So, that super-exciting thing I was promising!!!

[Dave S]

On Sunday 07 October 2007, Tony Hardie-Bick wrote:
> Well, I can't say what the ratio is, since I'm one of those playing ;)
> (seeing as Dave is producer, I think he has the right to make an
> estimate :) ) BUT - it's a lot higher than maybe 90% of every other Jam
> I've been involved in. I gotta say thanks to ya all, a hell of a project.

I was going to edit out some choice cuts and have a selection of tunes cut 
from the jams, but to be honest, I don't think that's necessary.  They are 
all very listenable, because we seemed to really set out on a collective 
journey, with everybody listening (well, *most* of the time!!!) to what was 
going on, and responding to it well.

Perhaps it's because now we've jammed together a few times, we've actually all 
learned how to do it?  I'm getting increasingly interested in the idea of 
jams-as-concerts!

What might be useful is to some way be able to remember which bit of music is 
in which jam track, but I'm working on that.  (There's one I want to listen 
to at the moment, and can't quite remember which it is, though I know it's 
one of the earlier ones.)

Only on Saturday night, I had an *incredible* first-time jam with a little 
fivesome of Nottingham folks: me on bass, my friends John on guitar, Matt on 
tenor sax, Ney on percussion and vocals, and the icing on the cake (and this 
really was a special thing), a Gambian guy called Sura who played the Kora.

Don't know if you're all familiar with the Kora, but I've heard them a fair 
few times, seen one live once, but never before had the chance to play 
alongside one.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kora_(instrument)

What an incredible instrument!!!!!  The incredible player helped, admittedly - 
this guy's thumbs moved faster than... well, faster than speeding thumbs 
should be able to move!

So, that was our first jam with him (John was given his phone number the day 
before by a friend who works in a music shop), and we only had to cut it 
short because the Kora dude had another thing he had to go to that night.

I really hope we do it again soon - and record it.  Should be yet more 
impressive jamming!  :-)

I don't want to form a "band" per-se with this line-up, but I think we should 
definitely do some gigs.

For me, this idea of a jam session of (relatively!) skilled musicians, playing 
together for an audience, but without always knowing what to play... that's 
pretty much the pinnacle of what I want to aim for musically these days.  
(Though that's not saying I won't continue to do other things too.)

> It's more evidence that, for me, improv is where it's at. It can be
> done, whether recording or live, and if the spirit is right, then even
> the naff bits don't sound too bad!

Exactly!

> I think I learnt a lot from this, at the time, and I'm learning stuff
> now, listening back.
> Tony (HB)
> (going with the flow)

Glad you're enjoying it!

So, the only remaining question is: where do we go from here?  :-)

Cheers,

~Dave