Cutting Session vs Steel Jam

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

At the end of a just closed thread,
Bill McCloskey brought up a subject that HAD
been percolating in the back of my mind.

Some jams are just that fun get togethers,
for people playing the same instrument,
and their compatible backing instruments.
Sit n pick, talk shop, and not talk trash..
well not too much.

Others might be more like a Coltrane era cutting session.
In this case our legendary steel performers line up side by side on stage,
and basically try to out do each other on a few standards.

Now in this case these cats have known each other for decades,
so it's old friends playing off each other,
and having a laugh in front of a live crowd.
They know they are all good, and different,
so they have fun with it.

In the big city jazz world,
a cutting session jam is how they weed out
the poorer players veing for the working gigs.
You don't hold your own, and some body says,
"Back to the woodshed dude."
But it is also how better players
pick up "new voices" to play with

For those with thick enough skins,
it is also a neccesary benchmark for your progress.
There are only so many gigs, and LOTS of competition,
you have to be on your game to work steady.

Since many many of these gigs are by ear, or sight read ;
you arrive and start playing with whom ever is there,
music and personel known to you or not.
If you can't do it at a jam,
well you ain't gonna cut no real gig either...

Yes, Coltrane got the big cymbal one night,
but that was a true kick in the rear,
that made him REALLY work, come up with his own voice,
and develope a new style in the process.

All the above are quite different than the open mic for singers.

Some poeple just want to do it once
and their life's complete.

Some want to "be discovered".
or gain mic time in their quest to be discovered.

Some don't have the time for a band,
but like to pick occasionally.

In the steel world I haven't heard much about
real cutting sessions, it's all pretty friendly.
Maybe because there are so few players,
even the best are more than encouraging
to newbies and weekend hacker players.

I find that pretty unique for an instrument.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 17 June 2006 at 12:30 AM.]

Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

I'm truly floored by the amount of help available in the steel guitar community to the aspiring player. Perhaps these great players who have done so much to aid others in this quest have not forgotten the original difficulty they experienced in the beginning and would like to help others avoid SOME of that. I personally would like to thank the following: Vance Terry, Tom Bradshaw, Bobby Black, David Phillips, Dave Zirbel, Ricky Davis, b0b, Bobbe Seymore, Scotty, Don Curtis, Don McClellan and all of you who have produced the instructional materials and helpful posts on this forum. I plan to to B line for the jazz room at St. Louis this year and get myself a good old fashioned a$$ whoopin'

John McGann · From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

'twas Charlie Parker got the cymbal (from Papa Jo Jones) as a teenager, not Coltrane...Back To The Woodshed, DD!

------------------
http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

Bob Hickish · From: Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.

David L
There seems to be more threads on
weather the Steel will survive than there are
any on competition among players .
I'm sure this must go on somewhere in the
world of Steel But I have not seen it out here
! I can count at least 6 steel players with in
a 50 mile radius & I do believe they are all
playing gigs . every group is so different ,
nobody want's the other players job , maybe
if we were all jazz players that would be
the difference .
We did have a jazz basest set in with us
once , & he did speak a different language -
musically - very good to . I think our music
was a little disconnected from his world of
more complex music .
I've always had a day job so there is a
good chance I have no clue as to the
competition ! to me its more like a horse
race , when you see the top runners your not
going to get your plow mule out on the track
! but there is lots of fields out there to plow
! we been do'n our share , and having more
fun than should be alowed .
Next month the mule will be doing more
than the race horse .
BTW David ! "My Window Faces The South "
is a winner ! people love it .

Hick

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

JOHN, THANKS, WRONG CAT,
But right concept none the less,
Yes, it was BIRD, not TRANE I was refering too.

It still is quite interesting though,
this much more friendly dynamic between
players of this instrument,
compared to many other instruments.

Forum slagging sessions not withstanding.
In PERSON it is much more civil... go figure!

Bob, jazz does have some extra vocabulary, and standards of performance,
but a good player with the music in his ears can play anything.
A more limited or less expirenced player,
can only play what he knows, no matter what is put in his ear to try.

The jazz cutting session serves the purpose of upping the anti for young players. Encouraging intense study.
But some better, but still insecure, players make it a more personal put down,
than an incentive to woodshed.

I do think newbies at steel jams
get the same kick in the butt,
but in a friendlier style

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 19 June 2006 at 10:57 AM.]

Craig Ferguson · From: Los Angeles, California, USA

Well, having been a jazz guitarist before starting steel I certainly have had my share of "cutting" experiences. Jazz can be a real "soul crusher", especially if you can't play giant steps backwards in 7/4 (c'mon, haven't you heard...7 is the new 4).

I went to the L.A. steel jam this spring (my first) and found everyone to be very supportive. Sitting among titans like Jay Dee and David Wright, it could have easily been a cutting session. When Jay Dee could have easily "given me the cymbal", instead he offered some friendly advice in my left ear..."Hey, keep your heel down!!!"

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Viva la difference!

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

This is interesting to read. I haven't been to a steel jam yet, but I spent decades at blues and rock jams (plus a few country ones) on electric, and a ton of uegrass jams.
ALL of those were/are cutting sessions. No exceptions. Step it up or go home.

This disadvantage is it can really discourage newer players, or those with moderate skill. Upside is if you have any talent at all you learn and get good real fast, or else you join a softball team or go lawn bowling....

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