A lot of us love the jamming aspect to playing music, and bluegrass is more focused on jamming as a social act than most forms of music. Like any social interaction, our first encounter with people new to us is a one-of-a-kind experience: The First Impression.
By definition, you only get one chance to make a first impression, and often, I find this intimidating. I know I am wonderful and fascinating – but how can I consistently and effectively convey that within the first 2 or 3 minutes after meeting someone? If I knew, I’d tell you. It’s a minefield, man.
In a jamming situation, one can make a good first impression by playing and/or singing well, right? Sometimes, I do play and/or sing well, but too often, it turns out completely different. I forget songs I really know, sing like a rusty screen door, or otherwise come off like a man playing music while wearing oven mitts and singing with a mouthful of gummy bears.
OK, if the music thing isn’t working, I can fall back on the witty repartee. The danger here is, everyone’s sense of humor is different, and in some cases, it’s missing completely. I had a roommate at Wintergrass one year who commented (stone-faced) over dinner “You know, Bruce, I really don’t get your sense of humor.” Imagine how light and wonderful the dinner conversation was after that. I thought we were getting along famously over the previous three days. I’ve basically avoided the guy ever since.
I guess, the secret to making a good first impression is not to try too hard to make a good first impression. Let’s turn the thing around – how do I assess a person I first meet? To be honest, I don’t give a lot of thought to it. I’m generally not looking to categorize or size them up in any meaningful way, beyond some useful generalities. Does he or she prefer traditional bluegrass to, say, old timey? Do they like to take leads, and do they like to sing harmonies?
Once in a while, someone will distinguish themselves in a positive or negative way, but most of the time, folks just add to the general bonhomie of the jam. I think this is where I’d like to rank. I don’t need to be regarded as the main dude in a room, and I certainly don’t want to lodge myself anyone’s memory as a boor or a hack. So, if I slink into a jam at the Great 48, please, don’t judge me too harshly. I mean well, I really do!
