A quick story...Years ago I used to go every year to the Union Grove Fiddler's Convention in North Carolina until it got too large for me to enjoy. My first year there, I had gone up to one of the performer's booths to purchase an album from them...("The Bergerfolk") They had this "thing" sitting on their table and I asked what it was. The mother of the family told me it was an Autoharp and handed it to me, encouraging me to play it. She got me a chair, and spent some time showing me how to hold it. She showed me three chords and two songs and let me sit beside the booth, fumbling with it. Between and during her sales she would correct my mistakes...ie.."you're not pressing the bar hard enough" or "that's a G7 in there." After a while she told me that I had a "gift" with the instrument and invited me to a small performer's party they were having after the show that night. I was clearly not the only "neophyte" at the party. These people, who were excellent, experienced, accomplished performers (in my opinion) started off playing well known easy songs enough times for us to "get it". We were ALL making mistakes and laughing at ourselves and singing. I have never forgotten the kindness shown to me, and remember it now when I begin to feel frustrated with someone else's "fumbling". To me...it was a "jam" session i.e. the music was shared; the music was ENJOYED; songs were traded; lessons were learned. Common courtesy ruled when to NOT play along. That small act of generosity created another player on the planet. I had similar brief experiences with Joan Baez and Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry when I was first learning to play the guitar. I think "Elite jam session" is a contradiction in terms. Group sessions to PERFECT the technical playing/singing of a song, in my opinion, is really something different and the purpose of the session should be made clear up front..not left to guesswork. I'm sure each of us has a similar story when we first picked up an instrument.