A Singers How-to Guide:
Sitting in at a Jazz Jam Session

Overview

  • BEFORE YOU GO: Have 1-2 songs ready to sing, and know what key you sing them

  • AT THE JAM: get on the list, talk to people, and get onstage

  • ONSTAGE: Call tune + key, talk intro, count it off, open up for solos, cue your ending

  • AFTER YOU PLAY: talk to other players, connect on socials or exchange contact

Terms to know

  • The head, form and chorus are all ways to talk about the song, as it repeats

  • The head = The melody, typically played or sung at the top and end of the tune

  • The form = The 32 (usually) bar form that repeats, you “solo over the form”

  • A chorus = 1 time through the form, when soloing, you “take 1-4 choruses”

  • Intro = the set up for a tune, before you play the head

  • Tag = at the end of a tune, you can repeat the last few bars as a “tag to end the tune”

  • Call a tune = tell the band what song you want to play, and in what key

  • Know your Key = when you call a tune, always say the key you sing it in“Skylark in C”

Everything you need to know…for now!

Before you go

  • Develop a list of 5-10 songs you have memorized and ready to sing at anytime, including jazz standards, but some pop standards are good to have too.

TIP: keep a list of songs in the notes app in case your “mental list” goes blank

  • Know your key ahead of time (for pop, say “OG key” or “1/2 step up/down from OG”)

At the Jam Session

  • Figure out how you get onstage. Is there a (1)Jam session leader you need to talk to, (2) a list to sign up on, or (3) can you just go up to the stage when you want to play?

  • Get on “the list” early and be ready to share the 1-3 songs you want to do. They may help you decide which song is the best fit for the setting.

  • Find friendly people to talk to, ask questions (e.g. Do you play? Have you played here before? What artists are you listening to? What projects are you working on?)

  • Ask for advice, share your song idea or ask about the culture of this jam

  • NOTE: If you want to pause a conversation to listen while you are talking with someone, you can point to the stage and say “I wanna hear this!” And pause your conversation until you’re ready to talk again.

Getting Onstage

These next steps should take 30 second - 2 minutes, MAX. Y’all wanna get playing!

  • Approach the stage: you’ll know it’s time either because the jam leader has prompted to go up (“you’re up next”), they’ve called your name or you’ve decided the time is right to “rush the stage” and to get up (reading the room!)

  • Call your tune: say the song and key, make sure they HEAR it’s e non-standard key!

  • Introduce yourself to the instrumentalists.

  • Talk about the intro, and song form, if you’re planning something non-standard

  • “last 8 bars” is very common, or “Last A,” or vamp the first two bars. Check with the band “last A?” As a question or say it definitively. I like 8 bars, it gives enough time to hear the key and find where the melody is. Or ask the players “what do you want to do as an intro?” They may suggest you start right on it, if you do this, make sure you get your starting note before you count it off.

  • count off the tune - snap the tempo and feel (swing, latin, 12/8, other groove) as soon as you can, even if you’re still talking to folks, then sing a little at the speed and feel you want, and count 2 bars for nothing, “a one, a two, a one two three four” and be mindful if there’s a pick up!

Playing the song

  • for jazz, sing the head (aka the song, the chorus, onetime through the form) and take at least 2 choruses, (repeat the Chorus, trying new ideas or scat!), unless it’s a ballad  even if you don’t feel like you have more to say, this is your chance to play with the melody and improvise. Even if you’re not scatting, it’s great to try something new!

  • Solos, decide ahead or communicate subtly but intentionally during the solo section who all will solo. Usual order is melodic instruments, chordal instruments, rhythm instruments, with bass then drums last. Drums will often trade 4s with the band, too.

  • sing the head, again, with more embellishment

  • end it by with a triple tag or a retard that you lead/conduct (this takes practice, but is quite intuitive). You can also keep tagging and improvising more and see what happens!

  • thank the audience and share your name (maybe plug the socials, if it feels appropriate).

  • thank, congratulate or otherwise acknowledge the musicians you shared the stage with. Compliment their performance, talk to them, ask to follow each other on socials (if the vibe is right).

Remember

As the singer, you’re leader! Everyone follows and supports you so you can all play the song WELL together. The more confident you are in part (knowing the melody and lyrics, and the order of things onstage), the stronger your performance will be, and the better the collective experience will be for you all playing together, and for the audience!

Questions for discussion/reflection

  • What songs would be on your list?

  • How do you figure out what your key is for jazz standards?

  • What sounds scary about this process? What sounds exciting?

  • What’s likely to go wrong? So… what if it does?

  • How can you benefit from having an experience like this? What other feelings may come up?

  • What other accessible performance opportunities exist that you know of?

  • How can you connect with people at a jam? How can you stay connected after?

To learn more or for one-on-one instruction, contact Katia Cardenas here.