Thinking of going to a jam night tonight - but literally nothing prepared

[bj]

The house band for the jazz-funk jam in Cambridge have just published a setlist of songs they invite you to learn so you can join in. Here it is, together with the suggestions I have added.

Gotta get it, headhunters (G)
Red Baron (G)
Red Clay
Cissy strutt (Cm)
Space cowboy (C#)
Gentle thoughts (G)
I feel good (G)
Signed sealed delivered (C)
As (G)
Whats going on (D)
I need a dollar (Abm)
Too young to die (Am)
Use me (Bb)
Pick up the pieces (Fm)
The chicken (Bb)
Play that funky music (Cm)
Jungle Boogie (G)
Didgital vibrations (C)
Heard it through the grape vine
Superstition (E)
Sir Duke (B)
Easy
Spooky, Dusty Springfield
Feeling good
Soul with a capital S (C)
Summer breeze
Express yourself
Stratus (Bm)

That's to get us started..
Discuss, add an get Funky!!


[Jon Kingsman's suggestions]

Watermelon Man (F)
Cantaloupe Island (Fm)
Gotcha theme from Starsky & Hutch (Dm)
Put it where you want it (C)
Chameleon (Bb)

Mercy Mercy Mercy (Bb)
Ain't no sunshine (Am)
So what (Dm)
Summertime (Am)

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/jamclub1

[TheGuitarWeasel]

As I may have mentioned earlier ... we had a heavy/prog rock jam local to us for a while. Quite a nice idea, as if you start doing too many of the heavier rock and blues rock numbers at blues jams the purists try to stake you through the heart and stuff your mouth full of lemons and salt (another cure for vampires and blues rockers).

[thing]

I always thought the idea of a jam night was just to get up and jam..................call me naive.....

[Lixarto]

I always thought the idea of a jam night was just to get up and jam..................call me naive.....

See post #2.

[noisepolluter]

Right. Same situation - jam night tonight and thus far I'm fifty-fifty on one song. For anything else I'd just hope to be 2nd guitarist in generic blues numbers.

Do I take the tele along, be completely up-front about my limited ability/repertoire/experience and gratefully take any live playing experience I can get, or does etiquette dictate I should at least try to get to a minimum standard on a couple of numbers?

I wonder if Woody Allen gets this neurotic before his jazz gigs?

[bj]

Do I take the tele along, be completely up-front about my limited ability/repertoire/experience and gratefully take any live playing experience I can get

This, exactly. Got to start somewhere.

[Lixarto]

This, exactly. Got to start somewhere.

They way I look at it, everyone has limited ability - the audience (and indeed, the other participants in a jam night) can only judge you on what you play, not what you don't play.

So, play to your strengths. Or, as I said earlier, give it some Neil-style madness

[frankus]

I wonder if Woody Allen gets this neurotic before his jazz gigs?

Woody Allen plays in a band and apparently turns up plays and leaves, never having spoken to the other guys in the band.

[Dewar54]

While we're on the subject of jam nights can I do a wee cheeky plug,
If anyone's in the vicinity, there's a jam night at the 'Rising Sun' in sunny 'Slough' every Thursday. It's very friendly, in a 'rock' vein but basically anything goes, we get all levels of players from beginners to the occasional virtuoso but the main focus is just to have a good time, enjoy the music and the company and have a laugh. It's been real quiet of late and we could do with an injection of fresh blood
If you think it's worth sticking this in its own thread I'll do that.
Thanks guys n gals
If you want the address let me know and of course if you want me to learn a song to accompany you I'd love to do that too.
Kev