Blues Jams-an oxymoron? (Page 1 of 2)

Well bjj, I'm needing to go to one. In fact, to pick up a bassist and singer to work with me and my drummer friend Too bad you ain't in STL and wouldn't wanna work with 16 year olds lol

I *THINK* so Jeff! At least, on a *good* day I can. ;D

Hey Guenter - know of any blues jams by you and Eva?  I'm coming back soon (Aug. 20th to Sept. 5th)... I'd love to jam in another country.  Plug and play ....

Instead of TALK to you soon, I guess we can say SEE you soon hahaha.

Ben

EDIT: actually I leave JFK the 20th... so I'll see you on the 21st LOL

Very rare we do Jams, had many bad experiences, occasionally a good one. Came up against lots of jealously from 'artists' the last one I was seconds away from putting one know it all on his **** (yes you know who you are).

Yeah the oxymoron deal comes in from calling them "TrueBluesJams" or "BluesOnlyOpenMicNight", etc.  They barely play music sometimes, let alone blues. 

Hey Dude!  Know any Guns & Roses tunes?  How about some Chuck Barry?  or Know any Pantera?

Doc... all the tunes you know & you don't know House of the Rising Sun???   

Call it something else.

Now 4 weeks ago I wondered into the place and we played 6 cracking blues/rock tunes right in a row...guys who've never played together before.  SMOKING! 

ZZT SRV ABB BBK EC & Blues Deluxe.

Can't happen all the time, I know.

MuchLove
FDOL

Oh no.  Not me.  I do know that scene.

In 1972 I was working with a soul band in a high class bucket of blood in a Germantown ghetto.  The owner came over and said when y'all go on break, I want some guys to play.  Oh dammit, man.  It was our equipment but after  we took one look at these gangsters, we agreed.

Mind you, this was the days of double knits in the 'hood and hot pants and large pimp hats.  These brothers were black, like everybody but two, but wearing jeans, cowboy boots and hats and gold with long fur coats.  They cleared a swath when they walked through.  Pimps, dealers, hos and all.

Guitarist was named Snake, bassist was Hassle, drummers name was Death.  They looked kinda rough.  Snake said "I'm gonnna reset your amp."  My brother said OK and swallowed hard.  I just stood there with my mouth open. 

What followed was some of the most asskickingest blues I ever heard in my young life.  3 cold blooded killers playing gutbucket, soulful, rocking blues like it was Judgement Day.  I knew about BB and Bland and even Paul Butterfield, but not this.

At one point the bassman lost his strap and he glared at me, (guess I was the brightest one in there) so I jumped up on stage and restrapped him.  Later he came to me and said "Thanks for the help."  While we were talking, a couple of people rudely interupted, trying to talk to Hassle and he glared at them.  They vanished.  Made me feel good.  I was young.

Snake said to my brother, "I put your amp back the way it was.  You like it kinda clean.  I plays out of a Silvertone head and a Standell bottom.  It's dirty enough for blues like I play."

OK then!   They were good to us (the musicians) smiling and thanking, then they put on their coats and their scowls and walked out with 3 young ladies...never saw 'em again...

Can't remember what day it is; but I remember them. 

RealBlues
Doc

JUMBO shrimp

                                                                                                  Think Green,

                                                                                                  J Dawg

Jeff:  I've been to quite a number of "blues jams" in/near my local area, which is about an hour north of The Nation's Capital.  At least two of them ran weekly for several years, with a house band, PA/backline provided, and were, for the most part, real blues.  Never a Pantera song or even Guns 'N Roses, though Cream would creep in periodically.

As the illustrious host of the first above-mentioned jam used to say "Sometimes it's magic....and sometimes it's tragic!   I played with a lot of people of all ability levels, most of whom were friendly, approachable, and didn't have a 'tude.   There was a sign-up matrix which to some degree allowed you to create a 3-song set with some people that you could rely on to fully support it, though sometimes you got stuck with some duds.   

Made some good friends and eventually, either directly or by circumstances, met up with my current bandmates.  As a matter of fact, it got to be a routine more for the social aspect of it than even the music.  I miss those jams, but they are gone, for the most part. 

Would love to hook up a jam if I ever get down to your neck of the woods, I'm jealous that you and Ken and Justin got to hang out and play together...someday.

CarljMD