Any Thursday night jams around?

[robwinter]

Does anyone know of any Thursday night jams? Preferably one that isn't strictly blues and would be rock/classic rock friendly. Thanks!

[guidophelledmann]

Yes there is a thursday nite jam ay vegas in old Sac. Stan and Pat are into playing what ever happens plus they realy nice people and good players. Guido.

[robwinter]

Sounds good! If I bring my band (we're a trio) do you think they'd let us do a few songs?

[questor]

I'd like to strongly suggest if the 3 of you go to the jam that you each play individually and not as a group. Showcase your unique talents. If you want to tell others after you perform about your band, that's great, that's part of the networking climate encouraged at jams.

The spirit of a jam as I was trained is to play with others you normally wouldn't play with. Maybe someone you like always has a gig when you're free. Your band likely rehearses and gigs, so you've seen enough of each other already.

A jam is a musically approved way to check others out so they get to know you and vice versa. It's especially great when one of your idols hosts the jam -- you comp for him and he comps for you.

I bring this up because in more than one thread here I've seen this notion of bringing up an entire band instead of just swapping a few members from the house band. As listener AND performer, the last thing I want to see or be part of at a jam is a band I'm already in. Jams are all about new arrangements, in the moment. (Otherwise, they'd be called "recitals.")

[Cris]

My band and I dropped in on Vegas tonight. What a receptive place for new jammers. We were warmly received and made to feel quite at home. I recommend this jam to anyone looking for a Thursday fix.

[jimc]

Jul 10, 2009 16:09:51 GMT -8 questor said:

I'd like to strongly suggest if the 3 of you go to the jam that you each play individually and not as a group. Showcase your unique talents. If you want to tell others after you perform about your band, that's great, that's part of the networking climate encouraged at jams.

The spirit of a jam as I was trained is to play with others you normally wouldn't play with. Maybe someone you like always has a gig when you're free. Your band likely rehearses and gigs, so you've seen enough of each other already.

A jam is a musically approved way to check others out so they get to know you and vice versa. It's especially great when one of your idols hosts the jam -- you comp for him and he comps for you.

I bring this up because in more than one thread here I've seen this notion of bringing up an entire band instead of just swapping a few members from the house band. As listener AND performer, the last thing I want to see or be part of at a jam is a band I'm already in. Jams are all about new arrangements, in the moment. (Otherwise, they'd be called "recitals.")

While I appreciate the spirit of this post and I enjoy being thrown in the deep end, I think most jams will allow a band to take the stage and I believe it's not always a bad thing.

For a new band that's inexperienced or has not booked a gig yet, it's a valuable way to play as a unit in front of an audience and dip their toes in the water so to speak.

It also gives the audience a chance to hear some other material that might not be part of the usual jam vocabulary.

And finally it gives the jam host an opportunity to see new players in action and asses their ability to work with other players.

The reality of a jam pairing players who don't regularly play with each other and attempting songs unfamiliar to each other can sometimes cause very good things to happen and also the opposite!