January is finally over. Officially, it was tied for the longest January on record. I certainly had trouble making it through all 31 days intact, but I was able to do so through mindfulness and tequila. You see I didn’t participate in the “dry January” nonsense and if I had, even as mindful as I am, I wouldn’t be here today writing but rather I’d likely be spinning out of control as February comes.
It has been 5 weeks since I have had a column due and that is quite a long while. I’m not sure if I remember what I supposed to write here. Maybe I can elaborate on my new plan for this year. That will probably keep you riveted for a sentence or two.
My plan for this year is very simple; I want to step up my game…my bass playing game. You’re probably saying, please, please, not another one of those “woodshedding, practice, rehearsal” pieces. Rest easy faithful readers, I’m not doing that. I’m talking about playing more music with better players. To do that I’m talking about finding some better jams with better players so I can step up my game. I believe that I have developed some lazy habits playing with the same people each and every week. I have talked about my weekly jams a number times in this space and there is a real diverse mix between jams and in the diversity within each particular jam. There are some very good players among these jam regulars but I find myself getting a little stale in these jams and that is on me and it has been bothering me quite a bit lately.
Recently, I’ve read a couple of articles about it being a good thing to be the “worst player in a jam”. The premise is that it will improve your chops by osmosis or maybe by some transcendental juju. Anyway, that is my plan but it is easier said than done. I suppose if I was a younger bass guy, I could start hanging around in San Francisco or Berkeley for their “hotter than my” jams but here’s the thing, I am not a younger bass guy and driving a couple of hours a night to be the worst player in a jam doesn’t seem to be a very prudent use of my time. Said another way, I ain’t doing it.
I have started reaching out to a some picking acquaintances from my past looking for opportunities to pick closer to home and actually I started doing that at the end of last year, playing a couple of special event jam gigs. While I was not necessarily or obviously the worst picker at these gigs, the juju was present and I was able to stretch my chops some, at least I thought so.
Truth be told some woodshed work needs to be done to continue down this path and I’m getting to it but in smaller doses than I need or would like. Perhaps some tequila or (now legal) herbal medicines could motivate me a little more because mindfulness is certainly not getting me there. You have to be careful though sometimes being over motivated can get you to start playing Dead tunes like it was 4:00 AM at a festival. Moderate motivation is advised. I’m committed to staying with it though.
Moving forward, a couple of very good picker friends from my past have hooked me up with the Java Jam in Los Gatos. It is a very good invitational jam and I’m now added into the bass rotation. My first slot is Wednesday March 18. I’m thinking I may get my chance to be the worst player in the jam that night but I’m betting that I can hold my own enough to step up my game some.
Catch you in March
