the integral role of the jam session in bluegrass performance and culture

8/17/2019 The Integral Role of the Jam Session in Bluegrass Performance and Culture

1/11

Jonathan Ng

Music 281

Jam session’s role in bluegrass performance and the way it conveys music

Intro:

!he performance aspects of some all types of music have always been a very integral

part of those genrese music" !he conte#t it is performed in$ the culture of playing it

%&ive musical communication is action$ and it can be as truly dramatic as any

other mode of performance' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg"

1*1

-The jam session format has always held an integral part in bluegrass performance

%3t the close of the final show at 4ean 4lossom$ Monroe brought all the featured

performers on stage at once for a grand finale" Not only was this good show business$ it had

become a necessary part of the emerging bluegrass genre5Its importance resulted from the fact

that it was a framed )am session"' 67osenberg 2,9how was in 1,$ the first ever bean

blossom

%!he living body of the genre is held largely in the hands of people who either

cannot or choose not to ma;e a living at it$ it who have assimilated the music of the professionals

into a lessformal )am session tradition"' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-

./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*2

Jam session format:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917


2/11

the first bluegrass festival in

7oano;e in 9eptember 1,+? were musicians$ and one of the things mentioned by almost

everyone who attended was the high @uality of the informal music sessions"' 67osenberg 2A8

%Bhile Csessions’ is used by Irish musicians to describe impromptu musical

gatherings$ the term C)am’ comes from )a==" !he linguistic fusion in C)am session’ echoes the

musical and cultural fusion that is bluegrass"' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-

./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*+ %!he longstanding tradition of the afterhours )am has a

serious pedigree" D@ual parts breeding ground and proving ground$ the )am is ine#tricably tied to

the history of the cutting contest$ a blowing battle of oneupmanship over multiple choruses

where players try to literally bust each other’s chops"


3/11

%!he living body of the genre is held largely in the hands of people who either

cannot or choose not to ma;e a living at it$ it who have assimilated the music of the professionals

into a lessformal )am session tradition"' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-

./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*2

!ypical protocol and way it is directed

http:((ari=onabluegrass"com()ameti@uette(

http:((users"ece"gatech"edu(tom(roles"html%players arrange themselves in a

circle so they can see and hear each other as they play"' http:((ari=onabluegrass"com()am

eti@uette(

9ong choice

%3nother good rule is to sing mostly old$ well ;nown songs in a )am session until

you get to ;now the other participants well enough to involve them in less well ;nown

materials"' http:((users"ece"gatech"edu(tom(roles"html

9ocial rules

%Dspecially when strangers are )ust starting to play together$ someone must be

the leader to give cues about who is to ta;e an instrumental brea;$ and when the tune will end'

http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*+

9ee later on for song leader info

Jam session leader is often naturally most e#perienced

Bho comes to a )am session-

Jam session have always brought together different demographics

http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://arizonabluegrass.com/jam-etiquette/http://arizonabluegrass.com/jam-etiquette/http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~tom/roles.htmlhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://arizonabluegrass.com/jam-etiquette/http://arizonabluegrass.com/jam-etiquette/http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~tom/roles.htmlhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917


4/11

%Geople of various ages and bac;grounds come together in the

campground sessions53t the first festival in 7oano;e$ while there was some polari=ation

between the citybillies and the hillbillies in the small crowd$ many of those present shared an

enthusiasm for the music which transcended cultural differences"'

http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1**


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%4luegrass )am sessions provide an opportunity to loo; at that area of

performance which falls between stage performance$ where audience and performers are clearly

separated$ and private rehearsal' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1

pg" 1*1

%Knli;e tunes rehearsed for stage performance$ a measure or two lag of chording

between brea;s or singing is not usually seen as a problem in a )am session"'

http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*

Gurest form of bluegrass-

%when it comes to bluegrass$ many connoisseurs assert that recorded

bluegrass is hardly blue grass' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1

pg" 1*1

%>


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%3s I was told in &e#ington$ entuc;y in I,8*$ that )am sessions are

Oabout the only reason I come to >bluegrass festivals?"O'

http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*1

%In certain )am sessions$ e#perienced pic;ers would often call out more difficult songs to

%weed out' less e#perienced players or to initiate a newcomer into a faster$ more advanced

circle"' http:((onlinelibrary"wiley"com(doi(1A"1+2+(si"2AA*"2"2"1++(epdf pg" 1,

%Gar;ing lot or campground )ams also offered amateur musicians the opportunity to

perform with other musicians' http:((onlinelibrary"wiley"com(doi(1A"1+2+(si"2AA*"2"2"1++(epdf

pg" 1,

%it was not until I established myself as a bluegrass guitar player$

or %flatpic;er$' that I was able to participate in impromptu )am sessions and become

a part of the bluegrass musician networ;s firsthand"'

http:((onlinelibrary"wiley"com(doi(1A"1+2+(si"2AA*"2"2"1++(epdf pg" 11

7esearcher was not able to analy=e bluegrass scene until he became part of the

)am session scene

%For many$ the opportunity to )am in the campground defined bluegrass as a

%par

ticipation sport"'' http:((onlinelibrary"wiley"com(doi(1A"1+2+(si"2AA*"2"2"1++(epdf Gg" 1,

%Bhen was the last time you saw a person at a roc; concert loo; forward to

)amming in the par;ing lot after the show-'

http:((onlinelibrary"wiley"com(doi(1A"1+2+(si"2AA*"2"2"1++(epdf pg" 1,

ase 9tudy: analy=e a )am session video

https:((www"youtube"com(watch-v/2)cPunyMfKQnohtml+/False

http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jcGuKnyMfU&nohtml5=Falsehttp://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/si.2004.27.2.155/epdfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jcGuKnyMfU&nohtml5=False


7/11

Jam session in 3von Gar;$ Florida

!ypical oncert format:


8/11

9imilarities between )am session and concert:

3udience

Improvisation aspect

Nowadays$ the use of bluegrass instruments highly focuses on producing solos

that are almost always improvised and often re@uiring a display of technical e#cellence or

virtuosity from its players" http:((www"beanblossom"com(featured(historybluegrassmusic"php

%Bhy do some connoisseurs say that the music is more real at a )am session-

Gartly because there is a special energy that comes from the anticipation of the une#pected and

the unrepeatable within the temporary )am session alliance"'

http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*1

!a;e turns soloing

!he audience always loves when performers on stage transform their performance into a

)am session$ it is a common ground for audience and performer

% 67osenberg 28

Lften the grand finale is one big group of musicians on stage having a )am session$

segue into case study

%3t the close of the final show at 4ean 4lossom$ Monroe brought all the featured

performers on stage at once for a grand finale" Not only was this good show business$ it had

become a necessary part of the emerging bluegrass genre5Its importance resulted from the fact

that it was a framed )am session"' 67osenberg 2,

ase 9tudy: )am session on stage

https:((www"youtube"com(watch-v/iy.SRtIu=AQnohtml+/False

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy_CZDtIuz0&nohtml5=Falsehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy_CZDtIuz0&nohtml5=False


9/11

Rifferences between )am session and concert:

3udience

%3 stage performance encourages a conscious sifting and monitoring of social

and musical behaviors for the sa;e of the audience' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-

./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1+0

3lmost always )ust the band$ one fi#ed group of musicians

9ong choice is almost always a setlist

More fi#ed structure in songs

%Knli;e tunes rehearsed for stage performance$ a measure or two lag of chording

between brea;s or singing is not usually seen as a problem in a )am session"'

http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1*

%Bhen bluegrassers perform on stage they can avoid the ris;y openness of the

)am session by doing their rehearsed act with musicians whose actions they can pretty well

d predict"' http:((www")stor"org(stable(pdf(11*+,12"pdf-./1*+,0*8+,1 pg" 1+0

onclusion

4luegrass concert format has had many offshoots$ but the traditional format from the

days of 4ill Monroe is still widely used

!his format contains many elements that are derived from a )am session format

3lthough the structure of 4luegrass performances has become more fi#ed and planned

out$ there are always still going to be some of the spontaneity of )am sessions

http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1145912.pdf?_=1459346685917


10/11

!he audience always loves when performers on stage transform their performance into a

)am session$ it is a common ground for audience and performer

Many consider the )am sessions to be the best part of a bluegrass festival

3side from concerts$ some consider )am sessions to be the true playing of

bluegrass


11/11

the integral role of the jam session in bluegrass performance and culture

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