Playing LIve Jams / "Gigs"

[NeilES335]

Hello Friends;
Well, I finally played my first ' jazz gig / jam session ' in a public venue. Some may recall I've been looking for quite a while for the right players and setting. I recently found a jazz trio (on Facebook ) that plays Sundays regularly at a cafe' , about 45 min drive away. They invite basically anyone to come and play whatever instrument and style they play. After contacting the leader, a jazz guitarist with 50 yrs of playing experience, and sharing some of my recordings and Jazz Studio collaboration videos, he was quite keen for me to attend. I practiced a few tunes ahead that I know well, and showed up early. The group was very friendly, & welcoming. There was a good drummer, bass player as well, who play together regularly. I listened for their 1st set, about 45 minutes,  then sat in with them. We played a few tunes I had prepared for , Autumn Leaves, Black Orpheus,  Summertime, and a G Blues. I stuck mostly to comping rhythm,  except playing melody on Summertime, while the other players took turns soloing. 
I had a little trouble hearing the 'changes' , ( drums were loud, right behind me) but I was told I did very well. I though I could have played much better but for the first time I guess it was OK. There was also a very good trumpet player playing with us, which I really liked. So... it was overall a good learning experience ( 'diving into the deep end' as the leader put it) and great to meet and play with some 
good musicians. They invited me back anytime, so I left on a positive note. Next time ( a few weeks) I'll know more of what to expect. Cheers; Neil

[Eracer_Team-DougH]

nothing like playing live.

I learned quite a bit (of what not to do ) in my last years 'rock night' out. Still looking for a good venue for playing (other than going back to church strum'n'sing)

Hearing yourself is very important and sometimes the environment doesn't help (drummers, PA , etc)

I'd say you're willing to go back to your venue but I'm not so gung ho to go back to the venue I was at

[NeilES335]

Yes, thats true. I probably would go back, as the venue was a more "family friendly" place, and the players were very welcoming too. I hope I get the chance to practise with the other guitarist a bit first on the songs he/I want to play. 

I wouldn't play that Georgetown venue, and having been there, I understand your reluctance Doug.

Anyway, I have a few weeks before the next one... wish it was closer. 

[Eracer_Team-DougH]

felt this was sort of an "All Encompassing " topic title , seemed open to "all"

so I'm adding my own "hi-jack" to Neil's thread.

The large music 'box store' (think GC but better) Long and McQuade has had a student jam night on the last Thursday of the month for a few years now. I've wanted to squeeze in but felt it was geared towards their own students than 'out-siders'.

at Christmas when my son said "If you could buy yourself something.. what would it be"

I thought nice Gibson Songwriter ($4600cdn) or a nice Martin D-28 ($4500) or maybe a new amp ($1900) but I thought I have a good amount of good gear.. need better playing skills.. So I said how about 3mnth of lessons (he offered 9mnths) but I over confident said.. thanks but I don't see me needing that many to 'clean up' my playing

so I booked in for 12 lessons. we started with my long running afare with Taking Care of Business .. we started dissecting it. and dissecting it, nicking all the notes in Randy Bachman's solos , I'm thinking.. I'll never get this song with the solo's back in.

Yes it's in Steve's Song Hit's DVD Series .. but minus the solos like all the song hit's series. we added a few lessons on other things hammer-on, pull-offs etc. then he added Derek n the Domino's Layla just to slow me down some more.. on the last and final lesson he said.. you're coming to jam night right.. I said.. we still don't have TCB cleaned up ... he's like come on out.

So on March 28th I packed up my trusty Les Paul. and headed to Jake's Boat House Bar-Restaurant on the south side of my city for 7:30pm start time.  signed in with the QR code.. there I sat waiting for them to call me up.. it was packed with students and families esp with the next day being Good Friday most had the day off. and as normal they started of with the little 8yr olds and move up the age ranges.. by 10pm I'm pretty much ready to bail.. I've been up since 4am and a long work day.. I'm tired. I was thinking how do I video this and didn't come up with any plan.

finally 1015 they call my name.. I'm nervous as the last time I played in a bar jam it was a crash n burn disaster.

so I'm getting jacked in.. my guitar instructor Nick is on drums, the main guitar music instructor Mike that runs the jam is on bass and some guy I had no clue who he was is coming on stage with his guitar (Miguel) asking what song?.. what key?  I looked over not knowing what they told him.. I said you singing this or am I.. He's like; you ok to sing this.. I said yes. He slides over to the second Mic stand. I'm staring back at my instructor on drums thinking how do we start this thing.. Looks at me and goes, I'll count you in.. starts clicking the sticks 1,2,3,4.. my queue

I open up with the famous C5-6, Bb5-6, F5-6 boggie-woggie of TCB.. on the 2nd time around.. I hear the drums, bass and 2nd guitar kick in.. Time for opening riff #1.. rip it.. face the mic and start to sing. first lyric done.. time for solo #1 we worked so hard at.. rip it.. lyric #2.. leads into solo #2. on the start to the bridge there's 3 bars long of just drums on the recording but our version (unrehearsed unplanned) the 2nd guitar, bass, and drums are still playing.. I stop "as I'm supposed to; expecting them to too" they don't .. I count my 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 and start the bridge that goes for 8 bars of 3 barre chords with lyrics. at the end of the bridge Randy Bachman adds a Woooo , so did I.  Then comes solo#3 the main solo.

I step back from the mic.. hit the pickup switch to lead pickup which I had set to volume 7 from my rhythm pickup that was set to 5.. bend the C at the 13th fret up to D and do a slow release then bend and release that starts that solo#3.. it's a bit of a trick with bends, hammer-on's pull-offs and double stops and with a few little glitches on my part, I get through the main solo#3, the band is still just rocking it out. 

back to the rhythm pickup and the main boogie-woogie and lyric #3 at the end there's a sustained G at the 10th fret A string.. 

on the recording the band drops out and that's when Randy usually gets the audience to repeat.. Taking Care of Business; come everyone clap your hands.. Taking Care... .. this time.. our band ain't dropping out.. I'm like yikes.. what do I do??

I kick it back into solo#3 .. and start improvising around that riff.. I look back at my instructor pounding out the beat.. he's nodding to me.. Keep going. .keeping going.. so it's head down.. come up with more licks around solo#3 double stops.. pull-offs , bends.. I'm thinking now how do we stop this train? I hear the bass and other guitar change some sort of turn around.. I'm like ok here's my queue.

I start doing a C, B up at the 10th and 8th frets fast strumming then over to a barre F .. finish off with the C5 on the 6th string 8th fret for a 'crash and burn ' ending.. 

whooo it's ended.. my mistakes are there but it was a kick azz song and people are clapping.. 

as I headed off the high stage people are saying .. great playing.. 

get back to my seat and the wife says to me , hear everyone clapping.. you had to be the best band tonight.. 

YES! a victory.. 

with only a few pictures the wife took.. no videos I'm very sad to say (at least nobody on the jam night facebook page hasn't said they have any).. and just my memories

my in-person lessons are done.. have to start getting ready for Steve's Fingerstyle Retreat in Oct.. but dang.. how do I get Layla gig ready on my own for the April and/or May Jam Night.. I probably can't..

but I still have the memories

 

Edited April 8 by Eracer_Team-DougH

[Ice9]

Nice story

 

[NeilES335]

Way to go Doug 👍 When does the album come out? 😉

[gotto]

GGreat story, both of you. The most important take back is having fun through the process. Very cool.