Lost my cookie, thats why I'm a guest. Like it or not, the person/ people who run the session is/are the boss. If they only want trad instrumental, I find that a pain in the arse but I don't have to go. In my sessions, anyone is welcome but the QUANTITY that they are welcome to contribute is dependant on the QUALITY of their skills. A good player is immediatly given as much space as the regulars. A bad singer can sing two songs in the space of the evening but no more than that. A bad instrumentalist or a learner is expected NOT to play as loud as the people who know what they are doing. Democracy? no but the best session in Copenhagen got wiped out a while when democracy was introduced. It only takes one idiot with no self-criticism to scare out the listeners and take all the fun out of the evening for the other musicians. Having said that I believe in trying to be very polite when correcting newcomers, I remember how vulnerable I was when I was starting up and we always give praise and encouragement where due. As regards female musicians, I give them preferential treatment. There are so few of them over here and the crowd loves it when one of them sings. However it appears that most of them aren't prepared to come back on a regular basis. Too bad.

Allan from Copenhagen