Blues Jam Blues

[Abaco]

I decided to go to the local Blues Society weekly jam for the first time last night. It's about 5 minutes from my house so I had real hope. I got there about 8:30 and was shocked that I was the 3rd guy on the signup sheet, and the first one who would do vocals so I figured I'd get right up and be home and in bed at a decent time. I get up at 5:00 every morning - so I'm pretty un-rockin. Anyway, I sat through 3 compete sets of different musicians. A few of the host band musicians stayed up through at least 2 sets. At least 6 or 7 musicians who happen to be friends of the host guys got welcomed up on stage without ever signing up. At about 10:00 I just headed home. Maybe I'm smelly or just suck. But, I really get tired of these "open jams" that really aren't open at all. Are blues musicians as hard up as the rock musicians I know? Fuck. I feel like a niave moron. Several of these guys are pros and I realize they must just be using this jam for face time to help land more gigs. I just show up to enjoy playing the blues - a genuine zen approach to the music. I'm a fucking idiot, I guess.

[MCChris]

Nah, you're not an idiot. The big blues jam near me is elitist, and the "signup sheet" is bogus. It's only there in case none of the regulars show up. And even then, they get to it when they feel like it.

But by the same token, it's always preferable to put your best foot forward when performing in public, and maybe these guys are hesitant to bring a new guy up in case he really does suck, which unfortunately is quite common. It's a difficult line to walk. Running an open jam is tough. You can't make everyone happy.

[hamersandstrats]

I used to attend a regular Thursday night jam with some guys who work at a local music store. No egos, just playing fun songs and getting everyone involved. One night a friend of the jam "leader" came in. He was a Berkley trained musician-real nice guy, helluva player AND he brought his own Laptop to record the show. He got up played about two songs when another guitarist was invited up. This other guitarist brought 2 guitars, 2 amps and a huge effects board that he carried in on a hand truck. After watching this jerk set up for 15 minutes, his drummer and bass player arrive and he turns to the Berkley guy and says, do you mind if we play as a trio? Berkley steps down and this guy goes through his whole act, stage banter and all, while everyone else got hung out to dry. Good thing they had pool tables and a bar at the place.

[hamersandstrats]

Nah, you're not an idiot. The big blues jam near me is elitist, and the "signup sheet" is bogus. It's only there in case none of the regulars show up. And even then, they get to it when they feel like it.

But by the same token, it's always preferable to put your best foot forward when performing in public, and maybe these guys are hesitant to bring a new guy up in case he really does suck, which unfortunately is quite common. It's a difficult line to walk. Running an open jam is tough. You can't make everyone happy.

MCChris,

Everyone wants to put on a good show, but don't advertise "Open Blues Jam-Guitarists Welcome, Amps provided" and all that stuff if you don't intend to call people up on stage. A good jam should feature the house band with alternating guitarists, bass players, and singers. Many people who go to Blues jams are not in full time bands, they just go for the experience of playing live. In all the jams I have been to, I never saw just one guy ruin a song.

[MCChris]

This other guitarist brought 2 guitars, 2 amps and a huge effects board that he carried in on a hand truck. After watching this jerk set up for 15 minutes, his drummer and bass player arrive and he turns to the Berkley guy and says, do you mind if we play as a trio? Berkley steps down and this guy goes through his whole act, stage banter and all, while everyone else got hung out to dry. Good thing they had pool tables and a bar at the place.

What a fucking tool.

The monthly jam thing I do is technically not "open"; we don't advertise it as such, don't have a signup sheet and pretty much stick to a rotation of the 10-12 regulars in attendance. However we will invite a new guy up if he's willing, but ONLY him sitting in with the regulars, and he HAS to use the house amps and effects. Period. No good for you? Then no jam for you.

It used to be "open" and was frequently ruined by guys who couldn't function outside their comfort zone (i.e. without their gear and their bandmates). That is most definitely a form of sucking. Our jams are much better now that we've restricted them to hand-picked players. Certainly an elitist approach, but we don't portray ourselves as something we're not, an open blues jam.

[lonote049]

That's just not right. I played for years in a "house jam band" here in the Twin Cities and we always followed the sign up sheet and made sure EVERYBODY who signed up got to play. Most of the jams here are run that way...there a few exceptions, but not many. Playing at blues jams allowed me to get my feet wet after a 10+ year hiatus because the guys who ran the jams were supportive.

[jdrnd]

Abaco,

I feel for you. My son is a freshman in high school. He wanted to tryout for the freshman Soccer team (he's played recreational soccer since he was 6). To prepare, he attends a soccer camp in the first week of August, a fitness camp in the second week of August (both run by the HS Soccer coach) and tryouts for the team in the third week. He doesn't make the team.

All the players that made it, had been playing on the Travel (competitive) Soccer team of our town for the past 3 years (the HS Soccer coach is the asst coach on the travel team). These players made it despite the fact that many of the players did poorly in the formal tryouts. What my son learned was that the tryouts had been going on for the past 3 years. The "official tryouts" (analagous to your "signup sheet") had to occur for political reasons. After all there could have been a spectacular player not known to the coach (who by the way has his fingers in all things Soccer in our area) that blew everyone away and just by sheer ability made the team.

It was a good lesson for my son. Now he can concentrate on having fun just playing recreational soccer. In some ways, your story reminded me of what just happened to him.

Jeff

[MCChris]

Everyone wants to put on a good show, but don't advertise "Open Blues Jam-Guitarists Welcome, Amps provided" and all that stuff if you don't intend to call people up on stage.

Agreed. But you can't let the inmates run the asylum. Once you do, it's inevitable that the shitheads will take over.

In all the jams I have been to, I never saw just one guy ruin a song.

No, you saw one guy ruin a whole NIGHT apparently. Someone should have cut that clown off at the beginning when he carted in all his crap.

[hamersandstrats]

Thats the thing. Playing in blues jams has definitely increased my confidence as a player, and is a great way to learn new songs.

MCCHris, you are right-that was a fun jam as a whiole, but someone should have cut this guy off. Truth be told, he was a great player, thats why I think he was tolerated.

[Abaco]

Well, my approach is that I'll plug into any amp, play anything I can, and try to play things I can't....just contribute to the jam. I have no problem not playing any lead guitar in a song. I'll sing if needed (something I started working on so that I could play more guitar - and it worked) and am happy to not sing. I'll do whatever is required. I don't even have an amp I can bring to these things - as my gig rig is a half stack (not applicable). But, I think I'm going to look for a decent combo amp I can carry with me in case it's needed. I only bring a tuner so I'm tuned up when I step on the state. Just give me a cable to plug into my guitar and I'm ready.

On the bright side, this jam is supposed to be hosted by a really cool guy who happened to be out sick. He does a great job of keeping jams open. So, these hosts were subs. I haven't given up on it yet, especially with it being so close to home. I just enjoy getting up with different musicians and trying to make something that doesn't sound like shit.

I kinda solved these problems with another jam I recently attended where, after clearing it with the host, I showed up with 3 of my buddies and we played a 3-song set as a band. We got up first, tore the roof off the place with something other than a 1-4-5 and sat down to sip our beers while watching other jammers. It was a great night and the friends who joined me want to do it again sometime.

I always thought that jams shouldn't be gigs. That's where I think I've been an idiot.

The lady sitting at my table had massive jugs. Her face looked 70 and her body looked 25. I found that interesting, yet haunting. Does meth do that?

[tafkathundernotes]

I attend and have hosted many a jam over the last 10 years and I've seen a lot of this stuff; good and bad.

Some "pros" don't want to play or sing with anyone but the house band or hand-selected jammers that show up. Maybe they've earned that right, or maybe they've forgotten where they came from. If they're doing a specific song with odd changes, maybe that's OK. If the guy running the show uses the place for just him and his buddies, find another jam.

It is not uncommon for a new guy at a jam to be put up alone with experienced people around him. If he's struggling, the rest of the band can hold it together and make things look and sound good for the audience. To do otherwise is courting a trainwreck. Once they know you and how well you play, you'll get mixed in with others. I've been where you are and got passed over more than once, so don't take it personal.

Jams with house-provided amps run smoother and change over quicker. There is nothing more irritating than watching some hoser dialing in his 5 grand worth of gear to play three songs that were originally played through a cheap guitar and a Silvertone amp.

Here's some other random blues jam thoughts.

1. Don't play Red House, Pride and Joy, or One Way Out. Ever. Trust me, nothing shows a lack of experience with the blues like showing up to jam with those songs. I don't hate those songs, but being a house bassist for years at these jams, I play every one of them at least once a week.

2. With (1.) in mind, try to learn at least one new song every week.

3. Be able to recognize terminology like "quick 4", "long 1", and the differences between 8, 12, and 16-bar blues.

4. Don't wear a SRV style hat. Ever.

5. See if you can get up as a second guitarist behind the house band or another group. You play rhythm and maybe they toss you a solo. I do it all the time on guitar.

6. Keep your beer off the stage and ESPECIALLY off anybody elses amp.

7. Don't give up. Laugh at your mistakes. Have fun.

[serial]

I've been to one "Open Jam" in the past ten years. In the 90s, I'd go with a new band to play in front of people to gel a little before going out to get gigs. The band I'm currently in went out after practice one night early summer a year ago (we were a 3 pc) and figured we could get a beer, hang out, etc too. We clearly signed up on the sign up sheet and the house band wankers (who were not nearly as good as they thought they were) did the "buddy" thing. They DID call a few people up from the list, including some people who hadn't played much before, but that was fine and it was good to see that. Unfortunately, a few of their buds who weren't on the list got up and wanked off poorly for well beyond the allotted time per slot (10 mins allotted, these fuc%s averaged 1/2 hour each). Checking the list, we'd been scratched off by someone, so we put our name on again and were the only ones left at 11:30. An hour later, I'd had more than enough and let the bar mgr who was running the jam know it. He called our guitarist the next day to apologize, etc, but I was so pissed off I wouldn't go back. Oh yeah, one of the "buddies" wore a cowboy hat while he butchered Pride and Joy (with a cheesy looking SRV Strat replica no less-pathetic).

If they're run well, open jams are great. Run poorly, they suck bad.

[tafkathundernotes]

Oh yeah, one of the "buddies" wore a cowboy hat while he butchered Pride and Joy (with a cheesy looking SRV Strat replica no less-pathetic).

See? It's true!

Did he stand with his feet together and make faces like this?

[Hamer Bass Head]

my uncle charlie would always yell "play with your hands...not with your face!!!"

[tgoss]

It's called "paying your dues". That's what Buddy Guy told me in an email I have to assume was from him after I spent hours waiting to get up and play at his Chicago club. Never got the chance.

[RJoseph133]

The monthly jam thing I do is technically not "open"; we don't advertise it as such, don't have a signup sheet and pretty much stick to a rotation of the 10-12 regulars in attendance. However we will invite a new guy up if he's willing, but ONLY him sitting in with the regulars, and he HAS to use the house amps and effects. Period. No good for you? Then no jam for you.

It used to be "open" and was frequently ruined by guys who couldn't function outside their comfort zone (i.e. without their gear and their bandmates). That is most definitely a form of sucking. Our jams are much better now that we've restricted them to hand-picked players. Certainly an elitist approach, but we don't portray ourselves as something we're not, an open blues jam.

This is absolutely the only way to do a "jam night." Elitist or not, this is the only way to keep things under control.

As twisted as this sounds, I have heard the aforementioned SRV clone in probably 15 different people; none of them really could play anything beyond the I-IV-V. If that.

I absolutely hate jam nights with a passion. If you feel the need to get out and play, get a band together, rehearse a couple tunes and sit in on an open mic night somewhere. I know it's not a popular thing to say in this forum, but blues guitar solos are only enjoyable to the blues guitar player playing the friggin' solo. 99% of everybody else in attendance is cringing.

My band has a "no-jam" policy that was the result of the way-too-nice guitar player taking everybody's word about how "great" they were. One word:trainwreck. Without exception. We only let someone that is a known entity to the band play, and even then, it's the last song of the last set.

[MCChris]

I know it's not a popular thing to say in this forum, but blues guitar solos are only enjoyable to the blues guitar player playing the friggin' solo. 99% of everybody else in attendance is cringing.

And that's due on large part to the boring, driven-into-the-ground I-IV-V progression that few rhythm sections are willing or able to stray from in a jam situation. Honestly, what HASN'T been done over the I-IV-V? Does anyone think they're gonna sound impressive or original soloing over it? It's amazing how the pentatonic scale suddenly sounds different and more complex when played over a different, more complex progression.

[Abaco]

I absolutely hate jam nights with a passion. If you feel the need to get out and play, get a band together, rehearse a couple tunes and sit in on an open mic night somewhere.

Yeah, this is what I did at the last jam I played at. We only played one 1/4/5 out of the 3 tunes we played and the crowd was very appreciative. We didn't rehearse, though. I just burned discs for my buddies (who are also busy as hell) and we each just learned the tunes on our own and got up and played with no rehearsal. Hell, the 3 guys I had join me had never met each other until I got them up on stage with me - pretty fun. There's also something to be said for getting up with a few other guys you never met and playing - that can be ok too.

Also, if you're one who'd quick to be critical you'll either totally hate open jams or toally love them, depending on how sick you are.

I just go to blues jams for the love of the music, basically. I'm in a hard rock band that blows the roof off of the clubs we play...but I appreciate blues music. My wife keeps bugging me to start a blues band.....

[tafkathundernotes]

Yes, it is often all about the guitar player, unfortunately.

It is the simple framework of the I-IV-V progression that allows people of various skill levels to play together. Within those parameters, you can do a lot - though not everybody gets past wanking some variation of the "Chuck Berry" riff.

I can sympathize with those who find it pure drudgery to sit through one 12-bar shuffle after another. On the other hand, it was blues jams that gave me a path back into the music business around here and something I do to support the people coming along behind me.

[jettster]

I used to frequent one of the local "open" blues jams here. While there were many enjoyable moments, I also got tired of the elitist attitude and had many of the same negative experiences previously mentioned.

I always enjoy the guys that look down on you like they think they would smoke you without ever hearing you play. It's like you have to prove yourself to them or something. I'd rather just keep on letting them think that. It's been my experience that most of those people are about 1/2 as good as they think they are.

BTW that place shut down due to lack of business.

[shankyboy]

Jams were how I got good enough to play live and put my own band together. I spent 3 years going to every jam that I could possibly attend. Typically, I would come straight home from work and get some sleep and then get up and hit a jam, get home at 3 am, get up at 6 am to go to work and then do it all over again. There was always at least 1 jam a night Sunday thru Thursday. Many of these jams were fairly run and many of them were run on the buddy system. That's all part of paying your dues.

I'll pass on a personal learning experience from a jam that, after all these years, I can now laugh about. We had a local jam that was a "Pro" jam. Somehow, I had convinced this guy who was our local elder statesman of the blues to let me up with him. This was before I learned how to lay back and respect whover was leading the song. I was playing too loud and stepping all over this man's singing. Midway through the song, another experienced player came over and unplugged my amp. As I turned around to se what was wrong, he bluntly told me that I needed to go back home and practice and to not come back until I had learned to respect the other players on stage. I was really pissed at this guy and almost cleaned his clock, but the reality was that I had it coming to me. This same guy now calls me on stage immediately whenever I walk into one of his gigs and proceeds to tell that story and that now he's proud to have me sit in with him. That lesson was certainly the best lesson I could have ever learned.

[RJoseph133]

Also, if you're one who'd quick to be critical you'll either totally hate open jams or toally love them, depending on how sick you are.

That is hilarious. I guess the trainwreck value at some of these jams is priceless for some...which probably would include me. I love a good trainwreck.

The problem is that the establishment usually charges a cover, your beer is overpriced, the guy who ends up sitting next to you is either an asshole or has all of the reasons the CIA had Kennedy offed, blah, blah blah...And, on top of all this, some guy is wailing away on his artificially worn Stratty, playing the exact same stuff the guy before him just finished.

Maybe I'm just old and cranky, but I always seem to find that these "jam nights" end up being cutting contests between guitar players who aren't very good "team players" to begin with, or else they'd be in bands already. I'm most certainly not slamming anybody who loves to go to these things, but the "nice, talented guy who just wants to play" is very much the exception to the rule here.

[riffpowers]

A few years ago my band at the time did a warmup gig at an open mic band night.It was clearly a platform for the guy who ran it to show everyone how great he was.

After promising us as long as we wanted (we were the only band there apart from him) he literally pulled the plug on us after 3 songs.He basically turned the vocals off so we looked stupid.He messed with the vocal mic while we were playing so it kept cutting out to make us look crap , and was generally an arse.Shouted at me about my amp placement, (it was vocal pa only, not even mic'd up we had the usual amp at the rear on each side of the stage) and made me move it in front, (I think so I couldn't hear it as well) had a go at the drummer cos he tidied the drums away afterwards(which was how they were when we came in) basically I think he couldn't take the competition and cut us off as soon as he realised we could actually play.

We didn't go back.

There are some arseholes out there, IMHO if you get a reaction out of these types of people then you're doing something right!!

[JohnnyScarp]

I miss Nightwolf!

Everyone was welcome and encouraged to play when John was the host.

[straightblues]

Unfortunately there are a lot of egos at jams. I too have signed up and never gotten to play. It is BS but it goes on all the time. I keep going to different ones until I find one that I like.

If you don't like I-IV-V you don't like the blues. Stay away from the blues jams. Go to rock jams and leave us blues boys alone. I am a traditional straight ahead blues player. I hate blues rock jams. It usually takes awhile to find the right jam. I will never really understand why rock players come out to a blues jam and want to play rock tunes. It is like going to chineese restraurant and asking for hamburgers and then complaining when they don't have them.