what is a jam band?

Answer 1

The term jam band describes bands, often psychedelic rock bands, whose concerts consist largely of musical improvisation. Such groups include the likes of the Grateful Dead, Blues Traveler, Phish, Hot Tuna, The Allman Brothers Band, Cream, Widespread Panic, moe., String Cheese Incident, Umphrey's McGee, and many others. The term likely derives from the improvisational and technically demanding jam sessions of jazz and bluegrass musicians.

Although usually associated with psychedelic rock, jam bands often draw on various musical traditions, including funk, progressive bluegrass, blues, country music, rock and progressive rock, folk music, world music and jazz.

Jam bands sometimes improvise around the chord progressions of pre-composed songs, incorporating variations on recognizable themes, riffs and rhythms, while allowing for unexpected detours of unpredictable duration. This is arguably a progression of the guitar solo, a feature of traditional rock music. Some jam bands only perform this type of jamming, hardly ever heading into completely uncharted territory. Others engage in free improvisation, in effect spontaneously composing music that has never been heard before by the audiences or the players themselves.

With some exceptions, such as Cream, Frank Zappa, and The Allman Brothers Band, the jam band environment before 1990 was dominated by the Grateful Dead. Beginning with the formation of Phish, Widespread Panic, and Aquarium Rescue Unit in the mid 1980s, the jam band genre gradually expanded beyond the musical styles of a handful of bands. These bands were playing an unknown style of music that was akin to everything from jazz to progressive rock, though it seemed new to all who heard it. This was the beginning of the jam band scene as it is known today. As a result of this expansion, one can no longer consider jam bands as subscribing to a particular style of music.

Answer 2

classic jam bands are of course, the grateful dead,phish,allman bros.,etc; jam bands are bands that deviate from the written song into and open "jam" a previously unwritten free for all musically speaking,sometimes these jam songs can last for 20 or 30 mins,the 60's rock revolution really was the begginning of jam bands,quicksilver messenger service and the like even jimi hendrix could be considered a jammer,lol.

Answer 3

Fleetwood Mac. good while they further Danny Kirwan to the line up they have been in all probability the main suitable blues jam band around. Their "stay on the Boston Tea social gathering" albums are regrettably the only genuine showcase of their incredible improvisational expertise throughout their stay shows.

Answer 4

its a band that jams

Answer 5

Long instumentals, generally free flowing and often times longer versions of their songs. For instance they might take a 3 minute song (that you would hear on a recording or the radio), and give it a longer begining and middle (without vocals) and then finish up the song like you would hear it on the radio. So that song could go on for 8 minutes or longer.

Answer 6

'Jamming' means just playing together, and going where the sound takes you, rather than playing a pre-arranged piece of music.

Answer 7

its just a couple of people who play music together just to have fun. they dont perform, or record anything. its usually just playing in somebody's garage or basement.