The Sam Bonds Bluegrass Jam is an acoustic jam held every Tuesday night

open to all who bring their own acoustic string instrument, ala fiddles, mandolins, banjos, guitars, harmonica, bass, etc. (as much as we like drums and horns, the logistics of this jam lends itself best to acoustic strings only). The jam is unamplified, a' natural, no mics, no amps. Just sit in a circle and play.

THE SONGS

The material is a mix of instrumentals (fiddle tunes, breakdowns) and sung songs. The host has a large catalog of songs which they will call out and start, and breaks are sent around the circle to anyone who wishes to take one while the rest of the combo plays appropriate backup. Most of the songs are drawn from the basic bluegrass catalog, a partial list is listed on the left side of this page. We'll also adapt tunes from various sources that fit the format of the jam.

The host may open the floor for someone else to do a tune, but we do ask musicians to keep in mind the nature of the jam. This means songs with few chords and simple structures, as well as being rhythmically appropriate for the instruments at the jam. 6 part epics complete with transitions, tempo changes, fireworks and circles and arrows on the back explaining each one are great for your band, but for this jam, simplicity reigns.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Ability levels range from beginners to seasoned vets. All are welcome to play, but a basic musical proficiency is assumed. Most of the songs follow basic progressions, often (but not always) using progressions based on I-IV-V, with the occasional II or b7 thrown in. Knowing how to navigate swing-type/rhythm changes will also be occasionally helpful. If you need help with any of these concepts, a google search will likely turn up a million resources that should be able to get you going in the right direction.

HOSTS

The schedule for each jam's host is listed on the left. The host's job is to generally keep things moving along, and keep song selections appropriate to the situation. While the nature of the jam is open, the host may make decisions in the best interest of the jam.

The most important concept though, is to have fun. We'll all be out of tune at some point, blow a chord, forget a lyric, play the wrong note; it happens. Relax, have fun; that's what we're here to do!