A
jam session is a
musical act where
musicians gather and play (or simply
"jam") without extensive preparation or predefined
arrangements; improvisation.
Jam sessions are often used to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed
chord progression or
chart suggested by one participant, or may be wholly
improvisational. Jam sessions can range from very loose gatherings of amateurs to sophisticated improvised recording sessions intended to be edited and released to the public.
Jazz
The New York
jazz scene during
World War II was famous for its after-hours jam sessions. One of the most famous was the regular after-hours jam at
Minton's Playhouse in
New York City that ran in the 1940s and early 1950s. Las mermeladas de Minton's were a fertile meeting place and proving ground for both established soloists like
Ben Webster and
Lester Young, and the younger jazz musicians who would soon become leading exponents of the
bebop movement, including
Thelonious Monk (Minton's house pianist),
Charlie Parker, and
Dizzy Gillespie. The Minton's jams were legendary for their highly competitive "
cutting contests", in which soloists would try to keep up with the house band and outdo each other in improvisation skill.
Rock
As the instrumental proficiency of pop and rock musicians improved in the Sixties and early Seventies, onstage jamming also became a regular feature of rock music; bands such as
Cream,
The Jimi Hendrix Experience,
The Grateful Dead,
Led Zeppelin,
Santana and the
Allman Brothers Band would feature live pieces easily over fifteen minutes in length.
Some notable recorded jams in the
rock idiom:
- The bonus CD of the 25th anniversary of the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Eric Clapton's early 70s band, Derek & The Dominos includes a number of long improvised jams between members of the group and other musicians, such as The Allman Brothers Band following the historic first meeting between the two groups earlier that day. As a result of this jam, guitarist Duane Allman was invited to join the Dominos after having recorded only three songs, and he made a major contribution to the resulting LP.
- The Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray", "Some Kinda Love" and "Foggy Notion", had extensive live versions.
Jam bands
More recently, the
jam band has become a genre unto itself; following in the footsteps of jam band originators the Grateful Dead, performances by groups including
moe.,
Umphreys Mcgee,
Phish, and
Widespread Panic feature extended improvisational sessions. Other bands, such as the
Red Hot Chili Peppers also regularly perform live jam sessions. Progressive rock band
Coheed and Cambria often end shows with a jam session to their song "The Final Cut" with different instruments.
Bluegrass
Bluegrass pickin'.
also features a tradition of jamming. Bluegrass jams happen in the parking lots and campgrounds of bluegrass
festivals, in music stores, bars and restaurants and on stages. Bluegrass jams tend to be segregated by the skill level of the players. Slow jams for beginners provide an entry point. Open bluegrass jams are open to all comers, however, the players in an open jam will expect a certain level of proficiency. The abilities to hear chord progressions and keep time are prerequisite; the ability to play improvised leads that contain at least a suggestion of the melody is desired. Jams that require advanced musical proficiency are generally private, by-invitation events.
See also
