If you can't help tapping rhythms on the table,
if you've got music running in your mind, or if you whistle -- not the tune, but the harmonies behind it,
then you can jam. You've got a natural ability. This talent is a gift. It's something special --
not something everyone can do.
Jamming is an exciting word for an exciting kind of music -- spontaneous, sudden music, made without a written score,
and beyond what's written down. The word comes from African American jazz and all its history and traditions. But
improvisation, another word for jamming, is not exclusive to jazz. European classical composers, such as J.S.
Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart, composed their works on top of improvised foundations. Jamming also may be found flamenco,
blues, and other music throughout the world.
Jamming requires special understanding. A session starts with a familiar tune or theme. When the mood warms up and
the musicians feel inspired, each one takes a solo as the tune is passed around. Each plays off the theme, departing
and returning, adding their unique and personal style to the melody and rhythm.
Jamming is the secret language of musicians. It is rarely understood
or appreciated by the non-musical world. In a very intense session,
each musician is inspired to give everything they have. The music
that evolves, erupts, and emerges is only for the moment -- it will
never be heard in just that way again. Few artistic forms allow
this kind of collaboration. That's why an exalted jam session is
a rare thing indeed. It can be magical, intensely emotional and
rewarding for the players, as well as the lucky witnesses.
Read about others' experiences learning to jam and improvise on
Luzern Jazz Institute's "Picking
Notes out of Thin Air."
