Sitting In and Jamming

Part of being a musician is "sitting in." It means to perform with a band but not having a prior rehearsal or not officially being in the band. You could say a guest artist is an example of sitting in. Some of the most magical musical moments come from someone sitting in. It's because it adds a new chemistry, a new way of thinking, or a new instrument.

A jam session is a larger form of sitting in because everyone is sitting in. Yes, there might be a house rhythm section but even those musicians can switch out and change the feel and vibe of the song. A jam can take any shape or form from strictly organized to whatever happens; one person can dominate the room or everyone can work together. It's why you need to attend them often.

I sat in three times this week. Last Saturday, July 4, the Iowa City Jazz Festival wrapped up with a jam session hosted by Blake Shaw at The Green House. The vibe was great, the room was packed, and everyone got to play. I took the head and a few chorus' of Have You Met Miss Jones. The night finished with Blake Shaw singing a blues in G and a very clear announcement of "no more than two chorus'...two chorus'...no more!"

Tommy Doggett playing Have You Met Miss Jones at the Iowa City Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by Blake Shaw at the Green House.

End of the night Blues in G at the Iowa City Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by Blake Shaw at the Green House.

On Wednesday, July 8, I was invited to sit in for the Activate 432Hz Healing Jam at xBk Annex hosted by Todd Partridge I played my wind synth and it allowed me to play a wide range of sounds and octaves (eight in total). This jam didn't have any songs, just improvised jams with everyone contributing something at any given moment. We did two sets that lasted about an hour each.

Activate 432Hz Healing Jam at xBk Annex hosted by Todd Partridge

On Saturday morning, July 11, I sat in with BYOBrass at the Des Moines Farmer's Market. The band opened up a set and invited anyone to play. They provided the sheet music ahead of time to help everyone be successful. It was a great experience. The Des Moines Farmer's Market is one of the largest in the country and to have a great band invite the entire music community to join them made for a special event. Because I have performed with BYOBrass before, I was comfortable with the songs and I played on additional songs that morning.

Tommy Doggett performing with BYOBrass at the Des Moines Farmer's Market

Tommy Doggett performing with BYOBrass at the Des Moines Farmer's Market

Tommy Doggett performing with BYOBrass at the Des Moines Farmer's Market

Thanks for reading...now go sit in!