Blues sessions

Subject: Blues sessions
From: Alice
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 10:18 PM

I just found out today that there is a blues session in our town that meets every Monday night at nine. I was surprised. I didn't realize there was enough interest here in Montana, but I found out about it in talking to a bass player who has been in quite a few bands here. She suggested that I join the session to sing. The spot is in walking distance from my house, and I may go over tonight and check it out.

Anyone else attending a regular blues session care to list the city and day/time?

Alice

Subject: RE: Blues sessions
From: reggie miles
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 04:07 AM

My only experiences, years ago, with blues sessions have not been good. It seems the guys hosting one here in town, back then, were just into a different form of blues than I was. The house band wanted play along but they played only electric gear and loudly. My acoustic, with a mic in front of it, didn't carry well enough to to allow them to hear what I was doing. The band would drowned me out and the song and melody would morph into what ever direction the band thought it should go. It was a nightmare. I'd be up there, on stage, in front of everyone in attendance, with a band full of loud musicians without a clue as to where to go musically. Don't get me wrong, they were good musicians but because of our difference in gear and musical styles, we clashed. You live and learn.

I have a better handle on my amplification now but would still hesitate joining in with an unknown factor like that again. My stuff is not mainstream. It tends to be of the more obscure variety with twists that aren't usual and therefore not so easy, I'm told, to jump into. I've never thought of my stuff as being that complex.

Anyway, I've never been back to any off the sessions around here because of the differences in form that they play in those jams. They lean toward that Chicago style electric stuff. I'm from Chicago, I love it but it clashes some with what I've been getting involved with of late.

Hey maybe I'll put together one of them Chicago style bands and play real loud. I'll get a drummer and an electric bass player to give the people a beat to dance to and maybe a screamin' lead guitar. Then we could play all them smoke filled bars and dives and rock they're socks off and...

Hey, can ya make $ doing stuff like that?

Subject: RE: Blues sessions
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:05 AM

There was a wonderful Blues Jam in Oshawa, Ontario on Sundays from 10:00-2:00 at a place called Dines-eez. Unlike a lot of blues jams, this didn't draw a lot of Johnny Lang and SRV wannabees, but it had an older crowd. The host band did a lot of Chicago Blues. Some very fine players turned out regularly. You would get the odd wanker and/or noodler, but for the most part there were a lot of tasteful, knowledgable Blues people.

My Sister does a lot of acoustic stuff and was a little shy about doing an acoustic solo thing when there was a host band, but she was talked into doing it once and it went over very well, and she has been asked to do it many times since. It brings a nice touch to the night.

The reason that I speak about it in the past tense is that Dines-eez closed last week. They are going to try to continue the jam at another club, The Banshee on Sundays from 7:00-10:00. I was out of town and missed the one this weekend, but certainly plan on attending in the future. My only concern is that the new location is very close to a college and it might attract the Strat in the Hat guys.

Subject: RE: Blues sessions
From: Alice
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:43 AM

reggie, maybe you should START a session like the one you would enjoy. I know, easier said than done. I didn't make it over to Little John's last night to check out this local session. The bass player who told me about it hasn't gone for awhile because she is six months pregnant and the place is very smoky. I'll have to find a pal to go along. I've never gone into a bar alone.