also messed up Tom Petty’s Last dance with Mary Jane, 1999 by prince, and countless others as well as playing some stuff like Staind and foo fighters straight up. I enjoy playing songs in different keys and reworking certain parts completely. The downside side of live improvised music imo is particularly with guitar players. I dig watching footage of improvised jazz for example where the soloing instruments are other instruments besides guitar but I’ve been listening to guitar based music for decades and I’m really burned out on guitar players playing solos for the sake of playing solos. I enjoy a good soulful guitar solo. Love Pink Floyd for example, but I haven’t heard a great epic guitar solo since November rain by GnR probably.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I have another (humorous) thread going about jam bands. On a more serious note, I've been running jams for years, and probably always will. I'm saddened that so many people have lost the spirit of true jamming- Improvisation, and spontaneity.
Every week I end up with a bunch of GREAT players who just want to play songs. Maybe add a second (third...fourth) guitar solo, but the jamming aspect is all but gone.
I try to push my guests boundries, and a FEW of them get it. Go to double time feel, or a modulation, or switch up a groove- reggae Zeppelin, or metal Peaches and Herb.
I try to keep it interesting, and push peoples boundries.
I often just hit a brick wall. If it ain't on the record, they don't want to try it.
Too many automatons, not enough free spirits.
Another Pride and Joy.......in the same key as the record.....
Rant over.

Sounds cool.
I'd love to be at one if those, even just to observe.