Jazz Jams in Dayton

Dr GO

There are now 2 GREAT Jazz Jams to attend in Dayton:

Jazz Central on Sunday nights from 8 pm-12 am and is the longest running jazz jam in the region (probably in all of Ohio);
From the Jazz Central Web Site:
First Thursday of the Month Jazz Jam at Mila's Suburban Cafe. Every FIRST Thursday of the month, going from 7 pm-9pm. I have attended EVERY ONE. It is a new club, great acoustics and the featured rhythm section is the nucleus of the Eddie Brookshire Quintet, THE BEST small band ensemble in the region (as officially voted in the Dayton Daily News). Food is great, and man, love that draft beer made from coffee!!!
Mila's Facebook Page"

Dr GO

Link to Jazz Jam last evening, May 3, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/kelli.campbell2/videos/pcb.10219149809800622/10219150020085879/?type=3&theater

Dr GO

Getting Ready to play at Mila's Suburban Cafe

Kehaulani

@Dr-GO
This is an excellent opportunity and implies wider participation and questions/solutions. I'll start on an etiquette note.

Go to the first session without your horn. Listen.
Hear the level, observe the protocols carried out by the regulars.
Meet participants in a non-competitive ambiance. Just network and eventually ask what you need to do to join in, next time.

Maybe others have other suggestions for jam session participation.

Dr GO

@Kehaulani said in Jazz Jams in Dayton:

@Dr-GO
This is an excellent opportunity and implies wider participation and questions/solutions.

It is and it is a good way to connect with many others. I got an offer to play in another band from my entire evenings performance.

Dr GO

@Kehaulani said in Jazz Jams in Dayton:

@Dr-GO
I'll start on an etiquette note.

Go to the first session without your horn. Listen.
Hear the level, observe the protocols carried out by the regulars.
Meet participants in a non-competitive ambiance. Just network and eventually ask what you need to do to join in, next time.

Maybe others have other suggestions for jam session participation.

Go to the first session without your horn. Listen.
This is a nice Etiquette suggestion for the first time performer. This session is a bit more formal than some, where the leader (Kelly Campbell) has a bound notebook where she has musicians sign in so she can make sure all musicians have a chance to play in in combos that should blend well together.

Hear the level, observe the protocols carried out by the regulars.
Another excellent recommendation. One can really get X-ed out if protocols are ignored. It is tacit knowledge to some extent but these sessions help develop that essential tacit knowledge angle as well.

Meet participants in a non-competitive ambiance. Just network and eventually ask what you need to do to join in, next time.
Essential. This assures acceptance and optimizes the invitation to play in the combination/set up that will assure your continued interaction with the process.

My Personal Notes on this particular Performance
These individuals are my peeps. I have played with all seen in the video in some form or another for YEARS so we all know each other well. Just prior to this particular cut, I was innocently sitting at the bar sipping on an exquisite dark beer (brewed locally in Yellow Springs [Dave Chappelle an John Legend country] called Bush League), when the piano player (that was called to lead this particular jam), recruited me from the bar saying he needed assistance and would I oblige to do the honors to play the lead in head to "Freddy the Freeloader", at which I graciously accepted the invitation knowing the beer would be greeting me back on my return.

Also, being aware of the audience is important. I hate standing with my back toward people in the audience. Unfortunately in this room, where the band is set up in mid club against a wall, there is little chance to be in front of all the audience. I chose to stand where I did (also a part of etiquette to use the room wisely) with the two people to my back being "on deck" musicians. There was an audience to my left (where there are three large picture windows and quit a few metal rafters), and in my right was the crux of the crowd. I decided to aim my glance to the majority, but to play into the concrete floor so the sound would bounce back up into the rafters (as well as not to blow into the faces of the majority of he crowd), such that sound would filter through the metal rafters to the crowd to the front of the room.

KEHAULANI... THANKS so much for bringing out the educational components of these posts. This is what will make TB a great place to visit. Highly instructional. Again, Many Thanks!!!

Kehaulani

Dr. G - " I got an offer to play in another band from my entire evenings performance."

There can be some real spin-offs from these.

One night in Germany, the weather was horrid and the streets snowy, icy and bare. Locals knew better about going out in this weather. I wasn't going to go to a jam session, but, actually an hour after t had begun, I decided, "what the hell".

I went, the stage was sparer than usual, meaning more playing time. A critic from the paper was there that night and I was surprised the next day to read a really good story, singling out me and my playing. That exposure unexpectedly paid off in many ways.

It's great for networking, but has benefits to all sort of players, like getting experience playing for audiences or playing with people you don't usually play with. Or playing music you might not usually play. And, now that I think of it, even, maybe, having to deal with some awkward or negative aspects, as well.

Dr GO

Dayton's First Thursday's Jazz Jam has moved to a new venue starting January 2. For musicians in the Dayton and Cincinnati area, this is a great place to "cut your chops", with the Eddie Brookshire rhythm section backing you up and Kelli Campbell providing vocal textures. Life doesn't get any better than this:

https://www.facebook.com/JazzVoicesNow/photos/gm.2755446117827191/2188056824629908/?type=3&theater

Vulgano Brother

Jazz is a dead language. Change my mind.

Dr GO

@Vulgano-Brother said in Jazz Jams in Dayton:

Jazz is a dead language. Change my mind.

If you're a dead head... your mind will be changed. Jazz is the cure you know. I KNOW you have to be a Grateful Dead fan, and so am I. That band was my gateway into jazz you know.

Vulgano Brother

I was into jazz before I heard the Dead play on records, and then live. It was a gateway into

and aleatoric modern music.

Dr GO

Jazz Jam cut from this past Thursday at Dayton's Wholly Grounds:
https://www.facebook.com/kelli.campbell2/videos/10221713317686717/?multi_permalinks=816905535482801&notif_id=1581457942145325&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic_tagged

Dr GO

Jazz Jam Pic at Wholly Grounds.

Dr GO

For those wanting to join in on the first session in January, the First Sunday Jazz Jam is featuring Cincinnati's premier trumpet player, Mike Wade. I will be there (but has been moved to the 12th due to the snow storm coming through today) as well so bring your axe if you are nearby and get the chance to play with Mike: