Most of the jams I've been to are blues jams or largely blues oriented jams, which is cool because I like playing the blues and I usually know most of the regulars from other playing experiences. Sure, sometimes there are people on stage that aren't the most skilled players, but everyone has something to say. They do tend to be guitar heavy though. A lot of times I'm the token horn player, but sometimes there are others and it's fun to take turns working out shout choruses and backing lines for the impromptu section. I usually only go to blues jams if the house band is good, because otherwise the talent mix tends to be on the nothing but blues in A level.
This has been my experience so far at the blues jam session I have played at, which is all I've done so far. I wanted to play at a jazz jam but didn't have any songs memorized cold to be able to play without a chart in a live session with people I've never played with before. And I had actually never played live in public until I found out about this small jam session in a friendly bar owned by one of the local bass players. So I screwed up my courage and took the bull by the balls knowing that you've got to do it sooner or later or end up only playing at home alone went to this once a month blues jam 3 years ago and really got into it cause I love the blues too.
Plus, like you I have been the only horn player ever to play there since I started going. They said that some guy came once the previous year, but played some stuff that nobody could figure out....I guess it was free jazz or something like that, but being genial guys they just laughed it off and went on with the show despite him. That jam is led by a long time resident here from Florida, Mike Shannon, who has headed a number or formations playing blues, jump blues and Rock. He's a good singer and great harp player and is a guy who loves playing with different people. He knows that everyone has to start somewhere and get egg on their face sometime or other so he encouraged me to keep coming. All the other members of his band and the regular jammers did to so it is a was a supportive venur to learn the ropes. These are all guys who can play really well.
That jam is of course like most blues jams a chord player heavy scene with all sorts of guitarists and bassists as well as keyboard players and drummers showing up, which is great for me, so that has been great too, being able to play backing riffs and fills and also trade lines with really good guitarists and Mike on harp.. However there are also about three good female vocalists who always get their 3 songs, which is when I have to lay out. When I started I usually got only 2 songs, but over time I now sometime play during half the songs because I'm the only sax.
I've been to a few good jazz jams. Definitely seen a bit of one-upsmanship at most of them, and they tend to be sax-heavy. I don't let it bother me: when it's my turn I call my tune(s) that I know reasonably well, and I get off the stage if someone calls a tune I don't know (this is key!). Unless I'm really digging into something and the rhythm section is with me, I take my two choruses and politely pass it along........The experience of playing with a bunch of different people is very valuable.
Very true about the way some horn players feel it imperative to mark their territory like a dog pissing in all the corners. I won't ever go to one of those when I'm ready because that ego tripping is not fun, and I play to have a good time and communicate with people, not put them down in that way.
Being from a small town, the "local" Jazz Jam (it's about an hour, but I'm coming from rehearsal, so not a big deal) is one of the ways I can play, meet and learn other musicians outside of rehearsals. The vibe is generally good and supportive, and getting ones but kicked on occasion is a great motivator in learning to (try to) not having that happen again. There's really not a lot of judging there, most of the audience are regulars and very few of the musicians seem to be trying to see who has the biggest "stick", most everyone there seems to be there to have a good time.
I agree with you totally on this and that's the only kind of jam session I feel motivated to going to. That's because it permits you learning on the job and surviving the mistakes you make and learn what and what not to do. That's the traditional way so many players began before all the music school programs started popping up like mushrooms to clhurn out a lot of Pringles blowing an axe.
Great way to meet other musicians in a new town. Better as a sax player than as a guitarist. I went to one in a mid-western college town that resembled "I Shall be Released" from the Last Waltz.
Because of Mike's jam sessions I got to play with another great player, Brian O'Mahoney, who is really good blues and rock singer, growler and shouter in the Van Morrison vein. He even does a Tom Waits song and his delivery is uncannily close to Tom's. I suppose coming from Dublin that was kind of natural as well as playing really good harp along with lead guitar. He originally played in Mike's group before starting a couple of his own including a traditional Irish band that plays in the Irish pubs and other places here. He plays banjo for those from what I understand.
Anyway he also encouraged me also like Mike and I wonder if their both being Irish has anything to do with their laid back friendliness. Since November his new trio leads a jam once a month down in a bar in the touristy Olympic Port that is really great to play at too. I went on their opening night and the place was packed with a ton of fret players so Brian selected people from the sign up sheet in groups that fit well together. I played four numbers, laying out on one or two rock numbers in guitar keys, and had a blast. There was also a trumpet player and an alto player and the three of us played together on one number.
Last night I played there again, and although it was only half full it was a great session because there wasn't a glut of guitarists to limit my on stage time and I played about 9 tunes split up during the night. When I got down after my first 4 songs I went to get my freebie beer at the bar and on the way this beautiful blonde comes up and blocks my path so she could tell me effusively how great I had played and how much she loved it. God almighty you could have knocked me over with a feather. Not only was she tall, blond and good looking but she was telling me that I was good and ringing her bell. I couldn't believe it because nobody has really ever done that up to now, so I said something like "Oh come on, you have to be kidding," to which she reiterated her original statement. So naturally I went to the bar with here which is where she was sitting, got my drink and started chatting with her. She was British so clearly a tourist so that gave us plenty of conversation material, and truthfully she was really sincerely stoked by the music and my sax playing.
O.K., not to make anyone get the idea that I scored with her, and believe me I was already imagining that out come, she then mentioned that her boyfriend also liked my playing, tapping her hand on the jacket on the stool next to her that i hadn't noticed. Well, dumb me, what did I think, that the fantasy sax loving woman had miraculously appeared like in a horn player book of fairy tales, to then take me to her hotel room and have her way with me all night? Dumb duh dumb DUMB.
Anyway the BF came back from the can and we all three chatted like old friends. They were really nice people and genuinely happy being in town and having found this bar to enjoy music in and stayed until the jam session ended at 2 a.m. whereupon we chatted some more and said goodbye. She was from Southhampton where they live, for the Brits out there among us, but he is from further west near where Captain Beeflat is from. Really nice people and they were the capper to a great night with such positive feedback because I of course think I suck eggs.
I pretty much learned to play at Jam sessions, love them, people have to adjust, just because it's a jam doesn't mean it's a free for all or a licks contest. Personally I see a jam session as a way for like minded musicians to explore ideas together, its a good way of providing music for a venue at low cost (in that lots of rehearsal and arrangement time is not needed) and a great way for players to try ideas with an audience.
Let it be said that I'm not keen on 'list' scenarios for players, nor a que of horn players waiting to blow over a rhythm section one after another, treating the rhythm players like their servants.
Well I agree with you about learning to play this way cause that's how I started way before I found a fixed group to play in. Also about the spontaneity of that type of gig, which often results in some less typical playing like the two spontaneous jams I played with a the drummer a bass player and a guitarist last night while Brian and his guys were on break. It was very rhythm oriented and great fun and the audience liked it alot two for the change of pace and spontaneity of it. Out of that I connected with this bass player and we may get together to play sometime soon. So jam sessions are definitlely good for meeting other musicians like other people have said.
But I disagree about the sign up list in these gigs which seems to be for ease of balancing the players, as well as a way for the bar to know who gets a free beer. In Brian's jam they give you a ticket to go to the bar with, but in the other one the list is at the bar where the bartender uses it to keep track of who has been served already.