-
I remember a few performances that would have turned me into a recluse
if the were preserved.
-
01-02-2026 11:35 AM
-
Ouch
-
I think that's fake lol. It was realistic body language for an argument that actually went down but then unraveled dialogue. 'Do you know who you're talking to? I'm a self taught legend!'
-
it's real. it's from smalls and there was a long vid that had incidents from a couple of days.
-
Somebody should take away that kid's guitar and straighten him out. Childish behavior and a very bad reflection on the scene.
-
-
Thought this was a worthwhile interview per the thread title....
Tivon Pennicott, tenor sax, great player btw. Moves to NYC, gets his sax stolen right away, lives in his car while he chips away....he suggests a two year minimum stay to break into the scene. Says everything that happened for him was due to jam session attendance.
-
what is the deal with the sax player at 26 min? it's like he cant decide whether he wants to be albert ayler or kenny g. and the drummer at 41min basically murdering the poor bass player. what is wrong with these people.
Originally Posted by SOLR
Last edited by djg; 01-03-2026 at 07:20 AM.
-
I didn’t watch all the people you’re talking about, but in the end they’re all amateurs at a jam. Originally Posted by djg
It looks like the jam is run laissez faire which is also a recipe for disaster. The guitar player asks if anyone will play Little Suede Shoes and a trumpet walks up and just starts. The vibe seems conductive to everyone having a bad time.
I wouldn’t go to this jam if you paid me.
-
it's social skills that these people are lacking. the drummer simply stops playing (and actually turns his back to talk to s/o) once the bass player starts his solo (and the bassplayer had his sad back for the whole tune) and once he resumes he plays selfish shit. this is not some back room session but smalls in NYC. you get filmed and broadcasted all over the world. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
Last edited by djg; 01-03-2026 at 11:34 AM.
-
Seems like self awareness has completely evaporated in the last two decades, which is par for the course at the blues jams as well. Guys showing up wasted "let's play sum rolling stones", hosts bands playing rock music, little or no actual blues standards. In the early 2000's all of those guys acting like that would've been persona non grata on their first trip but now they mostly make up 50% or more of the attendees at most jams and quite a few of the host bands. Unless an about face happens, once the baby boomers are completely out of the picture it'll crash out, as they are the last direct connection to the old school jazz and blues world. Originally Posted by djg
-
I’ve said it over and over again amateur vs professional isn’t about musical aptitude. It’s not about the amount of money you make, or what percentage of your income is from gigs. Originally Posted by djg
The guys in the video are amateurs and smalls needs to pay a pro to keep the jam in line.
-
Inexperience. That's why they're there. Originally Posted by djg
This is one of the challenges of the jazz scene today. 50 years ago, someone with the knowledge might've mentored musicians like these to help them get better faster but that scene seems to be shrunk. There were jam sessions in the loft scene and older wiser musicians taking on the younger ones at casual gigs to get their feet wet and learn. Now instead of learning jazz at the feet of the masters on the bandstand, you have to go to college or conservatory to learn jazz- which has pluses and minuses like everything.
What I hear with this particular video is that nobody on the bandstand is centering in on the groove (and, if anybody does, nobody else is listening and joining them). Time, rhythm, groove are the most important parts of music because they're the bones of it; nothing else sounds good unless it happens in time. In particular the self taught legend has terrible time, he's loud and isn't paying attention to either the drummer or the bassist.
-
I think this is a stereotype of young players that doesn't hold true in my experience. Maybe I'm just lucky in who I've been hearing. Experience is super important of course, but I'm impressed by how many old heads there are on young shoulders on the scene here. Originally Posted by Cunamara
Inexperience. That's why they're there.
This is one of the challenges of the jazz scene today. 50 years ago, someone with the knowledge might've mentored musicians like these to help them get better faster but that scene seems to be shrunk. There were jam sessions in the loft scene and older wiser musicians taking on the younger ones at casual gigs to get their feet wet and learn. Now instead of learning jazz at the feet of the masters on the bandstand, you have to go to college or conservatory to learn jazz- which has pluses and minuses like everything.
What I hear with this particular video is that nobody on the bandstand is centering in on the groove (and, if anybody does, nobody else is listening and joining them). Time, rhythm, groove are the most important parts of music because they're the bones of it; nothing else sounds good unless it happens in time. In particular the self taught legend has terrible time, he's loud and isn't paying attention to either the drummer or the bassist.
But it is certainly the case for this video here. I've heard the Smalls jam has been a bit ropey for a while? I'm not sure it's representative of the young players coming up on the NYC jazz scene who are actually working. Perhaps someone local can chip in?
-
in contrast
-
already going viral in my feed
-
This reminds me of a nice jam session I go to sometimes in London... I'd go more often but it makes me feel like Gandalf. Originally Posted by djg
-
The r/jazzcirclejerk mods have had to ban more STL videos. So they are back to posting 'John Coltrane' and cyberbullying children who are better than them. Originally Posted by djg
-
bring me. i look like gandalf's father. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
-
Next time you're in town - you'd dig it I think. Originally Posted by djg
-
i thought you were joking. appearantly not. shoot me. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
-
I'm sorry to make you aware of this Originally Posted by djg
-
I... wow. Apparently that was not a one-off for the STL.
-
The Small's scheduling email always seems to indicate that there is someone hosting the jam but clearly in this case there doesn't seem to have been anyone doing that. People are just walking on and off the stage of willy-nilly, it seems. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
-
This viral episode hit a nerve for me, not because the "STL" is pathetic and outrageous, but because of the reflection of what jazz culture has become. Sure, this situation is an outlier, that's why it gets so much attention, but it happened because of a toxic, chaotic environment.
I've gone to 3-4 different ongoing jazz jams in the last few years, and I used to do some open-mics and even tried a bluegrass jam a few times. I learned a lot, and fortunately didn't suffer the "vibing" and eye-rolling and passive aggressive BS that I hear about these days. I've just found it to be more nerve-wracking and frustrating to hang around just to play a couple of tunes, when you never know who's going to show up, what you'll end up playing, etc.
I'm still trying to decide if it's worth it.
Reply With Quote
New LEDs Day
Today, 07:28 PM in Other Styles / Instruments