Session Obsession

Okay, I have to admit, I haven't been playing much lately. Maybe it's because the weather has been absolutely gorgeous here and there is so much to do outside instead of practicing. So needless to say I have yet to research any tunes or players as I said I would in my last blog entry. I'm sure you were waiting on the edge of your seat, so I'm sorry to disappoint you.

What I do want to write about today is the obsession with sessions that I have. Each Wednesday night a little coffeehouse bar in Burlington, Vermont called Radio Bean, hosts an Irish session at 9pm. The last time I went I got there a bit early to catch the tail end of the Jazz session that plays before us and I was struck completely by the similarities and differences between the two jam sessions and here's what I wrote on a tiny piece of paper at the bar:

I sit here waiting for the Irish session to begin and I am listening to the Jazz session that plays before us. Tonight there is a bass player, guitar player, drummer, trumpet player and two cellists. It's amazing to watch and listen to it as they play only what inspires them at a given moment. Although we have specific tunes we play, it is not so different in that we play the tunes that inspire us and hope that the rest of group hops in and plays with us.

I guess sessions are the same no matter what genre they are in. In essence they are just a forum to express yourself through your music.

So if you're in the Burlington area on a Wednesday night head on over to Radio Bean for the Jazz jam followed by the Iris session. You won't be disappointed.