Jam sessions are all about listening, communicating, and making music together. The more you listen to the other musicians and respond to what you hear, the more fun and successful the experience will be!

  • When you’re playing with a singer, give them the spotlight. The singer will usually carry the melody while you support them with subtle fills and responses. Listen carefully and leave plenty of space. Your goal is to complement the singer without getting in the way.
  • Come prepared! Whenever possible, memorize the tunes you’re planning to play rather than relying on sheet music. And please avoid reading music from your phone during a performance. Knowing the tune well will free you up to listen, interact, and enjoy making music with the group.
  • If you’re the only horn player, you’ll generally play the melody and will likely take the first solo.
  • If there are several horn players, there are lots of ways to share the melody. You might:
    • Play the melody together in unison with the other horns. This works especially well for bebop melodies and tunes written by jazz musicians.
    • Divide the melody between players. For example, one player takes the A section and another takes the bridge. This can work especially well with Tin Pan Alley tunes and ballads.
    • Create harmonies or background parts while another player has the melody. Just make sure the parts support the melody and fit the style of the tune.
  • Share the solos. On medium and up-tempo tunes, it’s common for most or all of the musicians to take a solo, often beginning with the horns and moving through piano, guitar, bass, and drums. If you’re taking the first solo, give yourself enough room to say something musically, but remember that others will want a turn, too. You don’t need to take a huge number of choruses, but one chorus may not give you (and the musicians who follow you) enough time to develop an idea. As a general guideline, the players who follow will take a similar number of choruses.
  • On tunes at a medium or faster tempo, expect everyone (or almost everyone) in the band to take a solo starting with the horns, followed by piano, guitar, bass, and drums. If you take the first solo, don’t take a million choruses but also don’t just take one chorus. Solos that follow will generally match or approximate the number of choruses you’ve taken.
  • Give soloists some space. When someone else is soloing, step to the side of the stage and give them your attention. This helps put the focus on the person playing and makes the performance feel more intentional.
  • Listen and follow the form. While others are soloing, keep track of where you are in the tune and listen closely to what everyone is playing. Try to avoid playing or noodling on your instrument while someone else is soloing. Your attention is more valuable! Be ready to come back with the melody when the solos are finished.
  • Watch and communicate. As a solo approaches its ending, make eye contact with the soloist and look for cues about whether they’re going to continue or wrap up. If you’re bringing the melody back, a simple tap on the top of your head is a common and easy-to-understand signal: “Take it back to the melody!”

Most importantly, listen, leave space, and have fun. A jam session isn’t about showing everyone how much you can play. It’s about making the whole group sound good and creating something together.