Let’s talk jamming this month again. By doing that I don’t need to stretch my eclectic and esoteric ramblings into something that is pertinent to a welcome column on the CBA Website splash page.
Again, trying hard to avoid reader fatigue, I won’t start with my bass player rants about only one per jam. I didn’t say I won’t talk about it but I’ll push it out a number of paragraphs in case you want to bail before that.
I really want to get into jam etiquette. I’ve heard stories that this isn’t a problem in the invite only and elite jams so I guess I’ll go with that. However, in the jams I’m attending that always isn’t the case. I’m not the leader of these jams so I don’t want to overstep my bounds and I certainly don’t want to seem like an a#*hole so mostly I grin and bear it. I’ll occasionally pipe in with in “we all need to play a little softer if we can’t hear the lead “ but that’s the extent of my meddling.
Let me get into a little dangerous ground here. I’m going to start naming names. Okay, not real names but maybe real enough to figure out.
The jams I’m talking about tend to have a few intermediate to good level players (of which I consider myself part of that group) and a few newer beginning type players, usually pretty evenly split between the two levels. The jam leaders are very friendly, accommodating and encouraging to the beginners, which I support (hey, I know what jam I’m in).
Here’s where the etiquette comes into play. Some of the beginners, don’t know they’re beginners or they’re convinced they are Rob Ickes or Jerry Douglas (kinda named my first name). If you are one of these players, working on some breaks and giving them a try on a few tunes in the jam is more than okay and the group will support that. Trying a break on every tune is way overboard particularly when the break loses the tempo and has no trace of melody anywhere. The next person up for a break in this circle is lost and crash and burn is in many cases imminent with Uncle Josh oblivious to the whole situation.
Here’s the etiquette question. Should someone speak up and offer some constructive advice to the resonator pro? One could surmise that the player might benefit from awareness to the facts and maybe get to the woodshed or some lessons. The jam leader in this particular case is a great guy and probably will avoid that. I know I’m not going anywhere near that unless it is 2:00 AM at a festival jam and I drank too much reposada. That’s etiquette question 1.
Next is the case of the beginner jammer who heard a song on the radio on the way to the jam and even though they have never ever played the song on their instrument which usually happens to be a uke or harmonica. Worst case scenario is that the song they call is Wagon Wheel. Recently one of the Hawaiian Blues Brothers called Jerusalem Ridge after hearing Kenny Baker play it on satellite radio on the way to the jam. This jam has a mix of skill levels not quite as good as the one I mentioned above. Nary a fiddle in the bunch but there were four guitars to go along with three banjos with the best one being a frailer. The tune caller asked who could kick it. At least we didn’t try this one. He went back to Wagon Wheel instead.
How should you deal with this in a jam? Usually the jam leader (maybe organizer is a better term) is too polite to bring up the rules of jam etiquette. Should other players say something or not?
Obviously, you have a choice as to whether to attend a jam or not. As for me, I’m there to play and it is the only game in town sometimes. The problem is that if jam etiquette issues are left unchecked the jams tend to lose good players and that doesn’t bode well for the continuity of the jam.
I hope you all know I exaggerate some using humor as an attempt to make a point and get some advice. I am interested in getting some feedback on how to introduce good jam etiquette into this generally lawless enterprise. I’m happy to be part of an environment where beginners can be part of the jam and pick up some chops. I am also okay with them taking some risks that they feel comfortable taking but some self-awareness helps also. Maybe passing on a break or not calling a song that you can’t at least sing the melody to will go a long ways in making the jam experience better for all.
For all of you waiting for my promised bass update, I am afraid I am going to have to disappoint you. I got nothing this month. It was just a tease but I expect that you are all long gone by now anyhow.
As for jamming this weekend, don’t forget the Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Jam this Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 at the Hoover Middle School in San Jose rain or shine. We have some indoor spaces and plenty of overhang spaces outside for jams just in case. This month Erik Hoffman will be doing a youth workshop followed by him doing a set on our open mic stage.
As the jam manager this month I will be making sure jam etiquette will be enforced……or not.
Let’s see, I got tequila, woodshedding and bass playing this month. My work is done here.
Catch you next month.
