A Guide to Your First Jam Session

Everything You Need to Know to Swing Like a Pro

Your first jazz jam experience can be a joyful one if you pick a beginner-friendly session, know some standards, keep solos short, and stay to support other players. New York Jazz Workshop and New York Music Institute host an all-levels jam on the last Monday of every month.

Why are jazz jam sessions so intimidating? In short, there’s a stigma. Jazz jams have a longstanding reputation for having a high barrier to entry. Ask almost any player, and they’ll probably have a story or three about getting vibe checked or even shamed for not being able to play at 300bpm. And you better be able to play Chick Corea’s “Spain” perfectly like a self-taught legend (if you know you know). Naturally, when you hear these kinds of stories, some fears and hesitations are completely normal. Especially when you’re looking to play a session in New York City. 

New York Jazz Workshop is here to help you navigate the ins and outs, from what to bring to what to do if things don’t go as planned. Keep in mind, these are not universal hard and fast rules. They’re our suggestions as players and educators who have been on the scene and sampled different kinds of jam sessions. Also, if you want more resources to prepare for your first jam, you can build a solid foundation with any of our weekly workshops in midtown Manhattan. Have a look at our current classes.

Here’s our essential guide to jam session prepping:

Where to go

Picking a jam session isn’t as simple as Googling “jazz jams” and hitting the first one on the list. Not all jams are created equal. Some are more suited for newcomers, while others are strictly reserved for advanced players. First, you need to know your skill level. If you don’t know where you stand, check out this article. Even if you’re proficient at your instrument, it’s a good idea to visit a few sessions before you play. Get a sense of the tunes and talk to some of the players if you can. This will help you know what and how to prepare when you come back with the intention to hit the bandstand.

We recommend starting at our New York Jazz Workshop jam session, which we run in collaboration with our nonprofit partner, the New York Music Institute (NYMI). It’s led by Payton Kerkes and Eli Hershiser on the last Monday of every month from 9–11 PM at our midtown Manhattan location (265 W 37th St, 10th Floor). All instruments and levels are welcome. Pay what you can, though there is a $20 suggested donation. RSVP through NYMI today.

Another great low-pressure, low-cost way to get prepared for your first jam is to go to NYMI’s free improvisation class with Patience Higgins held on the first Monday of the month, also at our Manhattan location.

What to bring

Firstly and most importantly, bring your instrument. Horn players, bring your horns. Guitarists, bring your guitar, a tuner, and a cable. In general, the venue will likely have a piano or keyboard to use, but be sure to call ahead to confirm.. But if you want to bring your own instrument, keep in mind that a lot of venues are small and won’t have a ton of space to store it when you’re not playing. If you’re a drummer, you’ll play on the house kit, so your stick bag is all you need. If you’re a singer, you can bring charts or lead sheets for your tunes to help instrumentalists with keys and chord changes. For our free improv class, we have a house drum kit and keyboard. 

How a jam session works
So you show up to the jam. Now what? How do things start? The first thing you need to do is find the host. They’ll have you put your name on the sign-up list before the jam starts. Then the house band will usually play a set before the host starts calling names from the list to come up on stage. Next, someone will call a tune, and that person will count it off. Then, before you know it, you’re playing your first jam session. Be sure to listen to the form and watch for visual cues, like hand signals, from the host and other musicians. When someone points to their head, it means “go to the head” of the tune (the main melody). Four fingers means to “trade fours”, and a raised fist means “go to the ending”.

What’s the etiquette?

There are a few principles to follow that will set you up for success: be kind, be confident, and be a good hang afterward. People want to play with goodhearted, friendly musicians. Even if you’re nervous or intimidated, lean on your kindness. There’s confidence, and there’s cockiness. When it comes time for your solo, it can feel tempting to blow the room away with all your slickest licks or take 17 choruses. While it might be impressive to hear you quote the most complex sections of The Real Book, remember that a jam session isn’t an audition. So know your tunes, say what you want to say, and leave space for others to do the same. After you step off the stage, try to stick around and support the other players. Be part of the community, not just a name on the sign-up list.

What to call

Call what’s comfortable. Come ready with a list of tunes in your head that you know backwards and forwards. But make sure your suggestions match the mood of the jam. If you’re playing almost exclusively bebop, it might not be a great idea to call some 90s Scofield. You can push things into a new era or feel, like a bossa or a blues, but maybe not something that completely changes the vibe of the night. Some good standards to know and call are classics like “Autumn Leaves”, “Satin Doll”, “Blue Bossa”, “All the Things You Are”, and “Stella by Starlight”. If you’re new to the bandstand, let someone else suggest a tune first. But be confident to jump in and call something if players start to get indecisive.

What do you do when things fall apart?

Stay calm. It happens, especially if you’re new to jam sessions. Whether you’re in the middle of a solo, trading fours, or lost in the form, here are a couple of things you can do: 1. Keep it simple. If your burning licks aren’t working or throwing off the band, go back to the basics and simplify your playing; 2. Be honest and ask for help. Tell another player that you’re lost and ask where the band is in the form. It might be slightly embarrassing, but it happens to the best of us and it’s better to ask for forgiveness than derail an entire tune.

Now that you know what to expect and how to prepare, we hope we’ve helped quell many of the fears that surround jazz jam sessions. Sure, there are a few rules to follow and it’s important to pick the right kind of session for your skill level. But jam sessions are fantastic places to not only get better at your instrument and increase your repertoire, but also to meet talented musicians and form bonds with new players. Looking for even more time on the bandstand? Join our new Jazz Trio Workshop for intermediate players and you can play every week with a partner who matches your skill level and musical taste, plus a professional bassist from our faculty.

You’re ready. You have what it takes. Good luck at the jam.

Frequently asked jazz jam questions:

Are jazz jams open to beginners?
Yes, but not all of them. Be sure to do your research on which jams are best for beginners.

What’s the best beginner-friendly jam in Manhattan?

New York Jazz Workshop hosts a monthly jam led by Payton Kerkes and Eli Hershiser on the last Monday of every month from 9–11 PM, at the NYJW studio (265 W 37th St, 10th Floor). All instruments and all levels are welcome. Pay what you can, though there is a $20 suggested donation. RSVP through NYMI.

What should I bring?
Be sure to bring your instrument. We have a house drum kit and keyboard on premise.

Which tunes should I learn first?
It’s a good idea to know some classic standards like “Autumn Leaves”, “Satin Doll”, “Blue Bossa”, “All the Things You Are”, and “Stella by Starlight” to name a few.

If you have any other questions, please email us at info@newyorkjazzworkshop anytime.