[Dixielandjazz] Sitting In / learning

[Rob McCallum]

Hello all,

I have to put my 2 cents in on this.  I used to host modern jazz jam
sessions and believe that a part of the problem with "sitting in" among many
amateur players today is that they don't really understand what "learning"
means in relation to these sessions.

I firmly concur with the position that has been stated that "sitting in" on
professional jobs is by invitation only and is a courtesy, out of a mutual
respect, to a qualified player who may happen to be in attendance.  In
addition, I think it is discourteous by any player, good or otherwise, to
always show up to someone's weekly gig, sit down, take their horn out, and
assume that they will be invited to play, unless specifically invited to
come out each week by the group.

Regarding my first point, IMHO, a jam session among players is, of course,
by definition "open."  However, unless there's some kind of sign in sheet or
something, it's well enough that a session leader will notice that someone
has come in with their case and the session leader should still "invite"
that person up to play.  Too many (I don't hesitate to say a majority of)
players who are learning think that a jam session is a place to "practice"
or "learn to improvise."  IMHO, it's neither - it's an environment where
someone who has spent a lot of time and hard work learning how to play can
have an opportunity of playing with established players to prove they have
reached a level of competence.  Then, if they really can play, the jam
session learning comes from developing their craft and maturing and being
mentored, eventually and hopefully, being accepted as a jazz musician.  To
me, it's the equivalent of writing a master's thesis.  I was at a session a
couple of months ago and a bunch of freshman college students took out their
horns and just walked right up on the stage (which I thought was
disrespectful).  One was competent and one was so bad he didn't have any
notion of the tune being played, it's melody or its chord progression, just
played sound effects etc.  When he was finished playing I couldn't believe
that he didn't run off in embarrassment, but instead just stayed up and
tried to play on a second tune!  Had I been running that session I would
have, perhaps politely, asked him to come back when he learned ANYTHING.
Again, I think it's a respect thing.

When I started going to jam sessions, esp. one where pros hung out, I would
visit a couple of times as a listener, learn what tunes that they tended to
play frequently, then walk in with my case.  Then, about quarter to two in
the morning I would get my chance when the leader invited me up.  Then,
slowly, I would be asked earlier in the evening and then asked to play on
more than one tune.  I wouldn't even think of taking out my horn and walking
up on stage.  Had I done so, I'm sure I'd have looked silly standing up on
stage, horn in hand, and never even being acknowledged, much less get a
chorus!

On another note, there are different types of "sessions."  Some are really
more beginning / learn to improvise workshops, but they aren't jam sessions
in the sense that we're talking about.  I ran a Saturday afternoon thing for
awhile at a community center which was designed as an open session targeting
"intermediate" players, which was supposed to be a kind of stepping stone
for those who've been doing the Aebersold play-a-longs etc. to have the
opportunity to play with live people but who weren't yet ready to sit in in
any kind of professional setting.  The whole thing turned into a disaster.
For some reason, most of the attendees were really beginniners (learning
their instrument as well as learning jazz) and thought that they wouldn't
actually have to do much work but would somehow, magically, show up and play
jazz.  Just for one example, I had a supposed piano player (and she wasn't a
kid - probably in her 50's) bring in her keyboard, said she was a musician
and  I called a basic blues progression and when I saw that she looked
confused (and I'd given her a chord sheet), I went over to her and said
something like "Well, you can take this chord and voice it something like
this" and she asked "what do you mean "voice" it.  She had no idea what
chord voicings were.  Then she got irritated with me when I played the
chords (had to, after all, it was a playing session and we needed chords).
That day was actually the last of those sessions (and we'd given it a try
every week for about 6 months and never really saw any progress - if
anything, it was the better players that got frustrated and dropped away).
BTW, for the people that came out to those (which were all free to
everyone), I always provided handout materials and suggested teachers and
play-a-longs etc.

Not to drag this post out all night, but I think there is an interest among
many people who have always wanted to learn to play an instrument, maybe
have learned some rudimentary things, and could really benefit from some
kind of inexpensive workshop type of forum, not so much to be a professional
musician, but for personal enrichment. What I was trying to do was an actual
playing session but, as I wrote, the majority of those that came out for it
weren't far enough along to really participate. I think that there are a lot
of improv programs at the high schools and colleges, but for people who want
to learn at any other age, there really aren't any community based
approaches that I know of.  I would always end up suggesting private
teachers to those that seemed more serious.

I'll stop typing now!

All the best,
Rob McCallum